Litigation
Civil Litigation: Key Risks and Opportunities
August 27th
Edinburgh
The Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) ( Scotland) Act 2018 - Key Risks and Opportunities
August 27th
2 - 5pm
Speaker: Naomi Pryde, DWF LLP
Statistics released by the Scottish Government show that Litigation in Scotland has decreased by 44% since 2008. Many litigators are hoping that the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 will help reverse the decline by allowing damages based agreements (DBAs) and conditional fee agreements (CFAs) as well as allowing group proceedings for the first time in Scotland. The Act brings great opportunity but there are inevitably risks that come with it, and some practitioners are extremely wary of the Act.
Partner and Head of Commercial Litigation (Scotland) Naomi Pryde has front line experience of CFAs, DBAs and group proceedings, having just returned from practising in London for five years. She is an authority on the Act; not only has she written and spoken extensively about the Act, one of her recommendations (allowing hybrid DBAs [which are not allowed in England & Wales] to the Civil Justice Costs and Funding Committee was implemented. Naomi's seminar will ensure that you and your firm are best placed to maximise the opportunities that the Act brings, whilst avoiding the pitfalls that may also arise. Naomi will take you through the Act, discuss her experience using CFAs and DBA's in practice, and will also walk you through a CFA, highlighting key drafting pitfalls.
The event begins at 2pm. Delegate registration is open from 1:30pm.
Naomi is qualified in three jurisdictions: Scotland; England & Wales and the Republic of Ireland. She is a Solicitor Advocate with higher rights of audience in the higher courts of England and Wales. She is also a Notary public and a Writer to Her Majesty's Signet in Scotland. She has considerable cross border experience and many of her cases have an international element.
Naomi acts in a wide range of commercial litigation matters, acting for both claimants / pursuers and defendants / defenders. She represents clients in litigation, mediation and arbitration. She has particular experience in complex contractual disputes, property litigations, commercial fraud, corporate divorce, and recovering assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Naomi is a keen proponent of “dispute avoidance” and works with clients to develop risk management strategies in order to identify, mitigate or even avoid disputes. She regularly advises clients regarding reputation management and is currently instructed on matters relating to privacy, defamation and breach of confidence.
Her clients range from high net worth individuals to large multi-national corporations. Many of Naomi's cases involve an international element. She is often instructed to obtain urgent remedies, including interdicts and injunctions and orders for freezing and seizing assets (domestic and worldwide).
Naomi is an elected council member for the Law Society of Scotland representing the constituency of England and Wales. In 2017 she won a prestigious WeAreTheCity "Rising Star" Award in Law, which recognised her talent in, and contribution to, the legal industry.
