Conference programme

08:00 Registration and coffee

08:30 Opening remarks from the chairman:
The Right Honourable Lord Falconer (Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher) View Lord Falconer's video introducing the conference

08:45 Keynote: Civil litigation costs review: phase 3 – final report
Lord Justice Jackson rolled out his civil litigation costs review in January 2009. With the initial ground-work on the report now done, this keynote presentation will give an insight into the points litigators may need to consider when the report is published in December.
Andrew Parker, head of Strategic Litigation, Beachcroft
assessor, Review of Civil Litigation Costs

09:30 Panel discussion: Client and firm expectations – optimising best value
In a recession maintaining low costs and making the best use of resources are key to the success of law firms. Means to balance internal resources and yet still deliver the services sought by clients will be discussed, with this panel of partners and clients ideally placed to present the considerations on both sides.
Simon Davis, head of commercial litigation, Clifford Chance
Sonya Leydecker, head of dispute resolution, Herbert Smith
Richard Clark, head of dispute resolution, Slaughter and May
Louise Durose, general counsel, MAN Diesel
Stephanie Pagni, head of litigation for global retail and commercial banking, Barclays Bank

10:30 Morning coffee

11:00 Interactive focus groups:

A: Fraud and corruption
As in any downturn, the collapse of the financial markets has brought a string of frauds to light – not least of which being the Madoff saga. This discussion group will go into detail how fraud and corruption allegations can be dealt with from a claimant and defendant perspective.
John Bramhall, partner, Davies Arnold Cooper
George Brown, partner, Reed Smith
Sam Eastwood, partner, Norton Rose

B: Financial services disputes
The banking sector has been hit significantly by what originated in the US as the sub-prime crisis. This session will offer views on conflict of interest in firms, market control by banks through large panels and the end of long-term relationships.
Graham Huntley, partner, Lovells
Simon Orton, partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

C: Class actions
In the United States, class actions are common practice, but their use on a wider scale is a much-discussed point. The session will consider the advantages and disadvantages and look at the consequences this may have for the United Kingdom.
Dr Christopher Hodges, head of CMS Research Programme on Civil Justice Systems, University of Oxford, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies
Anthony Maton, partner, Hausfeld & Co.

12:15 Panel discussion: Case management – a perspective from both sides of the bench
In the current climate the expense of bringing cases to trial and the savings which could be made by proper case management come under the spotlight – with judges having an important role. This panel of judges and practitioners will give their respective insights into the challenges that they see, how they view their respective roles in the light of recent reports and reviews, and identify the standards they use and believe others should adopt.
Hilton Mervis, partner, SJ Berwin
Graham Huntley, partner, Lovells
Sarah Asplin QC, 3 Stone Buildings
The Honourable Mr Justice David Steel, Royal Courts of Justice

13:30 Lunch

14:30 Keynote: An introduction to the supreme court
The introduction of a Supreme Court for the United Kingdom will provide greater clarity to the UK’s constitutional arrangements by further separating the judiciary from the legislature. The court will be an independent institution, presided over by independently appointed law lords. With the Supreme Court opening at the start of the legal year in October 2009, this session will give an overview of its functions and roles for the legal system in the UK.
Jenny Rowe, chief executive, UK Supreme Court

15:00 Interactive focus groups:

A: Funding and billing models
Clients are becoming increasingly aware of the costs involved in litigating. With legal budgets shrinking, firms need to be flexible in their billing approaches. But what about third party funding and after-the-event insurance? This session will give an understanding of currently-used funding and billing models and how they work in reality.
David Greene, partner, Edwin Coe

B: Risk management
Lawyers have an increasingly important role in advising clients before going to court. Not only costs are a factor, but risk management and specific expertise have become a key part of the relationship. This session will highlight major changes and actions firms can take in order to minimize the impacts of clients shopping around.
John Heaps, head of international litigation, Eversheds
Michael Herlihy, general counsel, Smiths Group

C: Limits on disclosure
The volume of material required for court documentation is ever-growing – especially with increased use of electronic data. This session offers discussions on why and what standards could be introduced and how relevant information can be distinguished.
Sanjay Bhandari, partner, Ernst & Young

16:15 Afternoon coffee

16:45 Panel discussion: Cross-border regulatory and criminal investigations – current trends
The global recession and turmoil in the financial markets has led to surge in enforcement activity by European regulators and criminal authorities.
A panel comprising representatives of international regulators and governmental agencies will offer views on cross-border investigations, greater use of criminal powers by regulatory bodies and increased international co-operation.
Christophe Caillot, senior officer, Enforcement and Market Surveillance Division, Autorité des Marchés Financiers, France
Jason Mansell, 7 Bedford Row Chambers
Sidney Myers, head of financial services, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
Lisa Osofsky, Regulatory Affairs Advisor, Corporate Investigations Group, Control Risks
Anthony Wilson, head of international assistance, Serious Fraud Office

18:00 Closing remarks from the chairman:
The Right Honourable Lord Falconer (Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher)