James Badenoch
James Badenoch QC practices at 1 Crown Office Row where he specialises in clinical negligence, medical law, and professional discipline. He took silk in 1989 and has appeared in a succession of major cases in the House of Lords, The Privy Council, The Court of Appeal, The High Court, The GMC and The GDC.
James is a Deputy High Court Judge, a Recorder of the Crown Court, President of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, a Bencher of Lincolns Inn, an Accredited Mediator and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He has been admitted ad eundem to the Hong Kong Bar and he is also Chairman of the Expert Witness Institute.
Ian Forrest
Ian Forrest is a Partner at Squire Sanders & Dempsey (UK) LLP. He is a member of the Pensions Law Department and his work involves all aspects of pensions law, including professional trusteeship.
During his career with the firm, Ian has acted as Head of the Pensions Law Department, Head of the Birmingham Office and Head of the Brussels Office. He has been involved in dealing with the pensions aspects of companies restructuring, insolvency, acquisitions and disposals, pension scheme mergers and companies refinancing. Ian also acts as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for several pension schemes.
Des Hudson
Des Hudson is Chief Executive of the Law Society of England and Wales. He qualified as a solicitor in 1980 and worked in private practice, specialising in crime and child protection work. In 1987 he joined the Yorkshire Building Society where he held a number of positions. In 1992 he became Head of Lending at the Britannia Building Society and in 1995 Operations Director of Britannia Life, before being made Managing Director.
In 1998 Des joined SMG (Scottish Media Group) to become Chief Executive of their publishing division and was appointed a Director in 1999. He moved to the Law Society in 2006 from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland where he was Chief Executive.
Greg Lowson
Greg Lowson is Head of Pinsent Masons' Birmingham office and Head of Dispute Resolution He handles some of the firm's largest and most complex litigation for clients, including several FTSE 100 companies. He is a Solicitor Advocate and an accredited mediator with extensive experience.
Recent successful work has included defending a significant claim for breach of a joint venture agreement; advising on the re-negotiation of a multi-million pound and complex logistics contract, involving the settlement of significant claims and advising a client on the threatened termination of a long term and complex facilities management contract.
Michael Smyth CBE
Michael Smyth was a partner at Clifford Chance LLP for more than 20 years, where he led the public policy and government affairs practice, as well as having overall responsibility for the firm’s pro bono work.
He remains a consultant with the firm, as well as being a visiting professor of Queen Mary College, University of London and the University of Essex. He has extensive experience of litigating before domestic and international tribunals, including the European Court of Human rights.
Highly regarded by the legal directories for his public policy, defamation and administrative law expertise, he has also been cited in the International Commercial Litigation survey of top practitioners.
Michael is also a member of the Press Complaints Commission and was made a CBE in the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to legal pro bono work.
Laurie Watt
Laurie Watt is Senior Counsel with Charles Russell LLP having previously been Senior Partner of the firm from 1998 - 2006. His litigation work has involved dealing with international arbitration and litigation of commercial contractual disputes, as well as technical and engineering matters such as major claims arising out of carriage of goods and air disaster.
More recently Laurie was involved in corporate governance issues following his involvement as Shadow Counsel for a former non-executive member of the Enron Board of Directors following that company's collapse and bankruptcy.
Since 2008 he has been Treasurer of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Chair of their Executive Committee and International Membership Secretary with ALFA International, the global law firm network.