Keoghs partner elected as FOIL president
The Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) has elected James Heath as its next president.
James, a partner and director of counter-fraud strategy at Keoghs, succeeds Stephen Hines of Citygate Chambers as president. Going forward, his presidential year ahead will include a host of regulatory changes affecting the insurance sector, including the Civil Liability Bill and the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO 2012).
Commenting on his appointment, James said: ‘The FOIL Presidency is a prestigious honour, and it has never been a more interesting time to take up the reins with the prospect of Brexit on the horizon. The regulatory change we hope to see over the next year will be complemented by a FOIL which is adapting and evolving to meet the demands of the markets it engages in.
‘In taking over the presidential baton from Stephen Hines, I see the core challenge as one of continuity—building on the strong and positive engagement that FOIL has delivered over the last 12 months. Whilst issues arising from Brexit and the Civil Liability Bill will be front and centre, FOIL’s span of engagement and influence is so wide now that I look forward to working closely with the National Executive, London FOIL Executive and SFTs to continue driving FOIL’s message and the FOIL Standard.’
FOIL’s chief executive Laurence Besemer added: ‘I am confident James will bring the necessary strong leadership as FOIL approaches the unprecedented challenges in the year ahead. With James at the helm, FOIL will continue to pursue a detailed examination of the issues, and full engagement in the reform programme and with insurers, both reacting to proposals put forward and setting a pro-active agenda for change.’
