PEOPIL Young Lawyers' Group Conference 2022 and sharing knowledge to help those injured abroad

By Nick Cerezo, and Daniel Matchett, expert international serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell 

After a two-year hiatus, international travel is increasing at a rate not seen since the start of the pandemic and is now nearing 2019 levels. 

Sadly, this will inevitably mean an increase in new cross-jurisdictional personal injury and travel work. 

However, in the time since the pandemic began, the legal landscape has dramatically changed. Importantly for English lawyers, following Brexit, there is much less certainty over when claimants will be entitled to pursue foreign defendants in the English courts, meaning an increased potential for pursuing cases in foreign jurisdictions. 

It is therefore more important than ever that we, as travel lawyers, have an understanding of the process of bringing claims in different jurisdictions, as well as developing a close network of trusted and reputable foreign lawyers from which our clients can benefit. 

Although our foreign colleagues will be the specialists, our clients will expect their primary points of contact to be able to provide them with an insight as to what to expect in the foreign litigation process, right from the initial enquiry all the way to trial. 

Close working practices

With the aim of promoting such closer working practices, on 24 March, the Pan- European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPIL) held a conference for its Young Lawyer Group in Madrid, Spain. 

We were lucky enough to attend alongside Irwin Mitchell partner and international serious injury specialist Cheryl Palmer-Hughes, co-chair of the YLG, as well as 36 other delegates from nine different jurisdictions. 

PEOPIL’s purpose is to improve and promote judicial co-operation and mutual knowledge in the field of personal injury and travel law, with the YLG group being tasked with bringing together the next generation of leaders in the field, creating connections that will last for the remainder of their careers.

Focus on sharing knowledge

The conference was centred around talks given by members with a particular focus on sharing practical knowledge. Following a helpful panel conversation surrounding the differences in legal costs across different jurisdictions, there was a talk from newly appointed YLG co-chair Gabriela Lenarczyk on the developments in medical device regulations and a comparison between the formalities of the French and Spanish judicial system from Esther Abellán and Kathleen Doyeux of BCVLex. 

In addition, members shared their experience of developments in personal injury law in their own jurisdictions, including a fascinating panel discussion, chaired by Cheryl, on innovative damages where Daniel explored the case of Whittington Hospital NHS Trust v XX pursued through to the Supreme Court by Irwin Mitchell's Anne Kavanagh. 

Through these conversations, delegates were able to take home important insights to share with their own colleagues, allowing all of our clients to benefit from the collective expertise of the group. As well as gaining practical insights, hearing how lawyers across different jurisdictions approach their cases provides us with a fresh perspective on how we approach our own practices, allowing us to see new pragmatic ways of solving the issues our clients face. 

Networking and exchanging ideas

Aside from the talks, events sponsored by members from Beer Advocaten based in Amsterdam, and Cremades & Calvo-Sotelo, based in Malaga, brought the delegates together for an opportunity to continue their exchange of ideas and to network in an informal setting. 

For many members who already work together on cases, the conference provided an opportunity to meet in person for the first time, at least since the pandemic began and, in quite a few instances, ever, maintaining our pre-existing relationships and ensuring continued cooperation. 

In other instances, this time provided an opportunity to make brand new connections which members will be able to develop over the course of their careers, adding to the extensive network of international contacts from which members of the YLG, and their clients, can benefit.

Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in helping people following injury abroad at our dedicated international serious injury section. 

It is therefore more important than ever that we, as travel lawyers, have an understanding of the process of bringing claims in different jurisdictions, as well as developing a close network of trusted and reputable foreign lawyers from which our clients can benefit.”