Overview
This webinar examines the most common procedural problems and practical difficulties that arise in civil litigation, with a particular focus on personal injury claims. It explores where and why cases go wrong, from issuing proceedings against the wrong party to missing critical deadlines and failing to comply with court directions.
Through practical examples, the session highlights frequent procedural failures such as defective pleadings and evidence, missed time limits, failures in costs management, and the consequences of non-compliance with court rules. The webinar also addresses what practitioners can do when things go wrong, including how to make effective applications for relief from sanctions.
The aim is to help litigators identify risk areas early, manage cases more effectively, and reduce the likelihood of costly and potentially fatal errors.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify the most common procedural pitfalls in civil and personal injury litigation
- Understand why cases frequently go wrong and how such issues can be avoided
- Recognise key time periods and critical deadlines in litigation
- Avoid errors relating to:
- Issuing proceedings against the wrong party or on behalf of the wrong claimant
- Failing to deal with counterclaims, listing questionnaires, and costs budgets
- Non-compliance with directions and filing defective documents
- Late or defective witness statements and schedules
- Missed trial fees, trial dates, and appeal deadlines
- Assess the impact of late-discovered evidence and procedural failures
- Take appropriate steps when things go wrong in a case
- Prepare and present effective applications for relief from sanctions
- Apply best practice strategies to improve compliance and case management
Barrister
Kings Chambers, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham and 4-5 Gray's Inn Square, London
Gordon was called to the Bar in 1991 having originally qualified and practised as a solicitor. He practices from Kings Chambers, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham and 4-5 Gray's Inn Square, London. He works in the area of personal injury litigation and in the law relating to civil procedure, limitation and costs. He has a particular interest in issues relating to damages, evidence, costs and procedure.
Gordon is a former executive committee member of APIL and has lectured widely for APIL and CPIL on personal injury and procedure topics. Gordon is the author of Personal Injury Practice Notes (Cavendish); The APIL Guide to Fatal Accidents (now in its 4th edition); the 14th edition of Munkman and Exall on Damages for Personal Injury Death and Periodical Payments the New Law. He also wrote the section on limitation for the APIL loose-leaf and contributes two chapters to Munkman on Employer’s Liability... view full biography