Mock Trial

This event will show how the process works and what to expect if a claim ends up in court proceedings. It will simulate a real-life personal injury claim that went to court recently. It involves an accident in which a person was leading a horse up a country lane and claimed that the driver of a tractor was negligent in failing to stop/turn off his engine, causing the horse to be spooked and bolt and cause her serious injuries. It is a trial on liability for the accident.

As in most real-life disputes, the law will be important, but the core of the disagreement will be about the facts. Some witnesses will be more credible than others. Both parties will have their strong points and their weak points. Ultimately, it will be up to the Judge to decide.

Key participants, including the Judge and Counsel for each party, will be played by real-life legal professionals who will be well-equipped to give you an authentic trial experience. There will also be a bundle of documents which will help attendees understand the case and consider the evidence as the trial progresses.

Online Booking
This event is free to all members (£25 for non-members) and will be of general interest to anyone who wants to learn more about the court process in civil actions.

To reserve your place, please use our online booking system by clicking on the BOOK NOW button below. Your membership number will be needed when booking a free place, so please make sure this is to hand.

Sandwiches, tea, coffee and fruit juice will be available during registration which will open at 12:15pm and the mock trial will start promptly at 1:00pm.

Places are strictly limited and to assist with catering requirements etc, bookings will close no later than 9:00am on Thursday 23 November, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

If you have any queries regarding this event, please email Susan Stamp at secretary@sussexcii.org.uk.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will have learnt:

• the format and process of a civil trial

• that not everything at court is perfectly choreographed

• that work undertaken during the life of a case can mean the difference between winning and losing

• to consider what could be done differently to improve their chances of winning a case

• to take this back to their desk and bear it in mind when dealing with their own claims in the future

Getting there
There is ample parking available on site and a free parking permit and map of the campus will be sent to all attendees shortly before the event takes place.

If travelling by public transport, the venue is a 7 minute walk from Falmer Station or there are frequent buses from central Brighton (route 25 goes onto campus and the closest stop is at North South Road).

About our speakers

Kelvin Farmaner
Kelvin is an experienced litigation lawyer, accredited higher courts advocate in civil proceedings and he has a niche expertise and understanding of the insurance sector. He is a member of the Law Society’s specialist personal injury panel and also of FOIL (Forum of Insurance Lawyers).

He currently sits on FOIL’s Cross Border Sector Focus Team. He has published various articles in regional publications and trade journals such as The New Law Journal, The Post Magazine, The Solicitors Journal and PI Brief Update Law Journal as well as appearing in a lawyer training DVD for the College of Law, London. He is a past President of The Insurance Institute of Southampton.

Kelvin is one of only 36 lawyers in the UK ranked by Chambers (2023) as a leading lawyer for personal injury work (mainly defendant). Kelvin is also ranked as a leading individual by Legal 500 (2023).

Sarah Wheadon
Sarah is a regulatory solicitor and experienced advocate who helps clients navigate the regulatory law that impacts on business life such as data protection, health and safety, fire safety, food safety, trading standards and environmental.

She acts for all types of organisations and individuals, including directors.

Sarah’s advisory work includes advising clients on compliance with regulations affecting their business, undertaking legal ‘health checks’, drafting policies and procedures and providing training.

Sarah’s objective is to help her clients stay on the right side of the law to minimise the risk of something going wrong and the possibility of an investigation and prosecution (which inevitably mean key people in the business being taken away from their usual roles), adverse publicity, hefty fines and a potential impact on future business.

When something does go wrong, Sarah works with her clients to achieve the best possible outcome and support them through the process. This includes representing clients at interviews under caution and at court.

As well as compliance and defence work, Sarah also prosecutes for private prosecutors. She believes that acting for prosecutors and defendants assists with how she approaches cases and is of benefit to her clients.

Sarah is also Trethowans’ Privacy Officer.

Sarah is a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 2021 guide.

Gabriel Farmer
Gabriel Farmer has a longstanding specialist practice in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence. He has significant experience in complex fatal accident cases and has an allied specialism in Coronial law (inquests).

He enjoys a balanced claimant/defendant practice and brings robustness and sensitivity in equal measure.

His experience includes representation at all levels including the Court of Appeal. His cases often include KC opponents.

When instructed by Defendants he delivers early tactical and evidential advice as part of the Costs & Case Management process.

His Personal Injury (PI) caseload generally comprises catastrophic cases. He has broad experience of liability issues spanning fatal accidents, Road traffic accidents (RTA), / Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) claims, occupier/public liability claims, asbestos claims, cases of post-accident Clinical Negligence or involving technical factual issues.

Gabriel works on quantum disputes which regularly involve fatality, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, spinal injury, amputation and claims involving Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Somatoform and other chronic pain disorders.

His Clinical Negligence work is weighted more towards defending and includes the defence of medical practitioners at inquests. Recent cases included defending a high value fatal claim with a complex housing dependency issue, a complex “safety netting” failure claim and numerous psychiatric unit and care home inquests.

He has long standing experience of inquest work having undertaken Treasury Panel work as well as a number of high-profile inquest cases including recently acting for a family in an unlawful killing case, in a complex misadventure death involving use of a police taser and a number of other complex Art 2 deaths. He has been instructed in a number of complex and long-running cases to act as counsel to the Coroner.

He is ranked as a band 1 in Chambers & Partners who report: “He is solution-driven. He has an impressive mastery of the issues and is very responsive”, “Extremely thorough in his preparation, and knowledgeable of the relevant law” and “Always on top of the detail” and has been described in Legal 500 as “highly effective” and “ultimately the advocate you want on your side”.