FOIL members elect Nicola Critchley as president

DWF Law partner Nicola Critchley has been elected to the position of president of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).

Critchley (pictured) takes over from Stuart Hardy, partner at BLM Law. She sits on FOIL’s costs sector focus team and was also the organisation’s treasurer.

She has worked with insurers and self-insureds for more than 20 years and her strategic focus is on civil justice reform.

Critchley’s appointment comes amid considerable political and business uncertainty, and at a time when insurers and insurance lawyers must focus on thought leadership, and finding more adaptable ways of doing business, the organisation said.

FOIL acknowledged that the one of the themes ahead is significant civil justice reform in a climate of considerable economic and uncertainty, with UK a government demonstrably committed to diverging from the legal landscape inherited from EU membership.

As a result, the organisation to aims utilise the combined experience of its 8,000 members to find new solutions and ways of working, and under Critchley’s direction, help support the wider insurance industry on the most pressing issues of the next year.

FOIL is also putting a major focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and diversity and inclusion.

Its members will support the insurance industry as it transitions to sustainable underwriting, investment and purchasing practices.

FOIL will also work collaboratively to develop plans to bring member firms’ net carbon output to at least zero, with an ambition of a net negative by 2030.

Finally, the organisation will continue to work with its own ESG board to consider how changes will affect service suppliers and purchasers, and how members can strengthen relationships with clients through responsible corporate behaviours.

Peter Allchorne, partner at DAC Beachcroft, will take up the position of vice president of FOIL and support Critchley’s on all of the organisation’s activities.

Commenting on her appointment, Critchley said: “I am very much looking forward to steering FOIL over the next year, helping the organisation to support our member firms and, in turn, their own clients.

“In 2022, we have rather gone from ‘great expectations’ to ‘uncertain times’. Globally, we managed to recover well from the pandemic only to be met with new challenges. My presidency will focus on helping our member firms to solve the most pressing problems for their clients, and making sure that we as an organisation are providing the fresh thinking that the sector needs if it is to weather the coming storm.

“As we look to solve these sizeable challenges, it is also vital that we do not lose sight of our pre-existing commitments on the environment, social issues, and governance. I will ensure that our organisation, and its member firms, continue to honour their commitments as set out in the Climate Charter FOIL signed in 2021, and continue to give ESG issues our full attention.”

Commenting on Critchley’s appointment, FOIL chief executive officer Laurence Besemer said: “Nicola is a long-standing member of FOIL’s executive committee, and is the perfect candidate to head up the organisation as we move into what will no doubt be a particularly challenging 2023.

“One of FOIL’s real strengths has always been its ability to look behind the headlines, and using the combined experience of its members to develop innovative ideas and proposals. With so much change happening so quickly, more than ever decisions for the future need to be grounded in analysis and evidence: a clear view of what is working and should be retained, and what needs further change.

“Nicola, alongside myself and others on the executive committee, will make sure this evidence-based approach remains a key tenet of the organisation over next year and beyond.”

Image source: FOIL

Mark Dugdale