Speakers

Anita Crozier, Senior Associate, CMS Legal

Anita specialises in contentious construction, mainly providing legal advice to avoid and resolve construction disputes. She acts for contractors, consultants, developers, and institutions on a wide range of issues arising primarily from construction contracts (both standard form (including NEC, JCT, SBCC,) and bespoke contracts), collateral warranties and professional appointments. Anita is proficient in all forms of dispute resolution including adjudication, arbitration, mediation  and litigation in the Sheriff Courts and Court of Session.

Harriet Munro, Partner, CMS Legal

Harriet Munro is a partner in our Construction Insurance team with over 25 years’ experience in the industry. She specialises in defending claims against construction professionals, including architects, and has been instructed in many Court actions, arbitrations, adjudications and claims that have proceeded to settle at mediation.  She is regularly instructed by design professionals and their professional indemnity insurers.  Harriet also advises on insurance policy coverage matters in relation to professional negligence and construction all risks policies.  She has a climate change law qualification from BIICL and is recommended in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal for professional negligence in Scotland.

Caroline Maciver, Partner, CMS Legal

Caroline has specialised in infrastructure, construction and engineering disputes for over 20 years.  She advises on court actions – both Court of Session and Sheriff Court – as well as arbitrations, adjudications and mediations. Caroline has a wide experience of industry standard and bespoke contracts as well as project agreements. She also provides contract advisory advice to clients in the management and resolution of issues arising during the currency of a project.  Caroline has also advised clients on building safety issues arising out of the significant legislative changes in both Scotland and the UK.

Clyde Ashby, Building Standards Division Scottish Government

Clyde Ashby is a Chartered Surveyor who has over 45 years of experience working within building standards, initially with local authorities, followed by 13 years with the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government. During his time within the Building Standards Division, Clyde worked in the Procedural Team, the Environment and Safety Team and, in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, he returned to the Fire Team.

Since leaving Scottish Government in 2019 Clyde has worked as an independent advisor and expert witness in the field of fire engineering. His work involves providing opinion on fire safety matters in relation to the design and/or the construction of existing buildings. Although mainly relating to external cladding, he has also provided opinion on numerous projects in connection with internal fire safety related issues.

Jim McGonigal PhD, CEng, MCABE, MRICS, MIFireE, Astute Fire Engineering

James is an experienced practicing-chartered building engineer specialising in fire engineering and building regulations. In his previous role, Jim was the Scottish Government’s national regulatory for fire safety of new buildings at the Building Standards Division. James has an in depth understanding of fire safety legislation and guidance and of the building regulatory system. He has also provided technical leadership and advice on the regulations and guidance to Scottish Ministers, local authority verifiers and the design community, as well as working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in the development of national guidance. In addition, he represented the Scottish Government on various British Standard technical committees and was a board member of the RICS (Scotland Building Control Professional Group).

Catherine Cosgrove, Associate at Austin-Smith: Lord

Catherine is an architect with more than 25 years’ experience on a wide range of projects and leads the sustainability group at Austin-Smith: Lord. She has a particular focus on conservation and sustainable design and holds RIAS accreditation in both. Catherine is the former chair of the Scottish Ecological Design Association.

Dr Andrew Agapiou, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde

Andrew is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, combining an academic background in construction law with over 25 years of industrial experience, helping clients to manage and resolve their disputes as a Certified Mediator, specialising in the property and construction sectors. He has worked within the property and development sectors for over 25 years as an academic and industry practitioner. Andrew is a member of the RIAS Contract Committee and currently provides consultancy services to a wide range of property companies in Scotland, including support for developing legal and regulatory compliance policies and procedures.

Robert Campbell, Technical Advisor, RIAS

Rob Campbell is past managing partner of Campbell & Morris Associates, past convenor of the RIAS Practice Board and currently technical adviser to the RIAS.

Rob registered as an architect in 1979. He is a past part 3 examiner with APEAS, the RIBA and Queens University Belfast. He is also a past Part 1 and 2 examiner with the ARB. Rob is a fellow of the RIAS, and a past member of CIArb and the Academy of experts. For the last 17 years, Rob has been heavily involved in Alternative dispute resolution and has been appointed in over 100 cases as an expert witness.

Willie Watt PPRIAS, Director, Nicoll Russell Studios

Willie Watt has worked in practices in London, Aberdeen and Dundee and has contributed to a number of high profile projects. He has been a partner at the award winning architects’ practice Nicoll Russell Studios since 2006 having joined the practice as an associate in 1999. Willie has written widely on the reform of European Procurement, has contributed to reviews and conferences held on this matter and sat on the RIBA’s Procurement Reform Group. Willie was RIAS President between 2017 - 2019 is current Chair of RIAS Procurement Working Group. He has been a frequent critic at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen over a number of years and has acted as an expert witness.