The New And Improved Adjudication Pilot Scheme For Professional Negligence Claims

Last night (25 May 2016), Dentons hosted an event at One Fleet Place to launch the revised Adjudication Pilot Scheme for Professional Negligence Claims. Lord Justice Briggs delivered the keynote address.

Background to the relaunch

The first Pilot Scheme was launched in February 2015, under the supervision of Mr Justice Ramsey. Loosely based on the successful adjudication scheme used in construction disputes, the Scheme was intended to enable parties to a professional negligence dispute to obtain a quick adjudication (within 56 days) at a relatively low cost (up to £10,000 plus VAT) that would be binding on the parties (unless the contrary was agreed at the start).

Following the launch of the first Pilot Scheme, the Pre-Action Protocol for Professional Negligence claims was amended to add adjudication as a means of alternative dispute resolution, which is described succinctly as "a process by which an independent adjudicator provides the parties with a decision