Engineers Ireland

Note: next date available is 7 November 2012

Course aim

This course aims to provide engineers with a practical insight into the current trends in engineering litigation in Ireland and the legal basics they need to be aware of.

Overview

The programme will assist engineers in gaining an understanding of the fundamental legal issues they need to be aware of from letter of appointment to letter of claim.

Programme

This course will allow participants to:

• Rethink their letters of appointment in the context of contract law   
• Become aware of areas of potential exposure to liability in negligence
• Understand the Irish court structure and legal system  
• Become aware of how the Irish/Technology and Construction Courts analyse and define the engineers role in construction and technical claims. 

Programme outline

• The Irish Legal System – An Introduction to Litigation for Engineers
• Letters of Appointment - The Basics of Contract Law   
• Negligence Claims  - The Exposure to Liability for the Engineer
• Recent Engineering Cases in the Irish/ITechnology and Construction Courts 

Learning objectives

In the morning we will go through the legal basics for an engineer. We will then look at some of the recent judgments from both the Irish and the Technology and Construction Courts that highlight the courts’ views and findings on some of the recurring issues that face the engineer when bringing or defending a claim.

We will continue this discussion in the afternoon, concluding with some typical practical claim scenarios where we can place what we have discussed into context.

Who should attend

Any engineer who requires a practical understanding of the basics of Irish law.

Why should I attend

Dispute resolution and dealing with claims is a fact of life for many engineers. This course aims to make particpants feel more comfortable when endeavouring to deal with legal issues.

Trainer

Fiona Forde B.L. is a practising barrister specialising in building and construction law. A mechanical engineer, Fiona is experienced in both contentious and non-contentious construction work. Fiona trained in London with the legal team of a large international consulting engineering firm and was the legal adviser to their Irish offices. Called to the Irish Bar in 2002, Fiona practises from the Irish Law Library and has lectured on the Postgraduate Diploma in Construction Law and Contract Administration in Trinity College Dublin and in Building and Construction Law on the Law Society Diploma in Civil Litigation.