Laura Heeley
A Principal Associate PSL for the Commercial Dispute Resolution team at Eversheds Sutherland International. Laura advises on key legal developments and the application of legal principles to complex disputes including cross border considerations. Before becoming a Professional Support Lawyer, Laura spent over ten years in practice in the Commercial Litigation team at Wright Hassall. Laura has advised on a wide range of commercial and corporate disputes including contractual, tortious, director and shareholder, partnership and regulatory disputes. Laura is also a Solicitor Advocate with Higher Rights of Audience in Civil Advocacy.
In the sports sector Laura has advised sports national governing bodies (NGBs) in respect of contractual, disciplinary, and regulatory disputes, governance and compliance, safeguarding issues and tribunal hearings including appeals to Sports Resolution and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Laura now also sits on the panel of Arbitrators for Sport Resolutions.
5 Contributions by Laura Heeley
PRACTICE NOTES
A practical guide to disclosure under CPR 31: duties, searches, control, inspection, third-party disclosure and sanctions (England and Wales)
This Practice Note introduces disclosure under the Civil Procedure Rules, highlighting the principal CPR provisions that regulate disclosure under CPR 31. It clarifies what constitutes a document for CPR purposes and supplies practical guidance for conducting a disclosure exercise. Note: this Practice Note does not cover claims within the Business & Property Courts Disclosure Scheme. For further detail, see: Disclosure Scheme (Business & Property Courts)—overview. For assistance determining which disclosure regime applies to your matter, see: Which disclosure rules apply to my claim—flowchart?
This Practice Note should be read together with:
Disclosure—overview
Inspection—overview
Privilege and without prejudice communications—overview
At the pre-action stage, be aware that certain pre-action protocols impose disclosure duties before proceedings commence. For more information, see: Pre-action disclosure and Norwich Pharmacal—overview.
CPR provisions governing the disclosure process
The CPR and case law form the legal framework governing disclosure—for further guidance, see:
small claims track: CPR 27—see Practice Note: Disclosure in the small claims track
fast track: CPR 28
...
Dispute Resolution
PRACTICE NOTES
Disclosure in fast track claims from 1 October 2023: CPR and PD 28 directions, CPR 31 duties and timetable (England and Wales)
Introduction
This Practice Note outlines the disclosure obligations for claims allocated to the fast track, and covers the rules and guidance where the claim form is issued on or after 1 October 2023, excluding personal injury and clinical negligence claims where different timetables apply. For general guidance on disclosure, see: Disclosure—overview. This Practice Note does not address claims governed by the Disclosure Scheme in the Business & Property Courts. For guidance on that scheme, see: Disclosure Scheme (Business & Property Courts)—overview. For general guidance on disclosure in other tracks, see the following Practice Notes:
Disclosure in the small claims track
Disclosure in intermediate track cases
Disclosure in multi-track cases
The scope of a fast track claim
The fast track provides a streamlined route for managing and taking lower value cases above the small claims ceiling to trial in the county court. Its purpose is to ensure costs remain proportionate to the sums at stake, typically ranging from the top end of small claims (ie £10,000) up to a maximum amount claimed of £25,000.
Note:...
Dispute Resolution
PRACTICE NOTES
Disclosure on the Intermediate Track: CPR PD 28 and CPR 31 rules, forms N263/N265, and CCMC process (England and Wales)
Introduction
This Practice Note explains the disclosure obligations for matters assigned to the intermediate track, together with the relevant rules and guidance that apply where the claim form was issued on or after 1 October 2023. It does not purport to address claims governed by the Disclosure Scheme in the Business and Property Courts at all. For general introductory guidance on that scheme, see: Disclosure Scheme (Business & Property Courts)—overview. For general guidance on disclosure in the other tracks, refer to the following Practice Notes listed below:
Disclosure in the small claims track
Disclosure in fast track cases
Disclosure in multi-track cases
The scope of a claim in the intermediate track
The intermediate track was introduced from 1 October 2023 for disputes that are more involved than those suitable for the fast track, yet not so complex as to require multi-track case management instead. Such claims typically fall between £25,000 and £100,000, are not excessively complex, and can be concluded within only a three-day trial window. The intermediate track employs streamlined case management to minimise delay and promote efficient conduct of cases overall. It aims to strike an appropriate balance between both thorough case management and the objective of keeping...
Dispute Resolution
PRACTICE NOTES
Disclosure on the Small Claims Track (England and Wales): CPR 27/PD 27A, standard directions, document requirements and practical guidance
This Practice Note summarises the disclosure requirements for claims allocated to the small claims track. For general guidance on disclosure, see: Disclosure—overview. Note: this Practice Note does not cover claims subject to the Disclosure Scheme in the Business & Property Courts. For guidance on that Scheme, see: Disclosure Scheme (Business & Property Courts)—overview. For general guidance on disclosure in other tracks, see the following Practice Notes:
Disclosure in fast track cases
Disclosure in intermediate track cases
Disclosure in multi-track cases
The scope of a claim in the small claims track
Claims on the small claims track are described as ‘small claims’. This track is intended for claims worth under £10,000. For further guidance on cases allocated to and progressing on the small claims track, see Practice Note: Small claims track—case management. Proceedings in the small claims track are governed by CPR 27 and CPR PD 27A. Note: the rules on standard disclosure, or the Disclosure Scheme of the Business & Property Courts, do not apply to claims on the small claims track. Instead, the standard directions for a small...
Dispute Resolution
PRACTICE NOTES
Multi-track disclosure under CPR 31: allocation, directions, CCMC preparation (N263/EDQ), disclosure menu, inspection and court guides—England and Wales
Introduction
This Practice Note explains the disclosure obligations for matters placed on the multi-track. It further offers guidance on how to construe and apply the pertinent provisions of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) and should be used alongside: Disclosure under CPR 31—pre-action considerations—checklist, and Disclosure considerations under CPR 31 after proceedings have started—checklist. For broad guidance on disclosure generally, see: Disclosure—overview. Note: this Practice Note does not aim to address claims falling within the Disclosure Scheme of the Business and Property Courts. For general guidance on that Scheme, see: Disclosure Scheme (Business & Property Courts)—overview. For general guidance on disclosure across the other tracks, see the following Practice Notes:
Disclosure in the small claims track
Disclosure in fast track cases
Disclosure in intermediate track cases
The scope of a claim in the multi-track
The multi-track is intended for cases of greater complexity, featuring nuanced legal or factual questions that necessitate robust case management. The court issues detailed directions, including a timetable for steps before trial, and may convene case management conferences and pre-trial reviews. Such claims frequently require several experts and substantial evidential material, with the court retaining wide discretion to manage disclosure and evidential issues effectively throughout the proceedings...
Dispute Resolution
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