Crowdfunding Litigation in Scotland - Current Trends and Questions
Crowdfunding is the process of appealing to the public to fund a particular cause, project or product through the use of websites such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe or Crowd Justice. While crowdfunding is mainly centred in the consumer and charity spheres, there have been a number of prominent examples of the conduct of litigation being funded through crowdfunding including in Scotland.
Dr Andrew Tickell will outline his research as to the use and popularity of crowdfunding of litigation in Scotland in recent years, whether there are obvious trends in its use and what the future may hold for it. Dr Tickell has a particular interest in the experience of crowdfunding by those within the legal profession and is looking to engage with lawyers as part of the next phase of his research on this issue.
Advocates David Blair and Fergus Whyte will also comment on some of the issues they perceive as arising in the use of crowdfunding in litigation in Scotland. A question and answer session and a reception will follow the speakers.
While this event is hosted by the Faculty of Advocates, any views expressed are those of the speakers.
Speaker and panel
Dr Andrew Tickell is a senior lecturer in law at Glasgow Caledonian University. His research and teaching interests include public law and devolution, criminal law, evidence and media law. He is particularly interested in law reform and the intersection between law and politics, and has given evidence in the Scottish Parliament on several occasions. He published the findings of a scoping study of legal crowdfunding in Scotland in the January 2022 edition of the Edinburgh Law Review.
David Blair called in 2021 and practises from Axiom Advocates. He specialises in public law, professional discipline, public procurement and medical negligence litigation. He has litigated in the sheriff court, Outer House, Inner House and European Court of Human Rights. He is a standing junior to the Advocate General for Scotland. Prior to his legal career, David worked in both the Scottish and UK parliaments.
Fergus Whyte called to the bar in Scotland in June 2020. He practices from Arnot Manderson Stables. He has appeared in Sheriff Courts, the Outer House and Inner House of the Court of Session. He previously practiced as a barrister and solicitor specialising in litigation in New Zealand. He specialises in civil and commercial litigation, media and intellectual property law.