DWF solicitor appointed as President of Tomorrow’s FOIL

Rebecca Heyes, Solicitor and Senior Costs Advisor at global legal business DWF has been appointed as President of Tomorrow’s FOIL, the Forum of Insurance Lawyers’ division for lawyers with under 5 years of post-qualification experience. Rebecca succeeds Megan Lafferty, Senior Associate at Clyde & Co. 

Having trained as a solicitor at Horwich Farrelly in 2017, Rebecca joined DWF’s Costs team in October 2020. 

Rebecca previously served as Tomorrow FOIL’s (TFOIL) Education Officer but now turns her attention to empowering younger lawyers in the profession as Covid-19 continues to impact working life. High on their agenda is ensuring lawyers feel supported and, despite the challenges faced by Covid-19, continuing to support them throughout their careers (e.g., by helping them network and make meaningful connections across the insurance sector). Rebecca will lead the conversation to ensure TFOIL’s concerns around returning to ‘office life’ in a post-Covid environment are heard, and that employers and employees are on the same page regarding their expectations. 

As President of Tomorrow’s FOIL, Rebecca will also lead the organisation as it looks to expand its membership in the London Market and Republic of Ireland. 

Commenting on her appointment, Rebecca Heyes said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be appointed as the President of Tomorrow’s FOIL. I am looking forward to working with the committee to continue to raise the profile of membership, initiatives and networking opportunities available. The Covid-19 pandemic has dominated both the insurance industry and the working lives of young lawyers – with many young lawyers living alone, I will work with the TFOIL membership to ensure that each member feels supported and connected with each other during this difficult time.” 

Laurence Besemer, CEO of FOIL commented on this appointment: “It’s no secret that young lawyers starting their legal careers have been dealt a difficult hand in the current working landscape, and I have full confidence that Rebecca will make strides in promoting the welfare and professional development of our next generation of lawyers. TFOIL is committed to ensuring that networking opportunities between lawyers and insurers remains strong for its membership, resulting in career-long relationships being forged despite the pandemic’s impact. I look forward to working with Rebecca during her tenure to ensure this.”

About Tomorrow’s FOIL

TFOIL was launched in 2012 with a vision to provide a forum for insurance lawyers of the future to develop their network. The division runs learning and social events, helping to build career long relationships with fellow practitioners and counterpart insurance professionals.