It is vital for civil practitioners to keep abreast of current developments to allow them to best serve their client's interests. CLT's annual essential update will provide an overview of recent developments and changes, while outlining the way in which these changes will affect day-to-day practice and client care.

As well as tackling up to date developments of significance in civil practice in the Sheriff Court, common pitfalls in Sheriff Court litigation and how to avoid them will also be considered in this "view from the bench".

Topics to be covered include:

• Pitfalls - how to avoid them - a view from the bench

• Written peladings

• Options hearings and Debates

• Tenders

• Presentations skills

• New and unusual cases

• Traps to avoid

Speaker: Sheriff Lindsay Foulis was in private practice as a partner at Blackadders in Dundee before his appointment as a floating sheriff in 2000. He was also a member of the Sheriff Court Rules Council for four years. His civil practice and procedure case law update article is a regular feature in the Journal of the Law Society of Scotland.