Portfolio

Paul's expertise includes mechanical engineering, patent and design right disputes, consumer and industrial product design and testing, breakdown and failure analysis, machinery non-performance, manufacturing issues and the investigation of Personal Injury matters. He is also experienced in giving evidence in both the High Court and Crown Court.

I graduated in 1978 from the Polytechnic of the South Bank, London, with an upper second class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. Having been elected a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and a Chartered Engineer in 1988, I then successfully completed a postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies in 1991. In recognition of my wide engineering experience and responsibilities, and a commitment to a programme of Continued Professional Development, I was elected a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 2003.

Initially I received professional training with the Ministry of Defence in a number of areas, including Metrology, Metallurgical analysis and Engineering Development. Following graduation I spent three years at Pirelli Cables, firstly completing a graduate training programme and then receiving further experience in various engineering departments before taking up the position of Plant Development Engineer.

After working at De La Rue Systems as a Design and Development Engineer on high-speed bank-note counterfeit detection and sorting machinery, I joined the staff of Aeronautical and General Instruments in 1983. At AGI I worked on the development and manufacture of weigh scales, marine systems and the design, manufacture and installation of a new generation of runway visibility monitoring systems on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority for all the major UK airports. I was also appointed Company Safety Officer and received training from the British Safety Council. Whilst at AGI I was promoted firstly to Senior Engineer and then to Principal Engineer.

In 1994 I joined the University of Southampton as the Consultancy Manager of USITT Engineering Consultancy, and was also the Manager of the Mechanical Engineering Consultancy Service and the Central Design Service consultancy activity for a period of two years. At USITT I worked as a designer, development engineer and project manager on a large number of multi-disciplinary projects for a wide range of prestigious industrial and commercial clients. In 2006 I left the University to become an independent Consulting Engineer, however I continue to have access to the specialised facilities and expertise there.

I am an experienced Expert Witness and, since my first instruction in 1994 I have undertaken investigations and prepared reports in a wide range of matters, from large industrial systems through investigating and testing domestic products to reporting on Personal Injury cases, including a fatal accident investigation. I have also had experience of IPR matters, including various Patent and Design Right disputes. In addition, I have some experience of criminal work, including having taken instructions and given evidence in a murder trial.

I have received training in acting as an Expert Witness, including as a SJE and in the requirements of the CPR; I have also given evidence in the High Court on a number of occasions and in the Crown Court.