The Legal 500

United Kingdom > London Bar > Clinical negligence and healthcare

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Index of tables

  1. Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Sets
  2. Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Silks
  3. Clinical negligence and healthcare – New Silks
  4. Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Juniors

Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Silks

Clinical negligence and healthcare – Leading Juniors

One Crown Office Row is a ‘well-established set’ that regularly handles large claims in Commonwealth jurisdictions in addition to its work in England and Wales. James Badenoch QC offers ‘exceptional insight into birth injury liability cases’, Philip Havers QC provides ‘top-drawer preparation and advocacy’, and Paul Rees QC is ‘a superb analyst of facts and evidence’. Other noteworthy silks include Terence Coghlan QC, who ‘oozes confidence and guile’; Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC, who ‘fights hard to achieve outstanding outcomes for clients’; and Sally Smith QC, who is ‘a delight to work with’. Among the juniors, the ‘superb’ Henry Witcomb ‘works extremely hard and prepares cases thoroughly’, Richard Booth is ‘absolutely brilliant on his feet’, and Owain Thomas has ‘excellent cross-examination skills’. The ‘excellent’ John Gimlette and ‘tenacious and absolutely focused’ Sarah Lambert are also recommended. In 2012, David Evans QC took silk and Clodagh Bradley joined from 3 Serjeants’ Inn.

3 Serjeants’ Inn remains ‘a solid player in the clinical negligence market’ despite recent departures. Robert Francis QC is ‘one of the outstanding silks of his generation’, and Adrian Hopkins QC is ‘a very astute tactician and thorough analyst’. James Watson QC has an ‘authoritative advocacy style and a great sense of which arguments to pursue’. New silk Michael Mylonas QC is ‘never daunted by a fight and shows complete understanding and compassion to clients’. At junior level, chambers recently lost Fiona Neale to Hailsham Chambers, Clodagh Bradley to One Crown Office Row, and Tim Meakin to 7 Bedford Row. It still houses several well-known names, including Andrew Hockton; the ‘disarmingly effective’ Michael Horne; and Katie Gollop, who has ‘a very good understanding of complicated medical issues’. Richard Partridge is ‘a real asset to any case’, and Jonathan Holl-Allen ‘readily grasps the issues at stake’.

7 Bedford Row’s barristers regularly appear in high-value litigation, with several providing niche expertise in abuse claims arising out of professional negligence. ‘A joy to watch’, Simeon Maskrey QC has ‘the ability to take extremely complex medical issues and distil them into very simple points’, and the ‘very reliable’ Julian Matthews is recommended for complex quantum issues. Simon King is ‘excellent with clients’, and Dr Peter Ellis is ‘exceptionally clever’. Also recommended are the ‘meticulous and thorough’ Simon Wheatley and Jeremy Pendlebury, who ‘leaves no stone unturned’. The ‘hugely experienced’ Tim Meakin recently joined from 3 Serjeants’ Inn.

1 Chancery Lane’s Lord Faulks QC is ‘a master tactician in court’, and Simon Readhead QC is ‘a very safe pair of hands’ who is ‘very approachable and client friendly’. At junior level, Sophie Mortimer is ‘personable and easy to work with’, Dr David Thomson has ‘an excellent grasp of medical issues’, and Simon Trigger is ‘approachable, efficient and very bright’. Angus Piper is also recommended, as is the newly appointed Andrew Warnock QC.

Crown Office Chambers’ broad experience in healthcare litigation stems from its wide-ranging client base that includes claimants, the NHS, private providers, insurers, and medical and dental defence organisations. Michael Spencer QC is recommended for representing infant claimants in brain damage cases, Christopher Purchas QC has experience in a range of medical disciplines, and Margaret Bickford-Smith QC handles birth defect, paraplegia and tetraplegia claims, as well as handicap claims arising from surgical error or diagnostic failure. Charlotte Jones is ‘tough when needed but also sympathetic and supportive’, Dennis Matthews is ‘utterly committed to promoting the client’s best interests’, and Alexander Antelme is ‘a bright, thorough and practical advocate’.

Hailsham Chambers has two new silks in the area, in Alexander Hutton QC, who is ‘always a pleasure to work with’, and Andrew Post QC, who is ‘a top choice for highly complex brain injury litigation’. Martin Spencer QC is ‘the surest pair of hands’, and David Pittaway QC has ‘great integrity and presence’. Among the juniors, Jane Tracy Forster is ‘a skilled and committed barrister who shows great empathy towards clients’; and Fiona Neale, who joined from 3 Serjeants’ Inn in 2012, ‘instils utmost confidence through her advocacy and advisory skills’. Dr Tejina Mangat is ‘one of the most dedicated and conscientious barristers out there’.

Outer Temple Chambers benefited from the recent arrival of Doughty Street Chambers’ Christopher Gibson QC, who brings ‘a wealth of experience and an assured approach that puts clients at ease’. Christopher Wilson-Smith QC is also recommended, as is David Westcott QC, who ‘adds enormous weight to a case with his exceptionally forensic approach’. At junior level, Harry Trusted has ‘brilliant advocacy skills’, Eliot Woolf ‘can be relied upon to go the extra mile’, Cara Guthrie has ‘a strong grasp of difficult legal issues’, and Rachel Vickers impresses with her ‘intellectual sharpness’.

At 2 Temple Gardens, Michael de Navarro QC is ‘excellent at whittling a case down to the crucial issues’, and Benjamin Browne QC has clinical and medical expertise that is ‘often as good as the experts’. Martin Porter QC provides ‘very clear advice’, and Sarah Vaughan Jones QC demonstrates ‘formidable cross-examination skills’. Recommended juniors include Caroline Harrison, who takes ‘a very thorough and forensic approach to all investigations’; Bradley Martin, who is ‘always ready to fight hard for the client’; and Roger Harris, who is recommended for birth mismanagement cases.

Cloisters’ Simon Taylor QC is ‘a fantastic negotiator, a real team player and excellent in complex medical cases’. Among the juniors, William Latimer-Sayer is ‘a renowned expert in quantum cases’, Simon Dyer provides ‘a practical approach’, and Lisa Sullivan delivers ‘thorough and clear advice’. Hannah Godfrey and Martyn McLeish are also recommended, as is the clerking team, which is ‘always willing to assist’.

Devereux acts for both claimants and defendants in clinical negligence cases. Robert Glancy QC delivers ‘clear and concise advice and is held in very high regard by all who meet him’. Robert Weir QC is ‘fiercely intelligent and gets straight to the heart of every case’, and Richard Cartwright has ‘a real grasp of detail and excellent client care’.

Doughty Street Chambers recently lost Christopher Gibson QC to Outer Temple Chambers. Nonetheless, Robin Oppenheim QC is rated as ‘an outstanding practitioner who is entirely focused on the needs of the client’. Christopher Hough is ‘extremely efficient in dealing with paperwork’, and Gerwyn Samuel has ‘an incredible eye for detail’. Paula Sparks is recommended for her considerable inquest experience.

Thirty Nine Essex Street’s clients have ‘absolutely no hesitation’ in recommending Neil Block QC. Susan Rodway QC has ‘the confidence to apply novel arguments and run with them’. Augustus Ullstein QC is ‘a powerful negotiator who seeks innovative solutions’, and Emily Formby is an ‘excellent junior’.

At 9 Gough Square, Andrew Ritchie QC shows ‘empathy towards clients coupled with an excellent grasp of legal issues’. Grahame Aldous QC is ‘an approachable and knowledgeable silk who oozes gravitas’. Christopher Stephenson is ‘a pleasure to work with’, and Jacob Levy is ‘always prepared to go the extra mile’.

At Old Square Chambers, the ‘unfailingly courteous and approachable’ David Wilby QC impresses through the ‘care and attention to detail he brings to a case’. Charles Woodhouse ‘grasps medical issues quickly’, and Alan Smith is ‘very thorough in his preparation’.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2013 www.legal500.com