Personal injury - claimant
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Providing clients with an ‘incredibly high level of service’ Stewarts Law LLP remains the ‘standout’ firm for personal injury work in London. Consistently praised as ‘one of the best claimant firms in the market’, it focuses on high-value catastrophic injury cases. Led by Paul Paxton, the now nine-partner team recovered damages worth £80m in 2008, and handled claims worth a total of £450m. It includes ‘impressive’ managing partner John Cahill; the ‘excellent’ Stuart Dench; Julian Chamberlayne, who has vast experience in international claims; Andrew Dinsmore; the ‘highly regarded’ Katherine Lennon; ‘leading light’ Kevin Grealis; and brain and spinal cord injury case expert Charles Edwards. Lucy Robinson was promoted to partner in 2008.
The ‘renowned’ Colin Ettinger leads Irwin Mitchell LLP’s truly national personal injury practice that is praised by clients for its ‘high level of expertise’ and ‘exceptional service’. It represents clients on the full range of claims, and is split into specialist teams covering neurotrauma, serious injury, asbestos, child abuse and travel. Guy Darlaston’s asbestos disease team recovered more than £9m in 2008, and the ‘committed’ Tracey Storey heads the firm’s renowned child abuse team. Particularly experienced in head injury claims, Alison Eddy is a ‘first-class litigator’. ‘Outstanding’ associate director Keith Barrett is praised for his constant availability to clients and his ‘thoughtful and constructive advice’.
Sally Moore and Martyn Day lead the ‘excellent’ six-partner team at Leigh Day & Co, which welcomed Richard Meeran back to the partnership in 2008. As well as representing claimants in relation to serious RTA, industrial disease, travel and sports injury claims, it has a renowned international practice, specialising in bringing claims for groups of foreign nationals injured by the actions of UK companies or government organisations. With a ‘quality practice’, highlights include acting for approximately 50 Iraqi citizens who allege that they were unlawfully treated by British soldiers in Iraq (with Sapna Malik leading the advice).
Jon Nicholson heads the ‘excellent’ five-partner team at Anthony Gold where ‘client service is second to none’; it ‘always provides practical solutions’. The broad practice spans RTA, accident at work, public liability, and brain, spinal and psychiatric injury cases. David Marshall is ‘expert, thoughtful, and insightful, and inspires confidence’, and Jenny Kennedy is a ‘real star in the field’; she is ‘extremely knowledgeable, capable, intelligent and understanding’.
A ‘true leader in the field’, Rodney Nelson-Jones leads the ‘extremely approachable, professional and efficient’ five-partner team at Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, which ‘cares for its clients’ welfare and adds the personal touch’. It is ‘in a class of its own for disease cases’, recovering more than £16m in 2008 for asbestos claims alone. It also has an ‘excellent’ catastrophic injury practice, acting on complex cases often involving an international element. The ‘approachable’ and ‘tremendously supportive’ Jill Greenfield is ‘exceptional’; Paul McNeil is ‘highly regarded’; and Andrew Morgan has ‘an intellectual curiosity and will take novel points’.
The ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Paul Kitson heads the six-partner team at Russell Jones & Walker. It has a strong catastrophic injury practice, alongside expertise in sports injuries, and receives instructions from the Police Federation, USDAW, Community, the Royal College of Nursing, the PFA, and the Cyclists’ Touring Club. The ‘caring and empathetic’ Liz Dux is singled out by clients.
Clare Mellor heads a team of ‘excellent lawyers’ at Thompsons. The firm’s national personal injury practice acts for the three largest unions in the UK (UNITE, UNISON, and GMB) as well as many others including the NUT and the NUJ. In May 2009, the firm was strengthened by its merger with Rowley Ashworth, which had offices across the UK.
Warren Collins leads the ‘impressive’ two-partner practice at Davies Arnold Cooper LLP, which focuses solely on high-value complex claims arising out of catastrophic injuries, specialising in spinal cord and brain injury cases, amputations and fatalities. The ‘excellent’ Allison Dias is praised by clients.
The ‘first-rate’ Patrick Allen heads Hodge Jones & Allen LLP’s ‘extremely efficient’ seven-partner department. In 2008 the firm set up a military claims department to handle claims against the MoD, and is handling a number of ongoing post traumatic stress disorder claims. The ‘extremely clever’ Peter Todd specialises in catastrophic and fatal injury claims, particularly vaccine injury cases. Alison Parker is ‘brilliant with clients’, and Melanie Williams is ‘incredibly able’.
Frances McCarthy heads the seven-partner department at Pattinson & Brewer Solicitors. 2008 cases ranged from asbestos-related claims to a claim for stress at work.
Russell-Cooke LLP’s three-partner department is led by Deborah Blythe. Significant work for 2008 included acting for an overseas student from Ghana who suffered severe head injuries in a serious RTA.
Jonathan Wheeler leads the ‘excellent’ three-partner team at Bolt Burdon Kemp. Highlights for 2008 included child abuse, employer’s liability and brain injury claims. Caroline Klage has a specialism in head injury cases, and Joanna Chapman is also recommended.
Previously known as Rymills Law, Cogent Law’ s case list includes RTAs, accidents at work, and public liability claims.
Daniel Marks heads Finers Stephens Innocent LLP’s two-partner team which in 2008 saw an increase in High Court cases, including cases relating to the construction industry and tunnel mining. Leon Marks is also recommended.
Levenes’ nine-partner practice is spread across the firm’s London and Birmingham offices. Known for its multi-lingual capabilities, the expanding practice covers accidents at work, industrial disease, occupational illnesses, and criminal assault cases. David Levene is recommended.
The two-partner department at Pritchard Englefield is led by Ros Ashby. It is experienced in working with legal expenses insurers across Europe in relation to RTAs and other accidents resulting in serious injury or fatalities, such as skiing accidents and accidents at sea. Marian Joseph is also recommended.
RMPI LLP (formerly the personal injury business of Reid Minty LLP) specialises in RTA, public liability, employer’s liability, and travel and sports-related claims. Andrew Reid leads the team.