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Home to the UK’s largest personal injury practice, Irwin Mitchell LLP is a ‘market leader’, with ‘experience and client-handling skills that are second to none’. Practice head Colin Ettinger is ‘a great campaigner for causes’, and particularly adept at brain and spinal injury cases. Tracey Storey is renowned for her ‘pioneering work for victims of childhood abuse’, ‘relates well to clients, and adopts a sensible and holistic approach to problems’. The practice is structured to include a number of specialist teams, including a ‘superb’ asbestos disease unit. Recent recruit Amanda Stevens, who joined from Charles Russell LLP, is ‘a great addition’, being ‘quietly authoritative and extremely industrious’, and showing ‘superb judgement’. Alison Eddy, Guy Darlaston, Demetrius Danas, Michael Zurbrugg, Caroline Pinfold and Keith Barrett are also recommended.

Leigh Day & Co’s five-partner personal injury department is often at the forefront of group litigation, and has vast experience in bringing claims for UK and foreign nationals injured by multinational corporations and public authorities. Work in 2010 included acting in a £4.2m claim for a client who suffered brain injuries in a road traffic accident in Croatia, and reaching a settlement with the Ministry of Defence regarding claims by the families of five RAF servicemen who died in Iraq in 2005. Joint department heads Sally Moore and Martyn Day are prominent market figures. Also recommended are Daniel Easton, a renowned asbestos litigator; Sapna Malik, who focuses on serious human rights abuses; Bozena Michalowska Howells; and Richard Meeran.

Stewarts Law LLP receives exceptional feedback for its handling of cases, and is well known for its niche in high-value claims and for ‘attracting the best-quality work’. Clients feel that their concerns and views are considered. Practice head Paul Paxton is ‘exceptional in every respect’, ‘professional and compassionate’; Julian Chamberlayne is ‘technically one of the best personal injury lawyers in the country’; Clare Salmon has an ‘impressively detailed and thorough approach’; Charles Edwards ‘has amazing knowledge’; and Kevin Grealis is ‘friendly, helpful, and always listening and advising well’. Stuart Dench, John Cahill Andrew Dinsmore and Ben Rogers are also recommended.

Anthony Gold’s ‘level of service is excellent from the outset’, with its solicitors providing ‘thorough knowledge and experience’. Team head Jon Nicholson has ‘excellent knowledge of personal injury law together with attention to detail’. Sana Bibi was promoted to partner in 2010, and has a ‘friendly, professional and efficient approach’. Jenny Kennedy ‘inspires confidence from the outset’, and is recommended along with David Marshall, Jackie Spinks, Ali Malsher, and Stephanie Prior.

Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP’s ‘excellent litigation team’ is ‘particularly strong at industrial disease and catastrophic brain injury work’, and ‘treats clients with sensitivity’. Recent achievements include securing a £5.5m settlement for a girl brain-injured by a road traffic accident, a case led by the ‘exceptional’ Jill Greenfield, who has ‘few equals in getting results’. Practice head Rodney Nelson-Jones is an expert on asbestos claims, and ‘has long been a leader in this field’. Harminder Bains is ‘courageous and dedicated’, Andrew Morgan is ‘innovative, and pushes boundaries’, and the ‘universally respected’ Peter Williams is ‘superb with clients’.

Russell Jones & Walker’s growing team is ‘going from strength to strength’ and ‘produces work of a high standard’. Its expertise includes employers’ liability, disease, catastrophic injury claims, cycle accidents and road traffic claims. Practice head Paul Kitson has ‘good client-handling skills’, and is ‘unflappable, with excellent judgement’. Liz Dux is ‘efficient, organised and methodical’. The ‘thoughtful’ Alison Kerr is also recommended, along with Tristan Hallam, who ‘attends to detail, achieving excellent results’, and Kimberley Owen and Richard Geraghty.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP is noted for its trade union representation. It also represents many personal injury clients on a private basis, and has moved towards specialisation in a number of areas of late. These include serious injuries, with Henrietta Phillips at the forefront, and asbestos, which is headed by Lorna Webster. David Thompson is also recommended.

Bolt Burdon Kemp’s primary contact is Jonathan Wheeler, who provides ‘sensitive advice’, and is ‘knowledgeable and supportive while being realistic’. The practice specialises in child abuse, military, head injury and major trauma claims.

Davies Arnold Cooper LLP’s practice focuses solely on high-value complex claims arising from catastrophic injuries, many of which have international and cross-border elements. Practice head Warren Collins is ‘creative in seeking solutions to difficult problems’.

Peter Todd heads the ‘down-to-earth’ personal injury team at Hodge Jones & Allen LLP, and has particular expertise in vaccine-related claims. Todd’s ‘quiet and friendly approach ensures he obtains the best for clients’. Also recommended is ‘legend’ Patrick Allen, who ‘has boundless enthusiasm’.

Pattinson & Brewer’s niche practice is led by Frances McCarthy, whose wide-ranging expertise includes workplace accidents, and asbestos and occupational disease claims.

Prince Evans’ Bryan Neill has brought numerous successful actions for tetraplegic, paraplegic and brain-injured clients. Both he and Gary Smith are recommended.

Deborah Blythe is the key contact at Russell-Cooke LLP, which takes on claims of all sizes. The practice is increasingly involved in inquests.

Bindmans LLP is highly regarded for its ‘excellent level of service’, and ‘specialist expertise’ in areas including human rights.

Fentons Solicitors LLP wins positive feedback from clients for its ‘outstanding’ service. Katherine Allen is ‘sincere, approachable and knowledgeable’.

Howard Kennedy has a fine reputation, largely due to ‘two remarkable individuals’, namely Elizabeth Smith and Ian Mulkis. Both are ‘talented and assiduous, such that this firm is a truly first-class outfit’.

Levenes specialises in personal injury claims, and fields 20 partners across its London and Birmingham offices.

Stuart Kightley at Osbornes is ‘effective and helpful’, and ‘focuses on the needs of the individual’. The department also includes the experienced Wendy Wright.

Pritchard Englefield’s clients value its services, with one commenting that ‘there is no limit to the size of claim we would ask them to pursue’.

Prolegal Solicitors is a ‘well-run’, up-and-coming firm that ‘will in all probability be a force to be reckoned with’. Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.

RMPI LLP represents claimants in spinal injury and accident at work cases, among others.

Simpson Millar LLP’s key contact is Adrian Fawden, who is ‘very client focused’, and ‘particularly knowledgeable and experienced in the field of industrial disease’.

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