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The Legal 500 Hall of Fame Icon The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In the United Kingdon, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for eight years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
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  1. Personal injury: claimant
  2. Leading individuals: Hall of Fame
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Anthony Gold is 'well organised and easy to deal with' and is home to lawyers who demonstrate 'a clear understanding of a broad range of claims', which are often of substantial value. The team has expanded, with Katherine Lennon joining as a senior associate from Brethertons LLP in September 2017. Lennon specialises in brain injury cases and has a wealth of experience in claimant litigation. Of late, the firm has handled cases involving multi-million-pound settlements, including one with a value of £3.5m for a client who sustained catastrophic injuries in a road traffic accident, which was resolved without resorting to litigation. The case was handled by Jackie Spinks. In other work, David Marshall was successful following a 14-day High Court trial for a client who had suffered psychological injury following allegations of sexual assault while he was a prison officer. Other key individuals are the 'excellent, calm, patient and cordial' Ian Peters and injury and medical claims team head Jon Nicholson. Jenny Kennedy has substantial expertise in cases involving complex brain and spinal injuries and amputations. She is also noted for acting for foreign as well as UK nationals.

Bindmans LLP is a 'market leader with an increasing profile' and is 'very highly rated in this area'. The team is described as 'thorough and balanced' and 'a breath of fresh air to work with': the lawyers 'involve their clients in each stage of the legal process and ensure that the claimant is able to become an empowered participant'. The team handles claims involving catastrophic injuries, in particular birth-related injuries and brain injuries where damages can reach over £1m. Siobhan Kelly, who 'stands out among the group', and 'the meticulous and persistent' Alla Murphy, who is one of the lead lawyers in the Grenfell fire inquiry team assisting many of the bereaved and survivors, are key individuals. The 'unflappable' Jon Crocker heads the clinical negligence and personal injury team and is assisted by associate Yagmur Ekici.

Fieldfisher is 'one of the best firms' in this area and takes on high-value and cross-border claims. The firm’s overall 'level of service is excellent' and it adopts a 'tactical approach to resolve issues very quickly'. It recently handled a number of high-profile cases, including the first English civil claim against the Weinstein Corporation and Harvey Weinstein personally on behalf of a client who alleged sexual assault. In other work, it is representing victims of the Finsbury Park terrorist attack. The team, which is 'dedicated to achieving the best results for its clients', is headed by Paul McNeil; the 'tenacious' Jill Greenfield leads the serious injury team and is 'the person to call on for any difficult case'; and the 'meticulous' Jennifer Buchanan has 'a superb eye for detail' and is an 'aggressive and effective litigator'. Other notable individuals are the 'very experienced' Peter Williams, Dushal Mehta and Andrew Morgan, who are 'exceptional lawyers' and have 'excellent client-handling skills'.

Irwin Mitchell is reported to be 'fantastic on all levels'; the team specialises in brain, spinal and other complex injuries and amputation, as well as cases of abuse and industrial diseases. It has secured damages in excess of £100m for some clients and is noted for taking on cases that 'other firms would shy away from', some of which have a cross-border aspect. It is also considered to be a 'leader in the field' for asbestos-related disease claims. The team is led by Ian Christian and composed of 'a range of well-informed and able lawyers' and was further boosted by the addition of Richard Geraghty, who joined from Slater and Gordon in September 2017 and is described as a 'life-changing man' and 'generally excellent all around'. The 'sensitive, patient and intelligent' Ian Bailey is an expert in asbestos-related diseases and mesothelioma in particular. Other key individuals include Tracey Storey , who leads the serious injury team in London and specialises in  brain and spinal injuries alongside  Alison Eddy . Recently promoted partner Chani Dhaliwal leads one of the firm's five serious injury teams and is described as being  'cut from the same cloth' as Colin Ettinger, who has 40 years of experience representing clients with serious injuries and occupational health issues.

The team at Leigh Day is considered to be 'a class act'; it focuses on severe injuries and asbestos disease work and is made up of specialists including Grant Incles, Sally Moore, who heads the personal injury department, and Andrew Bradley, who specialises in cycling-related injuries. Clients include the members of the British Cycling Federation, Asbestos Victims’ Support Groups Forum and the Spinal Injuries Association. Martyn Day acts for individuals in injury claims which often have a cross-border aspect and associate Bethany Sanders takes on catastrophic injury claims. The 'highly regarded' Laura Murphy focuses on brain injury, amputee and fatal accident claims.

Stewarts Law LLP is a 'first choice' and 'the premier claimant firm in the field', according to clients. It assists individuals who have sustained serious, life-changing injuries, including brain and spinal injuries and amputations. Changes in the team include the arrival of 'first-class litigator' David Healy from BL Claims Solicitors and the promotion of the 'absolutely superb' Peregrine Redgrave to partner in May 2017. Paul Paxton, the 'technically first-class' head of the personal injury team, is 'the leading claimant lawyer in the country'. Other key figures are the 'great all-round' Clare Salmon, who has 'extensive experience of both difficult liability claims and high-value quantum'; the 'exceptionally good and collaborative' Charles Edwards; and the 'able and dedicated' Stephanie Clarke. Julian Chamberlayne heads the international injury department, acting for UK nationals who are injured abroad and for foreign nationals injured in the UK.

The 'outstanding' Bolt Burdon Kemp has 'strong expertise' in complex, higher-value cases including brain and spinal injury, military and child abuse claims. The team is also highlighted for 'going the extra mile' for clients and being 'brilliant on costs'. In highlight work, it is handling a number of serious injury cases, including brain injury claims arising from various road traffic accidents. Key team members include military claims head Rhicha Kapila, who is 'a great fighter' and 'all-round good lawyer', and Ahmed Al-Nahhas, who is 'determined, thoughtful and excellent with clients' and 'has a superb eye for tactics'. Marilene Antoni left the team in August 2017.

Osbornes has 'a growing influence and impressive work load' and is 'gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work'. It often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome, cycling accidents and child abuse. In recent work, the team settled a high-profile case regarding the Croydon tram crash, in which it acted for the husband of the only female fatality. The 'hard-working, thorough and committed' Robert Aylott, who brings 'significant heavyweight personal injury experience', joined the team in October 2017 from Minster Law Limited. Key team members include the 'energetic and personable' Stuart Kightley, who is the head of the personal injury department; catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford, an 'excellent practical litigator' who offers 'exceptional service'; and 'the approachable, compassionate and efficient' Stephanie Prior , who heads the child abuse claims department.

Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors is a 'very strong and high-quality niche firm' doing 'a mix of work including some cutting-edge injury claims'. Its work covers life-changing and life-limiting injuries, including rehabilitation and funded care packages. The team is made up of 'very hard-working, committed lawyers' who are 'prepared to push the boundaries of legal authority to obtain the best results for their clients', and the disease and illnesses team is highlighted for its excellent work. Core team members include managing partner Vidisha Joshi, who is the head of the personal injuries team; Anne Sanders, who is 'superb in all respects'; Anita Rattan, who 'has extensive experience' and 'understands how a personal injury claim should be run'; and industrial disease and illnesses team head Isobel Lovett, a 'first-class litigator' whose client care 'is second to none'.

Prince Evans Solicitors LLP  is a 'strong player' and a 'premium firm in terms of quality'. It 'operates with nothing but integrity' and 'offers expertise but does not sacrifice personal service along the way'. The firm attracts work where damages or values range from £200,000 to some millions and it is a panel member of Headway and the Spinal Injuries Association. 'Sensible' team head Gary Smith puts 'his client’s best interests to the fore'. In a recent, novel case concerning contributory negligence, he successfully argued that although the victim of a road traffic accident had not been wearing a seat belt, a brain injury would still have been sustained and so the standard deduction on all damages was not applied. Senior associate Debra Haring is reported to be 'very approachable and committed to her clients' and has a 'keen eye for detail and very thorough legal knowledge'.

Slater and Gordon is acknowledged as 'a very large firm undertaking a wide range of work, including the whole range of personal injury and industrial disease work'. It is a panel member of the Child Brain Injury Trust, Cycling UK and asbestos support groups around the country, and counts a number of unions among its clients. The team delivers 'high-quality work' in areas such as brain and spinal trauma and fatal accident cases resulting from road traffic collisions and accidents in the workplace. In one highlight, it is acting for an individual who was assaulted by the managing director of a company, which resulted in a brain injury. The case, which is going to the Court of Appeal, will examine whether the employer is vicariously liable for the injury. Key lawyers include Nick Godwin, who is 'extremely thorough' and has 'great tactical insight', and the 'pragmatic, realistic and hardworking' Will Cornwell, who specialises in orthopedic and traumatic brain injuries. The 'first-class and very knowledgeable' Edmund Young and Lisa Fountain, who exhibits 'good judgement and great negotiation skills', are also names to note, as is Alicia Alinia, the national head of the specialised personal injury group.

Howard Kennedy LLP's client list notably includes those from the entertainment and media sectors and the medical professions. In addition to work relating to injuries and fatalities at work, it also has a focus on claims relating to workplace stress. The team members are valued for being 'very clear communicators' and for being 'firm when needed'. The department is headed by Elizabeth Smith, a 'no-nonsense solicitor with excellent negotiating skills' who 'thinks clearly and quickly and gets to the heart of the problem'. Another key member of the team is Joel Leigh, who specialises in fatal accident claims.

Pattinson & Brewer has a long history of acting for victims of accidents causing injuries or death and those suffering from industrial diseases and illnesses, ranging from asbestos-related illnesses to repetitive strain and occupational stress. It also has established links with trade unions and their members, with a particular focus on workers' compensation. Frances McCarthy, who is said to 'possess a finely tuned tactical mind and has second to none negotiation skills', leads a substantial team of experts.

The 'excellent' Penningtons Manches Cooper manages high-value catastrophic injury claims 'effectively' and secures 'good outcomes'. Its 'highly intelligent, dedicated and professional' solicitors have 'up-to-date knowledge' and provide 'an exemplary standard of care to clients'. The team's work involves cases of brain and spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, fatal accident claims and psychiatric disorders. Core team members include the 'accomplished and proactive' Warren Collins, who has a niche specialism in representing UK individuals injured in the US and vice versa, and the 'very thorough' Charlene King, who shows 'excellent attention to detail'. The 'client-focused' Tristan Hallam joined from Slater and Gordon in August 2017 - a client commented of him: 'His dogged determination and boundless energy are unparalleled.'

Russell-Cooke LLP is considered by a client to have 'an enormously good reputation' in personal injury work. Deborah Blythe leads a team that offers a blend of clinical negligence and personal injury expertise. Its recent work includes acting for the family of a doctor who was killed in a road traffic accident while working abroad. Another complex case concerned the death of an individual in a road accident in the UK where the victim did not have UK immigration status. Janice Gardner is 'diligent and fair' and has a 'strong work ethic and a keen sense of justice', which makes her 'admired by her opponents and loved by her clients'. Other key individuals are Dominic Fairclough, who mainly deals with fatal personal injury claims, and Sarah Towler, who covers accidents in the workplace, public liability and road traffic accidents.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP handles a large volume of serious road traffic and workplace injuries and fatalities and industrial disease cases. It has long-standing relationships with a number of unions, including UNISON and Unite the Union, and is reported to 'run cases efficiently and effectively'. Names to note are Henrietta Phillips, who manages the personal injury department in London, Andrew Hutson, who has significant experience with work-related accidents and stress claims, and Christalla Christodoulidou, who conducts fatal and catastrophic injury claims.

Hudgell Solicitors is acknowledged for its expertise in personal injury cases involving brain, spinal and other injuries sustained in road accidents, during medical care or in the workplace, and clients report that it is 'committed to achieving the best for its clients'. It backs driving safety and supports such organisations as Brake’s Road Safety Week and also has a focus on rehabilitation, partnering with a number of organisations in that field.The 'outstanding'Kent Pattinson undertakes high-value and complex cases, and department head Amanda Stevens is described as 'more than value for money' and 'in a class of her own'. In a work highlight, the team acted for a pregnant woman who tripped on a defective pavement on a hospital premises. The case became complicated due to a number of factors including court proceedings regarding the costs element of the case. 

McMillan Williams assists clients in spinal injury and chronic pain cases. The team continues to act for victims of the Croydon tram crash. A key individual is Joanna Bailey, who focuses on road traffic accidents. There have been several changes in the team: Justina Molloy left the firm in late 2017; Heather Petrie joined Bolt Burdon Kemp; Caroline Kempster joined the team from Leigh Day in January 2018; Emma Wilson joined from Minster Law Limited; and Allen Myers joined from O H Parsons & Partners.

Seth Lovis & Co is well regarded for its handling of personal and military injury cases and it has a substantial practice dealing with challenging claims related to exposure to asbestos. The team attracts praise for its 'very good response times' and for providing 'carefully thought-out and accurate advice'. A key individual is industrial disease department head John Jackiewicz .The team acted for a claimant in respect of illnesses related to asbestos exposure; following his death, the case was continued on behalf of his executrix and the team managed to secure a settlement for the estate. In other work, it acted for an ex-member of the armed forces who alleged work-related hearing loss.

Simpson Millar LLP undertakes the gamut of personal injury matters including cases of work accidents, industrial illnesses and accidents, and road traffic accidents. The experienced Melanie Burden, who is based in Manchester, heads the department; Gary Tierney and Adrian Fawden are also key practitioners. The team is noted for providing 'quality client service and low legal costs'.

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