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The ‘tenacious and hardworking’ Philip Davison recently succeeded Brian Freeman as head of department at Browell Smith & Co. The team handles industrial disease work through six separate disease teams, as well as handling serious RTA cases. Clients single out Dawn Bagley and Victoria Wanless.

The ‘outstanding’ John Davis leads the ‘very slick and impressive’ team at Irwin Mitchell LLP, which is ‘committed to getting the best outcome for its clients’. It runs complex cases arising out of serious RTAs, asbestos exposure and work-related accidents, regularly securing high-value settlements and early interim payments. Fran Mayes is ‘extremely hardworking and determined’, and Jane Pyrah and Helen Thomson are singled out as rising stars.

Robert Wood leads the team at Thompsons Solicitors LLP, which successfully ran several mesothelioma ‘Trigger Issues’ test cases, as well as employers’ and public liability cases, and has a specialist military offering. Roberta Pyle recently joined the asbestos team from Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP.

Simon Askew’s specialist team at Askews Solicitors, which includes the newly promoted Matthew Moran, continues to concentrate on RTA and asbestos-related claims.

Bruce Howorth’s department at Hay & Kilner recently settled a brain injury claim for £3m, and handles maximum-severity employers’ and public liability cases. It has a multi-party action franchise.

Russell Jones & Walker covers the full gamut of lower and high-value cases for trade unions, private clients and membership organisations such as the Police Federation.

Samuel Phillips Law Firm’s Alan Stobart handles cases involving accidents at work, slips and trips, RSI, RTAs and industrial disease.

Jim Dias leads the 37-fee-earner team at Sintons LLP, which includes Mark Quigley. It recently secured a £3.65m award for a tetraplegic claimant involved in an RTA, and also advised on multiple mesothelioma cases.

Angela Torrance’s team at Archers Law LLP played a pivotal role in settling a test case for a group of miners involving HAVS and CTS claims. It receives a large volume of referrals from its trade union clients, and handles industrial disease, industrial accident and RTA claims.

BHP Law’s practice head Paul Saxon acted on consumer protection cases involving blood products and fireworks, and high-value brain injury cases. Karen Pratt and Emma Gaudern are Court of Protection deputies.

Beecham Peacock provides a ‘first-class service’ to its predominantly trade union client list. Kirsten Scott, a ‘champion of accident victims’, and David Lamb, who is a ‘brilliant advocate’, jointly lead the 11-fee-earner team.

Burnetts’ Nick Gutteridge settled a multimillion-pound claim for a C6 incomplete tetraplegic client injured in a farm accident, and a £180,000 claim for a fisherman injured by a trawler.

Carol Fish handles catastrophic and spinal injury cases at Cartmell Shepherd.

The team at Freemans is experienced in complex claims including asbestos and mesothelioma cases.

David Hamilton handles industrial disease and RTA claims at Gorman Hamilton Solicitors.

Hough Halton & Soal recently acted in a complex silicosis case and a £1m hydrogen bromide exposure case. Jonathan Ditchburn and Andrew Kirkpatrick are the key contacts.

At Jacksons Law, Jonathan Fletcher has a niche equine practice and also handles industrial disease, slip and trip, and whiplash claims.

David Allan at ‘quality outfit’ Marrons Solicitors handles high-value head and spinal injury cases, and the wider team is experienced in industrial disease, asbestos and RTA claims.

McKeag & Co’s head and brain injury specialist Patrick Rafferty recently settled a £4m claim.

Roger O’Donnell’s team at Ward Hadaway covers a wide range of claims, including RTA and industrial disease work.

Watson Burton LLP’s Helena Motherway recently settled a £1.25m cross-border motorcycle accident claim and a £95,000 mesothelioma claim.

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