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Medical negligence: pursuer

Anderson Strathern remains a leader in the field, and has two accredited specialists in medical negligence. The team is ‘responsive, sensible, organised, experienced and a pleasure to work with’. Senior associate Judy Williamson has ‘a firm grasp of the facts in any particular case’.

Balfour+Manson LLP’s team is led by Fred Tyler, who is an expert in clinical negligence cases relating to births. Its ‘excellent, gifted lawyers have a firm grasp of their area of work and are totally committed to the clients they serve’.

Accredited specialist Liesa Spiller leads Drummond Miller LLP’s clinical negligence practice, which acts solely for pursuers.

Brodies LLP’s medical negligence team is ‘very helpful and accommodating’. David Armstrong leads the practice and is ‘approachable, courteous and efficient’. In 2011, the group secured settlements totalling over £8m.

Digby Brown LLP’s team, which has particular experience in cerebral palsy cases, is led by accredited specialist Sue Grant.

Peacock Johnston’s medical negligence practice is led by accredited specialist Andrew Pollock. The team handles fatal accident, midwifery negligence and failure-to-diagnose cases, among others.

Irwin Mitchell has experience in high-value cases including claims involving birth trauma, delay in diagnosis and spinal injuries, and has specialist expertise in plastic surgery claims.

Levy & McRae handles medical negligence cases for insured individuals and private clients. The team was recently selected on a panel of solicitors for an after-the-event insurance policy.

John Barrie leads Morton Fraser’s team, which acts for individuals, legal expense insurers, and other solicitors on referral.

Medical negligence: defender

Anderson Strathern acts for the General Medical Council and the General Dental Council, and also recently represented the General Pharmaceutical Council. The team also represents nurses before the Nursing and Midwifery Council. In 2011 it acted in a number of fatal accident inquiries (FAIs). Accredited specialist Robert Carr and senior associate Catriona Watt are is recommended.

bto’s ‘excellent’ team has particular experience in FAIs, and shows ‘impressive consistency’; it produces ‘the highest calibre of work, quickly and often at short notice’. The ‘standout’ Douglas Jessiman and Laura Donald are ‘extremely personable’. The firm recently hired Duncan Mawby from Dundas & Wilson CS LLP.

Brodies LLP acts for a number of private healthcare providers in Scotland, including BMI Healthcare, General Healthcare Group and BUPA. Clients praise the ‘excellent, responsive and commercial’ service, and ‘prompt response times and pragmatic advice’. Team head Cameron McNaught is ‘approachable’, and ‘a good all-rounder who can cover all clinical negligence areas’.

Simpson & Marwick’s ‘excellent’ clinical negligence team has experience in representing professionals before disciplinary tribunals including the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland. Practice head Duncan Batchelor and newly promoted partner Graeme Watson are recommended.

Personal injury: pursuer

Balfour+Manson LLP’s ‘excellent’ team has experience in offshore matters and fatal injuries. Practice head Fred Tyler and Louise Duffy are ‘good negotiators’, ‘extremely well organised and personable with clients’.

Brodies LLP’s personal injury team ‘always strives to offer its clients the best possible advice’. The group works for a significant number of referrers, such as National Accident Helpline and Accident Advice Helpline. Practice head David Armstrong is ‘very thorough and professional’.

Digby Brown LLP is a specialist personal injury firm with particular expertise in high-value spinal and brain injury claims. Clients praise the ‘excellent’ service. David Wilson has ‘a keen legal mind’, and Fraser Simpson is also recommended.

Thompsons acts solely for pursuers. This ‘strong’ team has a large trade union client base and ‘good case management’ skills. Patrick McGuire and Syd Smith are recommended. Sadly, Frank Maguire passed away in 2011.

Anderson Strathern continues to represent the Royal College of Nursing. Clients rate the firm ‘at the highest level’. Robert Carr is ‘experienced and extremely well respected’, and has ‘a thorough knowledge of the applicable law’ and ‘excellent communication skills’.

Irwin Mitchell is ‘a well-respected law firm, with an excellent reputation’ and ‘experienced handlers at all levels’. The team has particular experience in brain and spinal cord injury cases. Clients include esure and AA Fleet.

Lawford Kidd is a specialist personal injury practice covering a broad range of work, including industrial disease and aviation accidents. David Sandison has experience in union industrial disease work including vibration white finger, silicosis and asthma cases.

Allan McDougall Solicitors’ team, led by Gordon Bathgate, represents many trade unions. Work undertaken includes fatal accident and catastrophic claims, work-related disease cases, and public liability claims.

Drummond Miller LLP has experience across cases involving road traffic accidents, defective products, and spinal and head injuries.

HBJ Claim Solutions LLP acts for some of the largest insurers and legal expenses insurers in the market, including Aviva and DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Limited. Alistair Duff ‘excels’ and is ‘well organised’.

Harper Macleod LLP acts for a large number of insurers including RBS Insurance, Tesco Insurance and Direct Line Insurance. Elizabeth Mitchell heads the team.

Russell Jones & Walker, part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers has particular experience in severe injury cases. Stuart Cochran heads the practice.

Personal injury: defender

bto’s clients include Chubb and Brit insurance. The team is praised for its ‘excellent’ level of service, ‘proactive management of cases’ and ‘strength in depth’. Practice head Catherine Currie and Carly Forrest have ‘vast experience in high-value injury and fatal accident work’.

HBM Sayers provides ‘superb’ service and has ‘outstanding’ industry knowledge. Alastair Leggat and Andrew Gilmour demonstrate ‘deep knowledge and the ability to achieve excellent results’; John Morrison is ‘brilliant’; David Taylor shows ‘superb attention to detail’; and Rachel Rough is ‘approachable and always able to help’.

Simpson & Marwick’s clients are ‘impressed by its professional and co-operative manner’, and ‘appropriate and well-researched advice’. Ranald MacPherson and Katy Nisbet provide ‘clear and concise advice’, and have ‘good negotiating skills’. Clients include Zurich International, Aviva and esure.

Anderson Strathern provides an ‘excellent level of service’ and is ‘a very approachable firm’. Clients include Co-operative Insurance, Scotia Gas Networks and the Scottish government. Douglas Keir gives ‘well-founded and supported advice’, and is ‘excellent all round’.

Andersons Solicitors LLP has ‘outstanding knowledge of the law’, and is the exclusive Scottish panel firm for AGEAS and Co-operative Group. Frank Hughes ‘consistently provides well-thought-out advice’, and department head Gilbert Anderson is also recommended.

Brodies LLP recently represented leading insurers in the UK judicial review of the Damages (Asbestos Related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009. Clients praise the ‘clear and appropriate’ advice, ‘wide spectrum of knowledge’, and ‘well-balanced team’. Practice head Cameron McNaught is ‘an excellent lawyer’.

DWF Biggart Baillie handles a broad range of claims including product liability, road traffic and catastrophic injury matters, and has particular experience in asbestos-related claims. The team, led by David Stevenson, has represented clients such as Zurich Insurance and Scottish Power.

Harper Macleod LLP’s ‘experienced and knowledgeable’ team works for clients such as HSBC Insurance, Direct Line, and the Department for Work and Pensions. Jill Sinclair ‘really cares about her clients’, Fergus Thomson is ‘tenacious and shows attention to detail’, and Elizabeth Mitchell is also recommended.

Morton Fraser’s team shows ‘excellent technical capabilities’, and ‘in-depth and detailed knowledge’, and provides ‘excellent timely advice’. High-profile clients include the MoD and BAA. John Barrie heads the group.

Ledingham Chalmers LLP’s Graeme Edward and practice head John Chalmers are recommended.

Mackinnons specialises in personal injury claims relating to the marine and offshore industries. Clients include Transocean and ENSCO.

McClure Naismith LLP’s clients include Allianz and Chartis. Jeffrey Hutcheson leads a ‘very knowledgeable and thorough’ team.

Paull & Williamsons LLP has experience in personal injury claims arising offshore.

Professional negligence

bto’s team has particular experience in acting for insurers in investigating claims made against solicitors for alleged breach of contract or negligence. Clients include Brit Insurance and RSA. Qualified mediator Derek Allan leads the practice.

Brodies LLP, which acts for pursuers and defenders, provides a ‘high standard’ of service and has ‘a sympathetic approach’. New clients include Zurich, Axis and Pink Home Loans. Practice head Alan Calvert, Robin Macpherson and the ‘hardworking’ Manus Quigg are highly regarded.

Dundas & Wilson CS LLP has seen an increasing number of claims against solicitors and surveyors arising from the downturn in the property market. Clients include RSA and Aviva. Colin Macleod leads the practice.

Simpson & Marwick acts for a range of professionals including surveyors, building contractors and engineers, and insurer clients include Zurich and Hiscox. The team provides ‘first-class service’, and ‘consistently sound advice based on their considerable knowledge and experience in this sector’. Peter Anderson and Charles McGregor are recommended.

Anderson Strathern’s clients include the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. The team, led by Robert Carr, acts for both claimants and defendants.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP has seen an increase in structural engineer claims and is recommended as ‘a safe pair of hands’. New clients include QBE, Markel and Aspen. Practice head Robert Wilson is ‘personable and experienced, and has good technical abilities’.

Shepherd and Wedderburn acts for the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland in the defence of claims made against health professionals. The team acts for both pursuers and defendants and is praised as ‘very attentive and diligent’; clients receive ‘good and reasonable commercial advice’. Practice head Alastair Frood is recommended.

Balfour+Manson LLP’s ‘well-respected’ team represents clients under the Law Society of Scotland’s master policy. Group head David Flint is recommended for the ‘clarity and quality of his advice’.

The team at DWF Biggart Baillie has represented clients such as RSA and Aviva, and has particular experience in claims against solicitors and surveyors. Practice head Alison Grant is recommended.

Harper Macleod LLP handles claims against solicitors, architects and surveyors, as part of its broader litigation and dispute resolution practice.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP recently represented Primary Healthcare Centres (Broadford) in a claim against former solicitors concerning an alleged failure to specify a claim accurately. Tim Edward leads the practice.

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