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Clinical negligence: claimant

John White’s team at Blake Lapthorn is ‘fantastic on all levels’, and advises clients on a range of matters, including brain injury, birth accidents and complex delays in diagnosis claims. Work highlights included a £9m case involving a late delivery that resulted in cerebral palsy. Alison McClure is recommended.

At Boyes Turner, ‘very experienced’ practice head Adrian Desmond and the ‘extremely capableSusan Brown advise on complex birth injury cases, including cerebral palsy claims. The ‘outstanding’ team acted on a number of delayed diagnosis claims in 2010.

Darbys Solicitors LLP’s ‘outstanding’ team advises on multimillion-pound cerebral palsy and neurological damage cases, as well as orthopaedic, sterilisation and oncology claims. Practice head Helen Niebuhr is a ‘consummate professional’.

Specialist clinical negligence firm Gadsby Wicks handles the full range of claims, from adverse drug reaction cases to multimillion-pound cerebral palsy and brain injury claims. Roger Wicks and Gillian Gadsby lead the team.

Jointly headed by Philippa Luscombe and Tim Palmer, the ‘very experienced’ team at Penningtons Solicitors LLP advises on cerebral palsy, caesarian and delayed diagnosis cases. The team recently welcomed associates Grainne Barton from Charles Russell LLP and Kay Taylor from Shoosmiths.

In 2010 Thomson Snell & Passmore’s ‘excellent’ team advised on a £1m case involving failure to diagnose a malignant melanoma, and a £1.9m brain injury case. Joint heads Fiona Mills and Patricia Fearnley are ‘kind and compassionate, yet formidable’.

Harris Cartier LLP’s team specialises in high-value catastrophic injury cases. Practice head Christopher Gooderidge is ‘thorough, extremely experienced and knowledgeable’.

The ‘hugely experienced and highly regarded’ Cecily Cameron leads an ‘excellent’ team at Henmans LLP. Highlights for 2010 included several Erb’s palsy and cholecystectomy cases.

Tim Spring’s team at Moore Blatch Resolve LLP is ‘fantastic’, and recently advised on two multimillion-pound cerebral palsy and severe brain injury cases.

David Turner’s team at Osborne Morris & Morgan advises clients on high-value birth injury and catastrophic brain injury cases. Gary Williams’ ‘level of competence and service is quite outstanding’.

David Kerry’s team at Attwaters Solicitors advises on fatal injury, brain injury, delayed diagnosis and psychiatric injury cases. Madeline Seibert is recommended.

Barlow Robbins LLP’s team advised on multimillion-pound cerebral palsy and undiagnosed MRSA cases. Practice head Helen Goatley provides a ‘first-class service’.

Nicola Bould’s team at colemans-ctts LLP advises on dental negligence matters, inquests and high-value birth injury cases.

Melanie Minter’s ‘methodical’ team at Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP recently advised on a failed total hip replacement, a spinal cord injury and a neonatal death.

In 2010 Pictons Solicitors LLP advised on a fatal accident claim and a case involving tooth damage during intubation. Carole Watts is ‘diligent, with a keen eye for detail’.

Julian Wilson’s team at Thompson Smith & Puxon advises on high-value cerebral palsy claims, and recently acted in a claim relating to failure to diagnose breast cancer.


Clinical negligence: defendant

Matthew McGrath’s team at Beachcroft specialises in catastrophic injury cases, and in 2010 dealt with cases involving delayed diagnosis of a caecal carcinoma and breast cancer. Clients include the NHSLA and the Medical Defence Union (MDU).

Scott Alexander’s ‘conscientious and professional’ team at Brachers advises on cases for the MDU and Dental Defence Union. Its caseload included claims relating to poor dental treatment and failure to diagnose a melanoma.

Gary Allison’s team at Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP acts for CNA Insurance and the Medical Protection Society.


Personal injury: claimant

Blake Lapthorn’s ‘very knowledgeable and well-respected’ team advises on a range of complex and high-value cases, including road traffic accident and industrial disease claims. Practice head Claire Howard and Alison McClure are both ‘excellent’, and recently secured a £7.2m settlement in a severe head injury case.

The ‘truly outstanding’ industrial disease unit at Boyes Turner is ‘genuinely specialist’. ‘Highly skilled’ practice head Linda Fletcher leads a team which has acted in numerous precedent-setting cases, and is experienced in catastrophic injury matters. Highlights included a £300,000 settlement for a former Rolls-Royce engineer.

Gareth Wheeler’s team at Lamport Bassitt advises on employers’ liability, road traffic accidents and occupiers’ liability claims. The team recently acted on behalf of a man crushed against a barrier by a large roll of cable, and a chicken catcher who developed tenosynovitis.

Moore Blatch Resolve LLP’s team is skilled in handling complex spinal and brain injury cases, and recently acted for a former prison officer who developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a consequence of working with sex offenders. Damian Horan leads the team, and the ‘tenacious, resilient and determined’ Ciaran McCabe is also recommended.

Rose Donoghue is an ‘extremely experienced litigator’ who leads an ‘excellent’ team at Shoosmiths that advises on catastrophic injuries and fatal accidents. Recent work highlights include acting for a man who had a motorbike accident resulting in a lower limb amputation.

Patricia Fearnley and Fiona Mills’ team at Thomson Snell & Passmore has an ‘excellent knowledge’ of road traffic accident and employers’ liability matters. It acted for a child claimant who lost her family in a road traffic accident. Alan Care’s experience in occupational disease is ‘second to none’.

asb law LLP focuses on high-value and complex catastrophic injury cases. Practice head Francis Lacy Scott is a ‘clear leader in the brain injury field’. The team recently welcomed the ‘immensely experienced’ Alison Parker from Hodge Jones & Allen LLP.

Lorna Fairbairn leads a team at DMH Stallard LLP that has ‘strength and depth’. In 2010 it brought a claim on behalf of a deceased man involved in a road traffic accident. Lucienne Westbrook is ‘professional and very competent’.

Henmans LLP’s ‘professional and dedicated’ team advises clients on road traffic accidents, employers’ liability and complex brain injury claims. Mary Duncan has ‘first-rate experience’.

Malcolm Underhill’s team at IBB (Iliffes Booth Bennett) has a ‘wealth of knowledge and experience’ in complex and serious head and spinal injury cases.

In 2010 Penningtons Solicitors LLP advised in a number of high-value and complex road traffic accident cases. Practice head Philippa Luscombe and Tim Palmer are ‘impressive’.

Stephen Richards’ team at Thomas Eggar LLP increasingly deals with high-value catastrophic claims. Steven Eldred is ‘expert’ in occupational noise-induced hearing-loss claims, with an ‘unusual and impressive grasp of technical issues’.

Led by Karen Mitchell, the team at Thompsons Solicitors LLP acts for unions including Unite and in 2010 advised on a £250,000 claim of failure to diagnose a sarcoma.

Trethowans LLP’s cross-office team advises on multiple-injury cases, as well as spinal and head injury claims.


Personal injury: defendant

Beachcroft’s ‘very strong’ team provides ‘exceptional service’ to clients such as the Ministry of Defence and Zurich. Multi-track litigation is its primary focus, with high-value and complex catastrophic and disease claims a particular specialism. Recent work highlights for Duncan Rutter’s team include successfully defending the MoD regarding an accident arising at sea during a rescue operation.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP’s ‘enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hardworking’ team is noted for its expertise in equestrian and specialist risk cases. New panel appointments include the Motor Insurance Bureau and LV=. The team recently obtained a successful outcome in the high-profile Jessop v Nixon case. Practice head Andrew Hibbert is ‘outstanding and leads by example’, and Michael Renshaw is ‘exceptionally good’.

Kennedys is ‘first rate’ in motor, public liability and occupational disease cases. Practice head Andrew Caplan is recommended for his strength in policy reviews of highway matters, and successfully defended TfL in a case involving a death resulting from accumulation of surface grit on a highway. Clients include LV=, Hastings Direct and Virgin Holidays.

Lea Brocklebank’s team at Bond Pearce LLP specialises in high-value catastrophic brain and spinal injury claims. Clients include Groupama, Chubb and English Heritage.

Clarke Willmott LLP is ‘excellent’ on multi-track catastrophic injury cases, and its business acumen is ‘second to none’, although practice head Rod Evans has recently left for Greenwoods Solicitors.

Nick Rogers’ team at Lamport Bassitt has particular expertise in motor injury claims, and acts for LV= and QBE. Richard Williams is a ‘leading force’.

Neil McLaughlin’s team at Morgan Cole provides ‘consistent, quality service’, and acts for Aviva, Travelers and ACE among others. Nick Richards has ‘terrific depth of knowledge’.

Tim Oliver’s cross-office team at Plexus Law is highly regarded by its peers and advises clients such as QBE and RBS in catastrophic and motor injury claims.

Weightmans LLP’s acquired Vizards Wyeth’s insurance team in April 2011. Headed by Elaine Chapman, the new cross-office team acts for insurers and the Motor Insurance Bureau.


Professional negligence

James Robins’ team at Bond Pearce LLP is particularly experienced in matters involving solicitors, insurance brokers and surveyors, and has amassed an enviable client list that includes QBE, CAN and Capita. Work highlights included advising on a £40m claim arising from a failed buy-to-let scheme.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP acts for clients Zurich Professional, Travelers and QBE on high-profile and complex matters, including most recently publishing royalties and regulatory matters. Within Tony Nurse-Marsh’s team, Clive Brett is a ‘stand-out professional indemnity lawyer’.

Richard Portlock’s team at Blake Lapthorn acts for clients across a range of professions. Work highlights included a number of complex and high-value pensions cases, and a case involving failure to define contractual post-termination terms.

Cripps Harries Hall LLP acts for developers and commercial clients on property-related matters, and recently acted in a claim against surveyors who allegedly failed to identify a property’s structural problems. Russell Simpson leads the team.

Simon Elcock’s multi-disciplinary group at DMH Stallard LLP advises in property matters and claims against solicitors. Clients include BDO and Travelers.

Henmans LLP is a ‘centre of excellence in the niche area of lawyers’ claims’, and is particularly experienced in property, injury and trust-related matters. Practice head Duncan Crine is ‘exceptional’ and ‘highly experienced’; and Sarah Foster and Philip Evans are also recommended.

SNR Denton predominantly focuses on claimant work acting against solicitors, insurance brokers and surveyors. The ‘excellent’ James Fairbairn leads the team.

Victoria Brackett’s team at Thomas Eggar LLP specialises in high-value solicitors special indemnity cases, and also acts for a number of leading insurers.


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