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Clinical negligence: claimant

Blake Lapthorn’s ‘outstanding’ team represents clients at all stages of the litigation process. Sue Jarvis has ‘a level of commitment that is unparalleled’, and medically trained department head John White has a ‘clear, forensic mind’.

The ‘exceptional’ team at Boyes Turner specialises in catastrophic brain injury claims and cases involving children. Team head Adrian Desmond and Susan Brown ‘handle high-value cases with humanity and tenacity’.

The highly rated team at Darbys Solicitors LLP handles claims relating to cerebral palsy, birth injury and fertility. Head of department Helen Niebuhr is ‘simply brilliant’.

Gadsby Wicks fields an eight-lawyer team dedicated solely to clinical negligence claims, with a focus on birth injury. Roger Wicks and Gillian Gadsby head the team.

Cecily Cameron’s team at Henmans LLP is currently advising on several multimillion-pound claims, including brain injury and quadriplegia claims. Cameron is ‘committed, and cares for her clients’.

McMillan Williams’ team is ‘a class act for claimants’, with the highly regarded Colum Smith attracting praise for his negotiation skills. Shurouk Al-Sabbagh became practice head in May 2012.

The ‘skilled, focused and highly specialised’ team at Moore Blatch Resolve LLP has a strong litigation record, and settled claims valued up to £1.2m in 2011. Team head Tim Spring and Anne Cassidy are recommended.

‘One of the leaders in the field’, Penningtons Solicitors LLP recently settled a claim for delayed diagnosis of breast cancer. Tim Palmer and Philipa Luscombe jointly head the team.

In 2011, Thomson Snell & Passmore acted on a settlement for surgical error worth £3m. The team is jointly headed by Patricia Fearnley, who is ‘outstanding in all areas’, and Fiona Mills, who has ‘a wealth of experience’.

Headed by the ‘extremely professional’ David Kerry, Attwaters Solicitors’ team advises on a range of issues, including recent claims for failed knee surgery and deep vein thrombosis.

Barlow Robbins LLP’s work in 2011 included settling two brain injury cases valued at £3m and £6m. Team head Helen Goatley is ‘a very safe pair of hands in catastrophic claims’.

colemans-ctts LLP’s team settled several six-figure claims in 2011, and represented numerous clients at inquest. Kathryn Turner heads the department.

Christopher Gooderidge’s team at Harris Cartier LLP handles multimillion-pound catastrophic injury litigation.

2011 saw Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP’s team act in successful claims relating to cerebral palsy, a failed knee replacement and brain injury at birth. Melanie Minter leads the group.

Osborne Morris & Morgan’s ‘excellent’ team settled several large cerebral palsy claims in 2011. Group head David Turner is ‘calm and tenacious’.

The ‘very professional’ team at Pictons Solicitors LLP settled a number of maximum-severity cases in excess of £1m in 2011. Team leader Carole Watts is ‘first rate’.

Julian Wilson’s team at Thompson Smith & Puxon acts on the full range of claims for clients in the North Essex region, including cases over delayed diagnosis and delayed treatment.

Clinical negligence: defendant

Scott Alexander’s team at Brachers has been defending a number of birth injury claims with potential damages in excess of £5m. The firm also acts for the MoD and the Dental Defence Union, and is a panel member of the MDU.

DAC Beachcroft LLP continues to defend high-value catastrophic claims, representing the NHSLA, the MDU and several foundation trusts. Matthew McGrath leads the team, which in 2011 mitigated a multimillion-pound damages award against the NHS by more than half.

At Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP, Joe Wakeford’s team obtained two new panel appointments in 2011, and defended a doctor in a claim for delayed diagnosis of meningitis. Clients include United Bristol Heathcare NHS Trust.

Personal injury: claimant

Blake Lapthorn’s ‘absolutely excellent’ team acts in catastrophic injury claims, particularly head and spinal injury cases, and in military claims related to overseas operations. Group head Claire Howard is highly recommended.

Boyes Turner advises on a wide range of cases including road traffic and work-related accidents. ‘A force to be reckoned with’, Kim Smerdon leads the ‘very professional’ group, which comprises separate personal injury and industrial disease teams, with Linda Fletcher leading the latter.

Lamport Bassitt is ‘detailed in its preparation and forceful in pursuit of its clients’ interests’. Gareth Wheeler has ‘considerable tactical acumen’ and leads a team that acts for both private individuals and trade unions in industrial, road traffic and work-related cases.

Moore Blatch Resolve LLP’s team represented three infant children in a dependancy claim relating to the loss of their mother in a road traffic accident; and achieved a six-figure settlement for an eye injury suffered at work. Damian Horan heads the practice.

Shoosmiths’ national practice is headed by Basingstoke-based Rose Donoghue, who specialises in brain and spinal injury cases. Recent work includes the settlement of three severe road traffic accident claims, and acting in a case before Bristol High Court involving a long-term construction-related injury.

The ‘highly skilled’ team at Thomson Snell & Passmore established liability in a long-running road traffic case, and also acted in a number of claims involving exposure to asbestos and chemical weapons. Fiona Mills and Patricia Fearnly jointly head the practice, and Jonathan Clement is ‘impressively dedicated’.

Alison Parker’s team at asb law LLP acted in a variety of matters in 2011, including claims relating to cycle accidents, a contested Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority claim, and a child brain injury claim (achieving a £9m settlement). Parker is ‘unflappable and totally focused on clients’.

Brethertons LLP’s cross-office team, headed by Jonathan Rees, added spinal injury specialist Richard Dawson to its Banbury office in 2011. Associate Nicola Heales also joined to lead the head and brain injury team.

Collins Solicitors’ ‘outstanding’ practice continues to represent 270 claimants affected by the Buncefield oil depot explosion, and acted for several women pursuing PIP implant claims. Team head Danielle Holliday and Des Collins are ‘tenacious in fighting the client’s cause’.

DMH Stallard LLP acted in a fatal road traffic accident, a criminal injury claim, and a case involving injuries sustained during a surgical operation. Lorna Fairbairn leads the department and has strong experience in RTA, accident at work, and fatality claims.

Henmans LLP has expertise in serious road traffic accident claims, and achieved several six-figure settlements in 2011. Paul Chadder leads the team.

Malcolm Underhill’s team at IBB (Iliffes Booth Bennett) has particular expertise in union-referred work. Areas of focus include serious injury and child abuse cases.

Philippa Luscombe’s ‘organised and thorough’ team at Penningtons Solicitors LLP has a ‘boutique feel’ and focuses on high-value claims. Mark Lee, who heads the travel team representing claimants injured abroad, is ‘a strong litigator’.

Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP’s team focuses on small-volume, high-value cases. Team head Frances Pierce is ‘an expert in brain injury litigation’.

Stephen Richards’ ‘highly specialised’ personal injury group at Thomas Eggar LLP includes Steven Eldred, who is ‘highly regarded in noise-induced hearing loss claims’. The firm also fields an industrial disease team based in Southampton.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP’s recent work includes a heavily contested claim which settled in the client’s favour. Gwen Kirby-Dent leads the team in Chelmsford.

Trethowans LLP’s team acts in serious and fatal road traffic accident claims. Recent work includes securing interim payments at the High Court for the long-term care of a woman seriously injured in an accident as a teenager.

Personal injury: defendant

Andrew Hibbert’s ‘first-class’ team at Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP acts for major insurers and public sector clients. Recent work includes acting for Liverpool Victoria in relation to the Taunton M5 crash, and successfully defending two substantial equine liability claims. Andrew West and Joe Wakeford are also recommended, as is equine expert Louise Abbott.

DAC Beachcroft LLP is ‘a market-leading firm for defendant work’. Duncan Rutter’s team is advising on several high-value, multi-track road traffic accident claims, including a case with international jurisdiction issues. Clients include Allianz, Aviva, the MoD and Zurich. Catastrophic injury specialist Lea Brocklebank joined from Bond Pearce LLP in May 2012.

Headed by Bristol-based Nathan Peacey, Bond Pearce LLP’s cross-office team represents clients such as Chubb, HSBC Insurance and London United Busways in high-value employers’ and public liability claims. The group has notable cross-border expertise.

Greenwoods Solicitors acquired Clarke Willmott LLP’s insurance team in May 2011, whose recent work includes acting for insurer clients in relation to multimillion-pound claims. Team head Rod Evans and London-based Paul Davies are recommended.

Lamport Bassitt continues to act for Liverpool Victoria, and was recently successful in arguing that a 100% success fee was not justified in a case where liability was admitted. Other clients include MMA Insurance and QBA. Nick Rogers leads the team.

The ‘diligent and focused team’ at Morgan Cole successfully obtained dismissal of a claim related to highway maintenance against client Amey. Nick Richards is ‘a proficient lawyer with excellent analytical skills’.

Ferhat Choudri’s team at Pitmans LLP gained several new clients in 2011, and acted in a multimillion-pound indemnity case.

Plexus Law’s national PI group includes a sizeable South East team, which acts for clients such as Novae, QBE and RBS.

2011 saw Weightmans LLP’s team continue to act on matters including product liability, local government and industrial disease from its Dartford office. Dan Cutts heads the nationwide insurance team.

Professional negligence

Bond Pearce LLP acts for an impressive array of clients including Chartis, QBE and Aon. It is well known for defending solicitors, and also recently defended claims against a high-profile surveyor and a financial services company. James Robins heads the team.

Clyde & Co’s November 2011 merger with fellow insurance specialist Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP further expanded the firm’s South East capabilities. Tony Nurse-Marsh’s team, which ‘equals any in the City’, acts for high-profile insurers such as Ace, Catlin and Zurich. Recent work includes a large number of recession-related mortgage claims for lenders. Marsh is ‘a very safe pair of hands’.

Blake Lapthorn’s two-partner team acts on a wide range of cases for claimants and defendants. Highlights included acting in a high-value occupational pension-related claim – an area in which team head Richard Portlock has expertise.

2011 saw Cripps Harries Hall LLP’s property-focused team handle six-figure claims against solicitors, surveyors and estate agents. Team head Russell Simpson is recommended.

James Fairbairn’s claimant-focused team at Dentons handled a number of mortgage fraud cases for Santander in 2011. Other clients include NHBC and United Trust Bank.

Henmans LLP’s team mainly acts for defendant solicitors, and successfully struck out a High Court claim relating to breach of trust. Joint heads Duncan Crine and Sarah Foster are both recommended.

The ‘skilled and determined’ Karim Mohammed heads Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP’s team, and has strong experience in pursuing claims for lenders.

Thomas Eggar LLP’s ‘excellent’ team, led by Victoria Brackett, concentrates on qualifying insurer defence work, but also acts for claimants. Recent work includes defending claims on behalf of Chartis and Marketform.

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