The Legal 500

United Kingdom > South East > Insurance > Personal injury: defendant

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

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.

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW
  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW
  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW
  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW
  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to