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Clinical negligence: claimant

Barcan Woodward Solicitors’ highly regarded team is headed by Richard Barcan, who provides ‘exceptional sensitivity, thoughtfulness and thoroughly professional service’. The firm is expert in brain injury, spinal injury, bereavement and delayed diagnosis cancer cases.

Foot Anstey’s ‘dynamic’ team exhibits ‘great depth of expertise’ across catastrophic injury, wrongful birth and misdiagnosis cases. Mike Bird is valued for his ‘expertise, professionalism and a real ethos of dedication’, and Claire Stoneman is a ‘jewel in the crown’. Team head Robert Antrobus is also recommended.

Laurence Vick heads the team at Michelmores LLP and has ‘outstanding dedication’. He recently achieved a multimillion-pound settlement on a brain injury case. Bernadette McGhie is ‘kind, very professional, and efficient’, with niche expertise in cosmetic surgery cases.

Parlett Kent is a ‘niche clinical negligence practice staffed by real experts’. The team receives referrals from AvMA and acts on the whole gamut of matters. Practice head Magi Youngbrings big-case experience to the outfit’, and Jayshree Nathwani is ‘charming, thorough, gets results and fights hard’.

Withy King LLP’s ‘tenacious’ team has a notable practice in birth injury cases, as well as inquest and dental negligence work. Practice head Simon Elliman has particular expertise in spinal injury and is ‘first rate’, and Gerry Ferguson is a ‘superb lawyer’ on psychiatry and misprescribing matters.

Irwin Mitchell LLP’s team is headed by the ‘motivated and diligent’ Julie Lewis, who is ‘an inspiration and a joy to work with’. The team acted on a £9.2m case for a deaf child with cerebral palsy. The ‘very confident and experiencedJonathan Peacock relocated from Birmingham to strengthen the Bristol team.

WolferstansSimon Parford represents children and young adults with cerebral palsy, and acts for individuals who have suffered severe injuries resulting in long-term disabilities.

Clarke Willmott LLP’s team demonstrates ‘good strength in depth’ and is led by Kerry Fifield, who is a panel member for AvMA and also the Law Society. The firm has a contract with the Legal Services Commission and also acts for Allianz.

Preston Goldburn’s team is led by Tim Goldburn and is part of both the Law Society and AvMA specialist accreditation clinical negligence panels.

Simpson Millar LLP demonstrates ‘a very strong commitment to client care’, and has a specialism in late diagnosis of cancer cases. The ‘exceptional’ Marguarita Tyne is ‘imaginative, highly intelligent and hardworking’.

Tozers LLP acted for a child who developed severe cerebral palsy following mismanagement at birth. Tim Dyde heads the team, which has notable experience in inquests.

Trethowans LLP’s team ‘will go the extra mile in difficult and unusual situations’, and acted on several notable cerebral palsy cases, as well as late diagnosis matters. Head of the team Clare Carter ‘leaves no stone unturned’.

WBW Solicitors LLP’s Jane Couch and Richard Blair are recommended.


Clinical negligence: defendant

Beachcroft’s ‘market-leading’ team is ‘excellent in terms of industry knowledge’. It represents public bodies including Devon Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and recently acted for NHS Yorkshire and The Humber in winning dismissal of a multimillion-pound birth injury claim dating from 1963. Practice head Nigel Montgomery is recommended.

The ‘faultless’ team at Bevan Brittan LLP has ‘a wonderful ability to explain and analyse complex legal issues in an understandable and unambiguous way’. Team head Joanna Lloyd is ‘professional’ and ‘delivers the best possible service’, and Simon Lindsay ‘adds gravitas to all issues’. The team acts for public sector clients including the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, the NHS Litigation Authority, and Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.


Personal injury: claimant

Clarke Willmott LLP provides ‘very efficient, client-focused service’, and displays a ‘very caring and supportive attitude’. Team head Martin Pettingell has specialist knowledge in child brain injury cases. The firm recently recruited a number of fee-earners with expertise in motorcycle accident claims.

QualitySolicitors Burroughs Day provides ‘superb advice and support’. The team successfully represented an Afghani woman in seeking redress for her husband’s death in England. Practice head John Baden-Daintree is an expert in fatal injury cases, while Crispin Edmonds specialises in brain and catastrophic injury claims.

Withy King LLP’s team is experienced in high-value cases including catastrophic injury, ranging from accidents at work to road traffic accidents. Well-respected partner Stuart Brazingtonlistens to problems and reacts’.

The ‘very professional’ team at BPE Solicitors LLP has ‘broad experience, particularly in industrial disease work’, with asbestos cases a specialism. Practice head Julia Briano is ‘very knowledgeable and approachable’, and Mark Ovington is ‘well respected and authoritative’.

Barcan Woodward Solicitors inspires ‘total confidence’ in clients, on matters ranging from accidents at work to road traffic accidents. Marina Van Vessem is ‘very efficient’ and ‘really cares for the people she works for’.

Slee Blackwell’s team is headed by Lee Dawkins. James McNally specialises in Animal Act cases, while Samantha Robson specialises in sex abuse claims. Michael Clarke specialises in head injury cases.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP has a major trade union client base. The firm’s ‘service is impressive’, with Gavin Roberts particularly recommended. Recent matters include a case involving catastrophic injury resulting from a traffic accident

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ team acted on a high-value horseriding accident case, and also on a multimillion-pound case involving disputed liability over a brain injury to a cyclist. Team head John Webster and Jan Markland are recommended.

The ‘very efficient, professional friendly team’ at Veitch Penny is notable for its dedicated road traffic accident department, and industrial disease and employers’ liability are key growth areas. Andrew Harris’ ‘no-nonsense approach inspires confidence’, and Michael Penny is also recommended.

Ashfords LLP is ‘excellent in all areas, especially in speed of response and its very user-friendly service’. The team represented four members of a family injured in an accident. Darren White jointly heads the team with Stephan Walker.

The ‘excellent quality of service’ at Foot Anstey draws praise, with practice head Chris Thorne displaying ‘very good judgement and instinct’. Juliette Clarke joined from Bond Pearce LLP.

Humphreys & Co. has a prominent industrial disease and injury unit. The ‘outstanding’ Peter Montgomery is a leading specialist, and is hugely knowledgeable about asbestos-related matters; he is ‘very professional’ and ‘compassionate’, and provides service ‘of the highest order’.

Metcalfes’ Kay McCluskey is recommended for claimant work.

Pattinson & Brewer enjoys a good name in industrial disease and trade union claims. Gary Lightwood is recommended.

Philip Snell at Stephens Scown LLP has a busy practice in road traffic accident cases.

Stones Solicitors LLP’s ‘switched-on’ team has a ‘wealth of experience’. James Browne heads the team, which has expertise in animal injury and traffic accident claims.

Trethowans LLP acts on many accident at work, spinal and catastrophic injury cases. The well-respected Chris Whiteley heads the group.


Personal injury: defendant

The market-leading team at Beachcroft acts for a range of high-profile clients, including Zurich Insurance, Aviva and Fortis. Sally Yuill, with experience in catastrophic injury, ‘sees the bigger picture and takes a pragmatic approach’; Sally Roff is ‘technically extremely capable and really knows her stuff’; James Morris is an ‘excellent people person and has a passion for client service’; and Paul Parke is also recommended.

Bevan Brittan LLP delivers an ‘excellent service at competitive rates’. ‘Robust, intelligent, pragmatic and personable’ head Paul Taverner is an expert in catastrophic head and spinal injury cases, Adrian Neale is ‘up and coming’. Clients include Provident Insurance and Lloyds TSB General Insurance.

Morgan Cole is ‘exceptionally responsive to client needs’. Recommended partners Deborah Bradley (a ‘market leading catastrophic injury lawyer’) and Mark Bailey represent NFU Mutual, Aviva, and new client Cardiff City Council.

Veitch Pennygoes that extra mile and beyond’ for its clients, which include Plymouth City Council and Sandwell MBC. Team head Mark Fowles is an ‘acknowledged expert’ and ‘leading thinker’ in public sector insurance litigation. Joanne Pruden made partner in 2010.

Ashfords LLP’s key clients include the Cornish Mutual Assurance Company. Flora Wood and Stephen Walker are ‘excellent value for money’.

Bond Pearce LLP’s clients include Groupama, Liberty Mutual, Mitsui Sumitomo Europe and Tokio Marine. David Brown is the member of the team in Bristol, which focuses on serious and catastrophic injury cases.

The ‘excellentGreenwoods Solicitors acts for clients including Ageas, Aviva and RBSI. Michael Guy has a ‘good eye for detail, good knowledge and excellent legal expertise’; and Claire Gribben is ‘enthusiastic and confident, and leaves no stone unturned’.

The ‘first-rate’ team at Stones Solicitors LLP has a real niche in travel and tourism-related matters. The ‘outstanding’ Bronwen Courtenay Stamp is a ‘smart operator’ and a ‘formidable opponent’, with significant expertise in skiing and snowboarding claims. Samantha Pucci is also recommended. Key clients include Ageas and RBS Insurance.

Thrings LLP offers advice that is ‘well thought out, logical and explained in detail’. It recently represented a London-based cosmetic surgery clinic. Bryn Hesketh is recommended.

Wansbroughs Robert Hams handles defence work for local authority, police, fire service and other public sector clients. The insurance litigation team acts for a major insurer, and handles all types of civil claims made against local and public authorities throughout the region.


Professional negligence

Beachcroft’s ‘superb’ team represents clients such as Markel, Travelers, and Zurich on a range of matters. It acted for Towergate, the national broker, in a claim by Synergy Health (UK) Limited (Synergy) relating to a serious fire. Team head Marcus Campbell is recommended, and Charlie Bending and Phillip Roberts made partner in 2010.

The ‘fantastic’ and really approachable’ team at CMS Cameron McKenna LLP acts on major property loss and high-volume construction negligence claims, as well as financial services matters. Jeremy Barnes heads the team, which includes Simon Chandler (‘unwavering, determined, tenacious’) and Joe Bryant (‘calm, professional, approachable, and market savvy’).

Bond Pearce LLP’s team is headed by Ian Peacock, and acts for clients including Capita and Chartis. It recently advised insurers on their obligations in a dispute involving a multimillion-pound IT infrastructure project. Gary Oldroyd is also recommended.

Burges Salmon LLP’s team is led by Paul Haggett, and acts for clients such as Lloyds Banking Group and Svenska Handelsbanken. It acted for the principal employer and trustee of a large occupational pension scheme in a claim against the scheme’s former legal advisers. Andrew Burnette is an up-and-coming talent.

Charles Russell LLP acts for clients including Colliers CRE and Nova Capital Management. Practice head Peter Scandrett is recommended.

Paul Chapman heads Clarke Willmott LLP, which has capabilities on the claimant side and notable expertise in cases against surveyors.

Osborne Clarke’s ‘first-class’ team of ‘national big hitters’ has experience in lenders’ claims against valuers and solicitors. Clare Robinson is ‘fearless and has great judgement, and clients love her direct and uncompromising approach’.

Lee Dawkins’ claimant-side team at Slee Blackwell deals with a broad range of cases involving surveyors and accountants.

Paul Keeling’s group at Stones Solicitors LLP has experience in property-related matters.

The team at TLT LLP acts for clients including Apollo Management International, Bank of Ireland and Barclays Bank/Woolwich. Neil Franklin heads the team, which acts on numerous financial services matters and has a notable claimant practice.

The ‘very professional outfit’ at Veale Wasbrough Vizards acts for clients such as Britannia Building Society on mortgage lending matters. Practice head Nigel Puddicombe is ‘experienced, with a steady hand and depth of knowledge’.


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