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The Legal 500 Hall of Fame Icon The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In the United Kingdon, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for eight years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
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United Kingdom > South West > Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

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  1. Clinical negligence: claimant
  2. Leading individuals

Leading individuals

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Who Represents Who

Find out which law firms are representing which Clinical negligence: claimant clients in South West using The Legal 500's new comprehensive database of law firm/client relationships. Instantly search over 925,000 relationships, including over 83,000 Fortune 500, 46,000 FTSE350 and 13,000 DAX 30 relationships globally. Access is free for in-house lawyers, and by subscription for law firms. For more information, contact david.burgess@legal500.com.

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Barcan+Kirby LLP acts for local and national clients on all manner of clinical negligence issues including mental health, spinal injuries, birth injuries and fatal injuries. The tenacious Richard Harries heads the team and is ‘excellent with clients’. Claire Hurrell focuses on acting in cases involving children with cerebral palsy resulting from negligence at or around the time of birth. Senior associate Jay Nathwani has ‘real expertise in birth injury/neonatal cases’, and also handles brain injury, amputee and ophthalmic injuries. Adrian Stone specialises in brain and cauda equina injury, product liability-related cases and fatal accidents. Myfanwy Buckeridge focuses on serious injury claims and fatal accidents.

Foot Anstey launched standalone medical negligence practice Enable Law in 2017 under the leadership of Robert Antrobus, who has 'a nice blend of intellect and good client-care skills'. Other key figures include Andrew Hannam , who is 'a recognised leader in the field; intelligent, perceptive and thorough'. He specialises in cases of birth injury and cerebral palsy and has experience of settling high-value claims. Laurence Vick  deals with child cardiac surgery claims, he represents families across the country. Claire Stoneman ('intelligent, sensible, pleasant to work with and effective') focuses on birth injury matters and acts in cases involving stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injury. Mike Bird deals with a variety of complex medical issues including children with brain injuries. 'Highly efficient and effective' Paul Sankey specialises in claims that relate to stroke, sepsis, haemorrhage, meningitis and raised intracranial pressure and amputations. Alex Mcknight, Bernadette McGhie and Angie Maxwell are also recommended.

Irwin Mitchell  Bristol handles a broad range of clinical negligence issues including negligent gynaecological treatment, delay in cancer diagnosis, delay in meningitis diagnosis, brain injury, high-profile fatalities, child and elder abuse, and mental health cases. The team works with national charities and support organisations and is a panel member of Action against Medical Accidents. It is also supported by the Bristol-based Court of Protection team, which advises on damages management and provides financial deputyships. Julie Lewis heads the team and handles claims against hospitals, GPs and health professionals, with a focus on birth injury and brain injury cases. She also handles fatal cases and represents clients in inquests. Senior associate Kate Easy specialises in obstetric cases, delay in diagnosis leading to spinal or brain damage, and child abuse matters. Associate Luke Trevorrow deals with claims against the NHS and private providers and specialises in cases involving spinal and orthopaedic injury and wound infection.

‘Premier clinical negligence practice’ Royds Withy King is ‘the go-to firm for really large and demanding claims or strategic issues’. The practice provides advice on all areas of clinical negligence including catastrophic injury cases, birth injury, Erb’s palsy, bariatric cases, spinal injury and is also noted for its dental negligence work. Simon Elliman  heads the practice and specialises in cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, wrongful birth and spinal injury cases. Paul Rumley is ‘highly intelligent, passionate for his clients and the master of all detail’; he focuses on cerebral palsy, fatal, cardiology and cancer cases and also genetic conditions. Kerstin Kubiak  deals with high-value claims, particularly in relation to obstetric, gynaecology and fertility cases. Ali Cloak  focuses on inquests and fatal claims and Hannah Blackwell deals with maternal birth injury claims. Recent work includes acting for a claimant who suffered brain damage and cerebral palsy as a result of delay in birth and also representing at inquest the family of a mental health patient who committed suicide due to the negligence of the mental health trust whose care she was under. Associate Katie Reid  joined from Metcalfes Solicitors and Tracy Furminger left the firm.

Clarke Willmott LLP deals with complex high-value injury, spinal injury, delay in diagnosis of meningitis and encephalitis, and surgical negligence cases, in addition to representing clients in inquests. PartnerChris Thorne  (‘very knowledgeable and strong on strategy’) heads the team and focuses on birth injury and claims of maximum severity. Kerry Fifield specialises in complex paediatric claims, meningitis claims and inquest representation. Marguarita Tyne  works on ‘difficult causation cases of high value with complex expert evidence’ and is adept at handling neurological claims, stroke cases, meningitis claims and amputation cases. John Boyle  has ‘an excellent client manner, is very thorough and tactically astute’. The team has links with local charities such as Limbless, Headway and the Encephalitis Society.

Tozers Solicitors LLP is adept at handling catastrophic injury claims, especially those relating to brain injury. It also specialises in advising on cerebral palsy claims caused during birth, autism caused by negligence and high-value Erb’s palsy cases. Other areas of expertise include cauda equina, spinal injury claims and child abuse claims. Endurance Arthur  and Stuart Bramley  who is ‘highly experienced in the field of medical negligence’ and ‘a fantastic communicator’ head the team. Endurance Arthur  focuses on Erb’s palsy, cerebral palsy, delay in diagnosis of cancer and negligent surgery claims. Stuart Bramley  specialises in fatal accident claims and acts for clients at inquests, he is also an expert in Streptococcus Type B infections. Clair Hemming  ‘extremely intelligent, professional, effective, compassionate and personable’ and is adept at handling vulnerable clients such as children and young adults with neurological injuries inflicted at birth. She also deals with gynaecological injury, ophthalmology, diabetes and orthopaedic injuries. Recent highlights include acting for a claimant against a GP who failed to diagnose cauda equina syndrome, this led to a delay in surgery and post-surgery problems, the matter was settled for £600,000.

Trethowans LLP  advises on the full range of clinical negligence work including cerebral palsy, birth injury cases, spinal injury, brain damage, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis negligently performed surgery, and negligently treated medical conditions. It acts against NHS trusts, NHS hospitals, private hospitals, consultants, GPs and dentists, nationally. Partner and head of team Clare Carter  is ‘indomitable, very experienced, fiercely clever and realistic to boot’. She specialises in high-value, complex matters including neonatal, still birth, gynaecological, paediatric, cancer, cardiac, orthopaedic, radiological, surgical, vascular, ophthalmological, pharmaceutical and amputation cases. Partner Chris Whiteley  has ‘experience, common sense and good client care’, he deals with catastrophic injury cases and negligence cases such as birth injuries. Partner Gavin Lane has ‘very considerable clinical negligence experience’ and ‘the ability to find the right expert witness’. He also deals with catastrophic injury cases such as head injuries, spinal injuries and amputation cases.

Ashfords LLP represents claimants in cases involving antenatal complications, child death, surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delay in diagnosis, dental negligence and negligent eye surgeries. It often operates under conditional fee agreements. Practice head Jason Squire ‘fights his client’s corner all the way’ and is ‘disarmingly tough whilst also warm and engaging’. He is supported by associate Clare Boucher, who specialises in negligent antennal care, child birth issues and gynaecological issues. Recent work includes acting in a dental negligence claim against a private dentist, in which the claimant suffered pain and required significant dental rectification work. It also settled a negligence claim against an NHS hospital for leaving medical gauze inside a patient’s perineum after the birth of her daughter.

Coles Miller Solicitors LLP handles a broad range of clinical negligence issues including cauda equina claims, spinal injuries, strokes, mismanaged labour, vascular problems leading to amputation, misdiagnosis and ectopic pregnancy. The firm is ‘very client focused, very on the ball, efficient and well prepared’. David Simpson  heads the team and specialises in complex high-value cases. Christopher Whittle  advises on all aspects of clinical negligence and particularly dental negligence. Lydia Barnett  is ‘a very shrewd negotiator’ and has ‘an excellent manner with clients’. She specialises in Tension-Free Vaginal Tape (TVT) claims, cerebral palsy, kidney failure, brain haemorrhages, bladder and bowel issues. The team is ‘excellent in the field and can be trusted to handle complex litigation with real expertise’.

Coodes Solicitors in birth injury, obstetrics, gynaecology, fatal claims and inquests. It also advises on surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delays in diagnosis and treatment, and mental health failures that have led to injury or death. It is adept in representing clients at inquests in relation to preventable suicides of mental health patients. The firm deals with high-value and maximum severity claims and also a variety of low-value claims. It previously settled the case of a woman who was injured during the birth of her child for £635,000. Partner and practice head Tim Goldburn has ‘vast experience’ and is ‘very able and good with clients’. He often settles disputes through alternative dispute resolutions.

Dutton Gregory LLP provides ‘a very good service’ and ‘enjoys a warm and friendly relationship with clients’. Partner Carol Maunder heads the department and specialises in high-value catastrophic injury cases, she is ‘an excellent team leader, managing and supporting her staff with great skill’ and is ‘likeable and popular with clients’. Senior associate Melanie Reynolds focuses on challenging cases and is ‘hard working, taking on complex cases with a great volume of paperwork involved’. Michael Kingman was promoted to senior associate, he specialises in multi-party and fatal claims and has also represented many families in HIV haemophiliac litigation cases against the Department of Health. Phillip Needham  joined the team from acquired firm Needhams Solicitors. Rebecca Watkins left the practice.

NewLaw Solicitors advises on a wide array of clinical negligence matters and specialises in brain injury, oncology, spinal injury and amputation claims. It also provides advice in relation to dental, obstetric, gynaecological, and GP negligence, delay in cancer diagnosis, surgery negligence, birth injury and fatal claims. New Cardiff-based head of department Angelina Rigby   joined from Geldards LLP , she is ‘very experienced’ and has ‘a superb client manner’. Associate Frances Wright ‘gets cases very well organised, with appropriate expert input’. Tina Ashley specialises in oncology, cancer misdiagnosis, orthoaedic, spinal injury and cerebral palsy claims. The team provides ‘a great level of service to clients who get best practice in terms of efficiency and depth of experience’.

Slee Blackwell specialises in acting for claimants against cosmetic surgery negligence and has extensive experience in PIP breast implant claims. It also advises on cases of brain injury, obstetrics, vaginal mesh and amputation. Partner and practice head Oliver Thorne is ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’ and has recently represented over one hundred women in a cross-border matter with France in relation to compensation claims around the PIP breast implant scandal. Another highlight includes settling a claim for an individual who underwent an unsatisfactory rhionoplasty procedure which resulted in breathing problems. The team is ‘very efficient, easy to work with and very supportive and effective for their clients’.

‘User friendly’ Thompsons Solicitors LLP acts for claimants in relation to a broad range of clinical negligence matters including cerebral palsy, cauda equina, amputations, fatalities and delay in diagnosing cancer. It takes on high-value cases of the upmost severity and also low-value claims. Senior solicitor Madeleine Pinschof is ‘straightforward, approachable and kind’ and ‘great with clients, particularly when discussing personal issues’. Recent highlights include acting against surgeon Anthony Dixon in a case of colorectal treatment in relation to rectopexy and STARR procedures. Partner Cathryn Davies heads the practice and specialises in spinal injury cases, failure to treat vascular conditions leading to amputation, abdominal surgery complications and also fatal cases involving Court of Protection. Clients include trade unions such as Unite the Union, Unison and the Fire Brigades Union.

‘Very competent’ Wards Solicitors LLP advises on a range of clinical negligence issues including failure to diagnose injuries leading to incapacity. It has also advised on surgical errors leading to incontinence and negligent bowel surgery which resulted in death. Another area of expertise is delays in diagnosis of cancer where the firm has acted in cases of a delay in throat cancer diagnosis which led to the patient’s death and delay in tumour diagnosis which led to premature death. It also acts in cases of inadequate care in nursing homes. Partner and head of team Alison Underhill has ‘extensive experience and is intelligent, perceptive and thorough’, she specialises in claims relating to antenatal care, birth injury, prescription errors and surgical negligence.

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