The Legal 500

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Clinical negligence: claimant

Irwin Mitchell LLP’s team regularly represents claimants in the most difficult cases, and recently handled a wrongful birth case. Sara Burnsdoes fantastic work’, ‘attracts a lot of loyalty’, and is ‘really on top of things’. The team won new clients such as Sears and University of Birmingham.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP’ has ‘excellent fee-earners’ in Tony Hall and Rankeshwar Batta, who is ‘extremely knowledgeable, uncompromisingly straight, kind and sympathetic’. The firm is one of the few to have been awarded a legal aid contract, and recently secured a £1.2m-plus costs award following the misdiagnosis of an eye tumour.

Challinors Solicitors settled several multimillion-pound brain injury claims. It handles legal aid work, and sits on the Action Against Medical Accidents, Specialist Solicitor’s Referral and The Law Society’s Specialist Clinical Negligence panels. Richard Bannister is ‘very pragmatic, direct and sensible’.

Alsters Kelley LLP recruited associate and practice head Ally Taft from Irwin Mitchell LLP. Highlights included settling a nephrology claim, and securing £2m in a cerebral palsy case.

Brindley Twist Tafft & James’ track record includes obtaining a £2.4m settlement for a child with late-onset strep B infection, and securing a £650,000 settlement for a disabled child after a hospital failed to carry out a 20-week anomaly scan.

Liz Hickman’s team at Higgs & Sons specialises in pursing brain and orthopaedic injury claims, as well as claims arising out of the delayed diagnosis of cancer and spinal injuries. The group handles publicly funded work.

Lanyon Bowdler is on the approved list for Headway and the Child Brain Injury Trust, and has over 200 active claims ranging in value from £30,000 to £7m. Paula Nash heads the team.

Shoosmiths secured a £1.25m settlement for a retirement-aged man who suffered from MRSA abscesses that led to spinal cord compression. The team, led by Richard Follis, handles publicly funded work.

Kashmir Uppal’s team at Thompsons Solicitors LLP covers a broad spectrum of work, from brain injury claims arising out of negligent management of delivery to late diagnosis of cancer.

Wright Hassall LLP’s Jeanette Whyman covers all manner of clinical negligence work, but is noted in particular for neurological and obstetric cases.


Clinical negligence: defendant

Bevan Brittan LLP is ‘excellent, timely and sensible’, and recently won nationwide instructions to represent a major eye surgery provider. The group acts for clients such as the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. NHSLA-nominated partner Adrian Dagnall ‘gives solid, well-informed advice’.

Browne Jacobson LLP is on the Medical Protection Society panel, and is representing one of the NHS bodies involved in the Mid Staffordshire Hospital public inquiry. The group continues to make progress in resolving the 550 claims brought against a local NHS trust regarding the misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Sarah White is an NHSLA-nominated partner.

Weightmans LLP’s Tony Yeaman possesses ‘a real understanding of the issues Trusts face; his advice is always well researched and presented’; and when Melanie Isherwoodis on the other side, you know you are in for a real battle’, according to a leading claimant firm. Clients include the NHSLA and Warwickshire PCT.

Mills & Reeve LLP represents a number of leading indemnity insurers, and has recently been involved in claims arising out of failed cosmetic surgery, and damaged vision following laser treatment. Neil Frankland leads the team.


Personal injury: claimant

Irwin Mitchell LLP, thanks to its ‘size and expertise, is able to give accurate advice even in the most complicated of cases’. The firm was the first to successfully resolve one of the ‘toxic sofa’ cases, and settled a mesothelioma case for £1.5m. Stuart Henderson’s seven-partner team delivers a service that clients can ‘rely on every time’.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP’s Rankeshwar Batta recently settled a £1.95m head injury claim, and gained a £1m settlement in an employer’s liability claim arising out of the claimant’s loss of a hand. The firm was awarded a personal injury legal aid contract.

Russell Jones & Walker led over 200 other firms in a group litigation order lawsuit, acting for 90% of the claimants involved in the Linkwise sofa litigation and achieving a £20m settlement scheme: the largest-ever consumer product liability order. Richard Langtonreally knows his stuff’.

Preeminent union firm Thompsons Solicitors LLP succeeded in achieving an out of court settlement for all 79 claimants involved in the Powertrain Group litigation, the largest known outbreak of occupational lung disease. Peter Mulhern leads the team.

Challinors Solicitors’ Andrew Bowen, who is ‘conscientious, with good judgment and attention to detail’, focuses on employer’s and public liability, as well as high-value road traffic accident claims.

Industry experts recommend FBC Manby Bowdler LLP as being ‘particularly thorough and experienced in higher-value claims’. Susan Todhunter offers a ‘high level of professionalism, astuteness and considerable ability, while being approachable and compassionate’. The team is noted for its expertise in brain injury cases.

Higgs & Sons covers the full range of personal injury work. Ian Shovlin is singled out for his expertise in high-value catastrophic injury cases, while Andy Shaw is noted for dealing with industrial disease cases.

Knights solicitors llp’s Richard Harris settled a transfemoral amputation claim for over £1.2m, while Justin Deacon and Cathy Court are handling a RTA claim worth over £2m. Andrew Davidson heads the team.

Over 2009 and 2010, Neil Lorimer’s team at Lanyon Bowdler settled 24 claims arising out of the Grenoble coach crash, and recently achieved a £1.43m award for a client: one of the highest awards for a single lower-limb amputation.


Personal injury: defendant

Beachcroft is ‘recognised throughout the insurance industry as a market leader’, and is ‘innovative, efficient, technically sound, and totally committed to providing first-class service at a fair price’. Rhod Richards’ team has a stellar reputation for defending against all manner of personal injury claims, and recently added QBE to an impressive client list that includes insurance giants such as AXA and Zurich. Lorraine Carolan heads the firm’s national claims validation team.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP’s ‘strength and depth of expertise is excellent and its client support is superb’. Chris Wiggin’s team, which acts for clients such as Allianz and ACE, was reappointed to advise Aviva on fraud ring claims, and was appointed by MPA Insurance for all civil work. Sarah Hill is ‘quick to understand client needs and create legal solutions’.

Buller Jeffries’ ‘complete and comprehensive understanding of complex litigation’ sees it regularly take the lead role in prominent cases such as the ‘EL Trigger’ litigation. Denise Brosnan provides ‘first-class service’; Derek Adamson ‘brings a very steady hand to the tiller’; and Rob Edwards is a ‘strong litigator with a realistic and effective approach’. Roger Coates is also recommended.

Plexus Law gained a presence in the region through its merger with Everatt & Company, and is noted as ‘beating much of the competition in terms of expertise, advice and value for money’. The group won clients such as BAA and Broker Direct, and handled a successful defence in Webster v Ridgeway Foundation School. Jason Burt ‘is always prepared to go the extra mile’, and Nick Yates is also recommended.

Browne Jacobson LLP’s team is rated for its catastrophic injury expertise. Simon Robinson and associate Paul Cox settled a severe head injury case for £1m, saving up to £3.5m against the potential value, while Cox recovered £825,000 in a case concerning the anti-deprivation principle. Clients include the Motor Insurers Bureau and Chaucer Insurance.

Keoghs LLP’s Lis Shrimpton and Ken Young are ‘meticulous in preparing their cases and known for their acute tactical awareness’, while Julian Dexter, who joined from Beachcroft, is ‘tough when required, and very pragmatic’. Young recently saved £5m for RBS Insurance in a chronic pain case.

Julia Holden’s nine-partner team at Shakespeares regularly handles claims worth over £1m, and acts for a number of the largest insurers. Steven Warburton provides ‘personal attention, added value, and understanding’.

Weightmans LLP’s Andy Griffiths and Penelope Marshall are ‘very knowledgeable and extremely helpful and supportive’, while David Tuck is ‘good at getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible’. The team’s clients include a number of local authorities, insurers and schools.


Professional negligence

Mills & Reeve LLP recruited three further solicitors, taking the team to 27 fee-earners, and won new clients such as Allianz and CNA. The group, led by Angus Turner, covers a diverse range of professional indemnity cases, ranging from solicitors to construction negligence. Both Turner and Neil Frankland are recommended.

Wragge & Co LLP is best known for handling finance-related professional negligence matters, and represented an electronic equipment supplier on a claim worth over £100m. Mark Hick, who heads the insurance team and the financial service sector team, is recommended.

Niche professional negligence firm Robin Simon LLP covers D&O, brokers, construction and legal negligence, acting for a significant number of leading law firms. The team sits on the panels of QBE and Chartis, and recently won a position on Hanover Insurance Company’s panel. Paul Chaplin leads the team.

Nick Carter and Andrew Lancaster’s team at Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP focuses on representing claimants. The team recently settled a substantial case arising out of the negligent handling of a previous litigation matter.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP was appointed to Liberty Mutual’s legal panel to advise on all professional indemnity financial services claims, and was reappointed to Aviva’s panel. Deputy district judge Chloë Philips joined as a consultant.

Kennedys’ eight-strong team counts Chartis, Travelers and Canopius as key clients, and recently won panel appointments with Ace and Lemma. Eamon Mooney heads the team.

Wright Hassall LLP’s Richard Lane and Sarah Perry are highly recommended. The group’s track record includes advising on several hundred cases for two major lending institutions.


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