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Clinical negligence: claimant

Irwin Mitchell has an ‘outstanding’ practice, and regularly handles birth injury and fatality claims. David Body heads the team, which includes the ‘very personable’ Rachelle Mahapatra, and Mark Tempest, who is ‘truly exceptional’ and ‘impressive’.

HLW Keeble Hawson is one of the ‘elite practices in the field’, specialising in maximum-severity claims. ‘Skilled negotiator’ Janet Baker oversees the practice.

Lester Morrill advises claimants in actions against health trusts and doctors concerning surgical and birth injuries. Julia Morrill heads the team, and Susan Bartfield specialises in late cancer diagnosis cases.

Mintons is an ‘exemplary’ boutique that has strong relationships within the medical field. Its expertise includes brain injury, meningitis and obstetric negligence claims. Practice head Simon Minton is ‘dedicated’ and ‘driven’.

Stewarts Law LLP specialises in complex catastrophic injury claims (including brain and spinal injury cases) in excess of £1m. The ‘fantastic’ Frank Pinch heads a team of ‘incredibly strong communicators’ who are ‘quick and professional’, and ‘put clients and their families first’.

Richard Wood heads the group at Harrowells LLP.

Michelle Gyte’s team at Howells handles legal aid claims, ranging from surgical injury matters to paediatric cases.

Wake Smith LLP provides ‘exceptionally fast’ but ‘measured’ advice, with experience in cosmetic surgery and catastrophic injury cases. Terry Regan heads the team, and John Vallance ‘appreciates the emotional aspects associated with pursuing a clinical negligence case’.

Clinical negligence: defendant

DAC Beachcroft LLP has a niche in defending birth-related catastrophic injury cases, as well as complex group action claims. Key clients include the NHS, the MDU and the NHSLA. Paul Taylor’s experience includes acting for a number of large teaching hospitals in the region; he is recommended along with Sean Doherty, who was promoted to partner in 2011.

At Hempsons, the ‘overall level of service is excellent’. The firm has a strong track record in catastrophic brain injury cases, and is praised for its ‘excellent judgement’. The ‘thorough’ and ‘balanced’ Paulene Donaldson leads the team, and Adrienne D’arcy is recommended for midwifery and obstetric cases. David Roberts left the firm for Capsticks in 2011.

Hill Dickinson LLP focuses on work for private medical insurers and medical defence organisations, notably the MDU; recent cases include Wright v Cambridge Medical Group, and a £8m misdiagnosis case. Andrew Peel is recommended.

Nabarro LLP’s six-strong team works closely with colleagues in London, acting for insurers and the MDU. Areas of strength include obstetrics cases and claims involving brain injuries occasioned by delayed diagnosis. Chris Horsefield heads the practice.

RadcliffesLeBrasseur’s team is led by London-based Ricardo Bassani. Its expertise ranges from birth injury claims through to paediatric and psychiatric cases.

Personal injury: claimant

Irwin Mitchell’s ‘very knowledgeable’ and ‘totally committed’ team handles the full range of PI claims. Jane Wright is the key contact in Leeds; she is ‘proficient’, and provides ‘straightforward, uncomplicated advice’. Adrian Budgen heads the ‘tenacious’ and ‘hardworking’ Sheffield team, which includes Helen Ashton, who advised on the Employers’ Liability Policy Trigger litigation; Louise Jenkins, who was promoted to partner in 2011; and Neil Whiteley, who heads the serious injury team. John Pickering maintains his role as the firm’s national managing partner.

Russell Jones & Walker, part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers’ five-partner team handles cases ranging from repetitive strain injury matters to major road traffic accident and fatal injury claims. Jonathan Reid is experienced in maximum-severity claims, and Matthew Tomlinson is regularly instructed in relation to foreign accidents. Simon Allen heads the group.

Stewarts Law LLP’s ‘exceptional’ lawyers are ‘motivated’, and have ‘good judgement’ and ‘genuine empathy’. Brain injury specialist Ben Townsend is praised for his ‘all-round knowledge’, and Daniel Herman has an ‘excellent understanding of high-value compensation’. The group has extensive experience in spinal injury claims.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP has close ties with a number of trade unions, and is well known for its disease claims practice. Other specialist expertise includes serious injury, road traffic accidents, and stress-related claims. Judith Gledhill oversees the Leeds team, and is recommended along with Samantha Hemsley and Catherine Horner.

Client care is ‘consistently outstanding’ at HLW Keeble Hawson, which focuses on employers’ liability claims. The ‘excellent’ team delivers ‘quality work of the highest order’, and is led by David Jones.

The five-fee-earner team at Harrowells LLP handles claims involving spinal and catastrophic injury resulting from road traffic accidents. Richard Wood and Helen Brunton are the key contacts.

Morrish Solicitors LLP is experienced in occupational disease claims, employers’ liability cases, and fatal accident claims. It regularly handles high-value claims, and has good relationships with trade unions. Martin Bare is recommended.

Walker Morris acts for insurers in relation to road traffic accidents, and increasingly advises on claims relating to employers’ liability and military injuries. Chris Caisley is a key contact.

Atherton Godfrey’s ‘efficient’ practice is led by the ‘pragmatic’ John McQuater, and advises on workplace accident and occupiers’ liability claims. Diane Parker is recommended.

Hamers Solicitors handles cases relating to road traffic accidents, industrial disease and workplace injury.

Lupton Fawcett LLP’s key contacts are Graham Ford and director Jack Ferraro. It handles road traffic accident cases and claims involving occupational noise induced hearing loss.

Personal injury boutique Minster Law Limited provides advice on road traffic accident and employers’ liability claims.

Pattinson & Brewer, in York, handles industrial deafness, asbestos and foreign accident claims. Jane Radcliffe heads the team.

Wake Smith LLP has experience in motor accident claims and employers’ liability cases.

Personal injury: defendant

Ruth Winterbottom leads DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘market-leading’ team, which is well regarded for high-volume, cost-efficient case handling, and advises insurers such as Zurich and Aviva. The ‘highly respected’ Owen Rees is a ‘top catastrophic injury solicitor’, and consultant Andrew Scott is widely ‘sought after’. Vicki Hilton has a good track record in negotiating favourable settlements for clients.

DLA Piper UK LLP provides ‘perceptive’ and ‘realistic’ advice, with expertise including risk and liability compliance, and employers’ liability claims (both insured and uninsured). Peter Anson is ‘extremely knowledgeable on insurance and historic corporate liabilities’. The ‘highly competent’ Alan Dury oversees the practice, which acts for ACE Insurance and Serco Group.

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP is noted for its ‘excellent technical quality’ and ‘savvy partners’. The firm is well versed in occupational illness, catastrophic loss and road traffic accident claims, and its clients include Allianz and Leeds City Council. Team head Chris Coughlin and Henry Kirkup are noted for their expertise in trauma cases, and Richard Clarke and Elizabeth McCann are also recommended.

DWF LLP has a ‘client-focused’ team which works with the firm’s occupational health group to advise insurers and manufacturers on employers’ liability and road traffic accident claims. Paul Holmes is ‘particularly strong’ on potentially fraudulent personal injury claims. ‘Pragmatic’ catastrophic injury specialist Glyn Jones heads the practice.

Ford & Warren regularly acts in public and employers’ liability cases worth over £1m, and in catastrophic motor injury cases. The group provides ‘high-quality legal advice’, and works closely with the firm’s insurance and fraud teams. Practice head Blaise Smith is ‘invaluable’, and Lindsay Staddon is experienced in insurance litigation.

Gordons LLP handles public and employers’ liability disputes for a diverse client base of national retailers, manufacturers and insurers. Work examples include advising Morrisons on slip and trip claims, an area in which Rachel Hudson is experienced. The team has ‘appropriate expertise and skill sets for each case’, and displays ‘sound commercial judgement’.

Suzanne Liversidge heads Kennedys’ ‘very impressive’ team, which is a ‘standout choice’ for high-value claims. Peter Crossland has ‘superb awareness of what clients want’, and ‘excellent contacts’. Niall Edwards is ‘one of the lead solicitors in the motor defendant market’.

Nabarro LLP acts for large corporations and public bodies in occupational liability claims. Practice head Carl Dray recently represented the Department of Energy and Climate Change in the Phurnacite group litigation.

Gareth Watkins is well known for industrial disease disputes, and Zoe Cooper is also recommended.

Plexus Law acts for a number of national police authorities, advising on disease, motor and employers’ liability claims. The group, led by Simon Hills, was appointed to the Metropolitan Police’s civil litigation panel in 2012.

Forbes represents local authorities and housing associations in relation to disease claims and employers’ liability cases, and is led by Siobhan Hardy. Asda and Zurich are key clients.

Langleys Solicitors LLP’s ‘overall level of service is excellent’, and the group is regularly instructed by insurers on public and employers’ liability claims. Helen Brown heads the public sector team, and the ‘exceptional’ David Thompson is noted for his ‘hands-on’ approach to multi-party claims. The team has ‘market-leading business acumen’ and a ‘can-do-attitude’.

O’Rourke Reid is recommended ‘without hesitation’ for employers’ liability, road traffic accident and industrial disease cases. The practice is led by the ‘strong’ and ‘focused’ John Reid.

Professional negligence: claimant

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s client roster includes a number of regional building societies and national high street banks. The team, led by Sally Butt, is experienced in handling claims against solicitors, IFAs and architects.

DLA Piper UK LLP’s practice is led by the ‘first-class’ Hugh Evans, who is ‘intellectual’ and has ‘strong client care skills’. The team is rated for its approachability and ‘commercial awareness’. It advises a number of lenders on property-related financial losses; clients include Barclays and Leeds Building Society.

Irwin Mitchell acts in claims against solicitors over mishandled litigation, and against surveyors over the misvaluation of property. Daniel Brumpton heads the team, which counts Mortgages plc among its clients.

Levi Solicitors LLP represents lenders in negligence claims against surveyors, accountants and actuaries. Michelle Levin specialises in actions against solicitors. Litigation head Paul Sykes is experienced in disputes with professional indemnity insurers.

Gordons LLP represents a number of mortgage lenders, with Paragon Group a key client. It has experience in negligence claims against solicitors, including cases concerning buy-to-let transactions. Practice head Matthew Howarth is recommended.

Professional negligence: defendant

Duncan Greenwood leads the team at DAC Beachcroft LLP, which is ‘very good’ in litigation against insurance brokers and property professionals. Roohi Sheikh-Collins advises on educational claims, while Andrew Marsh primarily acts for engineers, architects and design-and-build contractors. Suzanne Wharton is noted for solicitors’ risk advice. Key clients include Countrywide Surveyors.

Robin Simon LLP is a leading boutique representing professional services firms and their insurers in multimillion-pound claims relating to property and construction transactions. ACE and XL Insurance are key clients. Jason Ford heads the team.

Tax specialist Karen Eckstein is the key contact at Lake Legal LLP, which acts for national insurers in relation to auditors’ and solicitors’ negligence claims.

Lupton Fawcett LLP’s team, across Leeds and Sheffield, has experience in representing insurers in relation to multimillion-pound negligence claims against architects and surveyors. Paul Houghton is the key contact.

Walker Morris draws on its real estate, banking and commercial resources to handle cases involving solicitors and surveyors. Persimmon Homes is a key client.

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