The Legal 500

PROVIDENCE HOUSE, PROVIDENCE PLACE, LONDON, N1 0NT, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 020 7288 4800
Fax:
Fax 020 7288 4801
DX:
122238 UPPER ISLINGTON
Web:
www.boltburdonkemp.co.uk
Email:

This niche compensation firm acts primarily for claimants in personal injury, clinical negligence and professional negligence. Military claims, child abuse and human rights are specialisms.

The firm: The firm that is now Bolt Burdon Kemp was formed in 1986 by Roger Bolt and Lynne Burdon. Both continue to play an active role. In 2003 the commercial and private client work of the firm was separated into a new practice called Bolt Burdon, leaving Bolt Burdon Kemp to focus on claimant work.

While the firm acts only for individuals, in the field of personal injury it obtains work from institutional referrers such as Headway, the Spinal Injuries Association, the Child Brain Injury Trust, the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers and Islington Law Centre. Cases are also referred by existing and previous clients, barristers and doctors. The practice is the clinical and professional negligence services provider for the southern region of the GMB trade union. As well as clients in the London area, the firm acts for clients nationwide and overseas as a result of its excellent reputation.

The firm is innovative and tenacious and is known for achieving the highest levels of client service. It focuses on securing maximum damages in the shortest time possible and is serious about obtaining interim payments when it is too early to assess the full value of a claim. Easy and direct access is provided to the solicitor in charge of a case and meetings at times and places to suit clients are standard features of the service.

Philippa Tuckman, who specialises in military personal injury and clinical negligence, has been promoted to partner.

Types of work undertaken: Personal injury expertise includes work accidents, spinal injuries, head injuries and road accidents as well as trips and slips, accidents overseas and assaults and criminal injuries. Medical negligence expertise ranges from claims involving birth injury, brain damage, cerebral palsy, general surgery and orthopaedic injury to spinal injury, pressure sores, infection, meningitis and other infectious diseases, misdiagnosis and late diagnosis of cancer, visual impairment and hearing loss, gynaecology, urology, dentistry, inquests and treatment or lack of treatment of the elderly and children.

Professional negligence expertise includes claims against accountants, architects, surveyors and valuers, estate agents, financial advisers, banks and insurance brokers as well as solicitors. Military cases range from bullying to defective equipment and child abuse is a specialism. Human rights expertise includes refusal to provide healthcare and withdrawal of social services.

Notable cases in the past year include Straw v Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust, a military clinical negligence case; Attwood v Frank Jones and Harley, a solicitors negligence case; and LJZ v Personal Representatives of DLZ, a brain injury case.

Bolt Burdon Kemp aims to further develop its expertise in its specialist areas and is committed to expansion through investment in excellent staff.

Breakdown of work %
Personal injury 59
Clinical negligence 33
Professional negligence 8

Number of UK partners 10
Number of other UK fee-earners 26

Above material supplied by Bolt Burdon Kemp.

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