The Legal 500

Within Employment: employees/unions, Leigh Day & Co is a second tier firm,

Leigh Day & Co is a regular in reported and prominent cases, its landmark case on equal pay now listed for the Supreme Court and attracting multiple claims as a result. A bulging caseload includes Court of Appeal claims against the MoD and JPMorgan. Camilla Palmer is a widely recognised ‘leader in the field’ of discrimination law, and champion of women’s rights. ‘Outstanding lawyer’ Chris Benson shines in trade union and multi-party claims.

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Within Clinical negligence: claimant, Leigh Day & Co is a first tier firm,

The pioneering Russell Levy heads a cohesive team of experienced solicitors at Leigh Day & Co. It is willing to take on a diversity of difficult cases, and excels at all levels of claim, but particularly in those in which it can make a real difference to the claimant’s quality of life. As well as claims involving brain injury at birth, and spinal claims of the most serious nature, it has expertise in areas such as genetics, orthopaedics, hospital infection, gynaecology, and cancer, and more esoteric issues such as lithium poisoning. Claire Fazan is ‘first rate’, and a ‘consummate professional’. Anne Winyard, Sally-Jean Nicholes and Sarah Campbell also stand out.

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Within Clinical negligence: defendant Leading individuals: Clinical negligence

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Within Personal injury: claimant, Leigh Day & Co is a first tier firm,

At Leigh Day & Co, Martyn Day’s international claims department ‘represents the gold standard’. Notable successes in 2011 included a positive outcome for Peruvian torture victims, on which the ‘superb’ Richard Meeran was the lead figure. Sally Moore heads the domestic team; ‘a renowned leader’ in catastrophic injury, she is well supported by key players such as Anne Winyard and Claire Fazan. The asbestos team, run by the ‘brilliant’ Daniel Easton, was further strengthened in 2012 by the arrival of the ‘feisty’ and ‘extremely experienced and effective’ Harminder Bains from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. Penny Knight, who is ‘meticulous’ and ‘tenacious and tactical’, runs a strong cycling team.

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Within Personal injury: defendant Leading individuals: Personal Injury

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Within Product liability: claimant, Leigh Day & Co is a first tier firm,

Headline matters for Leigh Day & Co include the DePuy hip replacement action, on which it is the lead firm of solicitors; fresh claims relating to Thalidomide; and the Parkinson’s/dopamine-agonist drug claims. It is a team of ‘robust negotiators who are not intimidated by bullying tactics’; key figures include Martyn Day, Bozena Michalowska and Jill Paterson, who has a ‘clear head and balanced judgement’.

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Within Product liability: defendant Leading individuals: Product liability

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Within Court of Protection, Leigh Day & Co is a second tier firm,

Leigh Day & Co is noted for best interests work on the families side, including right to die, right to life, and withdrawal of treatment matters. Frances Swaine was instructed by the Official Solicitor on behalf of a brain-injured woman in a complex case regarding care, accommodation, and management of finances, and involving conflicting parties. Richard Stein is the other key contact.

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Within Administrative and public law, Leigh Day & Co is a first tier firm,

‘Absolutely first-rate’ claimant practice Leigh Day & Co is lauded for its ‘rigorous approach’ and ‘commitment to ensuring justice for clients’. It advised Reprieve on a number of cases arising from the UK’s involvement in the ‘War on Terror’, and its expertise also spans healthcare, planning and civil liberties. Richard Stein is ‘a real leader’, renowned for his ‘fearless approach to the law’, and Alison Millar is ‘intelligent, sensitive, committed and efficient’. Frances Swaine and Sean Humber are also recommended.

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Within Civil liberties and human rights, Leigh Day & Co is a first tier firm,

Leigh Day & Co is ‘excellent in this area’; it is ‘particularly skilled in identifying issues, and fights hard for the client while remaining realistic’. The firm’s wide range of cases included several arising from the scandal surrounding a private hospital in Bristol that was closed following a BBC Panorama programme exposing abuse of residents by staff. Richard Stein heads the group, which includes Frances Swaine, Alison Millar and Sean Humber, the latter having ‘expert knowledge of disability in prisons’. Solicitor Jamie Beagent has ‘a growing and well-deserved reputation’.

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Within Education: individuals, Leigh Day & Co is a second tier firm,

Leigh Day & Co’s education practice is led by Alison Millar, who recently acted in SEND Tribunal cases and advised on admissions and exclusions. Richard Stein is advising on the liability of academies under the Disability Discrimination Act as well as on school transport matters.

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Within Healthcare, Leigh Day & Co is a second tier firm,

‘Outstanding’ firm Leigh Day & Co has an ‘extremely knowledgeable’ team, headed by ‘leader in the field’ Richard Stein. The ‘excellent’ Frances Swaine is involved in a judicial review concerning ‘do not resuscitate’ orders. Solicitors Rosa Curling and Merry Varney both enjoy growing reputations.

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Within Overview,

The Administrative and public law table ranks claimant and commercial firms together. Of the City firms, Herbert Smith LLP, Hogan Lovells International LLP and Baker & McKenzie LLP provide strong representation of commercial clients, while Bindmans LLP and Leigh Day & Co remain leaders on the claimant side. The latter two also have market-leading human rights and civil liberties practices, where other renowned firms include Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, Tuckers Solicitors and the newly merged Deighton Pierce Glynn. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP and Eversheds LLP each have recognised expertise in public inquiries, and Trowers & Hamlins LLP and Clifford Chance are among the leaders for public affairs work.

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Within Environment, Leigh Day & Co is a second tier firm,

The ‘invaluable’ team at Leigh Day & Co is known for its commitment to social issues, and is ‘one of the best firms bringing environmental challenges’. In 2011, practice head Martyn Day continued to lead representation of 14,000 members of Nigeria’s Bodo community in a case brought against Shell following two large oil spills, for which the claimants are seeking damages in the High Court for land contamination and its effects on the fishing industry. It regularly acts for non-governmental organisations, of which it has an ‘exceptional understanding’. The firm’s expertise in judicial review is also recognised, with Richard Stein ‘the best tactician around’ in this area.

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