Hugh Preston KC > Chambers of Rachel Langdale KC > London, England > Barrister Profile
7BR Offices
7BR
7 Bedford Row
LONDON
WC1R 4BS
England
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Hugh Preston KC
Position
Hugh Preston KC specialises predominantly in clinical negligence, product liability, consumer law and all aspects of group litigation and representative actions, but he also maintains a broad commercial litigation practice. In his consumer law practice, he is currently instructed in group actions ranging across a wide spectrum of legal sectors including Product Liability (including group litigation against AstraZeneca UK Limited re. the Covid-19 Vaccine damage and against various defendants in Textured Breast Implant claims (causing a rare type of cancer)), various ground-breaking consumer law group/representative actions, and a group action against the Care Quality Commission under human rights legislation. He has previously been instructed in a number of high profile group actions including the PIP Breast Implant Litigation and the Pinnacle Hip Implant Litigation. In 2010 he appeared in O’Byrne v Aventis Pasteur-the only case under the EC product liability directive ever to have reached the House of Lords/Supreme Court, having been referred to the European Court of Justice in 2006 and 2009. In his clinical negligence practice he is regularly instructed in very high value birth injury claims as well as a wide range of claims involving infant deaths, abdominal injuries, consent issues etc. In his commercial practice Hugh undertakes a wide range of commercial litigation including general contractual disputes, sale of goods, civil fraud, partnership disputes and urgent injunctions.
Career
Called 1994, Middle Temple. Having practised in East Anglia in the early years of practice, joined 7 Bedford Row in 2000; Silk 2012.
Memberships
AvMA; PIBA; CORLA.
Education
Eton College; Durham University (1992, BA hons, theology).
Leisure
Walking, shooting.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Clinical negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Hugh Preston KC –7BR ‘Hugh is fearless in taking on difficult and complex cases all the way through to trial, if necessary.’
7BR‘s ‘leading silks’ and members of ‘strength at all levels of call‘ act for a range of claimant and defendant firms in high-profile cases concerning a range of medically complex issues, and offer expertise in all forms of alternative dispute resolution. Simeon Maskrey KC is currently instructed on behalf of the NHS to represent them on claims brought as a result of the COVID pandemic; in addition he has continuing involvement in the Paul, Polmear and Purchase conjoined appeals concerning the recoverability of damages by secondary victims of clinical negligence, specifically when they witness the death of a loved one – leading the appeal to the Supreme Court re-evaluating a line of case law stemming from the Hillsborough disaster. Hugh Preston KC recently led the TVT/TOT/TVM mesh implant litigation, concerning consent issues around mesh implantation, and has notable experience of complex birth injury claims. Birth injury claims are also an area of expertise for Richard Baker KC, who was elevated to silk in March 2023. Kate Lumbers also has particular expertise in claims in the obstetric arena.
London Bar > Group litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 17BR’s broad range of expertise includes group litigation arising from personal injury, clinical negligence, consumer law and human rights issues. Hugh Preston KC’s current workload includes a large opt-out representative action on behalf of EasyJet and British Airways passengers entitled to compensation for cancelled or delayed flights, as well as acting for around 40,000 claimants in emissions litigation involving Volkswagen. Leading Adam Korn , Simeon Maskrey KC is instructed in a group action against the Ministry of Defence, concerning the use of the anti-malarial drug Lariam allegedly causing significant adverse psychological effects. James MacDonald is instructed by the claimants in Municipio de Mariana & others v BHP Group plc, a class action arising from the collapse of the Fundão mining dam in Brazil in 2015.
London Bar > Product liability
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 17BR is well-versed in product liability group actions, and members of the set are regularly instructed on a range of consumer goods cases. Simeon Maskrey KC is an experienced practitioner who has appeared in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Justice. Hugh Preston KC was involved in a claim relating to the Pinnacle metal hip implant group litigation, while Adam Korn is currently defending a claim brought by DHSC for PPE supplied during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, Jonathan Bertram is involved in ongoing vaginal mesh litigation.