Comprising of a ‘conscientious group of lawyers with a large volume of top quality, complex NHS clinical negligence work’ Browne Jacobson LLP is a market leading defendant practice. Lorna Hardman chairs the national clinical negligence department, and has 25 years’ experience of advising NHS and private bodies on complex and high value claims, inquests and serious incidents. Sarah Erwin-jones is the primary partner for social care claims, while Ian Long has an interest in on wrongful birth and ambulance service cases. Kelly Buckley is another key figure for NHS defendant litigation. Victoria Curran and James Fawcett , head of personal injury group, continue to hold a busy case load in employers’ liability, public liability and claims arising from equality and Human Rights legislation, acting for local authority, government bodies and insurance clients.
Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant in East Midlands
Browne Jacobson LLP
Practice head(s):
Lorna Hardman; James Fawcett
Other key lawyers:
Victoria Curran; Ian Long; Sarah Erwin-Jones; Kelly Buckley; Damian Whitlam
Testimonials
‘Enormous experience representing local authorities’
‘Sarah Erwin-Jones leads the team and has a strong reputation. Damian Whitlam – very impressive. An approachable partner that is on top of all the issues within any given case. I trust him to prepare the case and manage it from cradle to grave’
‘A very close knit, conscientious group of lawyers with a large volume of top quality, complex NHS clinical negligence work.’
‘I have worked with Browne Jacobson’s social care team for the last 20 years, dealing with claims against local authorities. The team has a huge institutional knowledge of such litigation. They are one of the leading defence solicitors in this are in the country.’
‘The team has vast experience of clinical negligence and obvious knowledge of the subject matter of claims . They are focused on longstanding relationships with Trusts in East Midlands . It is conspicuous that they offer extra value to these Trusts through training and networking events . This means they retain the trust and confidence of their clients .’
‘Ian Long is very experienced lawyer dealing with claims of maximum severity.
‘Browne Jacobson is a firm full of intelligent, motivated, highly personable lawyers. They are a pleasure to work with. The real strength of the firm is the depth of talent and ability. The associates are given freedom to run their own cases, which they do with great aplomb, although partner supervision is always there for support. ‘
‘Browne Jacobson has good people at all levels of the business. It is what marks this firm apart from others that I have worked with.
Key clients
Ageas/Tesco
Barnados
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Birmingham City Council
Derbyshire County Council
Dorset Council
EM LawShare
English Benedictine Congregation
Environment Agency
Gallagher Bassett International Limited
Hiscox
Insurance London Consortium
Leicester City Council
Leicestershire County Council
LGSS
Lincolnshire County Council
Marine Management Organisation
Markel (UK) Limited
Medical Protection Society
Municipal Mutual Insurance
Natural England
NHS Resolution
Norfolk County Council
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Work highlights
- Acted for the Defendant council in a Failure to Remove claim brought by a young person under the Human Right Act.
- In one of a number of successfully defended claims, the team represented the defendant school in respect of a claim brought by a sixth form pupil who suffered a significant injury following an accident while climbing over locked school gates on the morning of the last school day of the year.
Weightmans LLP
Weightmans LLP has a ‘great breadth of experience’ in casualty, disease, motor, public authority and large loss claims. Head of practice, Dave Cottam has earned a strong reputation for his defence work in high value claims involving spinal and brain injury, amputation, chronic pain, as well as those arising out of motor, employer’s liability, public authority, and police cases. Steve Robb handles public liability claims, with a niche advising on injuries arising from sporting and leisure activities. Mike Simpson is noted for motor accidents, Andrew Clarke and associate Asad Hadadi provide local government defence, while Paul Debney is a go-to for industrial disease claims.
Practice head(s):
Dave Cottam
Other key lawyers:
Steve Robb; Mike Simpson; Paul Debney; Andrew Clarke; Asad Hadadi
Testimonials
‘The team have a great breadth of experience and can always be relied upon for excellent advice and handling of cases. There is always someone available with the specialism I need, which gives me confidence that my cases are in safe hands.’
‘Really top quality service to all clients – cases fought robustly and well – great client care’
‘Andrew Clarke – intelligent, measured and capable.’
‘Asad Hadadi – associate – pursues case robustly but sensibly’
Flint Bishop LLP
Flint Bishop LLP continues to expand and strengthen its reputation in defendant personal injury work with the arrival of DAC Beachcroft LLP litigator, Anthony Carrington, in May 2021; he now leads its insurance litigation department, leveraging expertise in road traffic accident claims on behalf of several market-leading insurance companies, insurance fraud investigations and matters involving positive pleadings of fraud, committal and private prosecution. Nigel Partridge is ‘knowledgeable and immensely capable’ in catastrophic injury claims while Jonathan Gilbert is another key litigator in the ‘well-resourced and personable’ group.
Practice head(s):
Anthony Carrington
Other key lawyers:
Nigel Partridge; Jonathan Gilbert
Testimonials
‘Well resourced, personable and excellent legal knowledge.’
‘Jonathan Gilbert is highly experienced in the field of personal injury. He has excellent client handling skills and adopts a forensic and incisive approach to assessment of evidence and tactics. He is a practitioner who combines diplomacy with strength and tenacity, qualities which have allowed him to obtain and retain a very loyal insurer client base in defendant catastrophic work.’
‘The team works together very well. Nigel suggested to bring in other team member with necessary skills and expertise but we were always given an opportunity to discuss. It feels that everyone working on the cases familiarised themselves with the case and provided very detailed responses with clear options and suggestions.’
Key clients
Haven Insurance Company Limited
InterAssista (UK Handling Agent for Balcia Insurance SE – Lithuania)
Derbyshire County Council
Rapid Vehicle Management
Chief Vehicle Rentals
Sixt rent-a-car
Belron UK Ltd T/A Autoglass
Work highlights
- Advised Haven Insurance on a £26m personal injury claim which is set to conclude in 2022, following a recent Joint Settlement Meeting the saving on this case is likely to be in excess of £12m.
- Advised an insurer client in relation to a claim from a young claimant who had sustained life changing injuries, whilst a passenger in a car ostensibly insured by the client. At the same time as working collaboratively with the claimant’s solicitors, through a series of “pathfinder” meetings and focussed rehabilitation, fresh consideration was given to advice from previous solicitors and senior counsel in relation to the client’s “insurable interest” in the vehicle. Ultimately, contrary to the previous advice, the client was able to avoid any liability for the claim, which was passed on to the MIB, resulting in a £5million + saving.
- Advised InterAssista on a suspected fraudulent claim for personal injuries from three claimants following a road traffic accident allegedly involving the vehicle of an Eastern European haulage company. The driver of the haulage company denied the accident occurred and tracker information and a lack of physical evidence of an accident led to the claim being successfully defended.