1 Crown Office Row is well-regarded for its ‘high-value, complex clinical negligence work’ and is described by some as ‘the premier clinical negligence set’. The team in chambers offers an impressive breadth and depth of experience in the field and is well-regarded for its ‘experience, expertise, intellect and empathy at all levels’. It is renowned in this practice area for its work on some of the highest-profile cases, acting for private and publicly funded claimants. ‘Excellent advocate’ Philip Havers KC notably represented the appellant in the Supreme Court case of Meadows v Khan, which clarified the ambit of scope of duty owed by a GP; this particular case concerned whether a woman who was negligently not advised of being a carrier of the haemophilia gene was able to recover damages connected to the child’s autism as well. Additionally, Robert Kellar KC represents the claimant in the fatal case of Healey v McGrath & Ramsay Healthcare, wherein it is alleged that the surgeons negated to check for post-operative complications; if it proceeds to trial the case will raise an issue regarding whether a non-delegable duty of care is owed by private hospitals in respect of their surgeons. Shahram Sharghy, who joined the chambers in 2021, is described as being ‘an astute barrister at the top of his game’, and rising star in the field Emma-Louise Fenelon.

7BR is well-known for its ‘considerable strength-in-depth’. Noteworthy silks in the set include Simeon Maskrey KC, who is described as being ‘in a field of his own’, a standout recent case of his being the Supreme Court case of Khan v Meadows in which he successfully represented the defendant, clarifying the scope of duty owed by a GP. In addition, he is acting on behalf of the government of Trinidad and Tobago in the maximum severity matter of JJ (by his mother) v North West Regional Health Authority wherein a claim has been brought for negligence and subsequent damages regarding an alleged mismanagement of birth. Hugh Preston KC has a developing reputation for maximum severity and complex birth injury cases, as does Richard Baker KC, both of whom are acting on behalf of claimants on the high-profile maternity scandal cases involving Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Rose Harvey-Sullivan is a developing a specialism in negligence matters involving complex mental health factors.

The set at Hailsham Chambers is noted for its array of ‘highly-skilled clinical negligence barristers’ with ‘depth of knowledge and experience at all levels’. Andrew Post KC is acting for claimants and defendants on consistently high-value work against experienced silks, particularly in obstetric brain and severe birth injury cases. Junior and ‘highly effective advocate’ Clementine Coram James frequently acts as sole counsel, but is also regularly led by leading silk Dominic Nolan KC in complex cases, such as one regarding a severe spinal injury suffered by a teenager with a profound pre-existing learning disability, and a claim alleging negligently missed intracranial infection leaving lasting brain damage. Justin Meiland is developing a specialism in cases of surgical negligence and failed diagnoses. Fiona Neale retired in 2022.

The ‘extremely reputable’ clinical negligence set at Serjeants’ Inn Chambers is well-regarded as having ‘some of the best’ barristers in the field. Jonathan Holl-Allen KC has acted on particularly standout work involving misdiagnosis and alleged negligence at birth resulting in severe injury, for both claimants and defendants. The appointment of Claire Watson KC to Silk is a noteworthy change in the set. In addition, the ‘extremely intelligent’ Eloise Power is highlighted for her impressive expertise in and work on gynaecological injury matters; her particular standout work includes her action for the defendant in the High Court case of Brint v Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Foundation Trust in which breach, causation, fundamental dishonesty and quantum were all disputed in relation to a claim against the trust for failure to warn of the risks of extravasation surgery which allegedly led to a pain condition; the claimant’s recount of events surrounding the surgery was inconsistent and the extent to which this impacts credibility, was considered. Amongst the juniors, Liam Duffy and Jamie Mathieson , who has recently led on catastrophic cases of high-value, are both noteworthy members of the set.

2 Temple Gardens has a reputation for its ‘very strong set of barristers’ at all levels. Michael de Navarro KC, described as a ‘leader in the field of clinical negligence’ notably appeared in Toombes v Mitchell in 2021, in which a GP was held liable to pay damages to the claimant for offering negligent advice to her mother pre-conception, drawing a distinction between “wrongful conception” and “wrongful birth” claims, which English law generally frowns upon. Caroline Harrison KC represented the NHS Trust in Colley v Hull & East Yorkshire NHS Trust, in which a clinical negligence claimant’s mother received a suspended six-month sentence for contempt of court after exaggerating her daughter’s hip dysplasia birth injuries in a case which was initially settled for £5.4m; the case is thought to be the first committal to prison of a litigation friend in the clinical negligence context. Robert Cumming  has also been involved in noteworthy cases, including his representation of the defendant in the stroke prevention case of Watson v Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS.

‘Really good set for clinical negligence’ 39 Essex Chambers, described as ‘growing and ever-impressive’, has had a particularly strong year in clinical negligence. Well-versed in claimant and defendant work, Charlie Cory-Wright KC has done noteworthy work for the claimant in the complex, multi-factorial negligence case of ET v Aberstawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board wherein the 39-year-old woman is claiming in excess of £5m for serious neurological spinal damage, as well as other cases involving infant injury and secondary victims. In addition, junior Romilly Cummerson is appearing regularly as part of the NHS Resolution panel, she is often led by ‘one of the greats’ Neil Block KC, but also has ample experience acting as sole counsel opposite silks, an example of such work being JH v East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust in which she successfully reached settlement for the trust in a case brought against them for failure to diagnose meningococcal septicaemia, which led to the claimant’s need for bilateral leg amputations and hearing loss.

Deka Chambers, formed from the merger of 9 Gough Chambers and 1 Chancery Lane is known for its ‘counsel of excellent calibre’ as well as its ‘breadth and depth of experience and talent’, work amongst those in the set ranging from misdiagnoses to complex catastrophic cases. Stuart Mckechnie KC has a growing reputation in complex brain and birth injury work, notably successfully settling IXM (A Minor) v Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals NHS for the claimant for a proposed £33.2m, which, if approved, would be one of the largest ever settlements in this practice area in England and Wales; the case involves a birth injury which led to multi-factorial issues of severe brain injury, hypothalamic damage and intractable epilepsy, which have resulted in the claimant’s need for constant care. In addition, amongst the juniors, ‘excellent advocate’ Adam Dawson has done impressive work on fatal cases, whilst Abigail Stamp is active in high-value neurological and surgical cases. From the 1 Chancery Lane side of the merger, Edward Bishop KC and Susanna Bennett, were involved in Traylor and Traylor v Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust, a case concerning complex mental health factors.

With ‘a number of excellent quality counsel in the field’, the set at Crown Office Chambers has a strong reputation in clinical negligence. Its ‘brilliant barristers’ include Claire Toogood KC, who was appointed silk in the 2022 round and is renowned for her ‘forensic attention-to-detail’, a pre-eminent case of hers being her unled representation of the defendant in Zgonec-Rozej v Pereira, a case concerning the psychiatric care provided to a criminal silk who took his own life after walking out of a hospital where he was receiving psychiatric care. Gemma Witherington has this year acted as sole counsel for the claimants in the complex and sensitive High Court case of Uriely v Royal Free NHS Hospital Foundation Trust, in which the parents of a deceased 9-year-old boy are claiming damages as secondary victims, being that they suffered through witnessing his fatal asthma attack. The set is growing markedly at the junior end, having gained among others Katie Ayres, formerly of 1 Chancery Lane.

Outer Temple Chambers‘ clinical negligence team is noted for its ‘excellent strength-in-depth’ and ‘expertise’ in the field. Eliot Woolf KC acted for the claimant in the wrongful birth Supreme Court case of Khan v Meadows, while Nathan Tavares KC represents the claimant in a case concerning an alleged failure to arrange blood tests in time to notice a secondary tumour arising from prostate cancer, allegedly rendering the claimant a paraplegic. Junior Daniel Clarke is noted for his sole-action on fatal, high-value cases such as Holmes v East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, wherein he is acting for the claimant family of a 49-year-old man who died during an operation, who are claiming against the ambulance service for failing to admit the patient when his symptoms started and against the Trust for delaying his operation for several days following his admission.

12 King’s Bench Walk is noted for its ‘increasingly strong clinical negligence presence’; the team are well-versed in a breadth of cases including the complex areas of birth, brain and spinal cord injury. The ‘incredible barristers’ in the set include catastrophic injury specialist and ‘formidable opponent’ William Audland KC; a noteworthy recent success of his being on the case of AB v Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust wherein he and ‘promising junior’ Isaac Hogarth secured a settlement of £1.85m and annual lifetime periodical payments for an elderly grandmother who suffered hypoxic brain injury and multiple organ failure as a result of loss of blood caused by negligent groin hernia repair surgery. Turning to the set’s juniors, Edward Ramsay is acting on some particularly complex psychiatric injury and fatal cases.

Cloisters is well-known as a ‘pre-eminent set for clinical negligence’, with ‘impressive barristers at all levels’. In particular, the ‘outstanding’ William Latimer-Sayer KC acts on consistently complex matters and has noteworthy expertise in quantum. Simon Taylor KC has continued his impressive work, namely on catastrophic birth and brain injury cases. Further, junior Hannah Godfrey has notably acted as sole counsel on multiple catastrophic injury cases in the High Court. Additionally, Tamar Burton has done impressive work drafting high-value and complex schedules of loss, whilst Linda Jacobs has acted successfully for the claimant on the high-profile matter of Bridgman v University Hospitals and Warwickshire NHS Trust, in which case the deceased had an operation to remove a benign brain tumour which left him in a vegetative state, further procedures to stop haemorrhaging produced by the surgical technique used to remove the tumour resulted in the meningitis which ultimately caused his death.

Devereux is ‘a great set with a broad depth of experience in the field of medical negligence’. ‘Leader in the field’ Robert Glancy KC has continued to work on catastrophic brain and spinal cases as well as birth injury cases. Robert Weir KC acted for the claimants on the particularly noteworthy Court of Appeal case Paul and Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, in which the deceased’s young daughters witnessed his heart attack, which occurred 14-months after he was treated for acute coronary symptoms – it is alleged at his initial consultation he should have been given a coronary angiogram which would have revealed his coronary artery disease and ultimately prevented his death; the claimants have been granted approval for hearing at the Supreme Court on this matter. Junior Colin Mendoza, described as having a ‘vast wealth of experience’ in the field, is developing a specialism in complex surgical negligence and brain injury cases.

Old Square Chambers has a strong reputation for its clinical negligence ‘expertise’ and its ‘strength-in-depth’ in the field. Ben Collins KC continues to act on impressive matters, including the high-profile blood inquiry case of McLean v Secretary of State for Health and the dental cases of Hughes v Rattan and Pawley v Whitecross Dental, which established that patients have the right to sue dental practices, not just individual dentists. Junior Sophie Beesley  is developing a specialism in complex brain, birth and psychiatric injury work. Charles Woodhouse KC took silk in the 2022 round.