‘The team at DACB has strong and longstanding relationships in the north east with a number of NHS trusts, medical defence organisations and private hospital groups. The team specialises in medical liability and regulatory cases involving all types of health professionals. It provides, I believe, an excellent service to each. Typical of the claims that I have handled for them, as Leading Counsel, are cases involving birth trauma or serious spinal injuries. The team has good experience and expertise of the medical issues underlying such claims and prides itself on giving its clients early, sensible and realistic advice. This helps to reduce the cost of claims and enables the client to fix a sensible reserve at an early stage.’

‘Neil Rowe (Partner, Team Leader, NHSR Nominated Partner) is a very able lawyer. He is extremely hard working and has good judgment. He also has excellent client care skills. This is probably why the team that he leads has established such good relationships with its NHS and other healthcare clients all of whom are highly demanding. It is, I think, a measure of NR’s exceptional leadership skills that the team act for more clients in this sector than any other firm in the north east. NR is himself a very experienced litigator. He is excellent in disputes involving several different parties. In one particular case involving complicated contribution proceedings, I was consistently impressed by his strategic and tactical skills and overall command of the claim. NR achieves excellent results for his clients through his clear sighted identification of the key issues and his success in patiently but firmly negotiating a good outcome with other parties.

‘Dawn Mcintosh (Partner) is very experienced and dedicated. She too has good judgment and client care skills. She is very focused on the client but is not afraid to call a halt to the defence of a claim which is likely to fail. She is a good and determined negotiator. However, her excellent client care skills do not prevent her giving difficult advice when it is necessary. Clients have commented to me on her experience and professionalism. They clearly trust her absolutely.’

‘The team at Keoghs are highly specialised and incredibly experienced in dealing with cases of maximum severity and in particular serious brain injury, tetraplegia and amputation cases. Simply the best at getting to grips with really complex and challenging cases. What we really like is that they put us and our needs at the centre of the process. Nothing is ever too much in terms of supporting our business in technical claims handling, development of our people and keeping ahead of important market developments.’

‘The team work to one voice, they are all technically experienced and whilst individual in their handling you believe that the benchmark they set themselves is set from the top down, you get the same level of proactive handling, advice and strong sense of commerciality in decision making.’

‘James Fisher (Senior Associate) for his knowledge and ability to untangle very complex issues and provide explanations / give advice in a straightforward and easy to understand way.’