Next Generation Partners

Rising Stars

Clinical negligence: claimant in South West

Barcan+Kirby LLP

Barcan+Kirby LLP‘s clinical negligence department specialises in a broad range of medical injury claims, including those involving cerebral palsy, severe birth injuries, head and spinal injuries, amputations, and spinal accidents. Additionally, the group represents clients in inquests. Richard Harries is practice head and sports experience in delayed cancer diagnoses, birth injuries, and negligence cases involving GP, surgical, and A&E care. Claire Hurrell is an expert in cases arising from negligent obstetric care, while Helen Franklin regularly handles claims pertaining to cerebral palsy, amputation, and delayed cancer diagnoses. Senior associate Jay Nathwani acts on behalf of adults and children with particular knowledge in complex brain injury and ophthalmology issues.

Practice head(s):

Richard Harries


Other key lawyers:

Claire Hurrell; Jay Nathwani; Helen Franklin


Enable Law

Hailed as ‘the top lawyers in the south west for clinical negligence matters’, Enable Law‘s clinical negligence practice is active across the firm’s five South West offices and excels at handling high-value, complex cases, including those relating to neonatal death and brain injuries. The firm has further cemented its status as one of the go-to claimant-side clinical negligence firms with the acquisition of Ince & Co‘s practice group in April 2023, with Gillian Clark and managing associate Frances Wright among the additions to the team. Robert Antrobus leads the team and is experienced in a broad range of negligence claims, including meningitis and orthopaedic injury matters. Specialising in representing adults with serious injuries, Paul Sankey is another key name to note, and ‘fantastic negotiator’ Mike Bird regularly acts on behalf of children in brain injury cases.

Practice head(s):

Robrt Antrobus


Other key lawyers:

Paul Sankey; Mike Bird; Jackie Linehan; Gillian Clark; Frances Wright


Testimonials

‘The top lawyers in the south west for clinical negligence.’

‘This is a very efficient and thorough firm who have long experience in this sector and whose solicitors are easy to deal with and responsive.’

‘Enable Law are experienced clinical negligence solicitors.’

‘A great team to work with. Show commitment, empathy, understanding, excellent communication and outstanding knowledge.’

‘A strong, experienced team in the region.’

‘Jackie Linehan is excellent – highly experienced in the field of clinical negligence litigation.’

‘Mike Bird is a fantastic negotiator, clients love him and he is prepared to take on risky cases.’

Irwin Mitchell

The clinical negligence team at Irwin Mitchell, led by Julie Lewis, possesses extensive expertise in a variety of cases including negligent obstetric treatment, delayed cancer diagnosis, and brain and spinal injury claims, and group action litigation. Representing both children and adults who have suffered serious injuries, the practice is active across the firm’s Bristol, Southampton, and Cardiff offices. Obstetric cases are a particular area of expertise for senior associate Kate Easy, while associate Luke Trevorrow acts on behalf of claimants against private and NHS healthcare providers.

Practice head(s):

Julie Lewis


Other key lawyers:

Kate Easy; Luke Trevorrow


Testimonials

‘The team at Irwin Mitchell deliver exceptional professional medical negligence legal advice and support. Their medical experts are highly motivated and offer a friendly service.’

‘Julie Lewis has been exemplary in her advice and ease of contact when it is needed. She is very reassuring and very approachable which enhances her exceptional professional advice.’

‘Luke Trevorrow is very able, thorough, conscientious, fights hard for his clients, has great client manner.’

‘From the first phone call and for the duration of our case, the team have worked collaboratively to support us.’

‘Julie Lewis has a wealth of knowledge and is an expert in her field.’

‘I have always found the solicitors at IM in Bristol from whom I have received instructions to be very knowledgeable, practical and very approachable. They are really good with clients.’

‘Very good regional office of national firm.’

‘Julie Lewis is very experienced and able.’

Work highlights


  • Acted for a client, achieving settlement in a bowel perforation case.

RWK Goodman

RWK Goodman is a well-respected firm with a notable standing in clinical negligence work. The practice possesses extensive experience in handling high-value claims, especially in respect to catastrophic birth injuries, and also occupies a unique niche with its dental clinical negligence team. The group also deals with mental health treatment and drug rehabilitation-related claims, surgical errors and delayed cancer diagnoses. Simon Elliman heads up the team, which counts ‘steely and committed solicitor’ Kerstin Scheel among its main practitioners. Paul Rumley, whose experience encompasses cerebral palsy as well as cardiology and cancer cases, is another name to note alongside inquest and clinical negligence specialist Ali Cloak.

Practice head(s):

Simon Elliman


Other key lawyers:

Kerstin Scheel; Paul Rumley; Ali Cloak; Naomi Todd


Testimonials

‘The solicitors at this firm are brilliant – they are always well prepared and understand their cases in detail.’

‘Kerstin Scheel is a steely and committed solicitor, absolutely dedicated to getting results for her clients.’

‘Ali Cloak is excellent – very well prepared, very good client skills, intelligent, pragmatic and lovely.’

Tozers Solicitors LLP

Tozers Solicitors LLP has a primary focus on birth injury claims, specifically in regard to Erb’s Palsy. Under the joint leadership of Endurance Arthur and Stuart Bramley, the team has experience representing adult clients who have suffered severe injuries due to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Clair Hemming is a key port of call for claimants with catastrophic neurological injuries, while Simon Mansfield is praised as ‘intelligent and experienced’.

Practice head(s):

Endurance Arthur; Stuart Bramley


Other key lawyers:

Clair Hemming; Simon Mansfield


Testimonials

‘One of the strongest and most experienced clinical negligence teams in the South West of England.’

‘Simon Mansfield – a natural leader, intelligent and experienced. Ideal solicitor for running substantial claims.’

‘Stuart Bramley – highly articulate with great litigation sense and intuition. A first class mind.’

‘Since dealing with Tozers it has been noted on many occasions, that they go above and beyond, in order to gets things done.’

‘Clair Hemming has just been amazing, she has often come up against hurdles in our case, but has always managed to source a solution.’

‘They work extremely well together as a team and give their clients confidence in their capabilities. They are all approachable, efficient and very professional.’

‘Simon Mansfield was always very professional, empathetic to my case and always answered my questions in a timely manner.’

‘Stuart Bramley – Very passionate about his job, extremely knowledgeable, very caring and considerate. Just an all round fantastic solicitor and great guy.’

Work highlights


  • Representing a vulnerable claimant who suffered an ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage and who has suffered significant brain damage.
  • Representing a female client aged 58 who suffered a delay in diagnosis and treatment of a spinal fracture following a fall from a horse, who then developed cauda equina syndrome.
  • Representing a 68-year-old woman in a claim arising from total knee replacements undertaken by an NHS trust in 2009 and then revised by a private surgeon in 2015.

Clarke Willmott LLP

Praised as a ‘leading clinical negligence team in the South West’, Clarke Willmott LLP sports both regional and national capabilities acting for claimants in matters ranging from birth injuries to stroke and meningitis cases. Marguarita Tyne acts as co-head of the practice and is noted for her experience in brain injury as well as fertility cases. The ‘supportive’ Kerry Fifield is a key contact for paediatric matters and completes the leadership duo.

Practice head(s):

Marguarita Tyne; Kerry Fifield


Testimonials

‘Leading clinical negligence team in the South West.’

‘Kerry Fifield is always on top of the detail, unafraid to grapple with tricky issues and empathetic with her clients.’

‘A very good team who work on big cases.’

‘I highly rate Marguarita Tyne. I have worked with her on several high value (£1m) spinal injury cases and she has a meticulous attention to detail.’

‘This is a very well-organised, compassionate, and pragmatic team. There is a dedicated and thorough approach to cases, which often pays dividends as all possible avenues of a case are explored from the outset.’

‘I highly recommend Kerry Fifield and Marguarita Tyne. Both are excellent.’

‘This team are highly professional and competent.’

‘Kerry Fifield at Clarke Willmot is excellent to work with. She understands the client’s needs and is supportive to how we can move rehab and care forward.’

Coodes Solicitors

Neurological injury cases, surgery-related claims, and birth injury mandates form part of Coodes Solicitors‘ advisory portfolio in the clinical negligence space, and the practice is also well-versed in gynaecology claims as well as those arising out of mental health issues. Practice head Rachel Pearce has particular expertise in relation to birth injury matters and frequently represents claimants at inquests. Obstetrics and gynaecology matters are handled by Julie Hatton alongside delayed diagnosis issues, fatal claims, and surgery error work.

Practice head(s):

Rachel Pearce


Other key lawyers:

Julie Hatton; Sharon Parsons


Testimonials

‘Rachel Pearce runs the team, and is experienced in what she does. She is engaging and personable and would be easy for client’s to discuss difficult issues with.’

‘Very good specialist clinical negligence team.’

‘Rachel Pearce is very personable and knowledgeable.’

‘Julie Hatton is very experienced and able, conscientious, works hard for her clients.’

‘I am familiar with their lead partners Julie Hatton and Rachel Pearce who I find to have a strong resolution centred approach to their practice.’

Work highlights


  • Acted in a £2.6m clinical negligence claim for a client who suffered irreversible catastrophic neurological injuries after the hospital failed to act on the client’s grossly abnormal test results.
  • Acted in a £2.2m clinical negligence claim for a child who suffered a brain injury shortly after birth due to delay in diagnosis and treatment.
  • Acted in a £90,000 clinical negligence claim for a client who underwent negligent breast surgery which left her significantly and permanently disfigured causing body dysmorphia and psychiatric damage.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP

At Thompsons Solicitors LLP, the clinical negligence department has made a name for itself by handling claims that stem from gynaecological mesh implant surgery, though the practice is active in a range of other matters including birth injury cases. Madeleine Pinschof leads the group and also oversees the firm’s mesh litigation work at a national level. A noted authority in rectopexy mesh cases, Sonia Fu‘s workload also includes birth injury, delayed cancer diagnosis and fatal cases.

Practice head(s):

Madeleine Pinschof


Other key lawyers:

Sonia Fu; Sabeena Piroz


Testimonials

‘Highly experienced legal team who really care deeply about their clients.’

‘They are an excellent team of solicitors with a high level of understanding of complex claims, in particular mesh related claims.’

‘All the lawyers from Thompsons that I have worked with have been competent, knowledgeable, and thorough, but the Bristol office is probably the best.’

‘Madeleine Pinschof is the national lead for urogynaecology litigation and has unparalleled experience in this field.’

‘Sabeena Pirooz is highly competent and well organised with a strong grasp of each case.’

‘Excellent client management, great work from the mesh litigation.’

‘Madeleine Pinschoff is a fantastic lawyer, great case load and is very popular with clients.’

Work highlights


  • Acting in a birthing brain injury claim alleged as a result of failure to consider lack of feeding was cause for the baby’s disturbed behaviour some hours after birth.
  • Acting in a claim brought in respect of negligent treatment surrounding a delay diagnosing epidural abscess.
  • Acting in a litigated case against a private surgeon and private hospital concerning allegations around the operations of an unnecessary Laparoscopic Ventral Mesh Rectopexy.

Wolferstans

Elizabeth Smith leads the team at Wolferstans, which specialises in complex medical negligence cases, often involving patients with severe injuries to the spine and brain, including those sustained at birth. With ‘great courage in taking on challenging cases‘, Simon Parford sports in-depth experience in cases relating to cerebral palsy as well as catastrophic injuries. Holly Bowditch was promoted to partner in 2022 and is a go-to contact for brain injury claims in adults and children.

Practice head(s):

Elizabeth Smith


Other key lawyers:

Simon Parford; Holly Bowditch


Testimonials

‘Always a pleasure to receive instructions from Wolferstans as they are inevitably well-prepared, and have fulfilled all of the important stages before coming to you with nothing missed.’

‘Elizabeth Smith – a delight to work with. Friendly, intelligent and always a step ahead when it comes to preparation.’

‘This is a small but excellent team led by Elizabeth Smith.’

‘Simon Parford is a longstanding partner with great experience and great courage in taking on challenging cases and succeeding when others would not.’

‘Simon Parford is hugely experienced, very caring and a really good solicitor’

‘Elizabeth Smith has been wonderful through out the entire experience.’

‘Wolferstans are one of the stand out firms in the Southwest for clinical negligence work. Their strength lies in combining an approachable and down-to-earth attitude with a high standard of service across the breadth of the department.’

‘Elizabeth Smith is very bright, capable and pragmatic.’

Work highlights


  • Represented two people in a secondary victim claim relating to the death of their 7 year old daughter.
  • Represented a client in a surgical negligence claim.

Coles Miller Solicitors LLP

At Coles Miller Solicitors LLP, the clinical negligence practice is based in Poole and represents claimants nationwide. Adrian Cormack is ‘a safe pair of hands’ and leads the team jointly with David Simpson, whose areas of focus include cases relating to amputations, surgical errors and cauda equina.

Practice head(s):

Adrian Cormack; David Simpson


Other key lawyers:

Christopher Wittle; Lydia Barnett


Testimonials

‘David Simpson is well regarded.’

‘Adrian Cormack gives sound advice and is a safe pair of hands – he will fight for clients and give pragmatic advice.’

‘My specific solicitor Adrian Cormack is extremely kind, understanding, courteous and unbelievably thorough.’

Work highlights


  • Acted in a clinical negligence claim relating to the alleged mismanaged labour of the claimant’s mother on admission to Poole Hospital with pre-eclampsia and significantly raised blood pressure resulting in the claimant suffering an acute, near total hypoxic- ischaemic brain injury prior to his birth.
  • Acted in a clinical negligence case relating to the failure of a GP to refer the claimant for investigation and treatment in respect of symptoms of Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES).
  • Acted in a clinical negligence claim relating to the alleged substandard treatment provided to the claimant in respect to a TVT Ophira Mini-sling tape repair and cystoscopy to treat urinary stress incontinence.

Dutton Gregory LLP

The clinical negligence claims handled by the practice at Dutton Gregory LLP range from catastrophic injury cases to mental health matters and delayed cancer diagnosis issues. The trio consisting of Carol Maunder and Melanie Reynolds as well as Emma Menzies in Chandler’s Ford leads the practice. Fatal injury and cerebral palsy claims are part of Michael Kingsman’s expertise.

Practice head(s):

Carol Maunder; Emma Menzies; Melanie Reynolds


Other key lawyers:

Michael Kingsman


Testimonials

‘I have worked with many individuals in the clinical negligent team and have found all to be professional and extremely approachable.’

‘Carol Maunder is a highly experienced strategist.’

‘Melanie Reynolds is an experienced and very efficient litigator. She is able to handle complex cases, and is very good with the detail.’

Slee Blackwell

Led by ‘shrewd tactician’ Oliver ThorneSlee Blackwell has a clinical negligence practice that is active in a variety of cases with niche expertise in dental negligence and cosmetic surgery claims. Caroline Webber Brown is noted for her experience in matters pertaining to laporascopic ventral mesh rectopexy and birth injuries.

Practice head(s):

Oliver Thorne


Other key lawyers:

Caroline Webber-Brown


Testimonials

‘This is a strong team with some excellent work.’

‘Caroline Webber-Brown is excellent at client management in sensitive cases.’

‘Passionate about the work they do. Proactive and great to work with.’

‘This is a team which sets a very high bar for client care. They achieve this via clear-eyed empathy, an excellent grasp of the facts and the law in each case, and a truly fearless approach with opponents.’

‘Oliver Thorne is a very shrewd tactician and operator on a commercial level. But this is more than matched by his client-care skills and his ability to see through to the essentials in each case.’

‘Having worked with Caroline Webber-Brown for years, I cannot think of a lawyer who better combines client care with utter devotion to their cause and to the fight on their behalves.’

‘Slee Blackwell have built a team with knowledge of both the geographic area and area of legal practice.’

‘Oliver Thorne and Caroline Webber-Brown both work incredibly hard and produce results. They are organised and very effective.’

Work highlights


  • Represented a client in an inquest and subsequent Human Rights Act claim.
  • Acted in a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act.

Trethowans LLP

Trethowans LLP‘s clinical negligence team is based across Poole and Salisbury, where the group represents claimants suffering from a range of injuries including those sustained at birth or from error in surgery. Steered by John Hall, the practice also fields Clare Carter, who is particularly well versed in cerebral palsy cases.

Practice head(s):

John Hall


Other key lawyers:

Clare Carter; James Braund


Testimonials

‘The firm’s clinical negligence team is stand-out, both on circuit and nationally.’

‘James Braund is a very smart, diligent, and meticulous litigator. He demonstrates technical ability and is a strong negotiator.’

‘Trethowans provide a high quality, reliable regional service in clinical negligence.’

‘Strong team with a range of experience.’

‘James Braund – a really capable lawyer. Gives sound advice.’

‘One of the best clinical negligence outfits in the South West. Manage to retain a personal quality whilst delivering top quality service.’

‘Clare Carter, Partner: One of the hardest workers for her clients. Assiduous and practical and will leave no stone unturned to get the best results possible for her clients.’

Wollens

With a ‘growing reputation nationally’, Wollens sports a clinical negligence practice that is noted for its expertise in delayed diagnosis and surgical error claims including those stemming from cosmetic surgeries, and necrotising fasciitis. Head of dispute resolution Simon Bean leads the team together with the ‘helpful and supportive’ Elizabeth Larner.

Practice head(s):

Simon Bean; Elizabeth Larner


Other key lawyers:

Catherine Pinnegar


Testimonials

‘Wollens’ clinical negligence practice have a growing reputation nationally, having proved themselves as leaders in the field in the South West.’

‘Elizabeth Larner is the solicitor I’ve been dealing with and I’m very lucky to have her acting for me. She has kept me informed at every stage.’

‘Makes a difficult time easier to deal with. Great support.’

‘Catherine Pinnegar is so supportive. Nothing is too much and she is extremely helpful. Very understanding to my situation.’

‘Catherine Pinnegar has been outstanding with her approach to my claim.’

‘Elizabeth Larner has been particularly helpful and supportive in guiding me through this process.’

‘Elizabeth Larner and Catherine Pinnegar are the-go to clinical negligence specialists in their area.’

‘The team has demonstrated excellence in the claimant clinical negligence market. They have an impressive level of expertise in this field. They are able to progress complex cases through to very good outcomes for their clients.’

Work highlights


  • Representing a living claimant who had a liver cancer on a CT scan which was not then followed up, and thus once this was diagnosed the prognosis was terminal and the claim has been pleaded on a Fatal Accidents Act basis, to include funeral costs, a bereavement award, and a dependency claim.
  • Representing a claimant who underwent a routine knee replacement, during which the surgeon negligently punctured her popliteal artery causing significant permanent vascular injuries.
  • Acting for a claimant who was consented for a liposuction and thigh lift procedure, but on the day of the procedure was told that the procedure was going to be split into two separate surgeries resulting in a poor cosmetic outcome for the claimant, leaving her with physical deformity and psychological injury.