Samantha Critchley > Fieldfisher > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Fieldfisher
RIVERBANK HOUSE
2 SWAN LANE
LONDON
EC4R 3TT
England

Work Department

Medical Negligence

Position

Partner

Career

I have been a partner at Fieldfisher since 2003.  I have specialised in medical negligence claims for 20 years; particularly those involving children brain-injured at birth. I have been on the specialist AvMA panel for over a decade.

I am highly regarded for my tenacity, devoted client care and strong legal expertise.  I am considered to be a top-notch litigator and a go-to lawyer for clinical negligence claims.

Particular interests include: obstetrics (cerebral palsy; kernicterus; Erb’s palsy, traumatic deliveries, pre-eclampsia cases); fetal medicine (wrongful birth); cases resulting in infertility or the need for surrogacy; paediatrics and neonatology; neurosurgery, gynaecology and cancer claims.

In 2018 I secured an award of £23million for a child who suffered serious brain damage at the age of 2 due to negligent cardiac surgery which caused her to have a stroke. I also secured damages of £19 million in the case of a baby who developed neonatal jaundice which was not treated properly with a full blood exchange. This caused brain damage (kernicterus) resulting in cerebral palsy and a complex hearing disorder.

Memberships

I am a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and sit on the Clinical Disputes Forum. I am an active charity fundraiser.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant

(Hall of Fame)

Samantha Critchley Fieldfisher

Fieldfisher‘s ‘absolutely brilliant’ clinical negligence team is noted for its ‘deep experience and fantastic resources’. The team has a client-centred approach, and offers support regarding special education needs and Court of Protection matters alongside its complex clinical negligence work. This work often includes claims involving brain injuries at birth, an area in which Samantha Critchley – noted for her ‘meticulous work and commitment to clients‘ – has particular experience. ‘Wonderful litigatorIona Meeres-Young leads the team, having taken over from previous head Paul McNeil in May 2023. McNeil remains a key member of the team and ‘a glowering presence across the field‘. Mark Bowman is an ‘intelligent and fearless litigator‘, with particular experience in claims involving Erb’s Palsy, while Jane Weakley brings her ‘huge experience’ to cases concerning the rights of birth-injured children. Kate Rohde deals predominantly with serious and fatal injury claims, while Jonathan Zimmern – who is also a qualified barrister – is another standout in the team. Arti Shah has particular interest in fertility cases. Legal director Punam Sood joined the team June 2023 from Irwin Mitchell.