Demetrius Danas > Irwin Mitchell > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Irwin Mitchell
40 HOLBORN VIADUCT
LONDON
EC1N 2PZ
England

Work Department

Personal legal services.

Position

Demetrius has a wealth of experience in the field of international personal injury claims. He has particular expertise in litigating catastrophic injury claims in the courts of England and Wales arising out of accidents occurring abroad. He has also successfully pursued claims on behalf of clients in over 30 foreign jurisdictions worldwide. The international personal injury law arena gives rise to special considerations of jurisdiction and choice of law issues. Demetrius is at the forefront of this specialism, regularly acting in ground breaking cases arising out of the application of ‘Brussels I’ (Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000) and ‘Rome II’ (Council Regulation (EC) No. 864/2007 of 11 January 2009). His knowledge and experience of the application of foreign law rules on the assessment of damages in high-value cases litigated in England and Wales is second to none. Demetrius also has a keen interest in accidents arising out of skiing/snowboarding and shipping and has previously acted in a case involving serious spinal injuries on board the QEII.

Career

Qualified Penningtons 1995; associate Irwin Mitchell 2003; partner 2006.

Languages

Greek.

Memberships

Travel and Tourism Lawyers Association (TATLA) committee member; fellow of The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL); Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPIL).

Education

St Benedict’s School; University of Westminster (LLB Hons 2(1)); University of Cambridge (LLM Hons 2(1)).

Leisure

Travel, food, wine.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Transport > Travel

(Hall of Fame)

Demetrius DanasIrwin Mitchell

The team at Irwin Mitchell, regarded as a ‘market leader on a national scale’ has a strong reputation for its international, high-stakes injury work for claimants and their families, which is regularly of the utmost sensitivity and severity. Tracey Storey heads up the national practice. Demetrius Danas, noted for his encyclopaedic knowledge of the field’, leads in London and is vastly experienced handling complex cross-border matters. The team’s workload consistently features catastrophic injury claims of high-value, including spinal and brain injury; clinical negligence claims; and fatalities, the scope of which London-based Jennifer Lund is experienced in. ‘Consumer champion’ Philip Banks leads in Birmingham and is experienced advising on the broad-range of cases, from road traffic to work-related accidents abroad. Senior associate Kylie Hutchison has unique expertise in sports-related injuries with in international contexts. Birmingham-based Jatinder Paul, who was promoted to partnership in May 2023 is noted as being ‘a genuine expert and star individual’. ‘Magnificent performer’ Cheryl Palmer-Hughes leads on complex international multi-party actions and fatal accident matters.

London > Insurance > Personal injury: claimant

Irwin Mitchell‘s personal injury team is ‘unparalleled in the scope of work’ it takes on. Headed up by London head of personal injury Richard Geraghty, who specialises in spinal cord and brain injuries as well as amputations; national serious injury leader, the ‘indomitableTracey Storey; and regional managing partner Alison Eddy, an expert in head injury cases, the team is ‘content to take on the most challenging cases‘, both within the UK and internationally. Demetrius Danas is the key senior contact for international serious work, and is additionally experienced in aviation and marine injury claims. Senior associate Leane Shanks is another notable name for international work. Sarah Griggs is particularly experienced in traumatic brain injury cases which involve capacity issues. The team also works in the asbestos-related disease field, supporting claimants with mesothelioma. Chani Dhaliwal is described by one client as being ‘as good as they get‘, and has particular strength securing substantial interim payments to fund care and neuro-rehabilitation.