Weightmans LLP

Weightmans LLP

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Karim Ariane

Karim Ariane

Karim qualified in 2015 and joined Weightmans in 2018 where he was promoted to Associate in 2019. Karim has extensive experience in defending multi-track personal injury claims and works with a range of multi-national insurers and self-insureds. He has particular expertise in advising fleets, bus operators and emergency services in relation to fatal and not fatal accidents. He advises on a range of litigation strategies as well as handling high-value injury claims and strategic litigation cases. Karim is a client contact for a major self-insured client and does a wide variety of work for them across various disciplines. He acted for this client in a high-value claim described by the circuit judge as the “most fundamentally dishonest case” that he had ever heard and also deals with cases in the High Court for Committal Proceedings for Contempt of Court. Karim has the reported case of Metroline Limited v Araujo [2021] 5 WLUK 46, a helpful decision in Contempt Proceedings. Following a string of successful major trial wins, Karim joined Manchester’s large loss and catastrophic injury team, where he assists in the handling of cases of the utmost severity.  He also helps develop client relationships and training.
Carole Atkinson

Carole Atkinson

Carole is a consultant in the Private Client team at Weightmans. Recognised in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame, she has practised as a family lawyer for over 35 years and was appointed as Deputy District Judge in 2001.   Carole has acted for many high profile individuals with significant assets. She has particular expertise in dealing with cases involving onshore and offshore trusts as well as complex corporate and tax issues in cases where the assets are worth many millions. She has considerable experience in drafting prenuptial agreements particularly those involving cross border issues. She is recognised for her extensive knowledge and experience, her exceptional client care skills and her pragmatic approach to family dispute resolution.   Carole is consistently recommended and recognised in Legal Directories: Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leader in her field. She has been described as a family lawyer who "makes the so-called 'magic circle' firms look ordinary." Her clients have included household names as well as fellow professionals. Many of her clients are recommended to her by QCs and other lawyers and professionals.   She regularly lectures and writes articles on topical family law issues and has appeared on radio and television to discuss and to advise on family law issues and recent developments. Her approach to family law is a sensitive yet proactive approach to dispute resolution with the aim of achieving a successful outcome for each client in a cost-effective manner.   Carole is recognised as a "Top Recommended" family lawyer for high-net-worth individuals in The Spear’s Family Law Index 2024. Carole has recently been recognised as being in the Hall of fame for Family North West in Legal 500 2026 “Carole Atkinson is the best family solicitor in the North-West with an absolutely all round excellent skill set in all aspects of family law.”
Anne-Marie Barnes

Anne-Marie Barnes

Anne-Marie is a Principal Associate in the Corporate department, based in the Manchester office. Anne-Marie joined Weightmans in 2018 and has over 8 years of experience advising on corporate law matters. Anne-Marie specialises in a range of corporate work; including share sales, mergers and acquisitions, group reorganisations, de-mergers, joint ventures, equity investment, shareholders' agreements, PSC requirements, asset sales, partnership agreements and general company law advice. Anne-Marie has acted for a variety of clients including owner managed businesses, national and international corporate clients, GP and dental practices, pharmacies and institutional investors.
Richard Bate

Richard Bate

Richard leads the Private Wealth team nationally. He is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Law Society private client section. He has broad experience of working with clients from various backgrounds having worked in large commercial practices and smaller high street firms. Richard advises clients on all aspects of estate planning including wills, trusts, family investment companies and probate matters. He has a particular specialism in tax mitigation and assisting business owners and those with more complicated family arrangements and asset structures with succession planning and wealth protection. He is a professional trustee on numerous family trusts, acts as an attorney for elderly clients and has been appointed by the High Court as an independent administrator in complex contentious Probate matters. Richard works closely with the firm's Owner Managed Business and family teams and often with accountants and independent financial advisors to ensure that clients receive broad based holistic advice. Richard is a regular presenter of estate planning and asset protection seminars. He is used to working with lawyers in different jurisdictions to achieve clients’ objectives in terms of their worldwide estate.
Jacqui Bickerton

Jacqui Bickerton

Jacqui is a principal associate and professional support lawyer based in the knowledge management team in Liverpool. With over 25 years' legal experience of dealing with catastrophic injury claims, fraud and civil litigation, Jacqui provides strategic and technical advice and support to the business. Jacqui has a particular interest in public and constitutional law and regularly lectures on not only the law but also the associated risks. Jacqui is also an active member of Weightmans Brexit Committee and is responsible for advising the business and clients on the implications of Brexit. Jacqui enjoys nothing more than a good debate on the Brexit process.
Clive Bleasdale

Clive Bleasdale

Clive Bleasdale has been a Partner since 1993 specialising in commercial property law with an emphasis on regeneration and development projects where he has significant experience and expertise. His particular focus is large town centre redevelopment and infrastructure schemes as well as large property portfolio management. He acts for a number of public sector organisations on large projects of very high value and complexity working closely alongside our built environment team members. He also acts for high net worth proprietors of businesses in the property developer and investor segments and sectors of the firm.
Rebecca Blythe

Rebecca Blythe

Rebecca is a partner in the Large Loss team based in Liverpool. She is experienced in all areas of law relating to personal injury claims and specialises in large loss and catastrophic injury claims including traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, amputation claims, fatal accident and chronic pain/subtle TBI/functional neurological disorder claims. Rebecca has worked for numerous large insurers and the Motor Insurers Bureau and has longstanding experience or providing non indemnity advice and currently works for a large car rental company. She is particularly experienced in defending fraudulent/exaggerated claims prevalent in the fast-growing area of chronic pain/STBI/FND. Rebecca works with multiple municipal and corporate insureds with large deductibles as well as individuals and is adept at developing and maintaining good relationships with all levels of customer.
Emmett Boyce

Emmett Boyce

Emmett joined Weightmans in 2005 and qualified as a solicitor in 2008. Until October 2018 Emmett specialised in all aspects of motor fraud. He also held various management roles and provided training to clients. Emmett has represented major UK insurers, national and international logistics, transport and utility companies and local authorities. He also has experience in sanctions and recoveries, non-fraudulent personal injury, local authority and motor claims. In terms of motor fraud, Emmett has extensive skills in claim investigation, all aspects of litigation to trial and dealing with organised fraud. He delivers an excellent experience for clients at the transactional and operational levels. Emmett is now a professional support lawyer in the Knowledge Management team based in Liverpool.  Emmett supports all sectors of the business but primarily focuses on casualty, healthcare and motor sectors where he provides support in respect of continuing development, legal knowledge and process enhancement. Emmett has extensive experience in supporting business optimisation, technological innovation, and internal risk management.  He has a particular interest and involvement in building business resiliency in response to court digitisation and the introduction of the MyHMCTS platform.
Alison Brennan

Alison Brennan

Alison is an Associate in the Liverpool healthcare team and qualified as a solicitor in 2010, joining Weightmans in 2012 and has dealt with clinical negligence claims across several specialist fields along with secondments to NHS Resolution. Alison deals with a range of complex high value and sensitive claims, including addressing complex clinical issues in cases relating to spinal injuries, paediatrics, orthopaedic and gynaecology including baby deaths. In addition, her caseload includes high-value cases in spinal injury and stroke medicine, along with sensitive psychiatric and suicide claims. Alison has a background in the health service as a nurse holding a dual qualification in paediatric and adult nursing. She has worked at a senior nursing level and therefore has significant knowledge and insight into the demands on the health service, along with a particular focus on clinical governance and patient safety.  Alison remains committed to patient safety and continues to work with trusts, clinicians and teams to learn from and address patient safety issues through presentations and discussing specific topics, along with organising large events on this subject. She is also regularly instructed to assist trusts with complex complaints and serious incident investigations, taking a thorough, open and transparent approach in the way that she works with clinicians and liaising with families including other stakeholders.
Mark Burch

Mark Burch

Mark joined Weightmans in 2014 as the then Head of Commercial Recoveries. He has previously been an in-house lawyer at Barclays Bank plc, Head of Regional Debt Recovery for Eversheds and, prior to joining Weightmans, worked within the Debt team at Pannone. Mark has experience of handling secured and unsecured public and private sector volume debt recovery, particularly complex defended actions, but now specialises in the use of insolvency procedures (Winding up petitions and Bankruptcy petitions) to assist in the collection of debt. He also has considerable experience of marketing, client care and management issues associated with volume debt collection within law firms. Mark brought with him a very loyal commercial client base which includes the Radius Group of  companies, Murray Metals Group companies, the NWF Group and companies within the Johnsons Group, all of whom he still acts for today. Mark also represents a number of debt collection agencies who are well known members of the Credit Services Association. He also acts for a number of local authorities who utilise his knowledge and expertise in insolvency to collect various taxes and other debts. Mark has been recognised as a leader in the field of debt recovery and noted as such in both The Legal 500 and The Chambers UK Guide. He has provided clients with training on all aspects of the cost-effective use of the legal process in the credit/collections arena. He has recently acted as an invited expert on a Liverpool BPC course, involving His Honour Judge Neil Cadwallader and District Judge Samantha Johnson.  
Mike Burns

Mike Burns

Mike trained with Withers and on qualification in 1993 joined specialist London shipping firm More Fisher Brown. Mike joined Weightmans as a partner in May 2006. Mike’s expertise includes the carriage of goods by sea, charterparty and bill of lading claims, hull and P& insurance, cargo recoveries, freight liability, multimodal transit, CMR and yacht claims. Mike has a related non-contentious practice including vessel sale and purchase and drafting contracts of carriage. Mike is ranked in The Legal 500 2015 as a 'Leading Individual'.
Richard Burrows

Richard Burrows

Richard Burrows is a partner in Weightmans’ national Disease team. Based in Liverpool, and having joined the firm in 2011, Richard is one of the internal technical leads for the team. He has a keen interest in emerging risks and horizon scanning to ensure that the firm’s clients are well prepared for any potential new trends which put them at risk. Richard’s core client base is formed of insurers in the legacy market, as well as large corporate organisations. He handles a variety of claims ranging from low value noise induced hearing loss claims to high value asbestos-related injury claims, COSHH claims and other respiratory injury claims. Richard frequently co-ordinates and delivers training sessions to Weightmans’ clients and to the wider legacy market, both in relation to the technical complexities of current claims, as well as how to prepare best for potential claims trends in the future. In addition to his work at Weightmans, Richard is also a director of the Insurance and Reinsurance Legacy Association (IRLA), having been appointed in April 2023. In May 2023 he won IRLA’s Future Leader award as recognition for his contribution to Weightmans, IRLA and the legacy market as a whole. le.
Rebecca Cairney

Rebecca Cairney

Rebecca joined Weightmans in 2012 and is Team Manager for the Employment, Pensions and Immigration team, based in Liverpool, specialising in employment law. Rebecca handles a diverse caseload of complex and sensitive discrimination and unfair dismissal claims with a particular expertise in worker status, Agency Worker Regulations and objective justification of discrimination matters. She also provides advice on a range of issues including conduct, sickness absence management, performance and capability, as well as intricate matters such as restructuring exercises, TUPE and Trade Union activities. She provides operational and strategic advice on all areas of contentious and non-contentious employment law, including day to day employee relations issues, disciplinary and grievance procedures, TUPE/business reorganisation, redundancy, discrimination, contracts, policies and procedures and settlement agreements. She qualified in 2018. Rebecca is an experienced advocate in the Employment Tribunal, regularly representing clients on discrimination and unfair dismissal claims. Rebecca works with a wide range of clients from a variety of sectors including registered housing providers, transport and logistics, local authority and NHS Trusts. Rebecca is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) and the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA).
Damian Carter

Damian Carter

Damian is a Partner in the national Commercial Litigation team at Weightmans and, also leads the firm’s Owner Managed Business team in Manchester. His specialism is resolving complex commercial and corporate disputes, and he has over 25 years' experience. He acts primarily for owner managed businesses, corporates, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals.   Damian has experience of a wide range of commercial litigation matters with a particular emphasis on high value corporate disputes. Damian's caseload includes claims for breach of contract, warranty claims, shareholder actions, board disputes, insolvency, fraud claims, partnership disputes, banking litigation, intellectual property disputes, defamation claims, commercial agency disputes, restraint of trade, regulatory matters, contentious probate claims, property disputes and professional negligence actions.   Damian also has considerable experience in working with clients to create innovative and flexible funding arrangements for litigation claims, enabling companies to leverage claims as a potential asset. Damian leads the firm’s third party litigation funding and ATE offering for clients – “Enable”.   Damian has extensive experience in conducting proceedings in the specialist divisions of the High Court including the Business and Property Courts. Damian's work includes emergency applications for injunctions and expedited trials. Damian is an exponent of alternative dispute resolution and has successfully resolved many claims for his clients at mediation.   Damian has experience in varied sectors including banking and finance, energy and utilities, healthcare, manufacturing, property and construction, retail and technology.   Damian is recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. Part of the winning team for Litigation Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards 2022.
Victoria Cassidy

Victoria Cassidy

Victoria has recently returned to Weightmans having spent four years working in a local authority as a Senior Solicitor for litigation and Safeguarding and then as the Special Educational Needs Team manager. Victoria completed her training contract in local government and has over 25 years of litigation experience specialising in public law matters relating to child and adult protection, community care, mental health and education. Her career has been spent supporting local authorities dividing her time between managing a caseload of complex litigation and providing advice to senior managers and decision making panels. She is familiar with the respective statutory duties of public bodies, their governance arrangements and their decision making processes. Victoria enjoys case analysis and problem solving and promotes mediation as an alternative, cost effective method of dispute resolution. She had delivered training to a variety of different audiences on the operation of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act and the Children and Families Act. She has advocacy experience in the Court of Protection, the Magistrates, the Family Court, the First Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care) and the County Court. Victoria constantly strives to develop her legal knowledge and understanding and has post graduate qualifications in mental health law, local government law and is currently completing her LLM. She works on the local government adult and child out of hours’ emergency advice line. Notable cases: A Local Authority v Z & The Official Solicitor [2004] EWHC 2817 (Fam) [2005]
Andrea Cohen

Andrea Cohen

Andrea joined Weightmans in March 2018 and is a Legal Director in the Compli team, Weightmans' bespoke regulatory consultancy service for the legal sector, advising on all aspects of regulation, compliance, risk management, disciplinary matters, including SRA investigations and defence work for solicitors before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, claims and complaints handling. Andrea also delivers training on a wide range of areas, most recently on AML, professional ethics and regulatory obligations, and regularly speaks at both national and local Law Society conferences Andrea qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and specialised in commercial litigation, with a particular focus on professional negligence claims. She is a founder member and Chief Executive of the Professional Negligence Lawyers Association (PNLA). In 2006, Andrea moved into the management team of a Top 100 law firm, developing a niche expertise in risk and compliance. Following five years in her own risk and compliance business, and Head of Risk and Compliance and Training Principal at a law firm, she moved to Weightmans, where she continues to advise clients on a range of issues from setting up new law firms, retainers, policies and procedures, AML obligations and concerns and carrying out independent AML audits, to disciplinary investigations. Andrea acts for solicitors, including partners, employees and entities, from sole practitioners to ABSs. One client wrote to our managing partner to say, ‘Andrea has a professional, engaging manner and she provided high quality advice and documents backed up by an understanding of what the regulator would require… she has been an outstanding support to my business, and I shall not hesitate to work with her again.’ In addition to her role at the PNLA, Andrea is a member of The Law Society Regulatory Processes Committee, the Manchester Law Society Regulatory Affairs Committee and COLP and COFA Forum, and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Professional Negligence. She has a monthly column in a number of Law Society publications and is a contributor to Practical Law.
Brian Collins

Brian Collins

Brian is part of the niche costs team responsible for providing a costs service that combines technical excellence with a commercial approach, together with training that can lead to continuous improvement. He is an expert in advocacy and costs control during litigation including budgeting and case management. Brian qualified as a costs lawyer in 2007 giving him rights of audience and authority to conduct costs litigation. Although costs lawyer qualification was only given regulated professional body status in 2007, Brian has 37 years' experience in costs litigation and was a Fellow of the Association of Law Costs Draftsman (now the Association of Costs Lawyers).
Emma Collins

Emma Collins

Family law partner with expertise in all aspects of family law, in particular high value/complex financial matters for both married and unmarried couples including trusts , companies, partnerships , third party interests , offshore assets, jurisdictional issues; regularly receives referrals from a variety of legal and other professionals and business people. Also advises on pre/post nuptial and cohabitation agreements, complex children issues, Schedule I , TOLATA and Inheritance Act matters.
Tom Collins

Tom Collins

Tom is a Partner and Head of the construction team. He advises clients in both the public and private sector. He is responsible for managing the team nationally and is recommended in the Legal 500 and ranked in Chambers. Clients have said he is "An exceptional lawyer who provides clear and consistent advice. Tom Collins has the ability to deal with complex issues and highly technical matters and translate these into a clear, concise and logical form when presenting a case" that "He gives down-to-earth, practical advice and delivers results” with “No bluster or nonsense, just realistic, helpful and to the point”. Clients have also said “Tom has a combination of encyclopaedic knowledge and reassuring demeanour; he brings his intelligence to the case. In a complex case he would see the wood from the roots. Unflappable!” and Tom is “Very easy to gel with, fits into our team and works with us to come to great conclusions”. Tom has over 20 years' experience in advising on dispute resolution. He regularly advises clients across a broad range of sectors and industry disciplines. He advises in relation to all construction-related disputes including claims for extensions of time, loss and expense, applications for payment, final account disputes and defective works/allegations of negligence with a particular focus on fire safety and remedies under the Building Safety Act 2022. Tom regularly acts in adjudications whether bringing or defending claims ranging from payment disputes and claims for extensions of time to more complex and substantive negligence claims together with being regularly involved with litigation and arbitration. He advises in relation to, and participates in, alternative dispute resolution including mediation. A large part of Tom's practice is dispute avoidance and as part of that, he regularly provides ongoing day to day strategic project advice with senior-level contacts at client organisations. In addition, Tom has previous experience of advising on breach of warranty, misrepresentation and injunctive relief claims. Tom also advises on the drafting of construction agreements. He is familiar with all the major standard forms of contract and advises in relation to amendments to those standard forms. He also advises on the drafting and negotiation of supporting and associated documents such as professional team appointments, collateral warranties and bonds. Tom delivers training to clients on key issues affecting their business relating to the construction industry. This includes delivering seminars to trade bodies on matters such as building safety, recent case-law and innovation. Tom was invited to speak at the BSI’s Global Built Environment Summit. He has written a number of articles which have been published in key sector publications including in the Construction Law Journal. Examples of work which Tom has advised on include: • Advising on a dispute for a US contractor claiming additional payments following the design and construction of an oil platform and on shore and sub-sea pipeline; • Successfully defending in full a “smash and grab” adjudication • Acting for a University on a series of claims and adjudications relating to a final account dispute; • Bringing and defending numerous claims alleging fire safety defects including considerations of the impact of the new Building Safety Act and remedies available under that Act; • Acting for the successful party in the adjudication and reported adjudication enforcement case of The Metropolitan Borough Council of Sefton v Allenbuild Ltd [2022] EWHC 1443 (TCC) addressing the question of the court’s jurisdiction to enforce an adjudication decision where the parties have elected to resolve disputes through arbitration • Acting for a claimant company in arbitration on a multi-million pound claim for losses arising out of works on an international infrastructure development; • Successfully defending in full in adjudication a claim alleging a defective engineering installation together with a substantial claim for consequential losses • Acting for a client in defence of an adjudication claiming losses of over £1m for alleged negligent design on a highways project and significantly reducing the damages claimed; • Acting for various public bodies in relation to multi-million pound defects claims; • Advising in relation to rights and remedies following the discovery of asbestos in a completed public project • Advising a designer in relation to claimed defects on a PFI project; • Advising and bringing a claim in adjudication to challenge contra-charges on a transport development project; • Advising a school on various issues arising out of a multi-million pound build including defects, practical completion and final account settlement; • Advising a client in relation to risk and the resolution of a multi-party supply chain dispute arising out of the supply of materials for use in a construction project; • Defending in full an adjudication for substantial extension of time on a complex development and providing the client with day to day project advice in relation to claims for defective works, applications for payment and practical completion; • Advising on a multi-million pound infrastructure dispute including providing risk advice on contracts and day to day advice to senior management; • Advising a social housing provider on the drafting of construction documentation arising out of the establishment of a corporate vehicle to undertake property developments on its behalf; • Advising public bodies on contract terms for flagship building developments; • Advising a charitable company on the terms of a development agreement for the construction of a new mixed use church and residential units
Josh Conroy

Josh Conroy

Josh is a commercial litigation partner who specialises in heavy, high value and complex litigation in the Business & Property Courts. He deals primarily with unfair prejudice petitions, share sale disputes, restrictive covenant and restraint of trade cases, partnership disputes, professional negligence claims and other complex contractual claims arising out of commercial disputes. Josh has particular experience and expertise in defending judicial review claims and bringing injunctive proceedings, as well as a busy practice in defending claims brought under the Public Contract Regulations 2015, where he acts for a number of local authorities, trusts, blue light services, universities and other public bodies. Josh is a member of the firm’s higher education team and specialises in advising universities on student related issues, particularly in relation to complaint and discipline matters.
Sally Cook

Sally Cook

Sally is a Legal Director in the Private Wealth team at Weightmans LLP and is based in the Manchester office. Sally is a fully accredited member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), the Law Society Private Client Section and The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly). Sally also sits on the Manchester Law Society’s Private Client section committee. Sally qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and joined Weightmans LLP in 2018, having left her role as Head of the Private Client department at her previous firm. Sally has practised solely in the field of Private Client since qualification and she has extensive experience in advising clients in relation to their estate planning, including the preparation of Wills, Inheritance Tax planning, the creation of and the onward administration of trusts and the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney. Sally has a particular interest in the administration of estates, and often deals with high value, complex estates on behalf of both professional and lay executors.
Ian Coppell

Ian Coppell

Ian is a hugely experienced solicitor, who has recently switched disciplines to all aspects of Housing Disrepair Litigation having previously spent over 30 years specialising in personal injury and occupational disease cases with particular interest in noise induced hearing loss and hand arm vibration claims. Ian has successfully defended to trial Housing disrepair matters and industrial deafness cases. He also has successful Court of Appeal experience in deafness claims. Ian handles litigation on behalf of Social Housing providers, Housings Associations and Local Authorities. Notable case Boyle v Ford Motor Company (deafness case – Court of Appeal)
Richard Corran

Richard Corran

Richard’s expertise is in dealing with substantial, complex litigation matters, predominantly in the Chancery Division in the High Court. He has a deserved reputation for excellence in handling shareholder disputes, public contract procurement challenges and complex contractual issues. Richard has particular expertise in seeking injunctive relief to protect clients’ interests on a pre-emptive basis. After over 30 years’ experience of dealing with commercial contentious matters, Richard moved to the Knowledge Management and Library team in 2024. He now supports the litigation departments in achieving excellence in litigation practice. Reported cases \tHarlow v Aspect Contracts Ltd 2020 WL 02621416 [2020] EWHC 1488 (TCC) \t116 Cardamon Ltd v (1) Alan Ramsay MacAlister (2) Birgitt Alice MacAlister (2019) [2019] EWHC 1200 (Comm) QBD (Comm) (Cockerill J) 14/05/2019 \tJoseph Gleave & Son Limited v Secretary of State for Defence [2017] EWHC 238 (TCC). \tTransport for Greater Manchester v Thales Transport & Security Ltd [2013] All ER (D) 41 (Jan) and [2012] EWHC 3717 (TCC) \tCeltec v Astley [2006] UKHL 29 and C-478/03 (ECJ) \tBradford & Bingley v Ross [2005] EWCA Civ 394 (Banking and finance; mortgage claims; sale to associated company at undervalue) \tBruce Cook v Vehicle Inspectorate [1999] House of Lords on appeal from the Divisional Court Recent Directory quotes \t2024 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is clear sighted and authoritative in his approach". \t2023 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is a fantastic, cool-headed dispute resolution lawyer who uses all of the knowledge and experience he has built up in his career to get the best possible outcome in any given situation". \t2021 Legal 500 "Richard Corran, who counts corporate litigation and restrictive covenant actions among his areas of specialism" \t2020 Legal 500 - "Other key partners include....Manchester Office Head Richard Corran" \t2019 Legal 500 Regional Office Head Richard Corran is “very able" \t2018 Legal 500 the "pragmatic" Richard Corran “takes a tough line against opponents" \t2017 Legal 500 "Other key figures include Richard Corran" \t2016 Legal 500 "Richard Corran is recommended".
Laura Creasy

Laura Creasy

Laura joined Weightmans in 2008 and became a Principal Associate in 2020. She handles claims for defendant organisations and their insurers, specialising in the area of EL/PL litigation. Laura has a particular focus on construction claims and those involving logistics clients. She acts for organisations in a number of sectors but particularly in the built environment and logistics sectors for which she is a key handler for a number of global clients. Laura also has experience in handling group litigation and cross border claims.
Sean Crotty

Sean Crotty

Sean Crotty is a partner in our commercial team with particular experience in data protection, IT, commercial, procurement and intellectual property matters. Sean advises many high profile clients within the private (ranging from SMEs to listed companies) and public sector (including Police Authorities, NHS Trusts, local authorities and universities) on a wide range of strategic and complex data, IT, media and IP issues. Sean has developed a specialism in drafting and negotiating major commercial, IT, entertainment, IP and data contracts within the private and public sector. He understands his way around the relevant industries and their statutory obligations and often provides training in relation to the same. Examples of his work in this area include advising: Peel Ports Group on procurement of works and services for £350 million Liverpool 2 Project; One of the world’s largest packaging companies on a large scale production agreement; A national fraud body on a standard user agreement for the insurance industry (including data sharing arrangements, database use and use of strategic data on an international scale); Upon the £multimillion procurement of a major police force’s content management system; and The Motor Insurers’ Bureau in relation to the UK Government backed MyLicence Project, a revolutionary data sharing project between the DVLA and the UK insurance industry. Sean has vast experience of the video games industry and was awarded the legal services provider of the year award at the TIGA Awards 2016 in recognition of the excellent work provided by his team in the field. Sean also regularly delivers presentations in this field (eg. International Festival of Business 2016) and is regularly published in trade and national press (eg. Financial Times, IP Magazine and Daily Telegraph). Sean is recommended in Legal 500.
Fiona Davidson

Fiona Davidson

Fiona heads the Liverpool family law team and manages the renowned national family team at Weightmans across our offices. She is recognised by Legal 500 2023 as a Leading Individual in family law in the North West. And is a First tier ranked solicitor in Chambers and Partners. Fiona specialises in financial and children issues arising out of relationship breakdown with particular expertise in complex divorces involving company, partnership and trust issues. She has a significant practice in pre, post marital and cohabitation agreements, as well as a wealth of experience in dealing with children cases, particularly involving international relocation. Fiona is known for her strategic and focused advice in delivering results for clients. Her understanding of the needs of clients enables her to offer a first-rate and bespoke service to her clients resulting in regular referrals from fellow professionals including barristers and other members of the legal profession. Fiona is keen to offer alternatives to litigation with a child centred and amicable approach to separation. She is a trained collaborative lawyer, she chaired the Merseyside collaborative law group for over six years. She is an active member of . She also sits on the Liverpool Law Society Family Committee helping to shape local family law issues. Fiona is recognised as a leader in her field in both independent legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, being described as ‘excellent – reassuring, technically able and clear and calm’ ‘technically excellent; really approachable and able to build a real rapport with clients, who trust her implicitly’. ‘an incredibly robust solicitor who is phenomenal for her clients and will fight incredibly hard to get results for them’ , ‘she is a brilliant financial specialist who offers top notch advice’
Graham Dean

Graham Dean

Graham has been with Weightmans since 2006 and brings over 20 years' experience in handling disease claims to our national disease unit. He specialises in asbestos related disease claims and acts for many well known run off/legacy insurers providing them with strategic advice. He also regularly deals with NIHL, dermatitis and VWF claims and heads up the Liverpool disease team. He has handled several high profile and widely reported asbestos cases over the years, as well as test case litigation for defendants and their insurers. In addition to this he has presented seminars on the subject and has had articles published in the legal press. He is also the author of a section in Occupational Illness Litigation.
Rachel Donovan

Rachel Donovan

Rachel is a clinical negligence solicitor, specialising in birth-related cases. She is based in our Liverpool office. Rachel qualified as a solicitor in June 2003 at Goodmans Solicitors where she worked from 1999 to 2009 specialising in claimant clinical negligence. It was there that she found her niche in birth-related cases including CP cases and injury to mum, settling cases with values exceeding £15 million. Further to her time at Goodmans, Rachel moved to John Pickering and Partners to start a department in Liverpool where she also set up HEADWAY Liverpool. After John Pickering, Rachel moved to Simpson Millar where she was made partner and ran the Liverpool office. Rachel then took a career break to raise her children for 2½ years and came back in 2019 to work for SPG Law, where she ran the TVM Litigation case (product liability). Although she thoroughly enjoyed the causational aspect of this case, Rachel missed medical negligence and jumped at the chance to join Weightmans.
Martin Edwards

Martin Edwards

Previously head of employment and HR at Mace & Jones, Martin specialises in all aspects of employment law and has appeared as an advocate before Employment Tribunals nationwide, as well as before the Employment Appeal Tribunal. He is regularly consulted by private and public sector organisations seeking fast and practical advice on high-profile business transactions, ranging from corporate mergers to European and premier league football transfers. Martin is a specialist in providing strategic advice in high profile and sensitive cases. Martin’s clients include many solicitors, barristers’ chambers and household name companies based throughout the UK, as well as multinationals. He regularly acts for a wide range of public sector clients including education establishments, NHS Trusts and Local Authorities. He is consistently recommended by Independent Legal directories such as Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading individual.
Martin English

Martin English

Martin qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and joined the regulatory team at Weightmans in September 2014. Martin's specialism is representing organisations, insurers, NHS Trusts and individuals designated Core Participant status in public inquiries or Interested Person status at inquests. He has used his excellent knowledge and understanding of the inquisitorial process for both public inquiries and inquests to represent clients in cases involving major incidents, fatal road traffic collisions and major health & safety incidents, as well as on numerous healthcare inquests involving complex medical care. He conducts a significant proportion of his own advocacy, including Article 2 ECHR, multi-week, multi-party and jury inquests. He has managed and advocated cases of complexity as well as great sensitivity, some of which have attracted regional, national and international media attention. Martin also represents individuals and organisations in the magistrates and crown court in respect of the full spectrum of road traffic, regulatory and criminal offences (from speeding to homicide-related offences). He has had notable success in securing acquittals on complex and technical points of law. He has independent LEXCEL quality accreditation for providing advice and assistance at interviews under caution and providing advocacy assistance in the magistrates court.
Rachael Fawcett

Rachael Fawcett

Rachael is a Partner based in our Liverpool office. Rachael deals with a wide variety of public liability and employers' liability claims on behalf of local authorities, schools/universities and academies, housing associations and other public sector organisations across the country. Rachael has particular expertise in defending claims made against housing providers including personal injury claims brought under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Defective Premises Act 1972 and the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. Rachael also works closely with the firm's property litigation department handling claims, providing advice and training on housing condition claims where there is a personal injury element. Rachael regularly provides training to insurers, housing providers and local authorities on housing claims. Rachael also deals with data protection claims made against public sector organisations. Rachael regularly delivers training for clients, speaks at various events and writes articles on related topics.
Lewis Fearon

Lewis Fearon

Lewis joined Weightmans in 2010 and began his costs career in 2011. Lewis has experience in all areas of costs claims and has a varied caseload of paying party, recovery, and costs budgeting work. Also, Lewis works directly with insurer clients for industrial Disease claims. This work involves providing internal and external training, drafting quarterly reports, preparing for, and attending client audits. More recently, Lewis has been part of a Fixed Recoverable Costs Project. The team involved in this have provided training in relation to the Fixed Costs reforms and Lewis was part of drafting the Whitepaper document following the roundtable event hosted by Weightmans. Also, Lewis has drafted an article which focuses on the costs implications that defendants will face when settling NIHL claims at different stages of the claim.  
Matthew Foden

Matthew Foden

Matthew is a Principal Associate based in our Liverpool office within the police claims team who specialises in defending actions against the police. Matthew represents a number of police forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport Police and Merseyside Police, advising on employers' liability and public liability claims including actions for false imprisonment, assault, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, negligence, workplace stress, and claims under the Human Rights Act and Equality Act. Matthew has a particular interest in data claims brought under the Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR, for misuse of private information and for breach of confidence. Matthew has undertaken secondment work within police force legal departments, providing day to day advice on operational matters to officers on duty.
Peter Forshaw

Peter Forshaw

Peter joined Weightmans in September 1997. He became a Partner in 2005. Peter leads the firm’s services to Commercial and Municipal Insurers and is the Lead Partner for Casualty Claims,  overseeing the handling of all EL, PL product liability claims for insurers and corporate entities across the firm’s various offices.  He sits on the Retail & Leisure and Manufacturing sector groups within the firm.  Peter continues to handle claims himself, specialising in the area of EL/PL personal injury litigation, for defendant organisations and their insurers.     He is nominated by various corporates including a global retailer, international food manufacturer, a family entertainment scheme and a global oil provider for claims emanating from its forecourt and service station outlets. In addition, Peter specialises in defending theatre owners and production companies in respect of personal injury claims arising in the fields of theatrical production and live performance. Peter also has particular interests in Violence in the Workplace, wearable technologies and drones on which he has written various papers and articles. He regularly delivers training seminars and provides risk management advice for clients, particularly focused on the claims process, claims defensibility issues and reducing avoidable litigation in order to save money for his clients. He has written for a number of publications including the firm’s Insurance Insights publication and various trade press such as Insurance Times and Insurance Day, providing thought leadership and best practice advice to the market. He is also a highly regarded speaker at training events on such issues. In 2006 Peter qualified as a mediator with the Academy of Experts. He is also Weightmans’ CSR partner, strategically leading the firm’s fundraising, pro bono and community initiatives for which the firm has been shortlisted for a number of awards over recent years, as well as being the firm’s lead for the LGBTQ+ strand. Peter is a member of FOIL, a mentor with GROW and in his spare time, he acts on a pro bono basis as Hon Gen Solicitor for an arts-based charity in the North West.
Mickaela Fox

Mickaela Fox

Mickaela has over 25 years’ PQE and became a Partner in 2005. Mickaela specialises in professional liability, regulatory and insurance coverage work and has particular experience of claims against lawyers. Mickaela has acted for a number of large national firms and is well regarded for her skill and expertise in the conduct of complex, high-value indemnity cases. Over the years she has advised on all types of lawyer’s liability claims, including claims involving complex trusts arrangements, taxation, banking, property, fraud, group litigation, consumer protection, personal injury/clinical negligence and, in more recent times, cybercrime. Mickaela is frequently retained to advise on coverage issues pertaining to professional indemnity policies. She also acts as a consultant to law firms who require compliance advice. Mickaela was responsible for the launch of the firm’s risk management consultancy service for lawyers, Compli,  and has been instrumental in the development and growth of Compli. Mickaela is the chai of the Liverpool Law Society’s Regulatory Committee. In that role she is responsible for preparing the Society’s responses to consultation papers issued by the SRA, including those setting out fundamental changes to the way the profession is regulated. Mickaela is highly recommended in the directories and has for many years been recognised as a leader in her field.
Pamela Freeland

Pamela Freeland

Pamela is a partner in Weightmans’ national Speciality Team. She specialises in professional indemnity claims and regulatory matters across many professional disciplines including: - accountants -insurance brokers -IFAs -surveyors -health and safety consultants -administrators and liquidators -architects -civil and geotechnical engineers -fire engineers -solicitors -barristers -property managers and care home operators. An experienced negotiator and litigator, Pamela manages and resolves high value, complex and multi-party disputes. She provides advice and guidance at all stages of a dispute – be that during the initial phase when a client is conducting preliminary investigations for an anticipated dispute or up to and including resolution via mediation, trial, adjudication or arbitration. She adopts a commercial and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution and regularly leads negotiations conducted in person and/or remotely and via mediation. She has conducted cases heard in the High Court, Technology and Construction Court and the Business and Property Court. She is also experienced in dealing with disputes referred to adjudication and arbitration. Pamela sits on the ILG Professional Liability Committee, which comprises members from across the globe. They produce articles and provide guidance on relevant issues across multiple jurisdictions. Pamela has a leading role in the firm’s multi-disciplined team of experts who deal with all aspects of claims against Directors and Officers or business entities. She project manages such claims, acting a key point of contact when input is often required in a number of areas such a regulatory, insolvency, ESG and cyber security. She also acts as monitoring counsel for insurers on claims where individuals and /or entities require separate legal representation. Pamela is also instructed to provide advice on policy coverage across several classes of business including professional indemnity insurance, Directors and Officers/ Management liability insurance, Business Interruption Insurance, Contractors All Risk insurance and EL and PL insurances. She regularly produces articles relevant to professional indemnity and policy coverage and provides training to clients and industry bodies. Pamela is ranked as “Up and Coming” in Chambers and Partners 2025 and as a “Next Generation Partner” in Legal 500 2025, with a client testimonial in the latter referring to her as the “cream of the crop”.
Sophie Fulwell

Sophie Fulwell

Sophie is an Associate in the employment, pensions and immigration team. She provides advice on contentious and non-contentious employment law and HR matters. Her clients are predominantly employers, who she supports to navigate their relationships with staff and contractors while ensuring their business interests are protected. Sophie provides strategic advice on employee exits, particularly those involving senior employees, as well as HR projects such as redundancies, restructures and outsourcing arrangements. In addition, she has a wealth of experience advising on day-to-day HR matters such as grievance and disciplinary investigations, dismissals, and managing sickness absence and performance. On the contentious side, Sophie advises on the disputes that arise between employers and their workers, including complex employment tribunal claims of whistleblowing, constructive unfair dismissal and discrimination. Sophie is well-versed in providing advice on business protection through the use of post-termination restrictions and she is also an experienced transactional lawyer who works with our Corporate, Commercial and Real Estate teams on the employment-related issues arising on transactions such as outsourcing, corporate restructuring and business acquisitions and disposals. The clients Sophie works with come from a wide range of sectors, but she has a particular focus on owner-managed businesses, education and healthcare.
Michelle Garlick

Michelle Garlick

Named by one client as "The Rockstar of Compliance", Michelle is head of Weightmans' award-winning Compli service which advises the legal sector on all aspects of regulation, compliance, risk management, professional discipline and claims and complaints handling. Michelle qualified as a solicitor in 1992, specialising in professional negligence litigation, and joined Weightmans as a Partner in February 2008. She is also the firm's MLRO. Over the years, she has advised and represented many hundreds of lawyers and legal businesses on their regulatory obligations and disciplinary investigations and is known for her pragmatic, commercial and supportive approach. Michelle is the author of The COLP's Toolkit, a Law Society best-seller (currently in its third edition), and co-author of The Good Risk Law Firm, published by the Solicitors Journal. She is a well-known speaker and commentator on the legal circuit and sits on the editorial committee of the Law Society’s Legal Compliance Bulletin. Michelle was extremely proud to be elected as the President of Manchester Law Society for 2019, having been a council member of Manchester Law Society for six years and chair of its regulatory affairs committee and COLP and COFA Forum. During her Presidency, she launched the Manchester Law Society Access to the Profession Hub to help improve Diversity and Inclusion in the legal sector and she appears in the Manchester Power 100 list 2019 of most influential people in Manchester.
Sam Gittoes

Sam Gittoes

Sam is our Head of Service Delivery for Motor. She has 23 years' motor litigation experience, 15 of which have been at Weightmans. Sam transitioned from a fee earning role to one of management over a number of years, now overseeing the operational side of the motor department and ensuring that we are providing an excellent service to our clients.  Sam works collaboratively with our business support teams to innovate and consistently improve our claims handling processes, developing internal and external reports that give us the ability to provide insight and analysis into market trends and portfolios of business for our clients. Having worked in the motor insurance sector for over 20 years, she has seen a lot of changes across the industry. Sam is driven to look for ways to improve our people through development and our processes through advancements in technology, to drive efficiency and effectiveness for our service delivery. Sam has developed insight and market knowledge as a result of her involvement with a number of key clients over the years. As well as sitting on a number of client steering groups, Sam has recently joined the firms Environmental, Social and Governance steering group to help shape a sustainable future for the next generation. Sam was promoted to Associate in 2013, Principal Associate in 2019 and Partner in 2021.
Simon Goacher

Simon Goacher

Simon joined Weightmans in February 2013 to head up the Local Government team. Prior to joining Weightmans Simon enjoyed a long and distinguished career in local government law spanning almost two decades. In 2009, he was appointed Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer of the newly created Cheshire West and Chester Council. This involved the creation of a single authority from four councils and the development. At Weightmans Simon is a go-to adviser for local authorities throughout the country on significant governance and vires issues throughout the country including carrying out independent reviews on sensitive and high profile issues. He is a leading practitioner on member conduct and has carried out a number of significant investigations on behalf of local authorities into the behaviour of elected members. He is also a leading expert on local authority constitutions and has led a number of projects to review and rewrite local authorities constitutions. He is recognised as a leader in the field on the role of the local authority monitoring officer having co-authored the Handbook for Monitoring Officers published with LLG (Lawyers in Local Government)
Bob Granger

Bob Granger

Bob joined the firm in 2017 as Group Finance Director, following 13 years as Finance and Retail director at Lakeland based in Windermere. As FD Bob was instrumental in the transformation of Lakeland into a digitally focused and international business. During his ten years as retail director, he had line responsibility for 68 stores and 1200 colleagues, and the team were consistently recognised by customers as one of the leading UK brands for customer service. Bob's career spans retail, technology, hospitality and professional services. Whilst at Vodafone Bob held roles in Group Finance and ultimately as the head of finance in the UK technology division, where the business spent over £1bn p.a. building and operating the UK mobile network. At PWC Bob qualified as a chartered accountant and spent two years as audit manager, gaining exposure to a range of audit, corporate finance and tax assignments. His appointment at Weightmans is his first in the legal sector, and his 25 years experience in a wide variety of other businesses bring a fresh and commercial perspective to the firm. People, values and winning through effective teamwork are of fundamental importance to Bob's approach.
Mike Grant

Mike Grant

Mike Grant has been recognised for many years in the leading directories for his expertise in defending claims against construction professionals , mediation and insurance coverage work. He has been described as "technically astute", "commercial", "robust enough to deal with anything thrown at him" and as the "go to" expert for defending claims against engineers by The Lawyer Magazine. Chambers 2017 said “Mike Grant knows the insurance market inside and out” He featured in The Lawyer Magazine’s Hot 100 for 2014. He has dealt with many complex and high profile cases and is experienced in arbitration and mediation. He has resolved claims worth in excess of £800m by means of mediation. He speaks regularly to professionals and professional bodies about insurance and risk issues. He has been involved with, and has a particular interest in, the development and delivery of consultancy services.
Jon Gregson

Jon Gregson

Jon is a Partner in the employment, pensions and immigration team in Liverpool. He specialises in high value, complex respondent employment tribunal litigation and leads the team acting for Royal Mail Group Ltd and British Airways Plc. Jon has broad experience in both non-contentious and contentious employment law advice. He provides policy and operational advice to FTSE 100 clients on a range of issues, including diversity, sickness absence management, performance and capability, misconduct and contractual issues. He is an experienced Employment Tribunal advocate and regularly undertakes advocacy at Employment Tribunals and has also appeared at the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Jon also carries out a Product and Innovation Partner role for our corporate clients; sitting at the intersection of the client, legal operations and innovation sectors and using his experience to help evolve and develop market-leading and technology-driven solutions for both clients and also our legal teams. In 2022 a disability discrimination decision-making tool designed and implemented in collaboration with Royal Mail was shortlisted and came as a runner-up in the Managing Partner Forum Awards for Best People Initiative. Jon is a regular trainer at both Weightmans' legal seminars and also in-house training sessions for clients. He has also had articles published in the legal and HR press. He is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Patricia Grinyer

Patricia Grinyer

Patricia heads the firm's finance team and advises on all aspects of financial services. She provides advice to banks and borrowers on bilateral and syndicated facilities. She has particular expertise in public sector finance. Key clients include Santander,  Lloyds Bank Plc, Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II and the Midlands Engine II. As one of the few solicitors nationally who acts on the establishment of Public Sector Funding schemes, establishment of legacy funds and utilising public and private sector money to create funding platforms for SMEs, this year Patricia has successfully won pitches to act for various fund managers in connection with their bids to be appointed to the £200million South West Investment Fund and the Investment Fund for Scotland. Patricia has continued to provide advice nationally for bank lenders and borrowers on syndicated and bilateral banking documentation.
Peter Hall

Peter Hall

Peter qualified in 2003 and joined Weightmans in March 2013 as part of the Semple Fraser merger. Peter's background is in real estate litigation, including 1954 Act business lease renewals and terminations, termination and renewal of telecoms agreements, dilapidations claims, tenant insolvency and enforcement of guarantees, applications to assign or sub-let, boundaries, right of way and right to light disputes, restrictive covenants, option agreements and conditional contracts, claims for overage, rent reviews, lease forfeiture, adverse possession, rectifying conveyancing errors and general property management. Peter advises a wide variety of occupiers, developers and investors. He believes in the merits of ADR and has conducted a number of successful mediations. Peter is also a long-standing volunteer supervisor at the University of Manchester Student Law Advice Centre.
Philip Harding

Philip Harding

Phil qualified in 2009 and joined Weightmans in July 2013 as a solicitor before becoming an associate in 2017 and subsequently a Principal Associate in 2019. He currently manages a team in the Casualty department. He handles a wide variety of public liability and employers' liability claims for a wide variety of clients in both the public and private sectors, and has a particular specialism in highways claims made against local authorities. He successfully acted for the local authority in the widely discussed matter of Heath McCabe v Cheshire West & Chester Council & BAM Nuttall Ltd that looked at questions of misfeasance and non-feasance and powers vs duties. duties.
Samuel Harland

Samuel Harland

Sam joined Weightmans in 2013 and has over 15 years of experience in healthcare law and the resolution of disputes. Sam advises NHS Trusts, NHS Resolution, the Department of Health, and private practitioners on a wide range of health-related legal services with a particular emphasis on resolving disputes. Sam has handled cases with values exceeding £10 million and with attached periodical payments. Sam is recognised as a practical lawyer and has a reputation for dealing with disputes pragmatically and sensibly. He is an advocate of alternative methods of dispute resolution and has achieved numerous notable resolutions in complex and sensitive cases using mediation, neutral evaluation and negotiation. Sam has a niche specialism in claims arising from disease infection following blood transfusion and organ transplant. He advises organisations on consumer protection law and has represented the NHS and Department of Health in group actions. Alongside his healthcare cases, Sam deals with public inquiry work and was instructed by the blood service to act for them in the Infected Blood Inquiry. Sam regularly presents to NHS organisations on safety and learning issues.
Louise Harvey

Louise Harvey

Louise Harvey is the Team Manager of our Plots Department.  She is experienced in leading teams that deal with large volume transactions; ensuring legal services are delivered on time and within fee.  Louise is constantly looking for innovative ways to improve our legal services; making use of technology and systems to deliver outstanding client service.  Being at the forefront of the residential plot sale and part exchange offering, she is tasked with understanding client requirements, monitoring residential market trends and resourcing according to demand at any particular time.  She is also an experienced landlord and tenant real estate lawyer having acted for large national retailers and assisting with the transactional aspects of the portfolio management.
Mark Hatfield

Mark Hatfield

Mark has nearly 30 years' experience in employment law matters, advising employers in all areas of employment and discrimination law. He is a highly experienced advocate before employment tribunals and regularly leads seminars and training courses. Mark acts for a wide-range of private and public sector clients. He has considerable experience in acting for NHS Trusts and healthcare clients generally, major retail, manufacturing and insurance companies including multinationals, OMBs and in the education sector. He has considerable experience in handling large multiple claimant actions for employers. Mark also acts for senior employee individuals across a broad range of employment issues. Mark is recognised as a leader in his field in Chambers & Partners.
Kieran Hearty

Kieran Hearty

Kieran joined Weightmans in 2016 and is an associate in the large loss and technical claims team, specialising in defending civil claims for compensation against insurance companies and the Motor Insurers' Bureau brought by, or on behalf of, claimants who have suffered catastrophic and life-changing personal injuries. He was admitted to the roll in 2014 and has over 15 years of litigation experience. Kieran deals with a broad spectrum of claims which include severe traumatic brain injuries, amputations and spinal injuries resulting in paralysis and has experience with motor claims and employers' and public liability cases involving complex liability, technical and indemnity issues.
Catherine Hendy

Catherine Hendy

Catherine qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and joined Weightmans LLP as a solicitor in the corporate department in 2015. Catherine specialises in a broad range of corporate work including share and asset acquisitions and disposals, mergers, management buyouts and management buyins, debt and equity investment work, group reorganisations and restructures, shareholders agreements, joint ventures and general company and commercial advice. Catherine has acted for a broad range of clients including owner managed businesses, national and international corporate clients, institutional investors and management teams.
Bob Hetherington

Bob Hetherington

Bob joined Weightmans in 1994 and has been a partner since 2004. He specialised in litigation for local government clients and was Head of Local Government Litigation before becoming Head of Management Information in 2010. He is responsible for the provision of Business Intelligence and Management Information to the firm’s clients. This incorporates liaison with clients on market analysis, the provision of key performance statistics, risk management and advice around data management and delivery. Bob’s role also covers the production of internal management reports to enable strategic business and planning decisions and performance reports to ensure the quality and consistency of our client services. Bob has a MBA in Legal Practice Management from Nottingham Trent University
Mandy Higgins

Mandy Higgins

Mandy heads the firm's business immigration practice and has over 18 years’ experience in her field. She is experienced in both immigration and employment law so can provide seamless advice on the cross-over between the two areas. Mandy is experienced in providing global immigration solutions to large multinational corporations from a wide range of sectors including logistics, healthcare and technology. With extensive immigration expertise in the education sector, Mandy advises universities, colleges and independent schools and assists with all aspects of compliance, risk management and strategy. Mandy advises on the full range of UK immigration and nationality law matters and has particular expertise in sponsorship, compliance with sponsor duties and the prevention of illegal working regime. Mandy regularly delivers training for businesses on various immigration topics. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) and the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA). Recent work highlights Successful negotiated the re-instatement of a Sponsor Licence for a PLC biotechnology company Advising a large borough council on recruitment and compliance issues Successfully appealed and overturned a civil penalty notice against a FTSE100 company Assisting and advising a major hotel chain on a UKVI compliance visit Advising a pharmacovigilance company on immigration options for its global mobility needs Advising on the immigration aspects of a £10m acquisition by a US company of a UK distributor Conducted a mock UKVI audit of a multinational health service company and advised on risk and key areas of compliance Advising a multinational logistics company on the structure of their sponsor licence Advised numerous UK companies on the impact of Brexit on their workforce and assisted with the implementation of strategies.
Morris Hill

Morris Hill

Morris joined Weightmans in 2007, having previously spent 10 years working for in-house local authority teams, latterly as a Principal Solicitor. Morris specialises in all aspects of public law, with a particular emphasis on social care, healthcare and education. Morris regularly acts for local authorities in matters relating to child protection and children with disabilities, adult protection and best interests determinations, applications before the Court of Protection, general community care obligations, ordinary residence disputes, mental health law, commissioning and contractual arrangement and charging. He advises local authorities and individual schools on school organisation, exclusions and admissions, SEN provision, school transport and general strategic advice. His healthcare clients include hospital and mental health trusts and ambulance services to which he provides general healthcare law advice, particularly in relation to mental health/capacity law, consent issues and provision of and withdrawal of treatment. Morris also has an interest in all aspects of public and Human Rights law and information governance. He frequently advises his public sector clients on responding to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and their obligations under data protection legislation. He also regularly provides training to lawyers, clinicians and other medical staff and local authority officers. Morris has been recognised for a number of years as a ‘Star Associate’ and ‘notable practitioner’ by Chambers & Partners in the category of Court of Protection: Health & Welfare (Public Sector Clients). He also sits as a Fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education & Social Care Chamber). Morris has acted in a number of reported and important cases, including: HH v Carmarthenshire CC & Ots [2023] EWCOP 18 (whether the same judge can make best interests decisions in respect of more than one person) Fixsler v Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust [2021] 4 WLR 123 (withdrawal of life sustaining treatment) An NHS Trust v ZA [2021] EWCOP 39 (below the knee amputation) Surrey CC v NHS Lincolnshire CCG [2021] 2 WLR 805 (claim for restitution/NHS Continuing Healthcare) A Local Authority v H (No.2) [2019] 2 WLUK 767 (capacity to have sexual relations, but not contact) R (Paul Worthington) v HM Senior Coroner for Cumbria & Others [2018] 12 WLUK 124 (challenge to Coroner’s conclusions) R (City of Wolverhampton Council) v South Worcestershire CCG & Shropshire CCG [2018] EWHC 1136 (Admin) (responsible commissioner) In The Matter of Human Fertilisation Embryology Act 2008 (Case M) [2016] Fam Law 1089 (declaration of parentage) HM Senior Coroner for Cumbria v Ian Smith [2015] Inquest LR 235 (application by Coroner to quash previous Coroner’s decision) GP v Deby City Council [2012] EWHC 1451 (consultation with NR) Wirral Borough Council v Salisbury Independent Living [2012] HLR 25 (meaning of ‘person affected’ for the purposes of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000) A Local Authority v H [2012] 1 FCR 590 (the test for capacity to enter sexual relations) R (RH) v SSHD & Wigan BC [2010] EWHC 2414 (age assessment) R (Broster & others) v Wirral BC [2010] EWHC 3086 (Refusal to provide Personal Budgets) DCC v KH [2009] (CoP) (Use of standard authorisation to return to placement) R (Culkin) v Wirral Independent Appeal Panel [2009] ELR 287 (school exclusion) W PCT v TB & S MBC, CW NHS Trust & W MBC [2010] 2 All ER 331(Mental Health Act 1983 / Mental Capacity Act 2005) R (F & Others) v Wirral BC [2009] BLGR 905 (community care / Supporting People Programme) R (Manchester CC) v St Helens BC & PE [2009] WLR (D) 319 (ordinary residence dispute) R (St Helens BC) v Manchester PCT [2008] Times, October 6 (NHS continuing healthcare) St Helens BC v PE & JW and Manchester PCT [2007] 2 FLR 1115 (best interests under the inherent jurisdiction) E v Channel 4 V Channel 4 & News International Ltd and St Helens BC [2005] 2 FLR 913 (injunction/declaratory relief) R (on the application of Haggerty & Others) v St Helens BC [2003] HLR 69 (care home closure) R v Dr Finnegan & DE ex parte Wirral Health Authority and Wirral BC [2001] MHLR 66 (effect of quashing order on MHRT decision) R v Chief Schools Adjudicator, ex p Wirral BC [2001] ELR 574 (challenge of decision of the adjudicator) R v (1) Wirral BC (2) Governors of Elleray Park School, ex p B [2001] ELR 266 (special educational needs) R v Schools Adjudicator, ex parte Metropolitan Borough of Wirral [2000] ELR 2620 (challenge of decision of the adjudicator)
James Holman

James Holman

James has been at Weightmans since 1989. After 25 years as a professional negligence litigator representing solicitors and their insurers including in relation to regulatory matters, James became full time COLP and leads a team of risk professionals with expertise in Data Protection, AML, Information security and business continuity, supplier management/ procurement, internal audit and our Legal counsel. He is also responsible for the firm’s insurance arrangements including its relationship with the London insurance market and for its Lexcel programme.
Denise Holt

Denise Holt

Denise joined Weightmans in 2009 and qualified as a Legal Executive later that year. She went on to qualify as a solicitor in 2016. Denise works in the casualty department, dealing predominantly with claims against local authorities and schools/academies. She has a local authority background having previously been employed for many years by Liverpool City Council. Her most notable case thus far is Halton Borough Council v Daniel Eric Condron (2015) in which she brought successful contempt of court proceedings which resulted in a prison sentence for Mr Condron for a false personal injury claim.
Gabrielle Hough

Gabrielle Hough

Gabrielle is a principal associate in the large loss and technical team and specialises in defending civil claims for compensation against insurance companies and the Motor Insurers' Bureau. The claimants in these claims are almost always catastrophically injured with injuries ranging from severe traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe spinal injuries resulting in paralysis. The quantum aspect of these claims invariably reaches the millions and, in light of the alteration to the discount rate, the highest reserved cases are currently circa. £30 million. She deals with motor claims as well and employers' and public liability matters and have experience in cases involving complex liability and technical and indemnity issues.
Lewis Hough

Lewis Hough

Lewis is a Legal Director working in the Weightmans Police Team based in our Liverpool office. He joined Weightmans as a qualified solicitor in 2012 and has a wide range of experience in handling civil claims. Lewis advises police forces across England and Wales regarding a range of civil liabilities including false imprisonment, assault, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, negligence, data protection issues, and claims under the Human Rights Act and Equality Act. He regularly deals with Judicial Review claims issued against police forces and local authorities. Lewis also frequently handles high value personal injury claims brought by police officers for stress at work or arising from serious accidents sustained on duty. In recent years Lewis has handled a number of high-profile, complex cases involving public order incidents and protests. He has also successfully handled large group litigation of national importance such as the claim brought by over 400 Royalty and Specialist Protection Officers against the Metropolitan Police for unpaid overtime and allowances totalling approximately £25 million - Prior & Others v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2023] Civ 32. Lewis also regularly deals with Judicial Review claims issued against police forces and local authorities. In recent years Lewis has handled a number of high-profile complex actions involving public order incidents and protests. He has also successfully handled large group litigation of national importance such as the claim brought by over 400 Royalty and Specialist Protection Officers against the Metropolitan Police for unpaid overtime and allowances totalling approximately £25 million - Prior & Others v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2023] Civ 32.
Sarah-Jane Howitt

Sarah-Jane Howitt

Sarah-Jane joined Weightmans in 2006 as Director of Business Development and Marketing. In 2014 she became the firm's first non-lawyer Business Services Partner. She has over 20 years' experience gained in marketing and business development roles within professional services firms. She has an MBA and is a CIM Chartered Marketer. Sarah-Jane sits on the firm's Operations Board and is responsible for client relationship management, new business creation and internal and external communications activity. Her team's success has been recognised with several awards - the Law Society Excellence Award for Marketing and Business Development Team of the Year (2010), the Innovation Award at the Association of Proposal Management Professionals Awards (2013) and the Client Management Award at the Legal Week Innovation Awards (2016). Sarah-Jane was named in the NW Insider Women 100 List 2014 and Women of Influence List 2015.
Roland Hutchins

Roland Hutchins

Roland is a partner in Weightmans' corporate team. Based at the Liverpool office, Roland has over 20 years’ experience in dealing with mergers, acquisitions and disposals; corporate finance; private equity investment and joint ventures.  Roland has particular expertise in advising clients on non-transactional corporate and company law matters including group structures; corporate governance; share structures and reorganisations.  Roland has also accumulated considerable experience advising mid-tier corporates working closely alongside general counsels and assuming a role of trusted adviser in respect of corporate governance and structure in addition to advising on commercial contracts including supply of goods and services, agency and distribution, terms of trade and intellectual property licensing. Roland’s diversity of skills and respected judgment has seen him appointed to the role of in house legal counsel for Weightmans from May 2021.  Prior to taking on the legal counsel role, Roland was responsible for operational management of the corporate team nationally across London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds. In addition to his role as in house legal counsel, Roland continues to provide legal advice to a small number of select clients of the firm comprising owner-managed businesses and mid-tier corporates operating in the manufacturing, logistics and retail sectors.
Ciara Jenkins

Ciara Jenkins

Ciara is an Associate in the Employment, Pensions and Immigration Team. Ciara advises employers on the full spectrum of employment law across a number of sectors, with significant experience in the retail sector in particular. Ciara’s non-contentious experience includes drafting employment contracts, service agreements, settlement agreements and employment policies and procedures. She advises clients on general day-to-day employment issues such as disciplinary and grievance procedures, managing sickness absence and managed exits as well as HR projects such as redundancies and restructures. Ciara’s practice also includes the provision of employment support in commercial and corporate matters, often involving the application of TUPE. On the contentious side, Ciara acts for employer clients defending Employment Tribunal claims and she has dealt with claims involving unfair dismissal, constructive dismissal, redundancy, whistleblowing and complex discrimination. Ciara also has experience of preparing and presenting training on a variety of topics, including employment law updates and managing performance and malingerers.
Richard Jolly

Richard Jolly

Richard is the national head of our health sector practice and has overall responsibility for leading on the delivery of legal services to existing and new health sector clients. This entails enhancing the quality of the legal services we provide, the development of new products and new markets. Richard sits on the NHS Resolution steering group. This group is tasked with improving KPIs, and identifying how we might best support NHS Resolution in meeting its strategic aims. Richard has been an NHS Resolution Nominated Partner for nearly 20 years for both clinical and non-clinical claims. He leads internally on our non-clinical offering, working closely with NHS Resolution management teams to help them meet the challenges presented by this ever-changing sector. Richard is the client partner for a number of NHS Trusts, focussing on patient safety and helping them identify the learning from incidents, inquests, complaints and claims and how to embed improvements. Richard has become a trusted adviser to a number of healthcare organisations, such as NWAS, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS FT and Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS FT, with the result that Weightmans are now instructed by these Trusts on inquests, and investigations but often on employment, commercial law and property transactions.
Gary Jones

Gary Jones

Gary qualified in 1989 with Alsop Wilkinson in London (now DLA Piper). In 1991 he returned to the north and for four years worked at Aaron & Partners in Chester. He moved to Mace & Jones in 1995 and became a partner in the corporate department in Liverpool in 1997. Mace & Jones merged into Weightmans in May 2011. Gary offers a wide range of expertise to a varied client base including owner managed businesses, large corporates, universities and the regional venture finance holding fund North West Business Finance Limited. He advises clients on all aspects of corporate work, nationally and internationally, from starting up, shareholders agreements, mergers and acquisitions, MBOs, joint ventures, private equity, fundraising and AIM floatations. Gary advises local authorities, universities, venture capital funds and public and private companies on State aid compliance. Feedback from DCMS state aid team is that the state aid review letter has been the best and most comprehensive they have to date seen across all the Waves of the Local Full Fibre Projects and has now set a new benchmark on quality expected going forward. Gary is the partner principally responsible for the firm's relationship with Legalink, the international network of 70 independent law firms. Gary has helped lead the Legalink network through its management committee since 2013 and was appointed Legalink Chair for two years from October 2017. Gary is actively involved with the International Bar Association and is a member of the IBA Mergers and Acquisitions Committee and Space Law Committee.
Keith Jones

Keith Jones

Keith Jones is an partner based in Weightmans' Liverpool office. Keith specialises in occupational disease claims, principally work related upper limb disease such as HAVS and CTS and NIHL claims. He also deals with and has a wide range of experience in relation to respiratory diseases, repetitive strain injuries and asbestos related conditions. Keith joined Weightmans in 2001 and has been part of the disease Unit from its inception in 2005. In particular Keith has acted for local authorities across England and Wales in relation to NIHL and HAVS cases and manages a team of specialist disease lawyers acting for local authorities and other public sector employers and utility companies. Keith has significant experience and expertise in dealing with claims for local authorities, colleges and other public authorities. Expertise on issues of corporate and successor liability arising from transfer of liability under TUPE and on local government reorganisation. Occupational asthma and other respiratory diseases arising from exposure to various agents. Keith's particular expertise is Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome including tranches of cases involving ground maintenance staff and low level intermittent exposure in light industry successfully defended on the grounds that level of knowledge and exposure was insufficient to give rise to foreseeable risk. Keith works with local authorities and utility companies reviewing their HAVS, health and safety and occupational health referral policies.
Kieran Jones

Kieran Jones

Kieran is head of our insurance segment. A highly experienced litigator who acts for insurers, public authorities and international commercial organisations, he has significant experience in defendant insurance litigation particularly in high value and high profile sensitive cases. Kieran is also actively involved with and sits on the Board of  Insurance Law Global, an international network of "best in class" insurance law firms. He is a regular commentator in the insurance and wider press and a frequent presenter. Memberships include the Law Society, Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL), AIRMIC, Chartered Insurance Institute and Insurance & Reinsurance Legacy Association (IRLA). Kieran is ranked in Chambers & Partners UK and a recommended lawyer in Legal 500.
Robert Jones

Robert Jones

Robert has over 30 years' experience in commercial dispute resolution and was national head of the practice area until May 2017. He has extensive experience of complex commercial contract disputes, Commercial Court and TCC work, insolvency matters, partnership disputes, property disputes and ADR. He has undertaken mediations for clients for over twenty-five years and has undertaken mediator training. Robert works closely and regularly with Corporate clients’ in house General Counsel. Clients span a variety of sectors but include; pharmaceutical, manufacturing, energy, tech to name but a few. Throughout his career he has also acted and continues to act for insurers (principally financial lines) in high value or sensitive cases) and also for financial institutions. Robert specialises in complex commercial disputes including shareholder disputes, intellectual property issues, data protection, professional negligence and trust and probate disputes. He is engaged in helping clients to pursue recoveries (including in the context of unjust enrichment claims) and, to prevent dissipation of assets and to take preventative and defensive steps arising out of employee breach of restrictive covenants and third-party dishonesty as well as frequently dealing with the reputation management issues for clients in the local and national press and other media including social media. Rob has also advised on IT issues and disputes concerning IT agreements. In respect of professional negligence, he has, throughout his career, advised insurer clients and their insureds in respect of claims brought against licensed conveyancers and other professionals. He has provided advice to clients in relation to contracts awarded following a public procurement process and in relation to Judicial Review matters. In relation to insolvency matters, Rob has experience in dealing with both corporate insolvency actions and all aspects of personal insolvency. He has acted for directors facing claims by office holders and for parties subject to or enforcing personal guarantees. He has advised on RoT claims, undervalue and preference claims and all other manner of corporate disputes. Robert’s strong client focused relationships are based upon incisive commercial advice at the outset and regular management information tailored to meet the clients’ requirements. He is frequently recommended by other firms of solicitors and counsel to prospective clients. Robert’s team wone “Litigation Team of the Year” at the 2022 Manchester Legal Awards. He is listed is a “Ranked Lawyer” for litigation in the 2024 Chambers Directory and has been for several years. Robert is also ranked in the Legal 500. The 2024 edition comments “A reputed practitioner in the dispute resolution sphere, Robert Jones continues to build an impressive portfolio of high value Inheritance Act claims and will challenges on the grounds of capacity and fraud”. Robert Jones is 'one of the leading litigators around who has seen and done it all in terms of litigation. Respected by clients and opponents alike and someone you want in your corner if you are facing any heavy and difficult litigation.' 'A strong leader driving a strong team'; he 'grasps issues quickly, and has a pragmatic and commercial approach' - Legal 500. In 2019, Robert was awarded the Acritas Star, an accolade given to those identified as a client-nominated, stand-out lawyer in private practice. A recent professional services client commented "A massive thank you to David McGuire and Robert Jones from Weightmans LLP for their efforts over the last few months. I highly recommend these professionals to fight your corner with the peace of mind that you are in a safe pair of hands."
Stuart Jones

Stuart Jones

Stuart is Director of Legal Operations for the Litigation, Transactional and Advisory division of Weightmans. He has over 30 years' experience of employment law, and has an impeccable reputation for commercial and pragmatic advice, particularly specialising in providing advice on commercial situations involving TUPE, reorganisations and collective issues. Stuart proactively contributes to client profitability through analysis of management information and translation of key learning points into corporate training programmes. He is client partner for a range of clients including Swissport, Mitsubishi/Hitachi Power Systems Europe and East West Insurance Company and deputy client partner for Royal Mail Group plc, in addition to advising other legal firms on their employment law issues. Stuart frequently presents at seminars and conferences on HR issues and regularly contributes to national and local publications.
Rachael Keightley

Rachael Keightley

Rachael is team manager of one of our Liverpool disease teams, dealing exclusively with disease claims including asbestos-related diseases, noise induced hearing loss, HAVS and upper limb disorders. She has been with Weightmans since qualifying in 2013 and has acted for a diverse range of clients including multi-national self insureds, local authorities and the disease legacy market. Rachael has successfully defended claims on grounds of limitation, breach and causation and has been involved in defending a tranche of disease claims against a large insured which has required a detailed understanding not only of the litigation process but also of resolving complex corporate and insurance histories.
Vincent King

Vincent King

Vincent is a projects and commercial lawyer. He advises public sector clients on capital projects, contracts and service delivery models including the establishment of wholly owned companies, outsourcing, partnerships and joint ventures. Vincent has established a variety of contractual and corporate structures including shared services arrangements between public bodies. He also advises on the associated funding arrangements including grants. He acts for different types of public sector bodies including clients in the local government, emergency services, education, health and housing sectors. Vincent has a good understanding of procurement law. He has advised in particular on stand-alone procurements and call-offs under frameworks, the availability of exemptions including the in-house exemption and public sector co-operation arrangements, and contract variations. He has also advised extensively on the application of the procurement rules to projects involving the development of land. He also advises private sector clients on contracts with public sector bodies, outsourcing, supply agreements and joint ventures.
Rachel Lim

Rachel Lim

Rachel is a Partner within the family team. She qualified in 2003 and is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Children Cases and Complex (middle/high value) financial remedy cases. Rachel specialises exclusively in family law and embraces the varied work this area of law has to offer. She has a wealth of experience in advising clients on all aspects of relationship breakdown. In particular, Rachel has expertise in the following areas: -Divorce; -Matrimonial finance – complex high value cases involving companies, trusts, pension sharing, overseas assets and inherited wealth; -Children Act applications including Child Arrangements Orders, Specific Issue, Prohibited Steps and Removal from the Jurisdiction; -Cohabitees disputes; -Schedule 1 applications; -Variation of maintenance; -Prenuptial/separation agreements; and -Enforcement. Rachel has a particular interest in modern family law issues and recognises that over the last few decades family structures have changed dramatically. Consequently, she welcomes new enquiries from individuals in same sex relationships and those considering surrogacy or co-parenting agreements. Rachel enjoys working closely with clients to help them negotiate the legal and other issues which flow from relationship breakdown. Rachel is known for her empathetic nature and approachable manner which readily sets clients at ease. She is always meticulously prepared and adopts a sensible and pragmatic approach to all of her cases. She gains considerable satisfaction in achieving a good outcome for her clients. Rachel is recognised as a Next Generation Partner by the Legal 500 having previously been singled out as a Rising Star every year from 2019. She has also been ranked as “Up and Coming” by Chambers and Partners for 2024 and 2025. She is described as “extremely personable” and has been praised for her "confidence, clarity and professionalism." Rachel is part of the winning team named Family Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards.
Roddy MacLeod

Roddy MacLeod

Roddy deals with employers' and public liability claims. He has particular experience in workplace stress claims both arising out of overwork cases and harassment. He has lectured on the subject of stress and written a number of published articles. He has dealt with over a thousand stress claims involving overwork bullying and harassment and is often instructed pre litigation and even on occasions before a claim has been made. His stress work also includes claims resulting from violent acts such as the Court of Appeal case of Mitchell and others v United Co-operatives [2012] a case involving shop workers who experienced multiple violent robberies. The successful result was said to have saved the retail industry millions of pounds. Stress is now acknowledged by the Health & Safety Executive to be the most common reason for someone to be off work and is becoming a popular new work stream for claimant lawyers. Stress claims also produce reputational issues for employers especially ones involving allegations of sexual harassment. They tend to be of interest to senior Directors of companies and, as such, require discrete handling for which Roddy is known. Stress claims can be brought in an Employment Tribunal or the County/High Courts. Roddy has experience of the cross overs between the jurisdictions which can be used to bring claims to a satisfactory conclusion. He has dealt with a number of catastrophic injury claims and in particular, spinal and brain injury cases. In addition, he has a wide experience of Occupiers Liability Act claims, having dealt with the leading House of Lords case Tomlinson v Congleton [2003]which has been used in countless claims subsequently to successfully defend claims against occupiers of land. Subsequently he took the case of Poppleton v TPYAC[2008] to the Court of Appeal. That claim involved an accident at an indoor climbing centre. The successful defence was welcomed by the sporting press as was the result in the potential £6 million pounds claim of Grimes v Hawkins [2011]- a swimming pool case, where the successful defence was described as a life line of common sense. In all his cases Roddy appreciates that it is key to find out what success looks like for his clients. Do they wish to defend to trial or is the disposal of the claim quickly and on the best terms the definition of success.
Sandra Macmichael

Sandra Macmichael

Sandra is an associate within the counter fraud group. She deals with low velocity impacts, staged and induced collisions, exaggerated claims, bogus passengers and no knowledge claims.  She currently acts on behalf of numerous bus and coach firms.   Sandra has had numerous success at court in findings of fundamental dishonesty and applications to set aside QOCS thereby recovering the client’s costs. Sandra also specialises in recovery of monies from claimants whose claims have been struck out, discontinued or lost at trial. This can include charging orders placed on peoples properties, attachment of earnings, involvement of the High Court Enforcement Officers, statutory demands and bankruptcy proceedings. 
Alex Marler

Alex Marler

Alex defends professionals facing negligence claims, chiefly in the construction sector, including engineers, architects, design-and-build contractors and surveyors. Alex is skilled in analysing the legal and practical issues in a claim, and gathering and deploying the evidence and arguments in his client’s favour.  This has helped many clients walk away from trial with the claims against them dismissed, and brought many more to successful negotiated conclusion where that is the best outcome. Alex also specialises in insurance coverage disputes, dealing with issues such as fair presentation, breaches of policy conditions, the effect of exclusions, aggregation and double-insurance. A current highlight is a matter in which the Court of Appeal is set to determine a point of law regarding limitation in Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010 claims.  The outcome will be of some significance to all liability insurers, and those seeking to bring claims against them. Alex is recognised by clients for his technical ability, innovation, clarity and pragmatism.
John McArdle

John McArdle

John joined Weightmans in 2008 and is an Associate in the Employment, Pensions and Immigration team in Liverpool. He acts for private and public sector clients and specialises in complex respondent Employment Tribunal litigation. John has a broad experience of providing both non-contentious and contentious employment advice to commercial clients, including senior executives. He provides policy and operational advice to FTSE 100 clients and local authorities on a range of issues, including diversity, sick absence management, performance and capability, misconduct and contractual issues. He is an experienced advocate and regularly undertakes advocacy at final hearings in the Employment Tribunals. John presents Weightmans seminars and in house training sessions for clients. He also writes articles which are published in the HR press. John is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Lois McArdle

Lois McArdle

Lois has specialised in employment law since qualifying at Weightmans in 2008. She advises on the full range of employment issues and works on a significant number of complex advisory matters for both public and private sector clients. Lois provides day-to-day support for a wide range of clients on the full spectrum of employment matters, including contracts of employment, grievances, disciplinary matters, performance and capability and settlement agreements. She provides training to clients and regularly undertakes Employment Tribunal advocacy for national and regional organisations. Lois works closely with the pensions team at Weightmans providing employment law support on a range of issues including consultation processes, implementing amendments to employees’ contracts of employment and managing employees who object to changes.
Suzanne Milne

Suzanne Milne

Suzanne is the partner who heads up the Manchester local government team. She has represented numerous local authority clients in relation to their litigation claims since qualification in 1999. She continues to handle a wide range of complex cases for her local authority clients with expertise in employers' liability, public liability, child protection cases, assault cases, subsidence claims and high value quantum cases. Sue also advises on highway codes of practice, risk management and internal processes and has a specialist interest in counter fraud. Suzanne regularly delivers a range of training topics to her client organisations including specific training packages tailored to the needs of individual departments. She also speaks at national seminars on behalf of the local government group and at regional local authority events and conferences.
Colette Morgan-Ford

Colette Morgan-Ford

Colette is our Head of Construction and is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ in the Legal 500 directory. She has worked in private practice for over 20 years, including 10 years at Pinsent Masons. She has significant experience in dispute resolution and strategic advice in relation to construction and engineering projects.  Colette is known for providing clear and direct advice which enables clients to achieve their objectives commercially and cost effectively. She has represented contractors, sub contractors, professional consultants, employers and developers through adjudication, litigation, mediation and arbitration (both domestically and internationally). Colette has a wide perspective in the sector and has advised on the standard form suite of contracts (e.g. FIDIC, JCT, NEC), bespoke contracts and complex PFI/PPP contracts, including associated step down agreements.  Colette's relevant experience includes: \tActing for an international contractor in a series of multi-million US Dollar disputes in ICC arbitration in relation to extension of time and money claims under EPC contracts for a project in the Middle East. \tActing for a leading European contractor in a multi-million Euro dispute in ICC arbitration in relation to defects and delays on luxury hotel project in Azerbaijan. \tActing for a global engineering consultant in relation to a multi party/action/million pound UK dispute in the Technology Construction court in relation to ground movement suffered at a national UK distribution centre. \tActing for a police authority in a dispute with a leading contractor in connection with performance failures under an NEC Term Service Contract for repairs and maintenance works. \tActing for an international facilities management contractor in connection with a multi-million pound dispute with the MOD. concerning variations under a NEC Term Service Contract for the provision of (among other) management, administration and site maintenance on a number of air weapons range training sites. \tProviding strategic advice and acting in adjudications on PFI disputes across various sectors (health, education and social housing) including disputes on unavailability deductions. \tActing for an employer against a contractor on a marine project in relation to defective construction works which caused a significant sinkhole and resulted in extensive remedial works. \tActing for M&E Engineers in adjudication against a design and build contractor in relation to contra charges wrongfully levied. \tActing for a Design and Build contractor in adjudication against an Architect in relation to defective design works.
Victoria Morris

Victoria Morris

Vicky joined Weightmans in 1986 as an articled clerk and became a partner in 1992. She specialises in clinical negligence. She deals mostly with high value cases or those with unusual or novel issues including pre-issue resolution of a potential claim by mediation in which it was sought to expand the duty of care owed by the NHS and advising on management of a major patient safety incident relating to over 1,000 patients. She acted for one of the core particpants at the Mid Staffordshire Public Inquiry and has been involved in a number of group actions. More recently she acted for the blood service and predecessor bodies, core participants in relation the Infected Blood Inquiry and on related claims. Her particular interests are patient safety, mediation and the strategic management of claims. She has advised on aspects of law change and policy development but is most interested in working with the NHS on initiatives to reduce avoidable harm.
Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy

Michael is a Partner in the corporate and commercial team and leads the Owner Managed Business Sector in Liverpool, having joined the firm in November 2019. Michael advises on a range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital investments, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and general corporate governance matters. He has particular expertise in acting for owner managed businesses, from inception through to receipt of investment, buy and build strategies and exit. Michael’s experience includes advising listed companies, private companies, private equity houses, management teams and entrepreneurs. Michael is ranked as a Next Generation Partner in The Legal 500, Corporate and Commercial: Liverpool. He is a ranked lawyer in the Chambers and Partners Guide 2025, for M&A in the North West. Michael’s recent work highlights include: Advising the shareholders of Ventcroft Limited in their sale to NKT Group. Acting on behalf of the Management Team of Vivify Venues Limited on their receipt of investment from Arete Capital Partners. Advising the shareholders of MD Insurance Services Limited in their sale to HSB Engineering Insurance Limited, a subsidiary of Munich Re. Acting on behalf of Orange Property Services (Liverpool) Limited in its acquisition of Fit Property Lettings and Management Limited. Advising the shareholders of Tuffx Processed Glass Limited on their sale to and receipt of investment from Alcuin Capital Partners. Advising the shareholders of Design Reality Limited on their sale to Full Support Healthcare Limited. Advising the shareholders of EDP Engineering on their sale to RSK Group. Advising the shareholders of Online Legal Limited in their sale to Blume Acting on behalf of River Capital in their investment in Baron’s (Fylde Coast) Supplies Limited “Michael Murphy - very helpful, commercial and pragmatic. Very experienced. Eleanor Baird - very helpful, commercial and pragmatic.' Legal 500 2025 “Michael Murphy provides excellent pragmatic commercial advice whilst also being extremely good technically. This ethos flows through to Francesca Hillyard, who provides strength through the deal making team.' Legal 500 2025 “Michael is an exceptional lawyer with a down-to-earth commercial and pragmatic approach.” Chambers 2025
Louise Mutch

Louise Mutch

Louise joined Weightmans in 2006 and is a Partner in the Large Loss team.  She specialises in catastrophic personal injury including traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries and amputation. Louise especially enjoys diversity of the work as she deals with a wide range of motor, employers' liability and public liability catastrophic personal injury claims. She is known for her pragmatic approach.  Her role is client focused and she tailors her approach to meet her client's specific requirements.
Karen Neald

Karen Neald

Karen has experience and knowledge in all aspects of housing management disputes on behalf of a number of housing associations and other landlords and also deals with commercial landlords. Karen has previously been a leading contact dealing with bulk gas injunctions and other access applications. Karen created a bespoke flow case management system to deal with bulk applications and has provided training and advice to clients on access proceedings and enforcement options as well as other forms of housing management issues. Her experience includes possession, removal of squatters in both commercial and residential premises and disrepair claims as well as injunctive action in matters involving both anti-social behaviour and unlawful eviction. Karen has successfully obtained numerous anti-social behaviour injunctions, undertakings and exclusion orders against individuals, including orders to exclude individuals from their own homes. Karen has dealt with committal applications following breaches of injunctions and undertakings. She has also sought injunction orders on the grounds of anti-social behaviour and regularly advises clients on evidence gathering and preparation of statements and evidence for Court hearings. Karen deals with all aspects of housing disrepair for landlords and Karen regularly advises clients on other housing management issues such as rent possession proceedings, succession, mutual exchange, rent increases, home loss payments, unlawful occupation as well as leaseholder issues. Karen also deals with mortgagee in possession proceedings for private lenders and commercial lenders up to and including eviction if that becomes necessary. Karen has also given a number of in-house seminars/training workshops to clients on housing related topics. Karen appears as an advocate in the county court on ASB and other injunctive action in not only matters of ASB but also in relation to access and possession. Karen has experience in dealing with lease extensions of flats and houses and also notice to purchase freehold titles as well as being able to deal with lease renewals and court proceedings in relation to lease renewals as required. Karen also deals with neighbour disputes including boundary disputes and adverse possession claims of land and has successfully obtained both recovery of land and acquisition of land for both commercial and residential clients. Karen also deals with any issues concerning the Party Wall Act and Access to Neighbouring land and also has experience in relation to queries on service charges. Karen also has experience in representing landlords in all manner of commercial property disputes including lease renewal proceedings (both opposed and unopposed) dealing with relevant notices and proceedings where required. However Karen has specific expertise in removal of trespassers, housing disrepair and other housing management related topics.
Louise Neave

Louise Neave

Louise has extensive experience of advising in relation to UK and international financial services regulation and best practice. She joins Weightmans LLP from DLA Piper LLP where she was a Legal Director with responsibility for the firm’s consumer finance practice. Louise focusses on providing consumer finance legal and regulatory advice to a diverse range of clients including high street and challenger banks, finance houses, high street retailers, motor finance providers/manufacturers, point of sale lenders, store card providers, brokers and debt managers/collectors. She typically advises on the development of innovative credit/hire products; requirements for becoming and being FCA authorised and regulated to undertake various consumer credit related activities, including consideration of exemptions; how to compliantly enter and operate credit/hire agreements; drafting of credit/hire agreements; due diligence and funding arrangements involving portfolios of regulated credit/hire agreements; brokerage agreements; affinity agreements; financial promotions and advertising clearance; regulatory changes; FOS complaints; and FCA investigations. Louise has also held various in-house legal advisory and management roles in the UK financial services sector, including at RBS Insurance, where she headed a legal team servicing the legal needs of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Insurance Division businesses (including Direct Line Insurance plc, Churchill Insurance Limited, NIG, Privilege Insurance) and a senior policy role in a leading market financial services regulator in the Middle East, where she was responsible for developing the regulatory framework for Banks, Insurers and Asset Managers and for promoting international cooperation.
Philip Nicholas

Philip Nicholas

Philip is currently a principal associate in the Manchester Large Loss team with over 10 years’ experience in dealing with motor claims. Prior to working in his current role, Philip worked in the commercial insurance team handling a variety of employers’ liability, public liability, product liability and stress claims. As a member of the large loss team, Philip has considerable experience dealing with cases with complicated indemnity issues and liability disputes. Philip in particular acts for the firm’s key clients dealing with complex orthopaedic cases, in addition to cases with complicating factors, mild traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain. He is well known for pro-active, commercial and pragmatic approach to claims, to ensure optimal resolution at the earliest possible opportunity. Philip is a member of the vulnerable road users’ group within Weightmans, and is the motorcycle lead. He also has specific interest in cycling, e-bikes and e-scooters, and has written numerous articles for internal and external publication, and has also provided numerous training seminars and presentations internally, and to external clients. He is also a member of the firm’s internal advocacy unit, and regularly conducts case management and procedural hearings, and interlocutory applications. Outside of work Philip is a keen golfer and wine enthusiast, with a WSET level 2 qualification.
Suzanne Nulty

Suzanne Nulty

In March 2020, Suzanne returned to Weightmans, where she trained, after 17 years elsewhere practising employment law, predominantly for the Health sector. She continues to provide advice and representation in litigious and non-contentious matters throughout the employment law field. This often includes detailed advice on the full range of potential discrimination and whistleblowing claims, as well as TUPE. Suzanne’s reputation is for a detailed and forensic, yet practical approach, delivered in a straightforward and supportive way. As well as her specialist experience in advising on complex and contentious internal processes, including for doctors’ and senior executives’ contractual and disciplinary cases, Suzanne is well versed in the governance aspects of senior-level public sector employment issues. She also advises on TUPE issues arising in public sector reorganisations. Suzanne delivers bespoke training for clients on subjects such as whistleblowing, redundancy and TUPE consultation, disciplinary and grievance investigations and capability/performance and absence management. Experience Successful strike out applications at preliminary hearing stage of two constructive unfair dismissal claims (upheld by Court of Appeal) Advice to foundation trust governors in an unprecedented investigation into anonymous whistleblowing allegations against senior non executives Advice to board of governors about process for removal of senior non executives Advice to medical and HR directors on various Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) processes for doctors' disciplinary and capability processes Review and advice on updating executive contracts Advice on negotiating agreed termination of senior executive and drafting/negotiating consequent settlement agreements.
Ian Pace

Ian Pace

Ian acts for a wide range of private and public sector clients and advises on all areas of employment and discrimination law. He has considerable experience in acting for NHS Trusts and healthcare clients generally and also advises employers in the education, retail and insurance sectors. He has a particular interest in whistleblowing and all areas of discrimination, including disability and age. Ian regularly speaks at conferences and seminars and provides bespoke in-house training on a range of employment and equality issues.
Stephen Peacock

Stephen Peacock

Steve has spent his entire legal career at Weightmans. He is an experienced employment lawyer and advocate and is also regional office head for Liverpool. Steve has in depth experience of employment law issues arising in both public and private organisations and has a particular expertise in the education sector where he regularly advises a large portfolio of university, school and college clients. Steve also acts for a number of police forces and has comprehensive knowledge of the application of police regulations to serving officers, in addition to advising on complex employment tribunal disputes involving serving officers and civilian employees such as disability, race and sex discrimination claims. Steve handles boardroom disputes, facilitates senior executive terminations and manages employment related project work. He regularly undertakes advocacy at the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeals Tribunal and has a formidable 'win' record. Steve focuses on providing straightforward and practical advice mainly to employers to achieve outcome based solutions. In May 2015, Steve was awarded the Higher Rights of Audience (HRA) qualification. This allows Steve to represent clients as a solicitor-advocate in the higher civil courts throughout England and Wales. The HRA qualification recognises Steve’s enhanced advocacy capabilities and enables him to offer a cost-efficient and complete service for clients.
Linzi Perriman

Linzi Perriman

Linzi is an experienced family law Associate and collaborative lawyer who resolves conflict arising from family relationships and helps clients to future proof their wealth. Linzi advises on all aspects of relationship breakdown including divorce and dissolution of civil partnerships, cohabitation, variation of maintenance cases as well as pre and post nuptial agreements with a particular interest in complex children law proceedings. These include applications relating to whom a child should live with and spend time with, disputes over schooling, relocation applications for permission to move both inside and outside of England and Wales and cases involving domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse. Linzi adopts a constructive and conciliatory approach to cases, with resolution in mind utilising the most appropriate method for the client, whether that be solicitor assisted mediation, solicitor led negotiation, collaborative practice, arbitration or court proceedings. As a collaboratively trained practitioner, Linzi can offer clients a 'better way to divorce' and resolve the financial aspects of relationship breakdown giving clients a greater degree of control over the process and the ability to focus on specific needs whilst working closely with other lawyers committed to avoiding court proceedings. During the process, Linzi works collaboratively as part of a team with other professionals and with clients to find solutions that work for their family as a whole. Linzi is a member of the Manchester Family Dispute Resolution Group. Clients describe Linzi as "professional, honest and extremely conscientious", "fantastic in every way" and "caring and brilliant throughout". Linzi is known for her detailed and focused advice in delivering results for clients and consistently goes the extra mile offering a bespoke service resulting in regular referrals from existing and previous clients and other professionals. Linzi is an active member of Resolution and currently sits on the Manchester Young Resolution Committee providing seminars, training and events to other family lawyers.
Mark Poulston

Mark Poulston

Mark heads the pensions team at Weightmans. He acts for private and public sector clients on a wide range of pension law matters including risk transfer projects, scheme amendment and termination projects, the resolution of pensions disputes and the pensions aspects of corporate transactions.  Mark also specialises in group life insurance schemes. Mark has been described by the Legal 500 directory as "having a wealth of pensions experience" gained from over 30 years of pensions practice. He has practical experience of scheme management and trusteeship. Mark is a Fellow of the Pensions Management Institute, a Chartered Insurance Practitioner and a full member of the Association of Pension Lawyers.
Paul Raftery

Paul Raftery

Paul is head of the OMB segment at Weightmans, having been the head of corporate and commercial at Weightmans and at Mace & Jones prior to its merger with Weightmans in 2011. Paul has over 20 years' experience through fluctuating economic cycles in advising businesses and their owners and directors on their corporate affairs. Paul’s clients range from technology and entrepreneurial start-ups at one extreme to established private and public companies at the other. Paul advises sellers and buyers on disposal and acquisitions, from strategy and planning stages through to completion. Paul also advises clients on fundraising and investments, group reorganisations and restructuring. In addition to transactional advice, Paul advises owners and directors on their duties and responsibilities and on corporate governance and compliance. Non-transactional advice also includes advice on joint venture and shareholder arrangements and other partnering relationships. Paul regularly advises non-UK companies, listed and private, in relation to their UK subsidiaries and UK acquisition strategy and on cross border acquisitions and joint ventures. Transactions he has acted on in the last 18 months include the purchase by Sonoco of Plastique Holdings Limited (as part of its acquisition of Thermoform), the sale of Caunce O’Hara Insurance Brokers Limited to Markel Capital Holdings Limited and the purchase of Macclesfield Town Football Club. Whilst advising clients across a wide range of sectors, Paul has particular expertise in sectors as diverse as packaging, logistics, property and construction, professional services and commercial vehicle distribution and services. He also advises both universities and their academics in relation to university spin-outs and related fundraising.
Andrew Roberts

Andrew Roberts

Andrew is a Partner in the Litigation team at Weightmans and has well over 30 years' experience of handling and resolving commercial disputes and litigation, all of which has been gained at leading national and global law firms in the UK. In recent years, Andrew has led work on a number of significant and complex cases proceeding in the Commercial Court, Mercantile Court and Court of Appeal. Andrew's specialist areas of practice within commercial litigation include: \tadvising in relation to contract disputes (including contract interpretation, enforcement and termination) \twarranty claims arising from the sale and purchase of companies \tshareholder disputes (including claims of unfair prejudice) \tintellectual property matters (including breach of copyright, trademark infringement and passing off) \tdefamation \tIT disputes including contracts for the supply of software \tfranchising disputes (including those involving international franchisors) \tjoint venture disputes \tthe enforcement of restrictive covenants and the protection of confidential information \tadvising on claims for compensation by commercial agents \tprocurement disputes He is experienced in managing electronic disclosure in litigation proceedings and in advising clients on appropriate and cost-effective strategies for dealing with electronic disclosure. Andrew has helped numerous clients to settle their disputes either before or during litigation by way of Alternative Dispute Resolution and in particular by way of mediation. He is also National Sector Lead for Manufacturing at Weightmans and a member of the firm's Education Sector group acting as lead Partner for Further Education. Andrew acts for a broad range of clients ranging from large corporates, owner-managed businesses and private individuals as well as universities, further education colleges, local authorities and charities. Prior to joining Weightmans in December 2013, Andrew spent over 20 years at DLA Piper in Liverpool where he had been a Partner since 2007. He is a member of the Society for Computers and Law.
Haydn Rogan

Haydn Rogan

  Haydn is a tax partner who provides tax advice and support across all the commercial practice areas. He is a dual-qualified solicitor and chartered accountant with over 20 years' experience advising on corporate, employment and property tax issues. Haydn is recognised as a leading individual in Legal 500 and recommended in Chambers for his commercial and practical tax advice and has extensive experience in advising management teams, companies, private equity houses and investors on a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions, ranging from mergers, acquisitions, reconstructions and disposals to the structuring of tax-efficient joint ventures and investments. Haydn has particular expertise in advising on the design and implementation of a broad range of employee share schemes and equity incentive arrangements and regularly advises both public and private sector clients on the tax aspects (and tax-efficient structuring) of land and property transactions (ranging from SDLT and VAT to capital allowances and the Construction Industry Scheme).
Neal Samarji

Neal Samarji

Neal has been an insurance litigation specialist lawyer from the start of his career in 1992. He was head of insurance litigation at Elliotts where he spent 11 years before joining Weightmans in 2003. Neal has significant experience in defendant insurance litigation particularly high value and sensitive injury litigation including catastrophic injuries. Neal's work is divided between his legal practice and managing client relationships where his approach is pro-active and focused in providing solutions and value to clients' needs. Memberships include the Law Society and Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).
John Schorah

John Schorah

John was our Managing Partner from 2013 until 2025. Prior to that, he was Weightmans' Commercial Director for 6 years, overseeing the 300% growth in that part of the business during that time. John joined Weightmans having been a CEO of a listed public company in the entertainment industry. During his time on Weightmans' board, John oversaw the firm's acquisitions, opening of new offices, overhauled the partnership remuneration structure and seen the firm's overall revenues rise from £43.8m in 2007 to £100m. Consistently accredited both in the Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a leading individual in corporate work, clients have recognised John as having a "pragmatic and commercially realistic approach", and noted his "extensive experience of corporate transactional, corporate structures and commercial contract work". John's clients range from technology companies and IT suppliers to a variety of private and public sector concerns who outsource the supply of technology and provision of IT services. John has extensive experience in preparing and negotiating innovative contracting arrangements which best fit the specific needs of our clients. He spent 3 years in industry as managing director of a plc technology company so has an authentic perspective of clients’ commercial needs.
Adele Shortman

Adele Shortman

Adele has extensive quality experience advising, training and representing SME and Corporate business’ on employee relations and all ancillary employment law issues. Her expertise and insight allied to her friendly manner fosters a very good rapport with clients, so she quickly grasps their business requirements, values and culture. She focuses on the key issues. She forensically breaks cases down delivering clear and pragmatic solutions tailored to the needs of your business. She acts for a host of loyal manufacturing and retail brands, blue chip companies and SMEs. Her considerable expertise in the manufacturing and retail sectors, includes assisting them with complex change management programmes, advising, supporting and coaching teams of HR Managers in significant restructures with reputational implications for their business whilst enhancing their brand. Adele is an experienced and persuasive advocate in the Employment Tribunal. She has many successful experiences of judicial and private mediation. Adele regularly leads on bespoke training courses delivered in-company where she is an engaging presenter. Highlights include: \tSuccessfully advising, proactively supporting and coaching a team of HR Managers in harmonising and changing terms and conditions of employment of 10,000 employees. The international brand increased weekend working to 3 in 4 weekends. Removal of bonus payments and introduction of living wage foundation pay resulting in increased staff at business critical times and reducing the overall wage bill; \tAdvising and supporting and coaching HR in significant restructure to cut 7500 jobs worldwide and 350 jobs in UK with reputational implications for the international brand resulting in a reduction in wage bill; \tSuccessfully managing capability termination of long-standing employee with significant mental health illness and numerous suicide attempts, preventing future grievances and significant liability for disability discrimination; \tSuccessfully settling multiple lurid allegations of sex discrimination which had the ability to adversely affect the reputation of a national business and saving approx. £85K in damages; \tSuccessfully advising and defending unfair dismissal and sex discrimination claims involving a longstanding employee with significant final salary pension loss saving £100k in damages \tSuccessfully advising and defended unfair dismissal claim where an employee refused to vary his working hours in accordance with the contractual flexibility clause, claiming the respondent engineered a gross misconduct conduct issue to exit him from the business. \tSuccessfully advising and defended a 6-day ET hearing relating to direct race discrimination, racial harassment and victimisation. The employee had put in a flexible working request (FWR) seeking to deviate from the hybrid working to fully remote. The employee alleged that the failure to grant the FWR was because he was a British Asian and/or that he had previously given evidence in another employee’s race discrimination case, and he had been stopped from attending management meetings. \tAdvising on a redundancy. The HR1 was issued for a 45-day consultation with over 100 employees across the shop floor to be subject to a selection criterion devised for the exercise. \tAdvising on the performance related exit of an employee with ADHD and depression. Recent testimonials: \tDavid Richardson - Business Segment :Systems and System Components – Indutrade - ‘We have worked closely with Adele and Weightmans for many years, always with the same great support. Adele works to give sound advice and help to resolve complex issues always giving clear advice. Adele has a great ability to listen to business difficulties to help form strategies to address issues - always with a successful outcome. I am happy to speak individually if that's helpful.’ \tChris Partington Beldam Crossley Limited - Indutrade - ‘Adele Shortman and the HR rely team are first class, responding to all our HR needs and requirements, with plain English easy to understand advice, support and recommendations. We have no hesitation in recommending Weightmans to other potential clients as well as utilising additional legal services on offer such as; commercial, property, pensions and intellectual property to name a few. I fully endorse and recommend Weightmans, it’s no surprise I have Adele on speed dial!’ \tCarole Anderton, HR & SCM Manager, ContiTech UK Ltd Continental AG - ‘However complex a situation I find myself in as a HR Manager, Adele methodically unravels the scenario through thorough questioning and then provides pragmatic tailored guidance in the form of either written or verbal advice. To ensure my understanding and ability to apply the advice provided, Adele includes explanations of the legislation and cases that she has used to formulate the solution and provides templates and other documentation where required. In addition, Adele is proactive in keeping me up to date with any legislative changes that are applicable to our sector of manufacturing, sales and distribution plus any generic changes. I feel as though Adele is part of our business and understands our culture and most definitely works collaboratively with us to limit risks and create best practices.’
Kate Shute

Kate Shute

Kate Shute is a Principal Associate and employment lawyer specialising in advising healthcare organisations in relation to all aspects of employment law. With over 18 years of experience advising predominantly health sector clients, Kate was described by the Legal 500 2019 as being “brilliant, pragmatic and technically excellent”.   Kate supports clients to navigate complex, sensitive and contentious internal processes including doctors’ and senior executives’ contractual and disciplinary cases, industrial action and workforce relations. Kate is well versed in the governance aspects of senior-level public sector employment issues and regularly provides advice, support and representation in litigious and non-contentious matters, including high court litigation arising from the application of MHPS processes. Kate regularly delivers bespoke training for clients on subjects such as whistleblowing, discrimination, change management and TUPE consultation.
Louise Singh

Louise Singh

Louise joined Weightmans in 2005 and, after completing her training contract, qualified in 2007. As a professional support lawyer, based in the Liverpool office, Louise provides training and technical support to Weightmans’ employment law practitioners across the country, keeping the teams up to date with the latest legal developments. Louise also has plenty of first hand experience of Employment Tribunal litigation. Her experience includes conducting cases involving unfair dismissal, wages, breach of contract and all forms of discrimination. She has also represented respondents, including Royal Mail Group Ltd, as an advocate in the Employment Tribunal.
Adam Skelland

Adam Skelland

Adam is an experienced solicitor who specialises in defendant credit hire. He joined Weightmans in 2016, following a seven year stint at another leading law firm. Adam has extensive experience in defending personal injury and credit hire claims, claims for credit hire from companies, with particular knowledge and experience in claims for replacement taxis. Adam’s noteworthy cases are Lubhaya v Stanley a case involving estoppel and acceptance of zero offers, and Ali v Bayliss surrounding the correct assessment of damages where the claimant is a taxi company or an individual who operates a fleet of vehicles.
Emma Skelton

Emma Skelton

Emma joined Weightmans in 2008. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2014 and she is an Associate in the Large Loss team. Emma has over 11 years' litigation experience. Emma specialises in catastrophic personal injury including claims of the utmost severity. This includes traumatic brain injury in adults and children, tetraplegic and paraplegic claims, amputation cases and fatal accident claims. She assists Will Quinn with motor, employers' liability and public liability claims involving complex liability, technical and indemnity issues.
Ken Slade

Ken Slade

Having qualified as a solicitor in 1996, Ken joined Weightmans in November 2004 when what is now the firm’s Knowledge Management team was in its infancy. With 10 years experience in private practice, specialising in personal injury, before joining Weightmans, Ken now heads up the KM team and provides both strategic and operational advice, guidance and support across the business, including writing and delivering training and commentary both internally and for clients. With an MBA in Legal Practice, Ken is also recognised as an expert in all aspects of knowledge management and professional support in law firms.
Becki Smith

Becki Smith

Becki is an Associate in our family team. Becki assists clients with all aspects of family law including divorce and separation, financial remedies, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, variation of maintenance, cohabitee disputes, injunctions, and private children law. Becki trained as a Solicitor at Weightmans and qualified in 2020, with over 6 years’ litigation experience prior to qualification. Becki is an active member of Resolution and sits on the Merseyside Resolution Committee. Becki is part of the winning team named Family Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards.
Lauren Smith

Lauren Smith

Lauren was called to the Bar in 2007 and entered the roll of Solicitors in 2012. She advises and represents clients in the Family Court on a range of matters in private and public law. Lauren currently specialises in childcare and is experienced in all aspects of proceedings including, interim removal, cross-jurisdictional care plans, Finding of Fact hearings and contested Final Hearings. She has represented in the High Court in relation to the Deprivation of Liberty of children. She is the lead advocate in the childcare department and controls a compact caseload of some of the most multifaceted, complex cases within the department. Lauren regularly represents at lengthy hearings with a range of expert, professional and lay evidence in issue. Lauren has an established background in advising on matters under the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act. Lauren has represented clients at Mental Health Tribunals for over 10 years. She specialised in High Security/forensic hospital admissions and was also able to advise on a range of matters under the Care Act. Lauren held the Law Society Mental Health Accreditation for 9 years before moving to Weightmans. Lauren is a dedicated advocate for the Regulatory team occasionally representing in Education and Adult Social Care matters. She works on the Local Government adult and child out of hours’ emergency advice line. She has had notable success representing local authorities at out of hours’ hearings where the Article rights of the parties are engaged.
Lisa Spencer

Lisa Spencer

Lisa qualified as a solicitor in January 2004 joining Weightmans as an assistant solicitor in February 2004. She was promoted to associate in 2013. Her workload is predominantly clinical negligence, dealing with often complex claims. She also has experience of dealing with claims involving care homes, deprivation of liberty, claims involving the Human Rights Act and the Mental Health Act including psychiatric claims i.e. patient suicide and patient assaults on other patients/members of the public. Her clinical negligence work is predominantly multi-track litigated and non-litigated claims. These include failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, negligence during surgery, failure to provide informed consent, failure to treat and wrong treatment. She has experience is a vast number of medical conditions and expert specialisms with claims including colorectal, obstetric and gynaecology, orthopaedic, paediatric, cardiology, vascular, oncology and diabetes etc. and significant experience in fatal claims and claims involving protected parties. Lisa has experience in managing highly complex and high-value claims including birth injury claims, brain injury in adults, complex injuries involving internal organs (i.e. perforation of bowel, ureter and aorta), failure and/or delay in diagnosing cancer and also complex ophthalmic claims; in regards to the latter she has recent experience in dealing with a highly complex ophthalmic claim which involved a rare (and as yet unknown) genetic complication and arguments involving Bailey v Ministry of Defence which is currently with the Court of Appeal. She regularly deals with claims worth in excess of £1,000,000 and has experience in claims involving provisional damages and periodical payments.
Carole Spiller

Carole Spiller

Carole is the Head of Service Delivery for the Specialty Insurance department at Weightmans with over 60 fee earners based across 5 offices. Having qualified as a litigator in 1996 she has handled a wide range of commercial disputes in that time with particular focus on professional negligence claims, high value property damage claims, recoveries work, policy coverage issues and complex contractual disputes. She is well regarded for her commercial approach. Carole joined Weightmans in February 2007 and is the Regional Office Head for Weightmans Manchester office.
Anthony Sullivan

Anthony Sullivan

Anthony is a Legal Director in the Large Loss and Technical Claims team of Weightmans.  He qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and, after many years advising and representing Claimants, he joined Weightmans in 2006. Anthony now specialises in defending civil claims for compensation against various insurance companies, brought by or on behalf of Claimants who have suffered catastrophic personal injuries of the utmost severity. Anthony deals with a broad spectrum of claims, including those for serious traumatic brain injuries for adults and children, spinal injuries (including tetra and paraplegia), amputations and chronic pain. The areas of law he covers are road traffic accident, employers’ liability, public liability, occupiers’ liability and product liability.  His work includes dealing with complex liability, technical, and indemnity issues.  He is also experienced in dealing with public funding issues, reverse indemnities, in-out Deputyships and periodical payments orders. The claims he currently deals with have gross reserves up to c£30million each.  He is an experienced advocate and regularly conducts hearings in both the County and High Court.  He has also dealt with cases which have reached both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Anthony was previously a Team Manager with responsibility for managing 13 catastrophic injury case handlers and their associated secretaries and administration assistants. In that role he dealt with budgeting, recruitment, MI, ensuring that the whole team provided an excellent service to clients, financial hygiene and many other issues.
Deborah Sullivan

Deborah Sullivan

Deborah is a Legal Director who qualified in 1998 and has worked in Weightmans' Specialty Team throughout her career, specialising in lawyers’ liability claims. She has extensive experience of acting for solicitors and barristers in professional negligence claims arising from a wide range of underlying subject matters. Deborah frequently deals with lenders' claims and cases involving complex commercial transactions. She is particularly adept at dealing with document-heavy claims and has successfully handled several matters arising from personal injury litigation involving brain damage and other catastrophic injuries.  She also advises on coverage issues. Deborah has been highly successful in protecting a number of her professional clients from vexatious litigation by obtaining Civil Restraint Orders and has an excellent track record in the management of persistent litigants. Having worked for both mutual indemnity funds and open market professional indemnity insurers, Deborah has a keen insight into the importance of understanding client needs and objectives.  A highly experienced litigator, she is equally comfortable with resolving claims by ADR. Deborah is experienced in dealing with solicitors’ disciplinary cases and has drawn upon her considerable knowledge of claims against lawyers and regulatory matters to advise other professionals about risk management and compliance issues.  She also regularly publishes articles in the legal press.
Jessica Swift

Jessica Swift

  Jessica qualified as a solicitor in 2015 having completed her training contract with Weightmans and subsequently qualified into the Regulatory department in Liverpool. Since qualification, Jessica has focussed her practice on representing both NHS and private healthcare providers at inquest, as well as NHS Trusts designated Core Participant status in public inquiries.   Jessica uses excellent knowledge and understanding of the coronial process to advocate at inquests involving complex medical issues, many involving juries, Article 2 ECHR and/or matters of a sensitive nature; many of which have attracted regional, national and international media attention. Jessica’s practice involves supporting and guiding NHS professionals, including, doctors, nurses and paramedics through the public inquiry or inquest procedure.   Jessica has represented at inquests resulting from fatal road traffic collisions and accidents at work. She regularly liaises with medical defence unions before, during and after inquest and has developed a strong professional relationship with many of the Coroners and other legal professionals in the North West coronial jurisdictions.   Jessica also often assists with supporting clients with their internal investigation processes and is able to competently advise on conflicts of interest between organisations and their staff members.   Jessica acted for over 18 months as in-house solicitor for an NHS healthcare provider, focussing mainly on advising and representing the Trust at inquest whilst supporting their Board of Directors and employees with all manner of inquest related queries. During this time, Jessica was responsible for providing bespoke training to the organisation to assist with preparation for and attendance at inquest proceedings. She has also provided in-house legal support to a number of other NHS clients, advising and guiding them through the inquest procedure.   Jessica is also an Assistant Coroner and has held coronial office since June 2022.
David Tabinor

David Tabinor

David is a leading figure in the real estate sector and is account manager for major national brands in relation to property transactions and estate management covering the whole of England and Wales. David leads the firm’s sector focus on developer and investor clients.   David specialises in retail and leisure work where he acts for a number of high street brands, as well as the utilities sector where he has established a dedicated legal team to service a regional energy provider delivering quality and efficiency across multiple workstreams.   He has developed case manager systems combining data capture and management information to service his clients.   His online reporting tool, OneView, has been widely used by clients with larger property portfolios to help manage their estate and legal cases, providing data analytics on performance and trends.   David has developed the use of Artificial Intelligence technology for real estate clients, employing Kira for lease analysis and data extraction.
Helen Taylor

Helen Taylor

Helen joined Weightmans as HR Director In July 2019 and leads out People , Learning and Development teams . Helen started her career as a graduate in Insurance with Royal and Sun alliance and having spent time in Claims moved into HR where she developed her HR career through spending time in Reward , Talent acquisition , Learning and Development and Early Careers teams . She is an experienced HR Director, having undertaken this at Royal and Sun Alliance , Next, Coop Financial Services and esure. In her previous role at Esure she was involved in the IPO of the Go Compare business  , lead the People workstreams when the Firm was acquire by Bain Capital alongside developing a new Employee Proposition and introducing Leadership and talent development programmes . Helen is passionate about developing people , high performance teams and creating an inclusive environment for everyone measured through high level of engagement . Helen is also an accredited coach,  member of CIPD and a  Council member at the University of Salford where she also chairs the Remuneration Committee .
Sarah Temperley

Sarah Temperley

Sarah has over 30 years' experience of all types of employers and public liability work. Based in the Manchester office she handles a wide variety of employers' liability claims for insurers and self-insured, mainly public bodies. Sarah deals with all types of claims that emanate from public bodies including social services claims, data breach claims and property damage claims. Sarah has a special interest in claims involving Human Rights Act issues. Areas of speciality: \tCo-ordination of catastrophic claims – including tree fatalities \tDoLs claims \tHuman trafficking and modern slavery \tFailure to protect claims involving CSE \tHistoric abuse claims \tTeacher assaults Sarah works closely with her clients’ insurance departments, social care departments and legal services. Sarah has delivered training and seminars on all aspects of her practice.
Robert Turnbull

Robert Turnbull

Robert is an experienced corporate transactions lawyer. His wide range of experience includes advising on mergers and acquisitions deals on buy and sell side for a spread of clients including owner managed businesses, public companies, international businesses and institutions. Robert’s work has covered domestic and international M&A. He also has expertise in private equity transactions, specialising in advising companies on raising development capital and management teams on a variety of management transactions, and also advising in relation to exits by PE investors. Additionally, Robert advises on a broad range of other transactional and corporate structuring matters including joint ventures, shareholder agreements and various investment arrangements. As well as acting for corporate clients Robert acts for entrepreneurs whose corporate activities require legal support. In delivering this he is able to draw on the range of client services that may be required when acting for individuals in the corporate arena including tax and estate planning. Robert’s recent experience has included working with high-growth technology and IT businesses. The business areas of these clients has ranged from tier 1 software development projects to on-line retailers. He also has extensive experience advising R&D businesses. Through work with developing businesses in a wide range of areas, he has a good understanding of the issues and challenges which they face.
Martin Vincent

Martin Vincent

Martin is our national sector lead for education and is experienced in all commercial and academic areas of law as affects Universities particularly relating to projects, international ventures, collaboration, income generation and procurement arrangements. His exceptional experience at strategic, policy and operational levels within the sector ensures that our advice is practical and results-driven. Martin founded Weightmans education practice in 2008. He is client partner for key University clients including The Open University, Liverpool John Moore’ and the University of Chester. Martin is recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for his work within the education sector.
Peter Wake

Peter Wake

Peter trained at Weightmans and qualified in 2003. He became a partner in 2011. He acts for local authorities across the country as well as fire and rescue authorities, education establishments and housing providers. Peter has particular expertise in defending professional negligence and human rights claims against social services and education authorities. He also specialises in abuse claims to include historical matters, multi-claimant cases and group actions. Peter has a special interest in defamation, privacy and data protection law. He also represents local authorities at inquests, particularly Article 2 inquiries and inquests that involve safeguarding issues, social care and Children's Services departments. Peter also lectures and presents on related topics.
Emerson Wallwork

Emerson Wallwork

Emerson joined Weightmans in 2003 and has been a partner in the Large Loss Team since 2005.  Emerson’s case load principally comprises traumatic brain injury and spinal injury cases.  He has a wealth of experience in technical and indemnity issues, together with rehabilitation and funding issues. Emerson leads Weightmans' Motor Technology Group, advising insurers on the legal, regulatory and practical implications of advancements in vehicle technologies, along with responding to government consultations and speaking at a wide variety of events/forums. He has also sat on the ABI Autonomous Driving Liability Group. Emerson finds nothing more satisfying than being reappointed to a panel having considerably delivered for a key client.
Sarah Walton

Sarah Walton

Sarah Walton is the Managing Partner of Weightmans LLP, a national law firm with global coverage, focused on an unwavering commitment to purpose, performance, and people. A highly experienced corporate lawyer, Sarah provides expert advice on a wide range of corporate and company law matters. She works across a diverse client base, from large corporations to individuals and owner-managed businesses, advising on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, venture capital and private equity investments, joint ventures, group reorganisations, and strategic projects. As Managing Partner, Sarah brings a visionary approach to leadership, with a clear focus on the firm’s purpose-led brand, rooted in the belief to "See the Possibility." She fosters a culture of integrity, collaboration, innovation, teamwork, and respect, ensuring that Weightmans consistently delivers long-term value to clients, colleagues, and communities. Her leadership is distinguished by strategic clarity, inclusive engagement, and a relentless drive to build high-performing teams across the firm.
Janice Weatherly

Janice Weatherly

Janice is a Partner in the Real Estate department and leads the Liverpool Real Estate team. Janice has 38 years’ experience specialising in all aspects of commercial property work for a wide range of clients in both private and public sectors. Janice’s work includes property development schemes, site acquisition and disposals, property finance and secured lending, leases, landlord and tenant and estate management. Janice also leads the firm’s Real Estate Education team which has seen many years of strong growth in the sector. Other areas of focus are OMB’s and the industrial sector.
Kerri Whittaker

Kerri Whittaker

Kerri is a Principal Associate in the property litigation team in Manchester, specialising in commercial property disputes and housing matters. She is dual-qualified in the jurisdictions of England & Wales and Northern Ireland. Kerri deals with wide a range of commercial property matters including lease renewals, dilapidations claims, breaches of commercial leases and advises clients on all property and lease related matters. She has a broad range of experience of housing disputes on behalf of private landlords and housing associations, specifically in relation complex housing issues, housing disrepair and regularly advises clients in relation to bespoke issues they have in respect of same. Kerri has also acted for private landlords in respect of claims relating to forfeiture and other breaches and has obtained possession of commercial properties. Kerri is a keen advocate and regularly appears in the County Court on commercial and housing litigation matters.
Stuart Whittle

Stuart Whittle

Stuart is a qualified lawyer by trade, having practiced law as a professional indemnity lawyer from 1995. He has been a partner at Weightmans since 2002.  During 2003, Stuart become involved in Weightmans’ IT, designing, developing, and rolling out case management systems across the firm. In 2005 Stuart took on responsibility for Weightmans’ IT department and in 2010  was promoted to IS and Operations Director since when he has been a member of Weightmans’ Board and an equity partner. From 2017 as part of Weightmans’ Reorganising for Profit strategic transformation initiative, Stuart took on the role as Business Services and Innovation Director with responsibility for Information Management and Technology, People and Knowledge, Business Process Re-engineering, Risk and Compliance, Facilities and Innovation and most recently has taken on a new role, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, to enable Weightmans to capitalise on the success they have been having in building products for clients that solve some of their issues, only one part of which might involve any actual legal advice. Stuart regularly presents at events with special areas of interest being around BPR, technology and helping lawyers to work smartly in an uncertain market where there is continuous downward pressure on price, upwards pressure on costs and the quality of the service that is delivered to the client needs to be continually improved. He has a MSC in IT, is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and a qualified coach and was recently named Legal Week’s Legal Innovation Trailblazer.
Joanne Williams

Joanne Williams

Joanne has been a commercial litigator for 8 years having joined Weightmans in 2007. As an Associate, Joanne deals with a broad range of complex commercial disputes including contractual disputes, property damage claims, injunctions, defamation proceedings, IP and restitution claims. She is developing a clear specialism in high value property claims and professional negligence work. Joanne is regularly instructed by a variety of clients including public sector bodies, corporate institutions, insurers and banks, SMEs, solicitors and retailers. Joanne regularly delivers training and seminars for clients, such as the North West Legal Consortium and has been published in the legal press.
Rob Williams

Rob Williams

Rob has worked at Weightmans for 32 years becoming a Partner in 2002. Rob served on the Main Board as a Claims Director between 2013-2017 before becoming Head of Insurance in 2018-2022. Rob is currently on his second spell on the Firms main board where he is the Claims Director for injury work. Rob’s has spent all his career within the insurance sector acting for an array of Insurers and Claims organisations, Public Sector Bodies and Corporates and delivering great outcomes by meeting their claims and advisory requirements.
Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson

Matthew is head of our corporates segment and has responsibility for Weightmans corporate clients in the financial services, transport and logistics, manufacturing, retail and leisure, and energy and utilities sectors. He is client Partner for national retailers as well as third party logistics providers. He primarily advises on complex landlord and tenant matters as well as property acquisitions and disposals with a specialism in negotiating overage and clawback provisions. Matthew sits on the property advisory board of the UK Warehousing Association and has recently worked with them and Savills to develop a model form of warehouse lease, 'Standard Property Lease' in order to provide a starting point for the industry when negotiating a new lease of this type of property. Matthew has expertise in the delivery of client contracts and projects, ensuring both Weightmans and the client’s own Key Performance Indicators are met through bespoke IT solutions. He is product manager for Weightmans' ‘One View’ product which enables team members, whatever the practice area, to deliver an excellent service and to capture, measure and report on those items which are important to the client.
Lorraine Wilson

Lorraine Wilson

Lorraine specialises in acting for private clients in relation to their estate planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts and lasting powers of attorney. Lorraine has extensive experience in applying for probate and dealing with the administration of estates. She has a particular interest in cross-border matters and is used to working with lawyers in different jurisdictions to meet her client’s objectives and ensure their worldwide affairs are in order. As part of our trust administration team, Lorraine regularly advises clients on the administration of trusts to ensure that trustees have fulfilled their legal and tax obligations. As well as dealing with private clients, Lorraine also leads our team of specialists dealing with recovery from estates work on behalf of local authorities. Lorraine regularly presents estate planning seminars for clients and intermediaries. Lorraine prides herself on providing excellent client care, ensuring that her clients are always given an efficient and professional service. Lorraine is a full STEP member, full accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a member of the Law Society Private Client Section. Lorraine completed her STEP qualification in 2021 and was awarded two STEP Excellence Awards for the highest scoring graduate across the STEP Diploma in 2021 and the highest score in the 2020 Administration of Trust examination. Lorraine was ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in the Chambers High Net Worth Guides 2021, 2022 and 2023 and as a “Key Lawyer” in the Legal 500 Rankings.
Catriona Wolfenden

Catriona Wolfenden

Catriona is Weightmans' Product and Innovation Director and leads innovation and product initiatives across the firm, ensuring that delivery is aligned to the firm’s overall strategy. She works closely with the innovation and product teams, our clients, suppliers and our legal teams to ensure that Weightmans continues to evolve and offers real market-leading solutions. Catriona joined Weightmans in September 2007 following completion of a PhD in medical law and the Bar Vocational Course. She was admitted as a solicitor in October 2011 and promoted to Partner in 2019. Catriona has plenty of first-hand experience of civil litigation as she was a team leader in the costs department and as a Professional Support Lawyer frequently provided strategic know how updates, training and technical support internally and externally for clients. Catriona is regularly interviewed for articles and research projects and frequently presents at legal/innovation conferences on topics related to innovation and future skills. She was shortlisted for 'rising star' at the Legal Week Innovation Awards 2019. Catriona’s team have been shortlisted finalists in over 20 National Innovation awards since 2018, winning the Modern Law Awards 2019 for the 'best use of technology' as a result of a collaborative project with Kira Systems (AI software provider) and the Computer Science Department at the University of Liverpool. They have been runners up for: \tBritish Legal Tech Awards 2022 - 'Most Innovative Firm’ \tManaging Partners’ Forum Awards 2022 \tBritish Legal Tech Awards 2020 - ‘Technology Venture of the Year’ Catriona has previously been a Director of UKLTA (The Legaltech Association for the UK) and in 2023 completed a 3 year term on the Liverpool Enterprise Partnership Professional and Business Services Board. Catriona is a member of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship Panel College. Catriona is the co author of ‘Innovation in Law Firms: implementing successful projects’ which will be published in 2024 (https://www.globelawandbusiness.com/books/innovation-in-law-firms-implementing-successful-projects).
Ian Young

Ian Young

  Ian has 30 years' experience of personal injury claims from various perspectives. Over the years he has acted for a number of insurer clients on a defendant basis, both in the traditional panel solicitors environment and also in-house for a major insurance group where he ran a team dealing with road traffic claims from first notification to trial. Ian has also spent a number of years pursuing claims on behalf of claimants and has gained the ability to view a personal injury claim from all perspectives. Ian is currently involved in costs recoveries work for major insurers, organisations, councils and police forces, often seeking and obtaining findings of fundamental dishonesty against claimants.