Fletchers Solicitors

fletcherssolicitors.co.uk

Parbeen Alamgir

Partner & Senior Birth injury Solicitor Parbeen is a Partner and Birth Injury Solicitor within our Medical Negligence Department. Parbeen specialises in all types of birth injury claims and has developed a distinct interest and sub-speciality in HIE, hypoglycaemic insult, women’s health. As a respected and dedicated legal professional, Parbeen is a keen supporter of ‘Tommys’, a pregnancy and baby loss charity that funds research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage. As well as this, she avidly supports the Child Brain Injury Trust - a charity that supports families and professionals working with children and young people who find themselves in need of information about what’s happened and how to cope with acquired brain injury. She also supports Peeps-HIE - a charity dedicated to supporting friends and families of those who have suffered an Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy event. Parbeen always goes that extra mile, using her extensive knowledge and experience to obtain excellent results for her clients. Parbeen is passionate and fully committed to helping her clients and ensuring their needs are met during the lifetime of a claim, by regularly engaging with case managers, experts and third parties in order to maximise compensation and achieve the best legal outcome.

Sharon is a Clinical Negligence Principal Associate. She previously worked at Shoosmiths since May 2016 after having practiced in the field for another Midlands-based medical negligence firm for over a decade previous. She joined Fletchers Solicitors in September 2025. She is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel which demonstrates a high level of knowledge, skill and experience in the area of medical negligence. Her special interests include kidney, complex neurological, spinal and amputation injuries. These interests have been developed by the numerous medical negligence clients she has successfully represented. She also has experience of dealing with fatality claims as well as claims involving various severe injuries where there were ongoing care and other specialised needs that her clients needed assistance with. Sharon has further represented many claimants in a wide range of cases including injuries arising from misdiagnosis of fractures and other medical conditions, difficulties during birth, unreasonable delay in diagnosis of different types of cancer, complications of surgery, and a variety of other medical issues. Sharon has been closely involved in representing a large group of clients who have brought claims against breast surgeon, Ian Paterson, for potentially undertaking unnecessary surgery and surgery that has contravened national guidelines. Sharon settled two of the first cases for the private healthcare clients in this litigation. Sharon is very dedicated to her work and highly professional in the way she represents clients and this shows in the quality and careful preparation of her cases as well as the amount of compensation she secures for her clients. Prior to initiating her working career in law, Sharon studied at the College of Law and the University of Birmingham. Work Highlights Securing an award of compensation for a 24 year old client for failure to detect kidney damage which later developed into end stage shortly before she sadly passed away. Her family went onto establish a charity in her memory to assist young patients who suffer from kidney failure. Securing a significant award for a young man who suffered avoidable kidney failure due to negligence involving a failure to diagnose his condition appropriately. Recovering £3.2 million for a lady who suffered a severe neurological injury. Forming part of the initial group of lead solicitors in the litigation regarding Birmingham rogue breast surgeon, Ian Paterson. Securing an award of compensation of £1.3 million for a client who had an avoidable amputation. Representing and securing an admission of liability for a young child who suffers from avoidable Cerebral Palsy. Representing and securing an admission of liability for someone who suffered an avoidable above the knee amputation due to negligent treatment of his vascular condition by his GP. Representing and securing an admission of liability for the family of a young lady with dependent children who suffered an avoidable aortic aneurysm. Representing and successfully securing a six figure sum for the widow and children of a gentleman who sadly passed away in his mid-30’s due to a fatal pulmonary embolism caused by the admitted delay in treating his condition.

Richard Bannister

Richard has acted successfully in a variety of clinical negligence claims, drawing on his wealth of experience. Since 1992, he has undertaken claimant clinical negligence claims exclusively. He is highly admired for being “very focused and experienced”, “practical and pragmatic” and “a very reliable and effective practitioner”, in addition to establishing “good practical solutions to difficult problems”. His standing in the field is well-known and respected, especially in complex issues which include obstetrics, oncology, orthopaedics, brain injury, general surgery, fatal accidents and representation at inquests. Richard has been accredited to the Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) Specialist Solicitor’s Referral Panel since 1997. He is routinely top ranked in the Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession as a leading Clinical Negligence Lawyer who is a “people person” and “popular with clients”, “highly regarded” and “very pragmatic, direct and sensible”. In 2019, the Chambers Guide recognised him as an Eminent Practitioner in this field.

Phil is a highly respected legal expert known for his dedication to injured patients and his longstanding commitment to advancing clinical negligence law. Phil is a nationally recognised expert in serious injury and clinical negligence claims, with over 25 years of experience representing claimants in high-value and complex cases. His work spans birth injury, brain injury, and spinal injury claims, and he is known for his strategic approach, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to his clients. Phil is driven by a strong sense of justice and a commitment to improving outcomes for injured patients. He is approachable, empathetic, and a trusted advisor who combines legal expertise with compassionate client care.

Sharine Burgess

Sharine is an award-winning lawyer in the serious injury department, acting on behalf of claimants and their families through a wide range of cases including stress at work, workplace accidents, illness and disease claims, asbestos related claims, psychiatric illness/PTSD, military claims and clinical negligence. Undertaking pro bono work through good working relationships with many organisations and charities, Sharine co-ordinated the award winning Northampton and District Citizens Advice Bureau Pro Bono Clinic from its inception in 2011. This achievement was recognised when Shoosmiths won the category for Best Contribution by a Regional Firm at the LawWorks Pro Bono Awards in 2012. Sharine continues to support the clinic as a supervisor. Sharine won Solicitor of the Year at the Northamptonshire Law Society Awards in 2017 and is ranked by both Chambers and Legal 500. Sharine was promoted to Partner in 2020 and was appointed joint Head of Office in 2021.

Associate & Head of Compliance Paul is our Head of Compliance, he is responsible for ensuring that Fletchers Group is up to date with its regulatory obligations, as well as identifying and mitigating any risks to the firm arising from the work that we do. This can include work on specific individual claims and work relating to the wider aims of the firm. Paul qualified in 2008 after studying Law at the University of Liverpool, before completing his Legal Practice Course at the College of Law. His varied career has meant that he is able to address and deal with the wide range of issues that come up in the Compliance team.

Sarah qualified in September 2001 and joined Shoosmiths in 2003. She joined Fletchers Solicitors in 2025. Sarah is a Senior Associate serious injury lawyer who deals with a variety of Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence claims. Sarah specialises in cases involving elder abuse/neglect and is passionate about achieving justice for vulnerable victims in these cases. More often than not, Sarah acts for the families of those elderly or vulnerable people who have been abused/neglected as they themselves may suffer from conditions such as dementia and thus are considered to lack capacity under the Mental Health Act 2005. Some of the individuals she helps get to the truth about what happened to their loved ones are widows or other family members who wish to bring claims on behalf of their relatives for the sub-standard treatment they received whilst in a care/nursing home (https://seriousinjury.shoosmiths.co.uk/vulnerable-adults/care-nursing-homes). These claims can be very emotionally charged, protracted and upsetting for Sarah's clients and she offers support at all stages including representation at an inquest. Sarah strives to make the litigation process as simple and stress free as possible for her clients. It is important to Sarah that they feel they can contact her with any queries they may have and that they feel Sarah is there to support them even at the most difficult times.

Louise Dempsey is an Associate Solicitor and Team Leader in the Employers’ & Public Liability team, managing a team of solicitors and paralegals handling a wide range of employers’ liability, public liability and occupiers’ liability cases. Louise has been a qualified solicitor since 2012 and has worked in the legal profession since 2005, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. She has a particular interest in employers’ liability claims, driven by a strong belief that everyone should feel safe at work and be able to return home to their family free from the risk of injury. Alongside her leadership responsibilities, Louise remains committed to supporting her own clients in securing the compensation they deserve. Louise finds great satisfaction in holding negligent employers accountable and helping clients secure the compensation they’re entitled to. She’s also committed to ensuring clients have access to the treatment and support they need to aid their recovery.

Associate & Birth Injury Solicitor

Partner & Brain Injury Unit Leader Iain is a Partner and Brain Injury Unit Leader within our Medical Negligence Department, specialising in catastrophic injury clinical negligence cases; with a particular interest in brain injury and spinal cord injury cases. Having joined Fletchers in 2016, Iain has a long-standing reputation as an well-respected lawyer. Due to his exceptional skills, he is now predominantly only instructed on claims exceeding £1 million, primarily focussing on brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputations. Iain practices almost exclusively in the High Court and is a solicitor-advocate, obtaining many multi-million-pound settlements, either by way of a lump sum and/or annual payments. Iain consistently achieves significant settlements on exceptionally complex claims and approaches every single case with rigorous care for the individuals involved. He is dedicated to fighting hard for his clients. Iain prides himself and his team of outstanding lawyers for helping clients to move forward with their lives after suffering catastrophic injuries from clinical negligence. Iain is passionate about helping people and transforming lives after injury.

Director of Private Client

Clinical Negligence Solicitor and Team Leader

Partner & Spinal Cord Injury Unit Leader

Sarah is a a Legal Director (FCILEx), working in the Medical Negligence department at The Lakes, Northampton. Sarah joined Fletchers in September 2025. Previously she worked at Shoosmiths since 1995, initially specialising in personal injury and then solely in medical negligence since 2006, acting for patients and their families. Sarah is committed to providing a bespoke service to her clients, responding to their needs and requirements with a flexible approach to achieve the best outcomes. Sarah supports and advises clients on a wide variety of medical negligence matters and has been successful in obtaining excellent settlements in the following areas: still birth; stroke mismanagement; surgical injury; oncology mismanagement; orthopaedic errors; and amputations.

Kayleigh Harrison

Head of Financial Accounts

Jerard is an Associate at Fletchers, having qualified as a solicitor in 2002 and has represented clinical negligence claimants since then. As an advocate for patient rights, Jerard has developed specific expertise in complex spinal injuries. He has previously settled in a case for a person who sustained an incomplete tetraplegic injury in a road traffic accident, for a net value of £9.4 Million. In addition to this, Jerard specialises in gynaecology, amputation, complex orthopaedic, nerve and other sensory injuries, including complex regional pain syndrome. As a strong supporter of mediation, Jerard has secured numerous 6 figure settlements via ADR. Amongst some of his accreditations, Jerard has built up a strong reputation with the Association of Personal Injury Solicitors (APIL), having served as their Clinical Negligence Special Interest Group Coordinator between 2017-2024. Jerard is part of APIL’s Clinical Negligence Conference Committee and a regular Chairperson at the annual conference. More recently, he has renewed his APIL accreditation as a Senior Litigator and Clinical Negligence Specialist. As well as being a highly skilled clinical negligence solicitor, Jerard is also an experienced Inquest Lawyer, in which he is regularly instructed in clinical inquests particularly arising from maternal and neonatal death, stillbirth and delayed diagnosis. As well as this, he has contributed to Parliamentary and NHS England Consultations on Reform and Improvement of the NHS/Clinical Negligence Law.

Associate & Clinical Negligence Solicitor Kate first joined Fletchers in 2016 as a Solicitor/Specialist Litigator in the Medical Negligence Department. She was quickly recognised both internally and externally for her excellent performance, distinct technical skills in civil litigation and her excellent customer care. Kate is a multiple nominee for the Lawyer of the Year Award and was ranked in the Legal 500 as one of only three Medical Negligence Lawyers in the Northwest in the Rising Star category in 2019 and has retained her status since. Kate has also worked in our Serious Injury team, giving her all round experience and skills in all areas of medical negligence and serious injury. During her time in serious injury, Kate has specialised in amputation, brain and spinal injury cases, as well as ophthalmic, paediatric, colorectal, orthopaedic, obstetrics and gynaecological cases. She also has experience working on and complex fatal incidents and neurological and neurosurgical matters. Now, Kate and her team specifically manage amputation cases. She has a close affiliation with the Amputation Foundation and enjoys charitable work and fundraising. Kate is also involved in the Amputation Campaign, working closely with a panel of specialists in the field on a bespoke prosthesis provision and support for an individual, in order to raise wider awareness.

Partner & Medical Product Liability Solicitor Lisa is a Partner at Fletchers and leads the firm’s specialist Medical Product Liability team. With over 20 years of experience in clinical negligence- and more than a decade specialising in group actions against major pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers - Lisa is a nationally recognised expert in defective medical product litigation. Lisa is dedicated to securing justice for individuals harmed by faulty medical devices and drugs. She brings claims under the Consumer Protection Act and in negligence, holding manufacturers accountable for the life-altering injuries their products cause. Her extensive portfolio includes high-profile group actions such as the Transvaginal Mesh Litigation, Essure contraceptive device claims, metal-on-metal hip implant litigation, and action against Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). Lisa is especially passionate about women’s health issues, defective medical devices, and group actions that enable patients’ voices to be heard collectively—especially when they've felt ignored by the healthcare system. Her clients often come to her after years of being dismissed or left without answers. Lisa is proud to provide them with a voice and a path to justice. A standout highlight in her career includes successfully reviving and resolving transvaginal mesh claims after other firms had abandoned them due to perceived poor prospects—restoring hope and legal recourse for women who had endured years of pain and suffering. Lisa's work has attracted widespread media attention. She has appeared on BBC, Sky News, and Newsnight, and provided expert commentary for both broadsheet and tabloid publications. Her legal insight and commitment to justice continue to shape the landscape of medical product litigation in the UK.

Chris is a Partner and leads the Personal Injury team at Fletchers. He qualified as a solicitor in 1984. Previously he worked at Shoosmiths. Ranked as a notable practitioner by Chambers, and a recommended lawyer by the Legal 500 Chris has been undertaking personal injury claims for more than 30 years and only act for the victims of accidents. He acts for individuals who have suffered life changing injuries. Chris provides support to his clients and their families from his first instruction to the end of their claim making sure he is available and accessible to them. Most of his instructions come from personal referrals from existing and former clients and other professionals. Brain injury Chris has a particular interest and specialism in brain injury claims and has won numerous £ million compensation claims for the victims of such accidents, and several multi-million pound claims. He is currently instructed in more than a dozen such claims. He is a member of the Headway Panel and a trustee and company secretary of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Headway. Spinal injury Chris has an expertise in spinal injury cases and has acted for clients who have suffered both quadriplegic and paraplegic injuries, and has negotiated settlement of claims both on a lump sum and annual payments basis. He is currently instructed in a number of spinal cord injury claims of the utmost severity. Amputation injuries Chris has undertaken many claims for inured people who have suffered amputation injuries and catastrophic injuries that have resulted in surgical amputations. Advocacy Chris carries out much of his own advocacy, and regularly appear as an advocate in inquests and in the county and High Court. Testimonials "My Solicitor has been brilliant from the beginning through to the end. He helped and guided me through the many ups and downs of a 5 1/2 year compensation claim which was extremely stressful. Nothing ever seemed too difficult, no question was ever deemed to be too trivial, deadlines were always met well in advance, and every stage, however complicated and confusing, was handled professionally but also compassionately." (Sally Francis) “The situation I have been involved in has been overwhelming and having such good support from Mr McKinney was the stability I needed and guidance” (Michelle Aveyard) “Exceptional service, knowledge, approachability. Professionalism of the highest order” (Wayne Smith). “From the initial meeting to discuss my case I felt that I was being dealt with as a person rather than a reference number. All queries I had were answered promptly and thoroughly I would have no hesitation in recommending Shoosmiths” (Will Stephens) “Thank you for everything you have done for me over the last few years. You made a stressful time feel easy to understand” (John Quinn). "Thank you! Chris and his team at Shoosmiths have both been an amazing comfort and asset to have on our side. It’s been a pleasure working with you." (Chris Hadley) “..would like to say thank you for all the work you have done and the result you got for me, I am so pleased its done with and now we can get on” (Paul Kavanagh). “I wanted to send a personal email of thanks for all your hard work during the case. From start to finish nothing was too much trouble and you demonstrated your wealth of knowledge and experience. I think the service your team led by yourself provided was second to none. I am most grateful for how you dealt with the case” (RH). "From the very outset I had 100% confidence that I was in the best possible care with regards to my case. Chris's“I wanted to send a personal email of thanks for all your hard work during the case. From start to finish nothing was too much trouble and you demonstrated your wealth of knowledge and experience. I think the service your team led by yourself provided was second to none. I am most grateful for how you dealt with the case”. empathy, clear communication and professionalism were all excellent and I know I had the best possible outcome" (Cathryn Hancock). ‘Chris McKinney has always been excellent. He provides comprehensive and clear advice and is obviously very knowledgeable. He is also very pleasant to deal with, both by email and telephone’. Legal 500 2022. "His advice is always relevant, timely and personal. He clearly knows his area of expertise inside out” Chambers 2022." ‘Chris McKinney has been leading my case and he is exceptional. His communications are professional and clear, but also easy to understand from a lay person’s perspective. It is clear that he brings with him a huge amount of experience in this area and in discussions we have had during the course of my claim, he has explained all options available to me in a very open and understandable way’. Legal 500 2023. Chris McKinney is one of the best claimant PI solicitors out there. He never fails to get results for his clients, who universally adore him. He's very reassuring and technically able." Chambers 2023. My case was headed up by Chris McKinney, his depth of knowledge in personal injury claims and rehabilitation was extremely vast. From start to finish I felt comforted that Chris Mckinney and his team had my best interests in hand. Anytime I wanted to speak to Chris I had his personal mobile phone number’. Legal 500 2024 Chris McKinney is one of the finest serious injury lawyers in the country. Highly experienced and someone who will never stop fighting for his clients – he cannot be recommended highly enough Legal 500 2024 "He's one of the best lawyers in the country for claimant work." Chambers 2024

Senior Director

Senior Director & Head of Private Client

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Formerly of Minton Morrill, Sahida is a Partner and heads the Birth Injury Team in Leeds. She has over 27 years’ experience in representing claimants in complex and high value medical negligence claims, often involving birth injuries, cerebral palsy or other brain injuries. She frequently represents claimants achieving multi million-pound settlements. They include children who have cerebral palsy of varying severity as a result of events surrounding their birth, claims involving children who suffer with Kernicterus causing a brain injury as a result of undiagnosed neonatal jaundice and brain injuries caused by untreated hypoglycaemia as recent examples. Sahida is an accredited member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel as well as a member of the AvMA (Action for Victims of Medical Accidents) panel, a quality mark for those lawyers who place clients at the centre of everything they do and who are prepared to go that extra mile. Sahida has consistently been ranked as a leading individual The Legal 500 which recognises top performers as well as being recognised as a Specialist Practitioner in Chambers and Partners, another Legal directory that lists the best lawyers and legal practices. Sahida was also nominated as Lawyer of the Year 2023 and 2024 in the Insurance Category by the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse awards. She was also shortlisted in 2024 for the Yorkshire Lawyer Awards under the “Partner of the Year” category.

Partner and Medical Negligence Solicitor Francesca Paul is a Partner at Fletchers Solicitors and a lead lawyer in the firm’s renowned Group Actions team. She brings extensive experience in complex group litigation, with a particular focus on medical negligence. Highly regarded for her strategic approach and deep legal knowledge, Francesca is known not just for the breadth of the cases she leads, but for the compassion and commitment she shows to each client. While her cases often involve large numbers of affected individuals, Francesca believes in seeing the person behind every claim- listening to their experiences, understanding their goals, and working tirelessly to achieve the justice they deserve. Francesca began her career in Nottingham, where she represented individuals who had suffered abuse while in local authority care. She played a key role in actions against Nottinghamshire County Council, advocating for survivors of abuse at Beechwood Community Home and other children’s homes across the East Midlands and London. Her work extended to representing clients in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), and she notably acted on behalf of the claimant in the landmark Supreme Court case Armes v Nottinghamshire County Council, which established the vicarious liability of local authorities for the actions of foster parents. Francesca is passionate about widening access to justice for those failed by the healthcare system or institutions in positions of trust. Her work combines legal excellence with a strong sense of empathy and purpose, making her a vital and respected leader in the Group Actions team and someone who is regularly asked to provide media commentary in her area.

He is a member of the prestigious Specialist Clinical Negligence AvMA Panel and Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme. Guy is recognised by the top legal directories as an “Associate to Watch” (Chambers & Partners) and a “Next General Partner” (Legal 500). He was shortlisted for the “Rising Star of the Year” award in the North Powerhouse Awards (2024). Guy has extensive experience with complex and very high value cases with a particular focus on cerebral palsy birth injury claims. He has settled cases in excess of £12 million and is currently instructed on a range of other birth injury cases likely to settle in excess of £15 million. Guy is passionate about his clients, access to justice and improving NHS care. He has worked as a claimant clinical negligence lawyer since qualification at another leading law firm in London in 2011.

Kate Price-Marson

Kate is a Senior Associate who specialises in dealing with serious personal injury claims, including workplace illnesses, industrial disease, asbestos related claims, and catastrophic injuries. In particular, she has expertise in dealing with multiple defendant claims and those where the former employer is no longer trading. She also has experience in working with a diverse range of personal injury cases, including complex accidents at work or in public places, serious road traffic accidents and uninsured driver claims (MIB). Kate will work closely with clients to obtain as much information as possible to successfully resolve their claim, as well as carrying out complex investigations into the corporate history of the defendant employers. In addition, Kate spent a number of years working within the Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) Breast Implant Group Litigation, dealing with a varying range of over 600 clients and settling claims involving the complex injuries and losses sustained as a result of the faulty breast implants. Kate is quoted in the Legal 500 and was previously the President of the North Staffordshire Junior Lawyers Division. Clients have remarked that Kate was a ' breath of fresh air,' and 'given us the knowledge to enable us to make the correct decisions and demonstrated the professionalism that has made our difficult journey easier to manage.’

Sue is a Clinical Negligence Partner and leads a team in the Clinical Negligence department in the Thames Valley Office. Sue joined the Fletchers Solicitors team in September 2025. Prior to this she worked at Shoosmiths since November 2009 as a Senior Solicitor in the Serious Injuries Unit and moved into the Clinical Negligence Department in July 2012, bringing with her a wealth of litigation experience. She acts for and supports clients with a diverse range of claims across clinical negligence, including brain injury and spinal cases, birth injury cases, cases arising from sub-standard surgery, failure to diagnose/treat cancer, sepsis and fatalities. Sue strives to provide the highest level of support, legal advice and compensation for her clients. She appreciates the need to deal with matters both efficiently and compassionately for clients who are struggling to come to terms with the effect their injuries, or the injuries that their loved ones have suffered, have had on their lives. She is highly regarded by her clients, who describer her as caring, patient and understanding, She is known for her ability to listen carefully and provide reassurance throughout the legal process. Sue holds Senior Litigator status with the Association of Personal Injury Solicitors (APIL) and is ranked as a Leading Individual in the Legal 500. What clients say: It is difficult to describe how thankful we are for all of your hard work and support throughout these past few years. In fact, no email will be able to accurately show the true extent of our gratitude for your effort. Nonetheless, my mum and I would like to let you know it means the world to us … with the result being unquestionably success. I cannot thank Susan Prior and her team enough for all their care, patience and understanding taking my claim forward and bringing this to closure. Sue was always there to answer any questions and explaining every step of the way which was very reassuring to me. Sue listened carefully to everything about my husband and getting to know who he was and the kind of person he was. Which not only to me but also my family showed how caring and professional Susan is.

Natasha is an Associate Solicitor in the Medical Negligence department at Fletchers Solicitors. She previosuly worked at Shoosmiths. She qualified as a solicitor in 2009 after already working in clinical negligence for one year during her training contract. Natasha has been ranked in the Legal 500 as rising star and described in the same directory as 'exceptionally well prepared, very bright and focussed. Natasha never misses a point and always gets the very best for clients. Natasha has a very caring way with clients and gives them sensible practical advice.' Similarly, Natasha is ranked in Chambers and Partners, and described as 'phenomenally bright, extremely hard working and very determined', and as 'an exceptionally able solicitor who never gives the opposition an inch. Tireless, tenacious and fierce.' Natasha has a varied caseload of serious injury claims against NHS trusts, private hospitals/practitioners and General Practitioners. She has particular experience in cases relating to spinal injury, often caused by cauda equina syndrome, abscess/discitis, myelopathy and haematoma. Natasha also specialises in brain injury, and in particular stroke, Wernicke's encephalopathy, and birth/hypoxic injury. She also has experience in a wide range of cases such as surgical error, gynaecological injury, sepsis/infection, and ophthalmic injuries. She represents adults and children and acts on behalf of claimants only. She also has experience of assisting clients during the inquest process and representing families in the Coroners' Courts throughout the country. Natasha has a reputation for achieving positive outcomes where cases are particularly difficult, novel or have complex loss of earnings arguments. Work highlights include: • acting on behalf of an aspiring barrister who was required to change her career plans due to the severe and permanent long term effects of a delay in diagnosis of appendicitis; • acting on behalf of a successful international racehorse vet who was unable to return to her previous employment or follow her intended career path due to alleged negligent anterior cruciate ligament (knee) surgery; • acting on behalf of a widow during a four day long inquest at Birmingham Coroners court. This was a very tragic case where a vulnerable man was allowed to escape from a psychiatric ward and died from his injuries after falling from the hospital roof. A jury found that the hospital's neglect had contributed to his death. Following this, Natasha brought a civil claim on behalf of the widow who received a substantial sum in compensation; • assisting in bringing a claim in clinical negligence on behalf of a 28 year old former professional photographer and mother of three. The Claimant suffered a cauda equina (spinal) injury resulting in significant disability and inability to return to her professional photography work. The Claimant was awarded a seven figure sum in compensation at trial. • Natasha assisted in bringing a claim in clinical negligence on behalf of a 35 year old lower limb amputee which ultimately settled for a seven figure sum.

Associate & Chartered Legal Executive Helen is a highly experienced Associate, Chartered Legal Executive and Team Leader with two decades of dedicated service in the legal field. With a prior specialisation in personal injury law, Helen has spent the last 10 years focusing on clinical negligence claims, demonstrating her expertise in complex areas of law. In her role, Helen manages a small caseload of clinical negligence claims while also leading and developing a team of legal professionals. She holds overall responsibility for handling and progressing cases, ensuring the best possible outcomes for clients. Her team covers a wide spectrum of clinical negligence claims, addressing various aspects of healthcare and treatment. Helen's extensive experience and expertise encompass all types of clinical negligence claims, including those involving amputation and fatal injuries. Her commitment to her clients is evident in her dedication to supporting them throughout their claims process and achieving the best possible outcome on their behalf. Throughout her career, Helen takes immense pride in her work, particularly in the positive impact she has made on her clients' lives. Her ability to navigate complex legal matters with compassion and skill has earned her the respect of her colleagues and clients alike.

Andrea Rusbridge

Andrea is head of the clinical negligence team in Northampton consisting of six legal advisors and two PAs. In 1998 Andrea was accepted onto the AvMA panel of specialist solicitors and has retained that accreditation ever since. Andrea sat on the legal aid assessment panel for dealing with appeals against decisions by the legal aid agency and continued to volunteer for this for four years. Andrea is now a CEDR accredited mediator having completed the 5 day CEDR mediation course in October 2019. Andrea has experience of many types of medical negligence case, including cerebral palsy/birth injury, obstetrics, gynaecology, vascular, amputation, cardiology, and delayed diagnosis of cancer, wrongful birth, neurological injury and cauda equina. She regards her legal expertise primarily as the means to help rebuild the lives of people and their families who have been injured as a result of negligent medical treatment and maintains that it is important to provide support and understanding throughout the process as well as achieving the best outcome that she can for her client. Work highlights • Mrs Chaudhry deceased - this was a claim against Northampton General Hospital for delayed diagnosis of breast cancer which led to the early death of Mrs Chaudhry. The claim was for the pain and suffering of Mrs Chaudhry before she died and a claim for financial losses for her and her husband and children. • Mrs Quadling - a claim was brought against Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation trust for the negligent insertion of a placebo contraceptive device which led to the birth of twins. Mrs Quadling recovered compensation for loss of earnings and pain and suffering. • Mrs Meehan - recovered compensation for delay in diagnosing and treating necrotising fasciitis against Heart of England Foundation Trust. She was compensated for loss of earnings, changes to her home, childcare and for pain and suffering now and in the future. • Mrs N - cauda equina injury caused during spinal surgery, colostomy required and stroke injury following surgery due to failure to treat atrial fibrillation. Client lost capacity to provide instructions and a litigation friend had to be appointed. Compensation included pain and suffering as well as a claim for care for herself and care she could not provide to her husband who was diagnosed with Parkinson's during the lifetime of the claim, the additional cost of holidays and activities were also included. • Mrs Parkin - surgical injury to iliac vein which prevented her return to previous number of hours as a pharmacist and caused swelling and pain reducing her mobility significantly. Claim included provisional damages for the risk of ulcer development and potential loss of her leg. She claimed loss of earnings, care and additional costs of holidays to accommodate her mobility. • Mr C- compartment syndrome injury to both legs causing foot drop and constant pain. The client could not play with his children and so his whole family were introduced to wheelchair basketball. The client claimed for care, the cost of adapted accommodation, a salt pod, case manager, loss of earnings and additional cost of holidays to see his family who live abroad in homes that do not accommodate disability. • SXC - a child who suffered from cerebral palsy birth injury, judgment has been obtained as well as substantial interim payments to provide care, therapy and assistance to age 13 when he can be assessed for the rest of his life. • Mr D - claim for failure to diagnose cancer leading to partial collapse of spine. Claim included care, loss of earnings and compensation for additional pain and suffering. • Ms W and Mr B- claim for the loss of their child to Kawasaki disease as a result of the failure of the hospital to treat the disease when it was diagnosed. The claim settled at a mediation which allowed the trust to provide an oral apology and an explanation about what steps have been taken to prevent this happening again. Testimonials from clients Paul Cockerton - “Very impressive service, as much in the manner with which it was handled, as getting the best result for us.” Mrs Meehan – “I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and all your team from myself and my family you have made a massive difference to our lives.” Mr Chaudhry – “As I got the best possible service, I have no idea how you can improve your service. I am 100% behind the service I received. From the start to finish I/we were updated on what was going to happen.” Mrs Coles – “Genuine empathy and interest in the case and in my daughter as a "real" person and not just a source of income.” Andrea has been ranked in Chambers and the Legal 500 both individually and for her team for many years.

Partner & Clinical Negligence Solicitor

Denise Stephens

Denise Stephens is a partner working in the Medical Negligence Department. Denise is one of the country's leading medical negligence specialist solicitors. She heads a team in Reading and, although based in Reading, she travels extensively throughout England and Wales representing her catastrophically injured clients. Denise has 22 years of expertise in handling numerous claims for patients across a wide medical spectrum. Denise is passionate about fighting for the rights of injured patients, she is focused, approachable and sympathetic. Denise gets to the centre of an issue quickly and with expertise. The Legal 500 describe her as: 'First rate ... handles extremely heavy cases with a certainty of touch and capability.' Chambers describes her as: 'Charismatic and forceful with a wealth of experience in the field.' Sources admire her 'client centred approach' and describe her as 'top-notch'. Denise is renowned for her work involving babies injured at birth but also has vast experience across a wide and diverse range of medical cases. Work highlights Denise has dealt with many highly complex cases involving multi-million pound claims in the High Court. Highest ever court award for medical negligence Denise achieved the highest ever court award for medical negligence. She secured the sum of £14.6 million in an 11 day trial in the case of Robshaw v United Lincolnshire Hospitals [2015] EWHC 923 (QB); MED LR 339, James Robshaw had suffered cerebral palsy at birth. This case is a landmark judgment in quantum. Cerebral Palsy testimonial Milly Evans acquired a brain injury at birth resulting in cerebral palsy and Denise recovered £10.8 million by way of damages. Andy Evans said: 'You need to have a legal team who are caring, who you absolutely trust and who will tell you the truth. Certainly from our point of view Denise Stephens from Access Legal has been absolutely amazing.' Deputy by the Court of Protection In addition to her litigation work Denise is also appointed as a Deputy by the Court of Protection to look after the financial interests of protected parties. Law Society accreditation and member of their specialist panel Denise is accredited by the Law Society as a specialist in Medical Negligence and has been on their specialist panel for many years. APIL Senior Litigator Denise has also obtained Senior Litigation status with Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

Simon, a Senior Associate, has been dealing with personal injury and clinical negligence claims since 1992, and qualified as a Legal Executive in 1997. Since 2008 Simon has concentrated on clinical negligence claims. Simon joined Fletchers Solicitors in 2025. Previously, he worked at Shoosmiths since May 2014 where he had a wide ranging practice with a special interest in fatal claims, claims involving laparoscopic surgery, orthopaedic claims and delays in diagnosing cancer. Currently, Simon is also dealing with claims involving failures in diagnosing metabolic disorders, wrongful birth claims and medical products liability claims. He knows that bringing a claim for clinical negligence can be a stressful experience not just for the injured person, but also their families and how important it is to ensure his clients understand the process of attempting to rebuild lives. Cases that Simon has dealt with include: Mr O - against a background of incurable cancer, negligent treatment leading to a below knee amputation and the urgent need to obtain an interim payment for a custom fitted prosthetic; Mrs H - delay in diagnosis of lung cancer losing the chance for curable treatment. The claim involved helping the claimant and her young family move to suitable accommodation in time to build memories in the new family home; Mrs F - a delay in diagnosis leading to the inability to have children, and exploring the costs of surrogacy; and Miss T - a claim on behalf of her family to investigate her death after several months in hospital following a bowel perforation.

Nicholas is a partner in the medical negligence team based in our Birmingham office. He specialises in serious injury cases on behalf of patients and focus particularly on problems caused by spinal and brain injuries. He has acted only on behalf of claimants in medical negligence claims for over 20 years and have completed many successful claims involving serious and, often, life-changing injuries. The patient charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) choose a panel of medical negligence specialist solicitors which Nicholas has been on for the past 15 years. He is also recognised by the UK legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers. Nicholas enjoys working closely with people to understand their lives and plans for the future. This is essential before then working out, with advice from experts in medical and other fields, what compensation they need to give the best chance to recover as much as possible and to get the most out of their lives in the future. He assisted his former client, Heather, with her claim following misdiagnosed cauda equina syndrome which she refers to in her video interview with the charity AvMA. Nicholas also negotiated a settlement of £2.5 million in 2018 for a client who suffered an above knee amputation. In 2019 achieved an unusually good outcome in the contested costs hearing, this enabled the client to retain 100% of her damages.

Kashmir won the accolade of “Partner of the Year” at the Birmingham Law Society Awards 2018, beating off competition from several big name firms, in part in recognition of her work on behalf of patients injured by rogue breast surgeon Mr Ian Paterson. She also won “Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year” at the national Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards in November 2018. Again, along with other considerations, her campaign to expose Ian Paterson’s criminal behaviour and deliver justice to those he injured impressed the judges who unanimously agreed to award her this prestigious title. She has been a member of the Law Society’s specialist clinical panel since 2004, having specialised in clinical negligence since 1996. Most of her clients have suffered significant and serious injuries and her extensive experience results in multi million pound settlements. These cases include children and young adults who have suffered brain injury at the time of or shortly after birth. In addition, she has worked on a range of complex cases including amputations, spinal cord, head injuries and fatalities, securing significant compensation. Her particular expertise is in multi-party actions, having been the lead solicitor in the complex litigation arising from the surgical procedures performed by the disgraced breast surgeon, Mr Ian Paterson. She was involved in the criminal and regulatory proceedings that led to his conviction and being struck off the GMC register and pivotal to raising the profile of the issue including campaigning to secure a change in the law to protect patients treated in private hospitals. Kashmir is the lead Solicitor in a number of claims relating to surgery performed by Mr El - Maghraby, a Consultant Neuro surgeon both in the NHS, at the University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and also a number of private Midlands hospitals.

Partner & Head of Birth Injury Unit Trevor is an incredibly respected and knowledgeable solicitor with almost 40 years’ experience, dealing with complex, catastrophic clinical negligence cases. Throughout his illustrious career, he has recovered multi-million pounds in damages. Trevor is the current Chief Assessor for the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panels. Prior to this, Trevor had also been an assessor for the panel since it’s inception in 1994. In addition, he is also a member and the former Chair of FOCIS (Forum of Complex Injury Solicitors) and a fellow of APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers). Trevor has lead on many notable cases, including the PTSD group action against the Ministry of Defence and the Thompstone group of cases on the indexation of periodical payment orders. In his role, he works directly with many of the UK’s leading Counsel and experts. Trevor’s caseload ranges from cases valued at over £100,000 to over £23 million, cases that have seen him act in birth injury mediations and achieve many lifechanging settlements for vulnerable individuals and their families. In addition to his individual achievements, Trevor and his team won Case of the Year award at the Person Injury Awards in 2023 for a birth injury liability trial. Trevor was also present at the formation of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) over twenty years ago and the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL).

Pam is a medical negligence senior associate with over 18 years' experience in advising people who have suffered injury due to medical errors. Pam has experience in dealing with a wide range of cases, including orthopaedic injuries, gynaecological procedures resulting in fertility and urological issues, stillbirths, delays in diagnosis and claims involving babies and children. Pam has a passion for improving patient care and in the management of their needs after life changing injuries. She has a sibling with cerebral palsy and has first hand experience of the impact on the individual and their families, as well as a real understanding of what their needs are. Pam currently works at Fletchers Solicitors, having joined in September 2025. Pam previously worked at Shoosmiths since 2013 where she joined from Challinors Solicitors, having previously spent over 8 years as a solicitor in the Clinical Negligence team at Davies and Partners. Outside of work, Pam enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, walking and weight training. Much to people's surprise, she also has a motorbike licence.

Dr James Wright is a Principal Associate in the medical negligence team of Fletchers. He previously worked for Shoosmiths. James acts solely for patients and their families and has experience of dealing with all aspects of medical claims ranging from anaesthetic awareness cases to child birth trauma. James has settled a number of very high value claims which involve protected parties which cannot be reported due to those matters being the subject of anonymity orders. James was also the lawyer instructed by the claimant in the much publicised Court of Appeal case of Harrison v University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust which provided clarity and guidance on costs budgeting issues. James is an experienced public speaker and has lectured to both scientific and legal audiences. James has also published articles on topics of general medico-legal interest and has had some of his successfully concluded medical negligence cases reported in publications such as Clinical Risk and PI Focus.