Ms Laura Johnson KC KC > Deka Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Deka Chambers Offices
3-5 Norwich Street
London
EC4A 1DR
England
- Set Profile
- Go to...
Ms Laura Johnson KC KC
Position
Laura’s practice is focused on claims that are high value, complex or sensitive, acting for both claimants and defendants. She is an experienced advocate, equally comfortable advancing appellate arguments on points of law as she is addressing a civil jury. Many of Laura’s cases are resolved through ADR and she frequently represents parties in JSMs and mediations.
Laura enjoys working as part of a team. Her client care skills are often commended in the legal directories. Whether acting for injured or bereaved individuals, or representing institutions facing public scrutiny in controversial cases, she is focussed on understanding the needs of the client and providing thoughtful advice setting a clear strategy. Many of her cases involve multiple experts and she is used to dealing with and advising on complex medical and quantum evidence.
Laura’s current claimant work encompasses serious brain and spinal injury, amputation, functional neurological disorders, complex psychiatric and fatal claims. She is instructed in a range of claims of substantial value involving serious injury to children, including traumatic brain injury necessitating full time care for life with associated accommodation and MDT cost claims. She has considerable experience of managing cases involving large numbers of medical experts and complex medical issues. Laura’s expertise in clinical negligence work means that she is well placed to advise on such issues.
Laura is a popular and experienced trial advocate, regularly acting for defendants in a range of work, often involving significant legal complexity and reputational sensitivity. She is very experienced in cases concerning the existence and scope of the duty of care, vicarious liability and those that intersect with discrimination and human rights law (for work involving public bodies, human rights and discrimination see Laura’s profile for Public Sector and Human Rights work).
Laura has long been recognised as a leader in the field of clinical negligence. She acts for claimants and defendants and is very experienced in cases involving catastrophic injury, including brain and spinal injury. She is a popular and confident trial advocate, regularly instructed in substantial seven figure claims. She has a particular interest in novel legal issues and has appeared recently in the Court of Appeal and High Court in leading cases involving questions of consent and the duty of care owed to secondary victims.
Between 2020 and 2022 Laura was instructed in the Manchester Arena Inquiry, representing the interests of Greater Manchester Combined Authority on behalf of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, led by Andrew Warnock KC.
Laura has long been recognised as a leading junior in the field of actions against the police, acting exclusively for police forces.
Laura’s work encompasses misfeasance in public office, malicious prosecution, Human Rights Act claims for failing to conduct an adequate investigation, allegations of excessive force resulting in serious personal injury, wrongful arrest, vicarious liability claims for police officers accused of serious sexual misconduct, employers’ liability, occupational stress / harassment and claims concerning novel duties of care.
Throughout her career Laura has acted for public authorities in a broad range of work. She has expertise in cases brought in negligence, under the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Education
- BA(Hons) Philosophy, Politics and Economics, St Anne’s College, Oxford
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Clinical negligence
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1 (2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Laura Johnson KC – Deka Chambers ‘Her all-round skill set is among the best. Excellent at the law, drafting statements of case and with witnesses.’
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Laura Johnson KC – Deka Chambers ‘A superb technical lawyer with a strong advocacy style and willing to take a risk on difficult cases.’
Launched in October 2022 by the merger of 9 Gough Chambers and 1 Chancery Lane, Deka Chambers ‘has huge strength-in-depth from its silks to its juniors’ – bringing together the claimant and defendant-side strengths of both sets. Edward Bishop KC has notable experience in birth injury claims – he acted for the defendant in ZXB v UCL Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a maximum severity birth injury claim involving issues of breach of duty, causation and material contribution. Laura Johnson KC has involvement in the case of Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, representing the claimants whose father died following negligent failure to identify his heart problems – the cases touching on issues of case law, dating back to the wake of the Hillsborough disaster, on psychiatric injuries caused by witnessing injuries caused by negligence. Simon Readhead KC specialises in claims involving catastrophic neurological injuries, and turning to the set’s juniors Laura Begley is a nother notable name, with experience in claims from negligent spinal surgery to injuries in vulnerable clients with pre-existing issues.
London Bar > Police law (forces and constables)
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Laura Johnson KC – Deka Chambers ‘Fights tough cases with passion and great skill but always with a bit of humour.’
Deka Chambers is a ‘great set with a good range of counsel,’ and an ‘excellently run set.’ Laura Johnson KC successfully defended the force in Transport Arendonk BVBA v Essex Police, a claim for damages by a haulage company after its lorry’s contents were stolen after the vehicle was left overnight in a layby, its driver having been arrested for drink-driving. Edwin Buckett represented a Civil Service Support Officer, who suffered psychiatric injury after processing extreme child abuse material as evidence for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, in a claim against the National Crime Agency, while Lisa Dobie represented Thames Valley Police in claims found to be totally without merit brought by a convicted rapist acting as a litigant in person, obtaining a civil restraint order against the claimant.
London Bar > Personal injury, industrial disease and insurance fraud
(2022 Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Laura Johnson KC – Deka Chambers ‘Huge gravitas and presence and a formidable advocate for her clients.’