Guildhall Chambers

Personal injury, Clinical Negligence and Costs & Litigation Funding

Martin Lanchester is a specialist in Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, and Coronial Law. Martin is also joint head of the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence team.

He appears for both Claimants and Defendants in high-value and complex cases, often involving those with life-changing injuries. Martin is recognised in the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 legal directories for his work in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence. Martin is instructed for interested persons involved in inquests, often in cases where Article 2 is invoked and sits as an Assistant Coroner in Gwent.

“Martin is excellent at strategy in complex cases, and he is also a very calm advocate.” Chambers & Partners

“Martin is extremely perceptive; he considers papers very thoroughly before providing comprehensive advice of a high quality. He has an in-depth knowledge of the law and is always well prepared for conferences and court appearances. Perhaps his greatest strength is his ability to bond with clients.” The Legal 500 Personal Injury

Personal Injury

Called 2001, Middle Temple. Martin specialises in catastrophic and high value injuries with often complex expert evidence. Martin practised as a criminal barrister earlier in his career and has a formidable reputation in dealing with cases involving fraud and fundamental dishonesty. He is regularly instructed in all areas of personal injury, including road traffic, fatal accidents, workplace and public liability.

Martin has extensive experience in cases involving:

• Catastrophic injury

• Polytrauma

• Head/brain injury including TBI

• Chronic Pain Disorders

• Amputation

• Psychiatric injury

• Cases involving children and those without capacity

• Somatisation

• Serious Spinal Damage

Clinical Negligence

Martin is a busy and experienced Tier 1 clinical negligence specialist who is regularly instructed to represent Claimants and Defendants. He benefits from a scientific background and is well suited to dealing with complex and developing areas of medicine.

Martin has recent experience of cases involving stroke, vascular disease, spinal surgery, delayed cancer diagnosis, cardiac surgery and cardiology, consent, general practice, neurology, nursing and pressure sores, obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility with surrogacy, radiology and neuroradiology, chronic pain and urological injury.

“Martin provide excellent client care and high-quality Advice”

“Martin is very competent and skilful at managing tricky, technical, financial dependency cases to a successful outcome.”

Inquests

Martin is regularly instructed for interested persons at pre-inquest hearings and inquests throughout the country. He has extensive experience of dealing with difficult and complex cases where Article 2 is invoked. Martin regularly acts for clinicians and families of the deceased in cases where a death has occurred in hospital or following medical intervention.

His recent experience includes infant mortality, cases involving suicide, post-natal death of a mother, road traffic accidents, prison deaths and defective heart surgery.

Martin sits as an Assistant Coroner for Gwent.

Costs and Litigation Funding

Martin has sound experience in respect of Costs & Litigation funding and is regularly instructed to deal with Costs and Case Management hearings, as well as general disputes in relation to costs.

Martin has also been involved in hearings within the Court of Protection to include drafting position statements, pre-hearing discussions, round table meetings and S21A hearings.

UKELA.

St Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge (1995 MA (Hons) Natural Sciences 2(1)); City University (2000 CPE – Commendation); Inns of Court School of Law (2001 BVC – Very Competent).

• Legal Assessor – UKCP