Lawrence West KC > Chambers of Charles Gibson KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Lawrence West KC

020 7583 9020 lwest@hendersonchambers.co.uk

Work Department

Personal injury, clinical negligence, product liability, insurance, environmental, commercial, professional negligence, local authority, employment.

Position

Barrister specialising in environmental; personal injury; medical negligence; product liability; commercial; other areas of practice include professional negligence; and insurance; was a member of the team that handled all of the defence work for the Canadian Medical Protection Association in Ontario; regularly advises water undertakers, industrial concerns and others on environmental matters and has extensive experience in product liability cases including those involving food products; agrochemicals; petrochemicals; pharmaceuticals and other medical products; electrical equipment; and exposure to contaminants; cases include: Hughes v McKeown [1985] 1 WLR 963, damages – loss of earnings – future earnings; Thake v Maurice [1985] 2 WLR 215, public policy – damages – birth of child following vasectomy; Thake v Maurice [1986] 2 WLR 337, medical practitioner – contract – operation; Stubbings v Webb [1993] AC 498, limitation of action – personal injuries – power to override time limit; Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather Plc [1994] 2 AC 264, Rylands v Fletcher – chemical solvent – pollution of underground water supply; Merchant Retail Group Plc v Northumberland County Council – local authority’s liability for flooding; Chappell v Imperial Design Ltd [2002] All ER (D) 1619 – contributory negligence of an infant; Joint Replacement Instrumentation Ltd Ceramtec AG [2001] All ER (D) 194 – jurisdiction of the English courts, contract; Howarth v Green [2001] All ER (D) – personal injury, negligent stage hypnotist; Afzal v Chubb Guarding Services [2002] All ER (D) 369 – defence against fraudulent personal injury claim; Donoghue v Folkestone Properties [2003] All ER (D) 382, leading authority on the Occupiers Liability Act 1984; Warrilow v Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust [2006] – clinical negligence; Hazelwood v Teignbridge BC [2006] – local authority liability for flooding; United Utilities v Environment Agency [2006] – applicability of the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations to sewerage undertakers; Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation [2008] and [2010] – liability of employers liability insurers for mesothelioma claims; PIP litigation – group action arising out of breast implants; Johnson Lafouric- failed cosmetic surgery claim.

Career

Qualified Ontario 1973; advocate McCarthy Tetrault, Canada; called Gray’s Inn 1979; recorder 2000; QC 2003; CEDR-accredited mediator; MCI Arb.

Education

University of Toronto (1967 BA; 1970 LLB); University of London (1971 LLM).