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Daniel Sokol

Daniel Sokol

Position

Daniel is recognised as a Leading Junior in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, where he is described as ‘extraordinarily bright’, ‘a great advocate’, ‘sound [in] judgement’ and a ‘singularly impressive lawyer who punches well above his level of call.’

Specialising in clinical negligence, personal injury, and education law, Daniel has extensive experience handling high-value, catastrophic injury cases, including fatal road traffic and boating accidents. His expertise extends to complex medical negligence cases involving clinicians in hospitals and in primary care, with a focus on incidents causing death, birth injuries, spinal injuries, amputations, and other life-changing disabilities.

A former university lecturer with a PhD in medical ethics, Daniel’s advocacy – both written and oral – is known for its clarity and persuasiveness. In November 2011, as a pupil, Daniel was awarded the Inner Temple Advocacy Prize and he has been involved in advocacy training for Bar students.

He undertakes a wide range of court work, acting for both Claimants and Defendants.

Daniel is the Lead Adviser for Alpha Academic Appeals, assisting university students who have been accused of misconduct (from cheating to sexual assault), who are appealing academic results, or who are undergoing fitness to practise procedures.

Daniel has been a keynote speaker in international medical conferences, an after-dinner speaker, written four books on ethics and law and over 400 articles, both in peer-reviewed academic journals and in newspapers such as the Times, the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Independent, and the New York Times.

He is a columnist for the British Medical Journal on ethico-legal issues, for which he was awarded ‘Best Column’ by the Medical Journalists’ Association in 2015.

In 2020, Daniel was appointed the first Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Research Ethics Committee.  He formerly served on several committees, including those for the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, and the Royal College of Surgeons. He is the current President of the Osler Club of London, a prestigious medical society founded in 1928.

He is trained to accept direct instructions from the public under the Bar’s public access scheme and has authority to conduct litigation. He is an accredited mediator.

Career

Called 2011.

Languages

French (native), Spanish (conversational)

Memberships

APIL

Education

St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford (2001 BA Modern Languages, specialising in Linguistics – First Class); Green College, University of Oxford (2002 MSc Social and Economic History, specialising in Medical History); Imperial College London (2003 MSc Medical Ethics – Distinction, 2006 PhD); BPP Law School, Waterloo, London (2009-2010 GDL, Distinction); City Law School, Holborn, London (2010-11 BPTC, Outstanding).

Leisure

Daniel enjoys squash and tennis. He is a close-up magician and, in 2014, was admitted as a Member of the Magic Circle.

Mentions

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