Rebecca Sutton > Chambers of Frances Heaton KC and Richard Norton > Liverpool, England > Barrister Profile

Rebecca Sutton

0151 243 6000 clerk@stjohnsbuildings.co.uk View profile

Work Department

Personal Injury
Clinical Negligence
Disease
Inquests

Position

Rebecca is a civil law barrister specialising in personal injury, clinical negligence, and disease work. She is instructed by both Claimants and Defendants, predominantly in relation to multi-track cases, but also in some cases allocated to the fast track.

Rebecca undertakes all aspects of personal injury work, including drafting pleadings, advising in conference and in writing, attending JSMs and appearing at all types of hearings, including trials, appeal hearings, application hearings and costs and case management hearings. Although she has particular interest in clinical negligence and disease work, she is also frequently instructed in relation to employers’ liability, road traffic, public liability and non-accidental injury cases.

In addition to regularly advising and representing parties in relation to substantive issues, Rebecca also has extensive experience of advising and representing parties in relation to procedural issues; she is often instructed in relation to applications for summary judgment, striking out, relief from sanctions, setting aside default judgment, re-allocation, permission to rely on medical evidence, permission to withdraw admissions and permission to amend pleadings. She also has experience of company insolvency, insofar as it relates to personal injury actions; she has advised and represented clients in relation to retrospective permission to issue against companies in administration and compulsory liquidation, deferral of dissolution, and restoration to the register.

During her time as a solicitor, Rebecca gained an in-depth knowledge and understanding of costs and funding. Since transferring to the Bar, Rebecca has kept up-to-date with costs and funding issues, recognising that this is an important aspect of personal injury litigation, particularly in the post-Jackson era. She regularly appears at CCMCs and has experience of detailed assessments.

Having specialised in clinical negligence as a solicitor and having studied for a masters degree in Health Law, Rebecca was keen to develop a clinical negligence practice as a barrister. She has been successful in doing so and is now regularly instructed by both Claimants and Defendants in relation to a variety of clinical negligence cases. Her experience includes claims against GPs, private doctors and other health professionals, as well as against NHS Trusts.

Rebecca’s disease work is primarily, but not exclusively, on behalf of Defendants. She has experience of asbestos-related cases, HAVS and NIHL as well as short-tail disease claims, including RSI, dermatitis, and stress.

Rebecca has a particular interest in medical causation in NIHL claims. While such cases are usually of modest value, the complexity of the issues often makes them suitable for allocation to the multi-track, with medical experts giving evidence at trial. Rebecca regularly represents defendants at NIHL trials involving issues of medical causation.

As a solicitor Rebecca gained experience of representing interested persons at inquests. She continues to regularly appear at inquests for a range of interested persons.

Career

Rebecca was called to the Bar in 2004. In early 2005 she started working as a fee-earner for a well-respected firm of solicitors, gaining extensive experience of a wide range of personal injury, clinical negligence and disease work. Between 2005 and 2007, while working full-time, she studied for a part-time master’s degree in Health Law at Nottingham Law School and was awarded the prize for the best Health Law student. At the same time she also successfully completed the QLTT and became a qualified solicitor in 2007. In 2008 she gained Higher Rights of Audience in all courts. Rebecca transferred to the Bar in early 2010. Although she did not require any period of pupilage, she was initially mentored by Charles Feeny and quickly developed a specialist practice.

She was appointed as Assistant Coroner for County Durham and Darlington in 2023.

Memberships

• Personal Injury Bar Association
• Professional Negligence Bar Association