Highlighted as 'a very good chambers full of high quality personal injury practitioners', Old Square Chambers has an excellent reputation for handling complex litigation, with particular strength in catastrophic and psychiatric injuries and military claims. Ben Collins KC is 'persuasive, charming and fearless', and is sought after by claimants and defendants in personal injury cases. Among the juniors, Katherine Howells' workload includes cases pertaining to fatal injuries, accidents overseas and complex issues of quantum and liability, while Bruno Gil advises on employer's liability issues, spinal injury claims and military claims.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Employment, clinical negligence, personal injury and professional regulatory & discipline.
Position
High-profile practice in an unusually wide range of fields: major cases in employment, clinical negligence, regulatory, PI, public law and human rights. Particular expertise in the health sector, with huge experience of representing healthcare professionals and employers in employment, regulatory, disciplinary and civil proceedings. Appears regularly in High Court and tribunals in public sector and large commercial employment disputes. Major practice in very high value clinical negligence, personal injury, inquests and associated public law and human rights challenges. Leading expert in criminal injuries compensation. Extensive experience in military claims. Notable cases (over 25 reported in last 5 years) include: R (DSD) v Parole Board [2018] HRLR 12 (challenge to John Worboys release); Gilham v MOJ [2018] ICR 827 (employment status of judges); Y v FTT [2017] 4 WLR 60 (status of unborn child); Wasteney v ELFT [2016] ICR 643 (religious discrimination); Child Soldiers v MOD [2016] 1 WLR 1062 (age discrimination in Army); CP v FTT [2015] QB 459 (criminalisation of drinking in pregnancy); a series of claims arising from injuries of utmost severity.
Career
Called (MT) 1996, QC 2016. Recorder. Special Advocate. Attorney-General’s A Panel (before taking silk). IPC Anti-doping adjudicator. Called to Bar of Northern Ireland.
Publications:
Contributing Editor to ‘Professional Negligence and Liability’ (Informa). Consultant Editor to ’Criminal Injuries Compensation’ (OUP)
Memberships
ELA, PNBA, PIBA, ARDL, ELBA, Justice, Liberty.
Education
Educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry and Queens' College Cambridge.
Content supplied by Old Square Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'William Meade is a super clerk with fantastic client care standards.'
- 'Will Meade is outstanding in his commercial awareness and customer service.'
- 'Olivia Moliterno and Will Meade are both very easy to work with.'
- 'Olivia Moliterno is a real credit to chambers - she is extremely efficient and always goes the extra mile to assist.'
- 'Old Square Chambers are a fantastic set.'
- 'Superb set that punches above its weight in PI work.'
- 'Old Square have great strength-in-depth when it comes to personal injury barristers.'
- 'An excellent set for personal injury work, with a raft of very experienced, knowledgeable counsel.'