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Carson McDowell

Carson McDowell

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United Kingdom - Northern Ireland • Insurance

1

Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant

Carson McDowell‘s healthcare claims and defence insurance litigation team is known for its robust defence-side clinical negligence practice and its strengths in personal injury claims, covering employers’ liability, public liability and product liability. Roger McMillan and Jacqueline McAleese co-lead the clinical negligence defence department. McMillan is a go-to for medical defence organisations and is an expert in neurology-related claims, while ’excellent’ litigator McAleese focuses on defending birth and brain injury cases. Catherine Carton and Cathal O’Neill head up the insurance personal injury team. Carton has a broad workload, from bullying and harassment in the workplace to industrial disease claims. O’Neill is experienced in handling significant asbestos claims.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Cathal O’Neill is a very knowledgeable and approachable lawyer. He takes a pragmatic approach to his cases and stands out as a lawyer who can quickly identify early negotiation opportunities or when cases need to be defended.’
  • ‘Catherine Carton and Cathal O'Neill provide an exceptional service, and are always available and approachable.’
  • ‘Experts in their field - the go-to firm for defending clinical negligence claims. An extremely well-connected team that provides consistently excellent advice. They are very knowledgeable in their field, and their understanding and standing in the jurisdiction is second to none.’
  • ‘Excellent quality solicitors, very well-organised and resourced.’
  • ‘Cathal O'Neill and Catherine Carton are both brilliant solicitors; hard-working and very sensible - never trying to reinvent the wheel where it's not necessary.’
  • ‘There is nothing that Roger McMillan doesn't know about the work. He works hard to ensure his clients have a competitive edge, and he is forever horizon scanning to prepare for changes in the jurisdiction. Jacqueline McAleese oversees an excellent team; she is very understanding of her clients' needs.’

Key clients

  • The Medical Protection Society
  • Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
  • Dental Protection
  • National Pharmaceutical Association
  • Association of Optometrists
  • Medical Defence Union
  • Beazley Group
  • WRB Underwriting
  • Personal Injury – Defendant
  • Great Lakes SE
  • AIA Australia
  • Belfast Harbour Commissioners

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Cathal O’Neill
Cathal O’Neill
Practice head

Roger McMillan; Jacqueline McAleese; Cathal O’Neill; Catherine Carton