Western Circuit
St John’s Chambers is ‘a “go to” set in the Western circuit for good quality clinical negligence work’ with ‘strength and depth at both the junior and senior junior end’. Justin Valentine, who heads the team, is ‘a passionate and effective advocate’ with considerable experience in cases involving cauda equina and neonatal claims, delayed cancer diagnosis and diabetes claims. Lauren Karmel is ‘a powerful advocate’, and is often instructed on behalf of NHS Trusts and health boards in claims. James Marwick is well versed in handling major spinal and birth injury claims and cases concerning negligent obstetric and gynaecological care. Beatrice Baskett is ‘extremely confident’ and ‘an absolute asset’.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
- Phone
- 0117 923 4700
- Profile
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Personal Injury, Personal Injury Costs, Personal Injury Fraud, Clinical Negligence, Town & Village Greens, Property Damage & Insurance Disputes
Career
Call: 2008
James is an experienced personal injury and clinical negligence barrister with sub-specialisms in costs and professional negligence. He is ranked in The Legal 500 in costs (Tier 1), clinical negligence and personal injury.
He acts for both claimants and defendants in all aspects of personal injury and clinical negligence work but is well known for acting in cases where dishonesty is alleged or where there are complex liability or quantum issues. His present workload includes a large number of cases for both claimants and Insurers/Trusts worth in excess of £1million where he acts as sole junior often in cases against silks. He is often instructed in industrial disease and construction cases, and present instructions include a large number of pain cases.
James has an extensive related practice acting in all professional negligence, insurance and costs related matters where he is regularly instructed to act in contribution and property damage cases. He brings an expertise in procedural matters to all work he undertakes and is well regarded as a trial advocate.
Education
- LLB (Hons) Durham & BVC Nottingham
Content supplied by St John’s Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Hugh Maguire and Adam Marston are both very experienced clerks, with strong organisational and people skills.'
- 'Hugh Maguire is very approachable.'
- 'Jordan Yandell is very personable and friendly.'
- 'The clerks in the clinical negligence team are brilliant, always friendly and always very accommodating.'
- 'St John's Chambers has a brilliant clinical negligence team.'
- 'A leading set in the South West for clinical negligence.'
- 'A reliable set with a strong junior end in the clinical negligence practice area.'
- 'A professional and reliable set.'
- 'Fantastic chambers.'