Western Circuit
Guildhall Chambers is home to ‘an excellent personal injury team with an extensive range of experience’. The set reports an increase in personal injury cases involving brain injury claims, which form a key pillar of the ‘legally astute’ Oliver Moore‘s practice. Anthony Reddiford has extensive experience in handling industrial disease cases, while the ’very responsive‘ Gabriel Farmer is well known for his expertise in acting for claimants and defendants in catastrophic brain and spinal injury cases. Martin Lanchester is active in advising on a wide range of personal injury work, including fatal accidents, road traffic accidents and public liability claims. James Bentley appeared for the defendant in CL v Colas Ltd, an employer’s liability claim concerning an alleged neck injury in the workplace which led to the development of functional neurological disorder.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Personal injury; costs and litigation funding; insurance litigation; inquests.
Position
Oliver is a very experienced specialist Personal Injury and Costs Litigation barrister. He was a solicitor (with Higher Rights) before transferring to the Bar.
He is recommended as a Leading Junior in both Legal 500 and Chambers UK for Personal Injury and Costs Litigation. He is the only barrister on the Western Circuit recommended in both directories for both Personal Injury and Costs Litigation.
He is the co-head of Chambers’ PI/Clinical Negligence Team and head of the Costs and Litigation Funding team.
Career
Called 2005, Grays Inn. Trainee solicitor, Cole & Cole, now Morgan Cole (1996-98); solicitor, Bond Pearce (1998-2005); higher rights of audience, civil (2004); transferred to the Bar and joined Guildhall Chambers (March 2005); appointed to the Regional Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown (November 2010).
Oliver has a substantial Personal Injury practice mainly consisting of serious and catastrophic injuries. He is co-head of Chambers’ PI/Clinical Negligence team.
Oliver has worked in the field of personal injury for over 23 years. He was formerly a defendant PI solicitor, and his background is of assistance in both his claimant and defendant work.
In his time working in this field, he has dealt with an enormous variety of cases. Particular areas of interest and expertise include:
- Fatal accident claims;
- Brain injury claims;
- Claims involving loss of chance of career and/or promotion;
- Chronic pain cases.
Oliver is head of Chambers’ Costs and Litigation Funding team and his knowledge and experience in costs is frequently sought after in respect of PI claims in which he is instructed.
Oliver’s aptitude in respect of procedural issues means he is often sought after for contentious applications and procedural appeals.
Oliver has a specialist costs practice and heads Chambers’ Costs and Litigation Funding team. He receives instructions nationwide to advise/represent parties in all aspects of civil costs.
His instructions have covered a wide range of practice areas (including property litigation, wills and trust disputes, Court of Protection) but most often arise from PI/Clinical Negligence claims.
Oliver has advised and represented parties in relation to costs disputes for many years (he did his first “taxation” (as it was pre-CPR) almost 25 years ago) and has a great depth of experience and knowledge.
Oliver is co-head of Chambers’ PI/Clinical Negligence Team and head of the Costs Team.
Oliver’s expertise in costs is sought after in many clinical negligence claims. He is renowned for his handling of CCMCs in high value clinical negligence claims, particularly in Bristol District Registry.
He increasingly accepts instructions in clinical negligence claims more generally and over his years in practice he has acquired a wide experience of substantial claims.
Memberships
PIBA.
Education
- BA Hons, Law & Politics, Nottingham University
- Diploma of Legal Practice, Nottingham Law School
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Caroline Evans and Olive Kavanagh are fantastic - friendly, approachable and quick to respond to queries.'
- 'Caroline Evans and Olive Kavanagh are real stand outs - fantastic service.'
- 'Both Caroline Evans and Olive Kavanagh are incredibly hardworking and are always on hand to respond to any queries. They are an absolute pleasure to work with and they always respond promptly.'
- 'Excellent clerks who go above and beyond to ensure a smooth and easy service.'
- 'Guildhall Chambers is a fantastic set.'
- 'A strong set for personal injury specialists with a broad range of experience.'
- 'Guildhall are a well managed set with strength in depth.'
- 'Excellent set across the board.'