Western Circuit
St John’s Chambers has ‘a strong personal injury offering’, with a solid track record in advising on high-value catastrophic injury claims, fatal accidents, industrial disease cases and accidents at work, to name a few areas of instruction. Practice head Andrew McLaughlin has been kept busy acting for defendants in high-value brain injury claims arising from workplace and road traffic accidents. Richard Stead specialises in Animals Act claims, and is also active in cases involving fatal accidents and brain injuries. Matthew White is regularly involved in cases involving highway claims, occupational illness litigation and accidents at work. Rachel Segal is ‘very technically minded’ with a solid track record in advising on catastrophic injury claims, and James Marwick is adept at handling claims arising from spinal injuries and industrial disease. Christopher Sharp KC retired from practice in March 2025.
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.
- 'Fantastic clerks. Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire are a joy to work with.'
- 'Hugh Maguire and Adam Marston are fantastic - very friendly and approachable and very organised.'
- 'Adam Marston is always on hand to deal with any queries and is very helpful, friendly and efficient.'
- 'The personal injury clerks are fantastic - very responsive and helpful.'
- 'The personal injury department at St John's always have high-quality counsel available.'
- 'An excellent set.'
- 'Well trusted and reliable set.'
- 'Very strong set.'