Led from Sheffield by Gregor Woods and Timothy Riordan, CMS fields a strong defendant personal injury practice with particular strength in industrial disease, long-tail liability and complex group litigation. The team is especially prominent in asbestos-related disease, coal dust, pneumoconiosis, NIHL and respiratory claims, acting for government bodies, insurers and major corporates. Woods is noted for serious injury, disease and corporate risk management work, while Riordan combines personal injury, product liability, costs and emerging data breach claims expertise. Jeremy Fletcher is a key figure in complex respiratory disease litigation.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Gareth Watkins is an excellent lawyer, thoughtful, realistic, and a delight to work with. Amanda Davies is a dynamo, full of energy, good sense, and a lovely person. Jeremy Fletcher is extremely clever and great to work with.
- The asbestos team defends government departments against historic asbestos claims. They have fantastic knowledge of disease work in general.
- Jeremy Fletcher, in-house counsel, is first-rate.
- Tim Riordan - partner - a very good strategist and focused on getting the best result for the client. Chris Wilson - an excellent lawyer who is very bright. Catherine McAndrew and Ryan Wilson - two standout junior fee earners who are very able.
- Tim Riordan - partner - a very good strategist and focused on getting the best result for the client.
- Jeremy Fletcher (Of Counsel) is outstanding; he has extraordinary technical knowledge and a remarkable ability to pulverize a claimant’s case in a single well-drafted letter. Paul Revill is a very able associate with excellent judgment. He undertakes his work with quiet efficiency, great thoroughness, and a good eye for detail.
Key clients
- AIG
- Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Limited
- Canopius Managing Agents Limited
- Coal Products Limited
- Probitas Syndicate 1492
- Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Tarmac Trading Limited
Work highlights
Defending high-stakes asbestos disease claims using DESNZ’s vast historic archive to deliver proportionate and evidence-driven outcomes. Including a very recent High Court success in the reported claim of Dilks v SECC.
Resolving an array of BCRDL post-cut-off registration claims, brought for an array of coal mine-related respiratory diseases, under a court-supervised regime.
Driving the CIPCS, the UK’s longest-running industrial disease scheme, with end-to-end policy and operational expertise.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Timothy Riordan
Practice head
Gregor Woods; Tim Riordan
Other key lawyers
Jeremy Fletcher