Clinical Negligence

Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel KC is revered by peers for the wealth of knowledge she brings to handling clinical negligence and personal injury claims. She is particularly good at cases pertaining to brain damage and injuries at birth. She also routinely handles multi-party actions.

"Elizabeth-Anne is a technical powerhouse. She is super intelligent and always five steps ahead of anyone else."

"Elizabeth-Anne has a phenomenal mind. She is approachable, accessible and just brilliant."

"Elizabeth-Anne commands a court like nobody else. She is a great barrister who is always available, can placate any client and is super talented. She is brilliant."

"Elizabeth-Anne is my go-to barrister. The depth and breadth of her knowledge is unparalleled in relation to both liability and quantum."

"She really has encyclopedic knowledge on cerebral palsy and great pragmatism from her. She cuts through so much noise and clients really welcome her experience."

Philip Havers KC is a highly esteemed barrister noted for his far-reaching expertise in multiple areas of clinical negligence. He also devotes much of his practice to an array of other disciplines, including personal injury, human rights and environmental law. He has a strong appellate practice and frequently undertakes advocacy before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

"Philip Havers KC has a fantastic breadth of knowledge and is extremely nice to work with."

"Philip makes complex cases look easy and is a pleasure to work with."

Angus McCullough KC is an experienced advocate whose expertise stretches beyond just clinical negligence matters, encompassing such areas as health, environmental law and human rights. He is frequently instructed in regulatory and disciplinary matters, and has notable expertise in wrongful birth claims.

"Angus is a fantastic lawyer with a wide range of expertise and experience. He has a very laid back manner that belies a steely and determined approach to his work and is a great negotiator."

"Angus is very smart and excellent on high-value brain injury claims."

"Angus excels at judging a situation and knowing when to push and when to settle. He is an excellent advocate and client-friendly."

"Angus's grasp of key issues demonstrates a high level of expertise and he has great advocacy skills."

"Angus is immensely bright, his drafting is eloquent and he can grasp really tricky complex issues and distil them into everyday language. He has a wonderful manner with experts and clients."

Cara Guthrie handles various claims, including those relating to spinal injury, cerebral palsy and brain injury. She acts on behalf of claimants, as well as the MDU, the MPS and NHS Resolution, in cases ranging in value and sensitivity.

"Cara is an excellent advocate. She deals with complex issues very well and explores them thoroughly, with good sensitivity to the client."

"Cara is very bright, thorough and insightful. She is impressive on her feet against difficult opponents and is responsive and great to work with."

"Cara is very good. She is extremely experienced and has a keen eye for the details."

"Cara is particularly good on the quantum side of things and a go-to for catastrophic injury matters."

Henry Witcomb KC is a distinguished practitioner who is widely recognised for his insightful knowledge and expertise on quantum. His practice encompasses all aspects of clinical negligence, including wrongful death, brain injury and catastrophic spinal injury claims. He has also built a substantial personal injury practice, specialising in catastrophic brain and spinal injuries.

"Henry is formidable in medical negligence claims. He is meticulous with detail and in the preparation of a case and great with clients."

"Henry is excellent with clients and very detailed."

"Henry Witcomb KC is a really fantastic all-rounder."

John Whitting KC is an experienced advocate who is sought after by both claimants and defendants for his skill and expertise in a wide array of clinical negligence matters of varying degrees of complexity and value. He also has significant expertise in professional negligence and product liability matters. He often appears at inquests.

"John delivers results time after time and is absolutely one of the best counsel in the field of clinical negligence."

"John is a fantastic advocate and negotiator. He brings a huge amount of experience and ability to the team."

"John is easy to work with and works hard. He goes the extra mile to secure a good result. He is an impressive advocate."

"John is an amazing barrister with a great ability to turn the complex into the simple. He is great fun to work with."

"John has a masterful command of the facts of any case and is a superb strategist. He gets to the nub of the issue and is the master of tactics and a phenomenal advocate - in court and for clients."

Margaret Bowron KC is a highly regarded barrister who represents both claimants and defendants in high-value clinical negligence claims. Widely recognised within the clinical negligence community for her specialist expertise, she devotes a substantial part of her practice to claims of the utmost complexity and severity. She has appeared in a number of substantial group actions.

"Margaret is really good at being alert to risks to address in trial. She is good at getting to the bottom of the issue and is approachable and quick."

"Margaret is fantastic with witnesses, whether expert or lay. She really knows what the client wants and is authoritative."

"Margaret really grasped the issues and was pragmatic in her advice."

Matthew Barnes principally focuses on all aspects of medical law, including areas of public law, inquest work and clinical negligence. He devotes much of his practice to representing both claimants and defendants in catastrophic injury claims ranging in both value and complexity. He also acts on behalf of medical staff and families at inquests.

"Matthew has an amazing ability to get to the heart of the case. He is really tenacious, highly experienced and a silk in the making."

"Matthew is a very experienced and safe pair of hands. He is very good with clients and with details."

"Matthew cuts through complex issues to reach the key point and is robust and persuasive in negotiations."

"Matthew is a very impressive advocate who should be feared by the other side."

Paul Rees is highly revered by his peers and is widely recognised for his involvement in some of the most significant cases tried in the High Court and the Court of Appeal. He also demonstrates flair in personal injury claims, inquests and professional disciplinary tribunals.

"Paul is careful and detailed in his approach and always willing to assist and to advise. His experience in both defendant and claimant work gives him a great insight into cases."

"Paul is thorough, clever, disciplined and helpful."

"Paul adds a lot of value given his wealth of experience."

Richard Booth KC has a broad practice encompassing multiple areas of medical law. He also specialises in various other disciplines such as personal injury and sports law. His practice consists of both claimant and defence advocacy, and he is regularly instructed to act for the defence in regulatory hearings.

"Richard is exceptionally bright. He's very good with experts, his written work is really high-quality and he is a leader in the field."

"Richard is friendly, has excellent legal knowledge and is willing to fight."

"Nothing its ever too much trouble for Richard. He is brilliant with clients and can drill down into the nub of the problem in a way they will understand."

Clodagh Bradley KC has amassed over 20 years' experience practising in the field of medical law, gaining expertise in the most complicated areas of this field. She continues to handle an impressive caseload, including obstetric, infant brain injury and GP negligence claims. She acts for both claimants and defendants.

"Clodagh is the most thorough barrister I know. She is absolutely rigorous with her investigations."

"Clodagh is a fantastic advocate. Above all else she is a fantastic individual who always genuinely has the client's interests at heart when representing them."

"Clodagh is methodical, has a calming presence with clients and can really dig her teeth in when necessary."

David Evans KC is recognised for his skill in handling clinical negligence matters of the highest value and utmost severity. He represents both claimants and defendants in an array of claims, primarily focusing his practice on spinal cord injury claims and brain damage cases. He also appears in coroners' inquests and public inquiries.

"David is exceptionally bright."

"He analyses everything to the finest details and puts it in simple terms. He is fabulous in negotiations on liability, very flexible and easy to deal with."

Jeremy Hyam KC is a specialist barrister who is well versed in the field of clinical negligence law and highly experienced in all areas of medical law. He is skilled at handling claims relating to serious physical injuries as well as psychiatric harm. He also has significant expertise relating to human rights and professional discipline cases.

"Jeremy has total command of the most complex cases. He is really able to understand the most complex medical issues and is very reliable."

"He is very intelligent, very hardworking and has a lovely style of advocacy. He is very easy to work with."

"Jeremy holds the client's confidence when dealing with the most sensitive and complex clinical negligence claims, especially those with unusual elements."

Martin Forde KC has extensive expertise in the full gamut of health law, an area to which he devotes a substantial portion of his practice. Acting for both claimants and defendants, he undertakes clinical negligence claims of the greatest severity. He also appears in disciplinary and regulatory tribunals on behalf of medical professionals such as dentists, doctors and chiropractors.

"Martin works very hard. He has an impressive grasp of issues and advocacy."

Matthew Hill is experienced in clinical negligence law, as well as other areas such as professional discipline and inquests and inquiries. He is instructed by both claimants and defendants.

"Matthewis a really good technical lawyer who can deal with complex clinical matters easily."

"Matthew is an excellent barrister and is able to see the bigger picture in the case."

"Matthew provides excellent, clear written advice."

Neil Sheldon KC is frequently sought out by medical professionals for his extensive knowledge and expertise in the clinical negligence field. His experience representing both claimants and defendants before the GDC and GMC has earned praise from peers. He is also an expert in matters pertaining to professional discipline and administrative law. He has appeared in the highest UK and EU courts.

"Neil has fantastically honed advocacy skills."

"Neil is very calm under pressure. His calmness and clarity of thought is impressive and he puts his lay clients at rest."

Richard Smith is a well-regarded clinical negligence practitioner who represents both defendants and claimants in a wide range of matters. He is experienced in the handling of high-value claims and is regularly called upon to advise on complex liability and quantum issues.

"Richard is very experienced and good with clients. He is a persuasive advocate and is willing to take in challenging cases and take a practical commercial approach."

"Richard is a safe pair of hands. He is clever, reliable and gets on top of things."

"Richard is a sensible, pragmatic and measured barrister who can advise on any claim. He is excellent at dealing with difficult or particularly sensitive cases."

"In addition to his impressive legal knowledge, he is a strong advocate and a formidable opponent."

Robert Kellar KC is an experienced barrister who is noted for his expert handling of a wide range of complex and high-value clinical negligence claims. He is regularly instructed in cases arising from missed cancer diagnoses, amputations and ophthalmology claims, and has considerable experience handling multi-party matters. He acts for both claimants and defendants, including healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions.

"Robert is excellent with the clients. He is very good at explaining medical elements, very approachable and very responsive."

"Robert is second to none. He is fantastic with experts and brilliant to work with. He will get you where you want to be. His advice is top-notch and down to earth."

"Robert is brilliant, bright and a really good advocate."

"Rob strikes the perfect balance as both a tough negotiator and advocate and a friendly and approachable character."

"He has an excellent manner with clients, particularly with sensitive matters. His advice is very thoughtful and pragmatic and he is an excellent negotiator."

Sarah Lambert KC is well regarded for her deft handling of a wide range of matters in the clinical negligence market and has experience acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants. She is routinely called upon to handle obstetric birth injury, neurological brain injury and amputation claims. She is also well-versed in handling secondary victim cases and claims arising out of the delayed diagnosis of cancer.

"Sarah's advice and support on some very complex litigation with difficult parties has just been phenomenal."

"Sarah is an excellent advocate and really gets to the heart of the matter with the client."

"Sarah is very proactive and on the ball. She is very good with clients and put them at ease. She is really good at quantum assessments."

Andrew Kennedy KC acts for claimants and defendants, tackling really complex claims, both in terms of value and difficulty. He has an extensive practice which branches out into professional discipline and other regulatory law. He has appeared in a number of significant GMC inquiries.

"Andrew is calm, approachable and measured but also hugely knowledgeable and experienced."

"Andrew is very pragmatic and sensible. He is very approachable, very good with the clients and his advice is always timely and on point."

"Andrew is excellent, he is very calm but really good on his feet. He is very easy to work with."

"Andrew's advice is tailored to how the client likes to deal with claims. It demonstrates an awareness of the approach favoured by the client."

Owain Thomas KC acts for both claimants and defendants in high-value birth injury and catastrophic injury claims. He is also well regarded for his handling of public law challenges brought against Mental Health Trusts, and regularly represents public authorities in inquest proceedings.

"Owain is a fabulous leader in clinical negligence. He has confidence in the most complex cases involving difficult medicine or legal issues."

"Owain is cerebral and helpful."

Rachel Marcus handles a wide range of clinical negligence matters including birth and spinal injury claims. She is also noted for her expertise in inquests.

"Rachel fights really hard for her clients. She is very pragmatic and sensible."

"Rachel is robust with opposing counsel. She vigorously pursues her client's cases whilst maintaining genuine empathy."

"Rachel provides top-notch advocacy. She adds real value."

Richard Mumford is a highly regarded barrister, noted for his expert representation of both claimants and defendants in high-value clinical negligence cases. He is experienced in the handling of complex birth injury and paraplegia cases and is also regularly called upon to represent his clients in claims arising from delays in diagnosis.

"Richard's advice is always clearly articulated and timely, cutting through the extraneous or immaterial points to focus on the critical issues."

"Richard has a calm, measured and affable approach to claims."

Shaheen Rahman KC is renowned in the market for her ability to provide counsel on complex brain injury cases. She demonstrates particular strength in handling missed diagnosis cases as well as consent-related matters. She routinely represents both claimants and defendants.

"She is excellent at round table meetings and in negotiation."

Jim Duffy often acts for claimants in cases including failures to diagnose and negligent care. He experience taking cases to trial, including before the High Court.

"Jim's work is exceptional, he shows incredible technical knowledge and provides clear advice which is tailored to the individual clients."

"Jim is very approachable and easy to work with. He always gives careful considered advice and is excellent with clients."

"Jim is an excellent tactician. He is measured, dynamic and meticulously prepared. He is exactly who you want to represent you in the most stressful of circumstances."

John Gimlette is an experienced junior with a strong practice in clinical negligence. He acts for both claimants and defendants in a broad range of matters, including serious brain injury and spinal injuries.

"John's attention to detail and client care is excellent. He is a very good negotiator who is excellent with experts and understands the medical issue."

"John is knowledgeable and personable and has unrivalled attention to detail."

"John provides excellent service. He is extremely prompt and offers comprehensive advice."

"John is very responsive and well-prepared."

Judith Rogerson has over 20 years' experience handling clinical negligence claims. She mainly acts for defendants but also has experience being instructed on behalf of claimants. Her expertise covers neonatal fatalities and birth injuries as well as broader clinical negligence such as failure to diagnose.

"Judith is fantastic. She is incredibly well prepared. She is very good at making everyone feel part of the process, with clients able to articulate their view."

"Judith so far has been good. She is excellent with scheduling."

Pritesh Rathod is noted for his expertise in both clinical negligence and personal injury matters. He acts for both claimants and defendants, and is particularly adept at assessing quantum. He also regularly appears at inquests.

"Pritesh is an absolute stand-out junior. He is brilliant with clients and puts people at ease. He is very well-regarded by experts and gets to the bottom of things."

"Pritesh is very good on details and very good at understanding the bench's perspective."

"Pritesh is an excellent advocate with a sharp eye for detail. He gets to the crux of a matter with ease and clarity."

Rory Badenoch boasts a sophisticated workload, regularly acting for both claimants and defendants in clinical negligence work. His experience covers both misdiagnoses and delayed diagnosis as well as birth injuries.

"Rory is very hands-on and takes ownership. He is very efficient and gets the cases moving very quickly. He can be a real fighter, and he doesn't back down easily."

"Rory Badenoch is a stand-out junior in clinical negligence cases and a go-to for representation at inquests. He is passionate about representing clients and helping them to access justice."

"Rory is very much a star of the future. He has a very good way with clients and clearly reads the papers in detail beforehand."

"Rory is incredibly good at analysing the detail of the case. He's got a very superior analytical brain and he can really get through complex issues."

Shahram Sharghy is experienced in handling a wide variety of clinical negligence matters. He has particular expertise in birth-related claims, spinal injuries and delayed diagnosis of cancer claims.

"Shahram is excellent with clients and experts alike. He is always prompt to respond to any queries and provides sound and strong advice. He is also good at providing practical solutions."

"Shahram is fantastic. He is always available when needed and understands exactly what his instructing solicitors require of him. He thinks outside the box."

"He is kind but firm and is able to detangle complex cases and present them in a way that gets results."

Suzanne Lambert acts for both claimants and defendants in clinical negligence matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries. She offers additional expertise in inquests and personal injury matters.

"Suzanne is a wonderful barrister. She works her socks off and works really hard. She is a really strong individual."

"Suzanne is absolutely superb. Her knowledge is excellent and her tactical awareness is pretty outstanding. She is very astute and responsive."

Hannah Noyce is instructed on a broad range of clinical negligence matters and acts for both claimants and defendants. She is well-placed to handle delayed diagnosis claims and regularly appears in the High Court and County Courts.

"Hannah is amazing with clients and can untangle complex issues and repackage them in a way clients understand with ease."

Isabel McArdle handles a wide range of clinical negligence matters from wrongful birth claims to surgical negligence. She is also noted for her inquest experience and her handling of human rights claims within the healthcare sphere.

"Isabel is really reliable and responsive, which is a real gift in a barrister. She stands out for her reliability and responsiveness. She offers very sensible answers."

"Isabel is great with clients and puts them at ease. She is very impressive in breaking down complicated medical expert evidence and questioning experts."

"Isabel has very strong advocacy at trial."

Jessica Elliott receives instructions from both claimants and defendants in a variety of clinical negligence matters. She has a particular interest in psychiatric injury and secondary victim claims.

"Jessica is really impressive and capable. She goes above and beyond to ensure the right result."

"Jessica is utterly forensic and no stone goes unturned. She has her eyes firmly on achieving the best outcome for the client and is realistic and commercial."

"Jessica is a rising star. She does not shy away from the detail on complex claims and provides clear and thorough written advice."

Jo Moore is a well-regarded junior barrister who is developing a significant practice in the clinical negligence arena. She has experience handling an impressive range of matters, including misdiagnosis claims and birth injury cases, and is regularly instructed to act on behalf of both claimants and defendants.

"Jo has an amazing work ethic and is incredible at providing clever and wide-ranging legal advice. She applies a forensic focus that yields excellent results."

"Jo is absolutely brilliant. She is really meticulous in preparation and really good with clients. She always seems to be on top of things and is always well-prepared."

"She is simply incredible at what she does and is three steps ahead of everyone else."

"Jo is great to work with. She is responsive, pragmatic and decisive. She provides solid and workable advice."

Leanne Woods represents both claimants and defendants in the full gamut of clinical negligence work. She has appeared in both the High Court and County Courts and has a particular interest in mental health claims and sports related claims.

"Leanne is knowledgeable, pragmatic and approachable. She takes a very commercial approach in her work which is highly valuable to our clients."

"Leanne is superb on inquests and in clinical negligence. She would be a go-to for me. She is such a fierce opponent and very contentious. She knows the case inside and out."

"Leanne is reliable counsel in clinical negligence cases. She has the benefit of knowledge from claimant and defendant perspectives and is therefore very commercially aware."

Marcus Coates-Walker acts for both claimants and defendants in a wide range clinical negligence claims including misdiagnosis of cancer, gynaecological and dental cases. He has additional expertise in inquests and personal injury work.

"Marcushas excellent client care, and will always provide clear and concise advice to clients."

"Marcus is brilliant. He is very client-focused and he is really skilful in his client handling. He is incredibly dedicated and genuinely passionate about his work. He is a star in the making."

"Marcus is detailed and thorough."

"Marcus has experience beyond his years and a safe pair of hands."

Jonathan Metzer has a broad clinical negligence practice, acting for both claimants and defendants. He has experience acting unled in settlement meetings for claims involving such matters as delayed diagnosis and surgical failures.

"Jonathan is an excellent advocate. He deals with complex issues very well and explores them thoroughly, with good sensitivity to the client."

"Jon is an extremely capable advocate. He is able to rapidly identify the material issues in any case and clearly articulate action required to address them."

"Jonathan is very personable and responsive which is really conducive to a great working relationship."

"Jon is an excellent barrister who provides thorough and detailed advice. He is able to manage clients with sensitivity when guiding them through complex litigation."

Kiran Barhey has a strong grounding in clinical negligence, based not only in experience acting on behalf of claimants and defendants but also her work editing the Quarterly Medical Law Review and her time seconded to a leading claimant firm. She is confident appearing both led and unled and has acted on complex matters including brain injuries.

"She is thorough, approachable and is great with clients."

"Kiran is definitely a rising star in the area. For her year of call her level of expertise is definitely very strong."

Thomas Beamont has a growing practice in clinical negligence. He has notable experience on claims arising out of the management of hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and acts for both claimants and defendants.

"Thomas is an up-and-coming young barrister. He has been very good on covid cases. He is very measured and provides very well-written advice."

"Tom is always willing to help. He is very good on his feet and has huge compassion for the clients he works with."