Director & Solicitor
Switalskis Solicitors
Lawyers
Director & Solicitor
Director & Solicitor
Partner and head of clinical negligence – areas of practice include all aspects of medical negligence litigation on behalf of adults and children, including orthopaedics, general surgery and birth injury
Director & Solicitor
Director & Solicitor
Partner and head of personal injury – heading a team of 35 fee earners including associate solicitors, assistant solicitors, legal executives, trainees and paralegals. Specialises in personal injury work and employment law, handling a range of matters including employers’ liability and industrial disease. Recently settled two Legionnaires disease claims on behalf of holiday makers under the Package Tour Regulations and an unusual disease claim on behalf of a pet shop worker who contracted Pulmonary Fibrosing Alveolitis as a result of exposure to bird dander. Cited cases include Fox v Cementation Piling Limited [2011] EWCA Civ 790 and Spowart v Nottinghamshire County Council [2006] Lawtel
Director & Solicitor
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Director
Jim is a high-profile criminal law practitioner in the Leeds area.
He has a wide range of experience in criminal law matters, including representing clients in a variety of high- profile cases from murder, fraud, money laundering and large-scale drug offences.
Jim has extensive experience in defending clients accused of:
Murder
Manslaughter
Sexual offences
Violent crimes
Drug misuse
Supplying drugs
Firearms
Fraud
Drink driving
Driving disqualifications
Drug driving
Disturbing the peace
Burglary and theft
Jim has appeared at the Court of Appeal on many occasions and has successfully appealed both conviction and sentences. He is also instructed regularly by other firms of solicitors.
Jim is head of Switalskis motoring crime team and represents privately funded matters before the magistrates. He is a specialist in this area, and regularly represents individuals in road traffic cases.
Jim’s thorough understanding of both the court system and road traffic law means that he can offer expert advice on all motoring offences.
As a barrister, Jim can offer continuity of representation for motoring law clients in the event that a road traffic case should proceed to Crown Court.
Jim is also experienced in cases involving HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and has worked as a supervisor for the Legal Services Commission Fraud Panel.
Director & Solicitor
Joint Head of Personal Injury department
Director & Solicitor
Joint Head of Personal Injury
Head of Brain and Spinal Injury department
Solicitor Advocate
Director & Barrister
Richard has dealt with almost every type of medical negligence claim. he bulk of his cases concern the following:
Brain injuries sustained at birth and shortly thereafter
Surgery to the brain and spine
Complex orthopaedic surgery, including joint replacement and reconstructive surgery
Delays in diagnosing cancer and other serious illness
Richard also has considerable experience in medical product liability claims and has led several large group actions.
He also conducts a number of professional negligence claims, against other firms of solicitors, concerning the management of clinical negligence and personal injury actions.
Richard manages a team of solicitors based in the York office. He is responsible for the screening of the firm's new cases, and also for its reponse to the recent reforms to the recovery of legal costs.
Richard’s practice largely consists of the following:
Birth injury and neonatal brain injury claims
Spinal surgery cases, including cauda equina syndrome claims
Complex orthopaedics, including joint replacement, limb reconstruction, bone cancer and amputation cases
Cases concerning delays in diagnosing cancer and other serious illnesses
Richard led a successful group action of 400+ product liability claims against a multinational orthopaedic device manufacturer, concerning hip replacements
He led a successful group action against a French manufacturer of ankle replacements
He led a successful clinical negligence group action against a number of surgeons and NHS Trusts concerning the use of mismatched hip replacement devices
Director & Solicitor
Director & Solicitor
Director & Solicitor
Head of Clinical Negligence department
Director, Collaborative Lawyer & Solicitor