Switalskis Solicitors

Alison Kaye

Director & Solicitor

Director & Solicitor

Director & Solicitor

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

Jennifer Heckingbottom

Director & Solicitor Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Director

John McQuater

Partner and head of litigation with overall responsibility for the personal injury, clinical negligence and employment teams. Solicitor/advocate with rights of audience in the high courts for civil proceedings. Undertakes complex personal injury and clinical negligence claims. Also provides professional training on a range of legal subjects

Mark Hollinghurst

Director & Solicitor Joint Head of Personal Injury Head of Brain and Spinal Injury department

Michael Devlin

Solicitor Advocate

Richard Starkie

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