Leigh Day

Andrew Zajac

Andrew is a Partner within the serious injury team in our Manchester office. He specialises in cases involving catastrophic injuries such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, chronic pain and polytrauma, and acts on behalf of adults and children. Andrew is known for delivering clear legal advice in a way that clients understand. He goes above and beyond expectations to provide exceptional client care and demonstrates outstanding attention to detail. Case successes include seven-figure settlements in a complex brain injury case in which liability was contested and on behalf of a client who sustained significant injury to his leg resulting in an amputation, and substantial settlements for clients where there was an interplay between physical and psychological symptoms. Clients and others in the industry describe Andrew “the best personal injury lawyer I know…and determined not to leave any stone unturned in securing the best outcome for his client” and “an excellent lawyer” who is “skilled at working with complex challenging clients”.

Colin Murphy

Colin is a solicitor specialising in International Travel Litigation. He acts exclusively for Claimants and he has assisted many individuals who have sustained life-changing injuries following accidents abroad. Colin represents clients in a range of international personal injury cases including claims arising from accidents at work, accidents whilst on holiday and road traffic accidents. He has extensive experience dealing with complex jurisdiction and applicable law disputes. :

Joseph Dawson

Joseph is an Associate Solicitor in the International Travel Personal Injury team at Leigh Day, specialising in accidents occurring outside of England and Wales resulting in serious injuries. Joseph acts for claimants only, working with them to ensure access to rehabilitation in the assistance in recovery from life-changing injuries as well as funding for future medical treatments. Joseph has experience in all types of cross border litigation including complex issues of jurisdiction & applicable law in road traffic accidents and workplace accidents abroad as well as Montreal/Athens/Berne Convention matters. Joseph also has years of experience in claims under the Package Travel Regulations and the litigation of accidents in the Federal & State jurisdictions of the USA.   .

Julia Reynolds

Principal lawyer Julia Reynolds manages the catastrophic injury clinical negligence team in Wales. Based in Cardiff, her team consists of seven skilled practitioners including two principal lawyers (partner equivalent), a senior associate, two qualified solicitors, and two paralegals. With a particular interest in obstetric cases and those involving paediatric brain damage, Julia has carved out a niche practice. Her busy case load predominately centres around paediatric brain damage arising from cerebral palsy, a delay in diagnosis, and negligent treatment cases. She also handles spinal cord injuries, amputations, and fatalities. A very experienced senior litigator, she is used to carrying a heavy case load alongside managing a large, dedicated and caring team. Renowned for her determination, Julia is not afraid to take on difficult cases and fight for justice on behalf of her clients and is regularly sought out with direct approaches from prospective clients, wishing to retain her services. A bright, thoughtful, and empathetic lawyer that works hard to serve her clients, she has a wide network of contacts in the market that help to ensure that her clients get the very best advice and care. In addition to her management duties and case work, Julia is very active in the local community. She lectures to the local university law students about entering the profession, supports junior members of the team and encourages them to develop relationships within the market. She is a member of the Cardiff and District Law Society Council and has a particular interest in supporting charities in her sector working regularly with charities that support children with cerebral palsy, children with acquired brain injuries and adults with acquired brain injuries

Kevin Johnson

Partner in the asbestos department and manages the firm’s Liverpool office. Has specialised in asbestos disease claims for over 25 years. Acts for claimants in the UK and has a specialist international practice acting for UK expats in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Malta, etc. He has worked on several of the leading asbestos test cases including:- Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services Limited and Others [2002] UKHL 22. Barker v Corus UK Plc [2006] UKHL 20. Ballantine v Newalls Insulation Co. Ltd, CA June 2000. Rice and Thompson v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry [2007] EWCA Civ 289. He also acted in:- Dowdall v William Kenyon & Sons and 2 others [2014] EWHC 2822 – recovery of damages for a client with mesothelioma who had settled his asbestosis claim on a full and final basis. Successfully overcame the defendants’ arguments on abuse of process, estoppel and limitation (obtaining s.33 discretion despite the case being 13 years out of time). Sturdy v James Marmon & Sons, Lawtel, 26/11/2008 – successfully opposed the Defendant’s attempt to reduce damages for PSLA in a mesothelioma claim to below recommended JC guidelines. In the Matter of Eagle Star Insurance Company Limited [2006] EWHC 1850 (Ch) – acted for a representative asbestos disease sufferer and intervened on behalf of asbestos victims in relation to proposals by Zurich to re-structure their EL insurance arrangements. Hutchings v Invista Holdings (2009), unreported, Liverpool County Court – successful recovery of relatives’ flight costs from Australia to the UK to visit their father with mesothelioma. Has recovered substantial damages for several mesothelioma sufferers who incurred private medical costs for immunotherapy and other treatments.  Recently settled a group claim for several Maltese mesothelioma victims against the MOD.

Michael Newman

Michael is a litigation specialist, focusing on discrimination and employment rights for individuals. He has unparalleled experience in the conduct of group litigation, and his cases are frequently in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He has successfully brought claims against central government departments, banks and financial institutions, large multinationals, NHS bodies, universities, local authorities, NGOs and several national newspapers. Michael advises individuals in a wide range of workplace disputes, and discrimination matters in all sectors. Previous cases include the blacklisting litigation on behalf of GMB members in the High Court, and he currently represents tens of thousands of workers in an equal pay claim against Asda (believed to be the largest private sector equal pay claim).

Mike Cain

Mike  is a Partner in  the Employment Department at Leigh Day. Mike  deals with all aspects of employment and discrimination law. He represents employees and senior executives in claims before the Employment Tribunal and on appeal. As well as his discrimination litigation work, Mike also advises on contracts, restrictive covenants and bonus issues. Mike  has expertise in advising senior executives, with a focus on discrimination claims for those working in the legal sector  and banking and finance.        

Ryan Bradshaw

Stephen Jones

Partner

Steven Dickens

Steven has been acting for victims of asbestos exposure since 2006.  He is regularly instructed by sufferers in the Greater Manchester area, but also works for individuals across the country. Steven acts exclusively for asbestos sufferers. He has specialist in-depth knowledge of those firms in the industrial north of England who caused employees to be exposed to asbestos.  This knowledge has helped Steven to successfully conclude asbestos related claims for many sufferers over the last two decades. Steven primarily represents people who have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace.  As a result of this exposure many individuals develop asbestos related lung conditions such as diffuse pleural thickening, asbestosis, asbestos related lung cancer or mesothelioma.  Steven recovers compensation for individuals and their relatives as a result of exposure to asbestos in a variety of industries. Since its inception in 2007  Steven has successfully pursued claims for compensation against the T&N Asbestos Trust, the Trust set up to compensate former employees of the Turner & Newall group of companies. He sits on the Trustee Advisory Committee which represents the best interests of Trust claimants generally. Steven has successfully pursued compensation for those who have been exposed to asbestos in less traditional occupations such as publicans, shop workers, and teachers who were exposed to asbestos at work.  He has also acted for asbestos sufferers who contracted asbestos related illnesses such as mesothelioma after coming into contact with asbestos from family members who brought dust home on contaminated work clothes. Steven represents victims with life changing diseases.  He acts quickly in matters where victims have short life expectancies.  These claims, by their very nature, are complex and are of significant value.