Barratts Solicitors

Legal Assistant - CN Team. I joined Barratts in October 2014 (10 years’ service).

Partner and Head of CN Alison is a Law Society and AvMA Clinical Negligence Panel member. One of the first members of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and recognised as a leading partner in the field by Legal 500. I am privileged to have acted for clients in clinical negligence cases for over 35 years. I was one of the first to agree guaranteed annual payments by the NHS to a client with cerebral palsy. My clients are always my priority, and I am privileged to act as a Deputy for some of my clients and to also see, first hand, how lives can be improved with compensation. My work in clinical negligence and personal injury has given me a unique insight into the lives of families living with disability and loss as a result of negligent medical care or personal injury. I specialise in all areas of medical negligence, and I am also involved with Inquests; this is an opportunity to get answers for clients and, where there are failings in patient safety, to seek improvements. I juggle the skills of a lawyer, social worker, counsellor and negotiator with a lay person’s forensic analysis of medical evidence. Most importantly I am a listening ear for my clients who put their trust and faith in me. I cannot think of any other area of the law that is so rewarding. Recognition My clinical negligence expertise was recognised by the charity, Action Against Medical Accidents (“AvMA”) for my “work on behalf of injured patients and their families” and “longstanding contribution in the fields of clinical negligence and patient safety.” I am a member of their interview panel for solicitors applying as clinical negligence specialists. Testimonies obtained by Legal 500, an independent legal guide, note my “vast experience” and “the warmest manner which instantly puts clients at ease”. Sources also describe me as a “hardworking and tenacious advocate” who is celebrated for her “good judgment and thorough approach to a case.” Chambers, another independent legal guide, describes my “dedication to the client “and note that my “knowledge of the law is superb.” I am recommended for steering “clients through the litigation process in the most caring and humane manner possible whilst achieving good outcomes.” And am ��first rate”. Clients state that I am “trustworthy” and have given “the best service possible”. Other professionals note I am “sensible, approachable and a strong lawyer”. I am a former member of the Law Society Personal Injury panel and Legal 500 have recognised my specialist experience in traumatic brain injury. I recently settled a ground breaking road traffic claim for a brain injured client to secure Euro damages linked to earnings in another country. Charity Work For many years I have been involved with pro bono work for charities in London and Nottingham. I am a trustee adviser for Footprints Conductive Education, a Nottingham charity helping children with neurological conditions and Downs Syndrome. I am a former Secretary of Headway Northwest London and the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum and a former governor of School for Parents (a Scope school in Nottingham). I have been interviewed by the media and spoken at conferences both in the UK and Australia. Director of Barratts I am co-director of Barratts, which is described as having a “small firm sense of client service, with large firm knowledge and expertise”. Our staff are exceptional, providing a personal, specialist team of experienced senior litigators to achieve the very best for clients.

Bernadine Campbell

Associate - PI Team. I specialise in claims for clients who have suffered catastrophic and life changing injuries, whether from a road traffic accident, accident at work or assault (both in and out of the workplace). I have experience in dealing with clients with brain injuries, amputations and spinal chord injuries. I have experience of dealing with cases involving fatalities and cases that are valued in excess of £1 million. I pride myself on taking the time to build a strong relationship with my clients and their families, from the moment they come to Barratts seeking help, and have a client centred approach. I understand the fears and anxieties of my seriously injured clients and their families, and always try to put their needs at the forefront of any decision-making process. I strive to deal with claims with compassion and understanding at all times. I use my experience to ensure that I obtain funding at an early stage for access to specialist rehabilitation and support in order that my clients achieve the best recovery possible in the shortest possible time. I take particular pride in seeing cases through from start to finish, which can take a number of years. Over the years I have dealt with a raft of different types of cases including accidents at work, road traffic accidents, employers’ liability, public liability, disease cases (to include industrial deafness, repetitive strain injuries, Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome and manual handling accidents) and animal related injuries (such as dog attacks and horse-riding accidents).

Beth Tearne

Paralegal I am a personal injury and clinical negligence Paralegal and assist both of these teams with their cases. My work includes preparing documents (such as Schedules of Loss, Letters of Instruction and Claim Forms), noting conferences with Counsel and conducting legal research.

David Tomlinson

I am one of the founding partners of Barratts Solicitors. I have been handling personal injury claims for over 30 years, particularly those claims involving very serious injuries including spinal cord injury, brain injury and amputations. I am a Fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and am also a Deputy for some of my clients who lack capacity to manage their affairs. In addition to obtaining well over £50 million compensation for my clients I have also taken a very active part in the rehabilitation process and by working closely with case managers, occupational therapists, medical practitioners, architects etc I have helped maximise my clients prospects for recovery and helped to improve the quality of their lives and environment following their serious injuries. In the early stages following an accident taking active steps to help with rehabilitation, discharge from hospital and specialist medical treatment is far more important than the pure compensation (although there is no getting away from the fact that maximising the amount of compensation obtainable is going to make a significant difference to long-term quality of life for my clients). I am very fortunate to be assisted by my colleague, Lee Wraight, who has worked with me for over 20 years.

Hannah Price

Legal Assistant - PI I joined Barratts in June 2019 as a Legal Assistant in the Personal Injury Department. I now provide support across both Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Departments.

Janet Cooper

Legal Assistant - Court of Protection Team I joined Barratts in February 2024 as a Legal Assistant in the Court of Protection Department.

Lee Wraight

Legal Assistant - PO I joined Barratts in November 1991 to cover maternity leave as a Legal Assistant to one of the founding members of Barratts and I am still here 33 years later. During my time at Barratts I have worked as a Legal Assistant in the PI Department.

Lesley Edwards

Partner and Head of the Personal Injury Team. Represents clients who have sustained serious injury including TBI, spinal cord injury and amputations. She has over 20 years’ experience of acting for Claimants in accidents at work, public and occupier’s liability, road traffic accidents, CICA and MIB Claims. Lesley is recommended for being client focussed and dedicated to resolving the most challenging cases. She has recently concluded a case where the Claimant suffered a spinal cord injury rendering him tetraplegic and a severe brain injury with a lump sum of nearly £5m plus periodical payments of £675,000 per annum for care and therapy costs for life. She has also concluded a case against the MIB for damages in excess of £1m for facial and head injuries sustained in a road traffic accident and a lump sum of £14.5m in relation to a young professional who suffered a catastrophic spinal injury in a cycling accident.

Mandy Godbold

Legal Assistant - COP I joined Barratts on 13 September 2021.

Mike Dodd

Associate - PI Team I am an Associate in the Personal Injury Team and specialise in catastrophic injuries such as brain injury, polytrauma, amputation and spinal injuries. I pride myself on building excellent client relationships through a pragmatic approach to litigation. I will always aim to provide clear and practical advice and put my clients and their needs at the heart of the process. Many clients seek my advice at a time of great difficulty, trauma and shock and the prospect of speaking to a lawyer can be overwhelming. I am committed to doing all I can to help my clients through this process and resolve their claims as efficiently as possible. Notable work includes acting for victims of the Croydon Tram Crash and assisting in a spinal injury case of the utmost severity where damages, if capitalised, exceeded £20 million. I have been described as “sensible and straightforward. Effective and good at explaining complex issues to clients”

Rebecca Tomes

Senior Fee Earner - COP I am a senior fee earner in the Court of Protection Team. The Team specialises in supporting clients who lack capacity to manage their property and financial affairs due to traumatic brain injuries, and who have received a significant award of damages. Most of the clients that I support have been involved in personal injury and clinical negligence claims handled by Barratts, and therefore benefit from continuity of care and support during and after the litigation process ends. The team and I work with the client to navigate the way through financial investment, property purchase and adaptation, engagement of case managers, recruiting and employment of care providers, sourcing and engagement of appropriate therapists and whatever else is needed to maximise the client’s quality of life.

Rosalind Groom

Legal Assistant - CN Team. I joined Barratts in September 2015.

Ross Brain

Managing Partner and Partner - Clinical Negligence Team. I have specialised in Clinical Negligence litigation since qualifying in 1999. I joined Barratts as Co-Director and Managing Partner in October 2021, having spent a period outside the law developing my business skills and having previously been a senior equity partner at a top 100 law firm in London (heading up the Clinical Negligence Team) and also worked as a Defendant Clinical Negligence solicitor in a top 100 NHS Panel firm. My focus at Barratts is the role of Managing Partner for the firm. My clinical negligence expertise covers all areas of clinical negligence, whether the mistake/error occurs in the NHS setting, the private sector or as a result of General Practitioner (GP) errors. I have expertise in claims involving injuries of maximum severity such as brain injury, spinal injury, and birth injury claims (including cerebral palsy). My experience covers the full spectrum of medical disciplines, and I have successfully acted for clients who have had claims arising out of: obstetric & gynaecological problems. a failure to recognise and treat infectious diseases such as meningitis. orthopaedic and spinal surgery including failure to diagnose cauda equina syndrome. A&E and trauma medicine. cardiology. abdominal surgery including failure to diagnose peritonitis. chest/respiratory medicine (e.g. a failure to diagnose pulmonary embolism, coronary heart disease or DVT) failure to diagnose cancer claims I have also acted for many families who have suffered a bereavement in the clinical setting, whether that is the death of a care giver or income provider, or the still birth or death of a child. I have also represented many bereaved families at inquests, particularly involving patients in the care of mental health units. I was also the solicitor who represented the Claimant (a sickle cell patient who died in prison) in the case of Stewart & Howard v Medway NHS Trust [2004] which was instrumental in establishing the principle that the costs incurred to attend an inquest are capable of being recovered in a subsequent civil claim for damages (as incidental to the damages claim).

Vicki Holmes

Partner I am a Partner in the Clinical Negligence Department. I have over 30 years experience in running complex, high value clinical negligence claims for adults, children and families. I have experience in all types of clinical negligence claims including birth injury/cerebral palsy, neurological injury, spinal injury, obstetrics and gynaecology, delayed diagnosis of cancer, orthopaedic injuries, surgical injuries and fatal accident claims. I am dedicated and committed to helping clients receive the compensation they deserve after an injury.

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