Rodney Ferm

Head of Chambers

Highly skilled practitioner and one of Leeds’ best-known barristers. Became Broadway House Chambers’ latest high-profile addition on 18 June 2012 and joined the civil, family and criminal teams. Civil law: has a significant civil practice with over 30 years’ experience, which focuses on personal injury and professional/clinical negligence work. As a result he is regarded by solicitors as a barrister of first choice in difficult cases involving complex factual matters and points of law, and he holds the impressive accolade of having one of the largest personal injury practices on the North Eastern Circuit, having advised ib about 20,000 personal injury cases throughout his distinguished career. In addition, Rodney is also instructed in other civil matters and particularly in the field of commercial law. Experience in dealing with commercial contracts and property, consumer law, directors’ disqualification matters and partnership disputes, through to protecting business reputations in defamation actions involving newspapers and television. Has acted in judicial review applications in the Administrative Court, becoming an integral member of Broadway House’s group of JR practitioners, and also as counsel to inquests. Family law: Rodney is regularly instructed in high-value ancillary relief applications involving overseas assets, multimillion-pound spousal business ownership, elements of fraud and other acute issues. Rodney’s capability in ancillary relief has been recognised by the national legal directories, who recommend him as a leading junior. Criminal law: his experience extends not only to prosecuting and defending serious fraud and sexual offences, including indecency and rape, but to over 100 murder cases. The commercial element of his civil practice is also prominent in the criminal sphere and as such Rodney has a proven track-record in corporate crime, where he was instructed in the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 prosecution of the Channel Tunnel tunnel-boring machine manufacturers following an incident in which employees were killed. Notable cases, Court of Appeal (Civil Division): Rehill v Ryder Holdings Ltd [2012] AllER (D) 206 (May); Brown & anor v Fenwick [2001] EWCA Civ 1146; Archer v Archer [1999] 2 FCR 158; Worrall v British Railways Board (1999, unreported); Shaw & anor v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [1987] 3 All ER 405. Court of Appeal (Criminal Division): R v MacDonald [2007] All ER (D) 77 (Aug); R v Brazil & ors [2007] All ER (D) 213 (Feb); R v B [2004] AllER (D) 184 Oan). High Court of Justice Family Division: B v B [2012] EWHC 314 (Fam); Re T (a child) (DNA tests; Paternity) [2001] 3 FCR 577. High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division: Allen v Grimsby Telegraph [2011] AllER (D) 30 (Mar); R (on the application of Dawson & ors) v HM Coroner for East Riding & Kingstonupon-Hull Coroners District (2001 unreported). Appeal of David Fletcher (inconsistent verdicts) 2017; Rv Begum and Miah- Forced Marriage, Leeds Crown Court July 2018 and Court of Appeal December 2018.

B.A. (Oxon)