Cara Guthrie > 1 Crown Office Row > London, England > Barrister Profile

Cara Guthrie

0207 797 7500 [email protected] View profile View profile

Position

Cara specialises in clinical negligence, and has done so since she started in practice 20 years ago. She also acts in personal injury cases, inquests, lawyers’ negligence cases and in the Court of Protection.

Her clinical negligence practice straddles a wide range of medical issues, including complex and serious cerebral palsy, brain injury and spinal injury cases. She is instructed both on behalf of claimants and the full range of healthcare defendants. Cara has undoubted expertise in quantum and is a formidable negotiator.

Career

Call: 2000

Cara’s deep expertise in the clinical negligence sector means that she is instructed by claimants and defendants in both complex and serious cerebral palsy, brain injury and spinal injury cases, either with a leader or on her own. Cara is also instructed in other clinical negligence cases covering the full spectrum of medical issues.

Her professional negligence work generally arises from the management by solicitors and barristers of personal injury or clinical negligence litigation, reflecting her experience and knowledge of these fields. She is instructed by both claimants and defendants. Most notably she successfully defended the barrister defendant in Dunhill v W Brook & Co [2018] EWCA Civ 50.

Cara considers herself to be approachable and to work well ‘as part of the team’ with her instructing solicitors and expert witnesses. She is extremely empathetic and well able to deal with the sensitive issues that arise in many clinical negligence claims. She is nonetheless able to give robust advice when needed. Cara prides herself on an efficient working style, and on being able quickly to identify the issues at the heart of any claim. She regards negotiation as one of her strengths, and has trained as a mediator.

As a member of the Ogden Working Committee, Cara has a detailed understanding of issues such as multipliers, discount rates and periodical payments which she uses for the benefit of her clients. She is highly numerate and has undoubted expertise in quantum.

Memberships

• Ogden Working Party; PIBA; PNBA