Crown Office Chambers

A. John Williams

Junior Barrister at Crown Office Chambers, London specialising in Personal Injury and Industrial Disease litigation. Personal injury work includes defending claims for serious orthopaedic and psychiatric injuries; claims for chronic pain conditions including somatoform disorders and claims for head injury/brain damage. Industrial disease work includes defending claims for asbestos related lung disease; lung and other occupational cancers; occupational asthma; occupational stress including bullying and harassment; industrial deafness and Covid 19.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor specialises in sport and international arbitration, professional negligence, property damage, personal injury, insurance fraud, and inquests. Adam first practised at Crown Office Chambers from 2014 to 2020, across its core practice areas, and he was ranked in Legal 500 2021 as a Rising Star for professional negligence. In Autumn 2020, he moved to Lausanne, Switzerland and took a key role within the world-leading sports arbitration team at Kellerhals Carrard. Adam returned to self-employed practice at Chambers in Autumn 2023, while retaining a position of “Of Counsel” at Kellerhals Carrard. Adam has extensive advocacy and drafting experience across multiple complimentary areas of law and in various tribunals, including the county court, High Court, coroner’s court, Court of Arbitration for Sport, first-instance sport tribunals, regulatory tribunals, and the ICC International Court of Arbitration. He also has significant experience of the criminal courts from health and safety cases in his earlier years of practice. He is known as a fluent and robust advocate in court. He is used to working alone and as part of a close-knit team. His time in Switzerland as a “file-handling” lawyer has given him unique insight into how he can positively direct a case throughout its lifespan, and he therefore has a hands-on approach to cases.

Alethea Redfern

Alethea is developing a broad practice across the span of Chambers’ core areas, with an emphasis on insurance and reinsurance, construction, professional negligence, property damage, product liability, commercial disputes, inquests and inquiries, clinical negligence, and personal injury. She is a robust advocate with a busy court practice, appearing in a variety of hearings and applications either remotely or in person every week. She is good on her feet and prides herself on working effectively with others. Alethea balances her court work with a growing paperwork practice. At all stages of litigation, she is able to provide clear, practical advice and concise drafting work, including in circumstances where a quick turnaround is required.

Alexander Antelme KC

Alex acts in the fields of clinical negligence, product liability, property damage, personal injury and professional negligence. He is instructed on his own or as part of a team of counsel. He has considerable experience in cases of the highest value and complexity.

Alexander Macpherson

Practises in various areas of common law and commercial litigation, including industrial disease, personal injury, property damage, insurance and construction.

Alice Jarratt

Alice Jarratt is a highly experienced trial advocate who has conducted countless trials in the Magistrates and Crown Courts and made numerous appearances in the Court of Appeal. She has a reputation as a formidable trial advocate, adept with legal argument and thorough in her preparation. Alice has built a busy specialist practice in criminal regulatory law. She specialises in health and safety and inquests as well as consumer law cases, including cases relating to trading standards, advertising and licensing, product safety and food safety. She also deals with appeals and enforcement notices. Alice represents companies, directors and employees and is regularly instructed in prosecutions for health and safety offences arising out of fatal and other serious accidents as well as gross negligence manslaughter and corporate manslaughter cases. She was instructed as Junior in the highly publicised Warwickshire Fire Case where she successfully secured the acquittal on all charges of a fire fighter charged with 4 counts of gross negligence manslaughter. Alice also acts for professionals in disciplinary proceedings in a wide range of tribunals including, amongst others, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Police.

Andrew Rigney KC

Andrew Rigney KC has an extensive domestic and international practice, which encompasses a wide range of civil and commercial work. He specialises in large-scale disputes arising out of very substantial projects involving complex factual and technical evidence, leading large multi-disciplinary (and often multi-national) teams of lawyers and experts. Andrew’s areas of expertise include (i) construction and engineering disputes (both in the TCC and in domestic and international arbitration) including, amongst other things, large infrastructure projects, ports, shipbuilding, a number of international airports, the de-commissioning of a nuclear power station, a naval base, a co-location headquarters for the Ministry of Defence, hotels, roads, rail, process plants, water treatment plants, de-salination plants, sewerage plants, (ii) energy and natural resources (both onshore and offshore) including waste energy plants, CHP and the largest renewables plant of its kind in the world (iii) international arbitration (iv) insurance and reinsurance (v) professional indemnity work (in particular engineers, architects, surveyors, solicitors and accountants) (vi) property damage and (vii) commercial litigation including sale of goods, financial instruments, aviation leasing agreements and product liability. He is familiar with a wide range of standard forms (including JCT, ICE, NEC, FIDIC, IChemE, PPC, TPC, ACE, RIBA etc) and PFI contracts, and a wide range of arbitral rules (ICC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, EDF and LMAA etc); and he has acted in relation to claims concerning projects in the United States, the Caribbean, Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Indian sub-continent, Africa, Turkey, Hong Kong and the Middle East (including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia) as well as in the United Kingdom. So far as coverage work is concerned, he has wide experience of disputes involving CAR/EAR policies (including, in particular, the operation of DE and LEG clauses (and clauses based on them)) and Public Liability, Product Liability and Employers’ Liability policies (including Business Interruption); and he has acted in relation to some of the largest domestic and international losses. He has advised in relation to the effect of COVID-19 in the context of a number of worldwide Business Interruption and Material Damage wordings, and was instructed by Zurich in the FCA coronavirus test case (FCA v Arch et al), a landmark insurance claim to determine whether certain non-damage BI wordings provide cover in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first instance judgment of Flaux LJ and Butcher J is at [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm) and [2020] Lloyds Rep IR 527, and the judgment of the Supreme Court is at [2021] UKSC 1. Andrew also has substantial experience of conflicts of laws and jurisdictional challenges (including cases involving the Brussels Regulation and Rome Regulations), and of civil law systems in the Middle East, including issues of Egyptian, UAE, Qatari, Kuwaiti, Saudi and Omani law.

Andrew Bartlett KC

Barrister and chartered arbitrator. Insurance, engineering and construction, energy, and other commercial disputes. Main focus of current work is as arbitrator in international arbitrations.

Andrew Davis KC

Andrew specialises in personal injury (particularly claims which are high value / complex), product liability, commercial and IT, insurance and property damage. His approach combines getting firmly to grips with the detail of each case whilst always keeping in sharp focus the tactical and financial advantages to be gained or sought. He acts for both Claimants and Defendants in the fields of insurance, property damage and personal injury and for both clients and IT specialists / contractors in the IT field.

Andrew Smith KC

Also practises from Compass Chambers, Edinburgh. Andrew has considerable experience in a wide range of civil litigation. In addition to his varied civil caseload, He has also prosecuted before the General Medical Council. His principal fields of practice is clinical negligence, personal injury and insurance litigation, commercial and contract litigation. Personal injury and clinical negligence litigation is approximately half of Andrew’s workload. He has appeared on behalf of pursuers and defenders in many of the leading cases in this field in (at first instance and on appeal). He has led in the House of Lords and Privy Council on a number of occasions and has appeared in the Supreme Court. He has been retained for two further imminent appearances in the Supreme Court. Andrew has a wide experience of complex medical conditions especially neurological conditions. He has conducted many birth injury trials in Scotland, and has experience of negotiation of PPOs and is experienced in the conduct of exceptionally complex and medically controversial trials. Particular experience of handling of controversial medical expert evidence in court.

Anna Laney KC

Barrister whose core practice centres on construction related matters, whether they be traditional contractors/employers claims, professional negligence disputes or insurance issues. She is also regularly instructed in relations to commercial contractual and tortious matters. She is an experienced advocate appearing regularly in the High Court and in domestic and international arbitrations as well as within the alternative dispute resolution forums of mediation and adjudication.

Annie Mackley

Annie accepts instructions across all Chambers’ core areas, with a particular interest in clinical negligence, personal injury, professional negligence and inquests and inquiries. She joined Chambers in October 2022, following the successful completion of pupillage. Annie has a busy court practice, regularly appearing in a variety of hearings both in the County Court and the High Court. She provides advice and drafts statements of case across all of Chambers’ core practice areas and prides herself on providing a thorough and responsive service. Prior to pupillage, Annie read Law at the University of Cambridge, graduating with a Double First Class degree in 2019. She subsequently completed an LLM at the University of Cambridge and achieved a First Class with Distinction, coming top of her cohort with a particular focus on Advanced Private Law and Law and Medicine. Alongside pupillage, Annie continued to work as a Research Affiliate in the Department for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Cambridge and is publishing a number of academic articles in collaboration with her research team.

Athena Markides

Barrister specialising in insurance, construction, engineering, professional liability, general commercial litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution both in the UK and internationally. Extensive advocacy and advisory experience, including in relation to factually and legally complex and high value disputes. Widespread experience of negotiations (including those with sensitive subject matter). As the elected Chair of the Young Bar in 2019, Athena was instrumental in negotiations with the Ministry of Justice and Crown Prosecution Service, securing the first pay rise for prosecuting counsel in eighteen years and thereby avoiding strike action by criminal practitioners. Insurance work includes claims under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 and the 2015 Insurance Act, as well as in pre-Insurance Act claims involving material misrepresentation, non-disclosure, moral hazard, fraud, fraudulent device, breach of contract, dual coverage and COVID-19 business interruption claims. Construction & Engineering practice includes work on behalf of employers, contractors, sub-contractors and insurers in disputes (including adjudications) concerning delay, non-performance of contractual obligations, defective works and pay less notices. Athena is familiar with the main contract forms, including JCT, NEC and FIDIC. Professional liability practice includes claims against solicitors, accountants, brokers and construction and design professionals. Commercial work includes claims involving the sale of goods and supply of goods and services, breaches of contract, misrepresentation, waiver and estoppel, contribution claims, unjust enrichment, invoice discounting, credit hire and corporate and personal insolvency. International work includes domestic and international mediations and arbitrations (including multi-billion pound arbitrations arising from infrastructure projects in the middle East). Athena’s work in this field generally involves construction, infrastructure and energy projects as well as related insurance disputes.

Ben Quiney KC

Ben practises in all areas of common law and commercial litigation. He specialises in commercial and insurance disputes, construction, and professional negligence. Ben has fought cases in the specialist divisions of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Privy Council and the Supreme Court. He has a wide range of experience in domestic and international Arbitrations in a variety of jurisdictions. Recent cases include: AIG Europe SA v John Wood Group Plc [2021] EWHC 2567 (Comm); Arbitration Appeal No 1 of 2021 [2021] CSOH 41; 2 Entertain v Sony 190 Con. L.R. 145; Perry v Raleys Solicitors [2019] 2 W.L.R. 636 & [2017] P.N.L.R. 27; Ingenious Litigation [2020] EWHC 307 (Ch), [2019] EWHC 3234 (Ch) [2020] EWHC 235 (Ch), and [2021] WLR 3189; SDI v Rangers FC [2019] EWHC 591 (Comm), [2019] EWHC 1929 (Comm), [2019] EWHC 207 (Comm), and [2018] EWHC 2948 (Comm); Wheeldon v Millennium Insurance [2019] 4 WLR 56, [2018] Lloyd’s Rep. I.R. 69, and 3 [2017] B.L.R. 234; St Vincent European General Partner Ltd v Robinson [2018] EWHC 1230 (Comm) & [2018] EWHC 1442 (Comm); Broom v Fluid [2018] EWHC 1266 (TCC); British Gymnastics v Zurich, Brit & Perkins Slade [2017] EWHC 2500 (Comm); Carillion Construction Ltd v Woods Bagot Europe Ltd [2017] BLR 203, [2016] B.L.R. 382 and 166 Con. L.R. 52; Howmet Ltd v Economy Devices Ltd [2016] B.L.R. 555 & 157 Con. L.R. 1.

Benedict Morillo

Benedict is developing a strong insurance, professional liability, construction, property damage, and commercial practice. Benedict maintains a regular court presence through his personal injury work. He is an experienced trial advocate and has appeared in excess of 100 final hearings since the start of his second six in April 2022.

Bradley John-Davis

Bradley accepts instructions across all of Chambers’ core areas of practice, with a particular interest in insurance and reinsurance, construction, commercial matters, professional negligence, property damage, and personal injury. Alongside his Court work, Bradley is developing a strong drafting and advisory practice and is regularly instructed to draft statements of case and to advise solicitors and insurers. He accepts instructions for disputes of all types but has particular interest and experience in professional negligence, property damage, commercial, insolvency and construction matters. Bradley has considerable experience in both claimant and defendant work, with particular claimant-side experience in drafting statements of case in subrogated recovery claims for property damage.

Carlo Taczalski

Has a busy practice specialising in commercial, construction and engineering, insurance and professional negligence matters, and particularly cases which straddle those various specialisms. He is praised for his meticulous drafting, and forceful cross-examination and advocacy and is often in court. His recent and current cases including: acting for a broker against a leading law firm which had provided negligent advice on the structure of a newly developed insurance product; defending a Spanish lawyer in English proceedings where he was said to have negligently advised on and conducted a US arbitration for $300m; acting for accountants in an allegedly valuable claim relating to the conduct of an HMRC fraud / COP9 enquiry; two cases in the High Court of Antigua and Barbuda in relation to a large energy contract concluded with the government, and a further case on appeal from Antigua to the Privy Council in relation to a further contract to supply power. In addition to litigation, Carlo advises on and appears in arbitrations, adjudications and mediations, and is a TECBAR accredited Adjudicator; he has also recently conducted a (very successful) adjudication under the professional negligence pilot adjudication scheme.

Caroline McColgan

Caroline specialises in insurance and property damage disputes, construction, and professional negligence claims. She regularly appears in the High Court and has also been instructed, with a leader, in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. In 2020, she was instructed in the FCA’s ground-breaking Business Interruption Test Case, which considered the response of various policies of business interruption insurance to the Covid-19 pandemic. She has significant experience of alternative dispute resolution, and has conducted a number of very high value arbitrations and adjudications. Caroline is a contributing author of Emden on Construction Law, co-writing Chapter 2 on Formation of Contract.

Catherine Foster

Specialist areas of practice are personal injury (with a particular interest in disease, occupational stress and catastrophic injury litigation), clinical negligence, professional negligence and sexual abuse litigation. Occupational diseases: engages in all forms of industrial and occupational disease litigation, in particular claims involving asbestos related conditions, asthma, pneumoconiosis, cancers (including bladder cancer), carbon monoxide exposure, back injuries, beat knee, upper limb disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), chemical exposure (COSHH claims), noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), dermatitis, silicosis, deep vein thrombosis, Legionnaire’s disease, food poisoning, norovirus and radiation exposure. Has been involved in emerging areas of disease litigation over the past 20 years and is regularly instructed to advise on generic issues such as diagnosis, causation, aetiology and apportionment. Occupational stress: attends Court on a regular basis to pursue/defend claims for occupational stress and harassment and has three reported Court of Appeal authorities in this area. Catastrophic injuries: has considerable experience of catastrophic spinal and brain injury litigation encompassing severe cognitive conditions and amputations arising in the context of road traffic accidents and employers’ liability claims; and in the analysis of high value complex claims and is regularly instructed to attend round table settlement meetings in this context. Sexual abuse litigation: has been instructed in claims involving the Catholic Church, other religious organisations, the Scout Movement, various schools and on behalf of Local Authorities and foreign Governments over a wide range of issues including complex vicarious liability situations, allegations of failure to intervene to prevent abuse by parents/foster carers/employees, failure to prevent damage (rape and criminal damage) caused by abused perpetrators and duty of care issues. Is experienced in the forensic analysis of documentation spanning long periods of time and also in the quantification of damages both in the context of civil claims and applications to the CICA. Is regularly instructed to advise pre-litigation and to advise upon and participate in the resolution of child abuse claims by ADR. Clinical negligence: including catastrophic brain injuries caused at birth; the negligent provision of fertility treatment; failure to diagnose cancer and the negligent execution of cosmetic and gastric surgery. Professional negligence litigation: has been instructed since 2011 in the ‘BCC HAVS Professional Negligence Litigation’, representing a number of firms of Solicitors who are being sued for professional negligence arising from their handling of the BCC HAVS compensation scheme. Has extensive experience of group actions and multi-party litigation including the following recent/ongoing matters: (i) since up to 2008: as first junior Counsel representing 1011 claimants (the Atomic Veterans) from first instance through to the Supreme Court and European Court; seeking damages for exposure to radiation during the British atomic bomb tests in the 1950s and 1960s. (ii) since 2011 in the ‘BCC HAVS Professional Negligence Litigation’ (six reported cases in this cohort so far); (iii) since 2011: representing the States of Jersey in addressing issues raised by the ‘Haute de Garrene’ child abuse litigation; (iv) on an ongoing basis representing various cruise ship operators in their defence of food poisoning/norovirus claims. Recent reported cases in the higher Courts include: (i) Philips v Haxton [2014] EWCA Civ 4, addressing a novel claim for damages for the loss of a cause of action arising in the context of mesothelioma claims; (ii) Barnaby v Raleys Solicitors [2013] EW Misc 9 (CC): solicitors’ negligence ‘VWF Professional Negligence Litigation’; Court of Appeal judgment pending; (iii) Nicholls v Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Limited [2013] EWCA addressing issues of breach of duty and causation in a claim for psychiatric injury following a robbery; (iv) AB and others v Ministry of Defence [2012] UKSC 9 and Application No. 61332/12 ; test cases on limitation issues in which the Court considered the correct approach to ‘knowledge’ for the purpose of section 14 of the Limitation Act 1980 and the exercise of discretion under section 33; (v) Peakstone Ltd v Joddrell [2012] EWCA Civ 1035; on the interpretation of the section 1032(1) of the Companies Act 2006 in the context of issuing claims for personal injury; (vi) Baker v Quantum Clothing Group Ltd [2011] UKSC 17; 2011: representing Courtaulds Plc, at first instance through to the Supreme Court in its noise induced hearing loss test case litigation.

Charles Pimlott

Barrister specialising in: construction; professional negligence; commercial; insurance. Construction and engineering claims have involved a wide range of technical issues and have involved litigation (in the TCC and the Commercial Court), arbitration (both domestic and international, including Dubai, UAE, Kuwait and Cayman), adjudication (including enforcement hearings) and mediation (including a mediation under the TCC court settlement process); also handles general commercial and contractual matters, and financial and property damage claims, including tree root claims and fire claims. Insurance claims have included a wide range of policies, including professional indemnity, material damage, public and products liability, legal expenses, building and contents covers (including fire, burglary, business interruption), CAR. Issues handled include policy construction, aggregation, non-disclosure, insurable interest, agency, breach of warranty, illegality, proof of loss.

Charlotte Jones

Barrister specialising in clinical negligence, acting for claimants and defendant health authorities, NHS trusts, private hospitals and medical defence organisations in all types of clinical practice. Particular interests include cases involving catastrophic birth injuries, oncological treatment, spinal surgery, brain injury, psychiatric care and anaesthetics. Recent cases include: eight day High Court trial successfully defending a hospital’s post operative care of a patient who suffered a fatal bleed following colorectal surgery; successfully defending a trust’s care of a psychiatric patient who absconded from the ward before a formal assessment of mental state; successfully acting for claimants injured at birth by failure to monitor their condition in labour. Ongoing cases include acting for claimants in unsuccessful back surgery; delayed diagnosis of cancer; acting for defendants in cases of brain damage peri operatively; paraplegia following epidural anaesthesia. Numerous quantum assessments including valuing high-value catastrophic injuries, advising on periodical payments, indexation and funding of care.

Christopher Kennedy KC

Christopher Kennedy QC specialises in a broad range of personal injury litigation, including all types of employer’s liability, public liability, serious road traffic accidents and industrial disease cases. He is experienced with the type of issues relating to quantum generated by someone suffering catastrophic injury. His practice includes representing Claimants and Defendants in multi-party actions and regularly advises insurers on policy issues.

Claire Toogood KC

Claire specialises in clinical negligence, together with medical product liability. She is regularly instructed by NHSR, MPS, MDU, insurers and claimants. She is experienced in a wide variety of medical fields, including oncology, neurology, orthopaedics and obstetrics. She is known for her advocacy skills and is often instructed where credibility is in issue.

Crispin Winser KC

Queen’s Counsel specialising in construction, engineering, energy, insurance, professional liability and general commercial litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution both in the UK and internationally. Extensive experience of handling factually, technically and legally complex and high value disputes. Appeared in numerous arbitrations. Reported Court cases include: WRW Construction v Datblygau Davies Developments [2020] EWHC 1965 (TCC); [2020] BLR 623 (construction adjudication, ability to order payment to responding party) Doosan Enpure v Interserve Construction [2019] EWHC 2497 (TCC); [2019] BLR 630 (construction of JV agreement and interim payments under NEC3 Option C target cost contract) Aspen & Liberty Mutual v Sangster & Annand[2019] Lloyd’s Rep IR 217; 35 Const LJ 200 (public liability insurance, construction of hot works exclusion) Williams Tarr Construction v Roylance[2018] EWHC 2339 (TCC); [2018] CILL 4211 (engineers’ negligence) Dawnus Construction Holdings v Marsh Life [2017] EWHC 1066 (TCC); 172 Con LR 162; [2017] CILL 3977(construction adjudication, waiver, slip rule) Gray v Elite Town Management [2016] EWCA Civ 1318 (duties of party wall surveyors) Barnaby v Raleys Solicitors [2014] EWCA Civ 686; [2014] All ER (D) 42 (Jun)(solicitors’ negligence) Inframatrix Investments v Dean Construction [2012] EWCA Civ 64, [2012] 2 All ER (Comm) 337, 140 Con LR 59, 28 Const LJ 438, [2012] CILL 3145 (construction of contractual limitation clause) Harrison & ors v Shepherd Homes[2011] EWHC 1811 (TCC), 27 Const LJ 709 (contractual duties of homebuilder, Defective Premises Act, NHBC Buildmark, diminution in value as a result of defective piled foundations) Liberty Syndicate Management v Campagna[2011] EWHC 209 (TCC), 27 Const LJ 275 (latent defects insurance, duties of technical auditors)

Daniel Shapiro KC

Daniel is a highly effective advocate, well regarded for his court room skills. His appointment as Queen’s Counsel reflected his reputation and expertise as a leader. Clients appreciate his clear advice, tactical awareness and absolute commitment to delivering a first-rate service. Daniel is instructed for and against a wide range of commercial parties, insurers, reinsurers, and professionals. Daniel has a prominent reputation and particular expertise in the areas of professional negligence and insurance. He is an insurance and reinsurance specialist acting in all areas of insurance both in this jurisdiction and internationally, and in defence of insurance brokers. He was awarded Insurance Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2016. He is frequently instructed in high value or cutting-edge professional negligence claims, acting for the successful appellant in Jones v Kaney, the Supreme Court decision abolishing expert witness immunity. He has experience in a wide range of commercial disputes from those arising out of sale and purchase agreements through to Formula 1 agency agreements. He is often instructed in litigation arising out of private equity transactions. He has a wide product liability practice and undertakes significant renewable energy, construction and property damage work. Daniel seeks an effective commercial solution to disputes and acts in mediation and other forms of ADR. Further details are available on www.crownofficechambers.com.

David Myhill

Specialist civil practice, with particular expertise in product liability (medical devices, products causing property damage and recovery actions), disputes involving professionals accused of negligence (including clinical negligence, as well as surveyors, accountants, brokers, IFAs and solicitors) and general commercial and insurance litigation. Clinical negligence practice involves regular instructions in high value claims for Claimants, NHS Trusts and privately insured Defendants, with regular trial experience. Substantial product liability practice with an emphasis on medical devices, including implantable protheses and surgical equipment. Property damage practice involves many subrogated claims involving fires and floods (especially those caused by the failure of products such as circuit breakers or pipework). Regularly involved in commercial litigation arising from the supply of defective devices or equipment, including claims between distributors and suppliers or between manufacturers and installers. Insurance work includes coverage disputes, claims involving fraud and interpretation of all forms of non-marine policies. Regularly acts in settlement negotiations including mediations and without prejudice meetings. Highly experienced in representing parties at all forms of oral hearing, including arbitrations, trials, applications and inquests.

David Platt KC

Barrister specialising in industrial disease, personal injury insurance and health and safety. Both claimant and defendant work undertaken. EL Trigger Litigation (SC, insurance and asbestos); Majrowski v Guy & St Thomas Trust (HL, harassment); Sayers v Chelwood (CA, Limitation); Sowerby v Charlton (CA, admissions); Hartman v South Essex NHS Trust (CA, group stress claims); MacLennan v. Hartford Europe (stress); Nilsson v Redditch BC, CA on system of work; Hooper v Prescot No 1, asbestos; Re Kelly, asbestos; Blair v Michelin Tyre, asthma); CFAs accepted; Health & Safety and industrial accident (Avonmouth Bridge Inquests); policy construction and insurance (Ferngold Plant Hire v Wenham, CA, insurance; Cornhill Insurance v Stamp Felt Roofing, CA 2002, insurance). Also specialises in professional negligence, in particular surveyors (Smith v Eric S Bush; Harris v Wyre Forest District Council, HL), medical and legal (barristers and solicitors); CFAs accepted; town and country planning and all forms of public inquiry work; in particular non-domestic local authority work in minerals, waste disposal and local plans; has conducted public inquiries on cement production in the south-east, bioreactor proposals, clay and sand extraction and waste disposal operations; judicial review and local government; other reported authorities: Frank Jones (Builders) Limited v Roberts, CA (costs); Hedgedale v Hards, CA (landlord and tenant). Specialises also in Channel Island work.

Dermot Woolgar

Barrister specialising in commercial litigation/arbitration, public/administrative law (often in relation to overseas territories matters), property law (landlord and tenant matters and real property), and related professional negligence of lawyers, surveyors, receivers, and insurance brokers. Cases include: R (Isla Alegranza SA) v Director of Fisheries of Government of South Georgia (Falkland Islands Supreme Ct) (challenge to refusal to grant commercial fishing licence); Foster Bryant Surveying v Bryant [2006] EWHC 1232 (QB) (extent of outgoing director’s fiduciary duties); The Sloane Hotel Ltd v Lee & Pembertons (2005) (solicitors negligence concerning purchase of hotel); Omnibridge Consulting Ltd v Clearsprings (Management) Ltd [2004] EWHC (Comm) challenge/cross-challenge for breach of commercial arbitrator’s general duties); R (Bingham) v Attorney General of Falkland Islands (Falkland Islands Supreme Ct) (challenge to refusal to grant right of abode/human rights/constitutional law); Hanchell v Skippings/Been v Astwood (Turks & Caicos Supreme Ct) (2003) (represented election officials on petitions challenging result of general election/bribery and corrupt practices); Kelly v AXA Insurance UK plc & Anr (2003) (liability of brokers for failing to effect goods in transit insurance); Patel v Singh [2002] All ER (D) 227 (Dec) CA (criteria for leave to issue writ of execution more than six years after judgment); Bunn & anr v Rees & Anr [2002] All ER (D) 81 (Apr) (specific performance of share sale agreement); Greene King plc v Stanley & Others [2002] BPIR 491 CA (release of sureties by IVA of principal debtor); Russell v Fulling and Page (The Times, June 23, 1999) (guarantee unenforceable for illegality/lotteries).

Dominic Kay KC

Specialises in defending regulatory law prosecutions, specifically health and safety, environmental regulation (including marine regulation), consumer protection and product safety. Works throughout England and Wales. Majority of time spent representing companies (and their directors) in health and safety prosecutions, typically those concerning single or multiple fatalities. Wide experience includes cases concerning the construction industry (including falls from height, structural collapse, electrocution, injuries/fatalities to employees/public), machinery and vehicular accidents (including factory machinery, MEWPs, ATVs, agricultural machinery/vehicles), workplace accidents (including factories, maritime, warehouses, care homes and agricultural, swimming pools/leisure centres), improvement and prohibition notices (including both appeals against notices and prosecutions in respect of alleged breaches), fire safety regulations (including commercial/retail premises and care homes), cases concerning consumer safety issues such as food safety (food unfit for human consumption, food hygiene cases, food labelling, animal infestations) and toy safety and coroners’ inquests into fatal workplace accidents and those with health and safety law issues. Clients typically include large construction companies, retailers, care homes, local authorities and leisure centre operators. In addition to health and safety, undertakes environmental law cases, representing corporate defendants facing prosecution for breach of environmental legislation. Such cases often involve charges under the EPA or appeals against notices served under the EPA. Typical environmental work includes defending companies charged in respect of large scale and repeated pollution of waterways, breaches of water abstraction licences, representing groundwork/construction companies in respect of alleged watercourse pollution, defending companies charged under the EPA with allowing large volumes of waste to collect on unlicensed land, prosecutions against companies and individuals under s33 and s34 EPA 1990, representing companies charged in relation to the contamination of waterways due to chemical/oil escapes, representing landfill and waste disposal companies (and often their directors) charged with breaching the terms of waste licenses. Environmental law practice includes marine regulation work, in which regularly advises and represents companies and/or individuals charged with breaches of Common Fisheries Policy and associated domestic legislation, specifically cases concerning trawler operations, logbook and landing declaration offences and cases involving the satellite monitoring of vessels.

Edward Broome

Personal injury: industrial disease litigation – asbestos-related injuries, dermatitis, work-related asthma, WRULD, HAVS, COSHH claims and deafness; maximum severity claims – fatal accidents and other catastrophic injuries claims; industrial disease litigation: asbestos-related injuries, dermatitis, work-related asthma, WRULD, HAVS, COSHH claims and deafness; fraud and LVI claims. He has undertaken fraud (RTA and highway claims) as well as LVI trial work for leading Defendant firms. He is familiar with all aspects of fraudulent work, including postcode claims and the general interlinking of claims and checks undertaken by fraud departments in both insurers and solicitors alike. He provides written advice and drafts pleadings relevant to all aspects of this type of work; he represents both Claimant and Defendant in all aspects of employers’ liability and public liability claims against local authorities, NHS Trusts, statutory undertakers and others including all forms of workplace claims as well as highway, housing disrepair and occupiers’ liability claims; psychiatric injury claims including chronic pain conditions and fibromyalgia; he acts in all aspects of claims arising out of damage to apparatus including cables and pipes; road traffic accidents, including claims against the MIB; CRU appeals and claims under the Criminal Injuries Compensation schemes. Clinical negligence: undertakes all aspects of clinical negligence work – sport: he has been involved in all aspects of regulatory work. He has represented and advised both individual sportsmen and women as well as regulatory bodies. He has appeared before various sporting governing bodies, including the British Boxing Board of Control, UKA and the British Weight Lifting Association (BWLA); he sits as Chairman on British Weight Lifting Association Doping Disciplinary Tribunals, sitting in judgment on individual cases of contested positive doping offences. Recent judgments in testosterone cases available on UK Sport website, at http://www.uksport.gov.uk/index.php?content=drugs&p=2. He has advised on issues of eligibility criteria for athletes and has also acted in a number of personal injury claims for footballers following negligent tackles on the field of play. General commercial and contract: undertakes work with a particular emphasis on sale and supply of goods and services and consumer credit cases; particular experience in claims arising out of the sale and financing of the sale of motor cars. Costs: represents both Claimant and Defendant at detailed costs hearings.

Elizabeth Boon

Elizabeth specialises in property damage, professional negligence, product liability, insurance and reinsurance, and general commercial litigation. In addition to drafting and advisory work, she has considerable experience of appearing as an advocate in court. She has regularly appeared in the High Court (particularly the TCC) and in the Court of Appeal. In particular, Elizabeth manages a fine property damage practice which incorporates her strong knowledge of both professional negligence and product liability. She also demonstrates key insurance expertise, which she brings to bear on fire, flood, and subsidence claims, among others. Elizabeth is skilled in disputes involving both residential and business properties, and often deals with issues arising out of associated business interruption claims. Elizabeth is currently instructed in relation to a number of matters as to whether small and medium businesses have business interruption cover in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.In the recent 2020 edition of Legal 500, Elizabeth is recognised in her core areas of work, such as Professional Negligence. She is described as: “Tenacious and extremely hardworking.”

Erica Power

Clinical negligence, product liability and personal injury. Her clinical negligence practice encompasses both claimant and defendant work. She is regularly instructed by the NHSLA and other defence organisations. She is involved in a wide range of cases including Cauda Equina Syndrome, delayed diagnosis of cancer, obstetric, orthopaedic and vascular injury and GP failures in respect of diagnosis and/or treatment. In product liability she has particular experience in group actions involving pharmaceuticals and medical devices. She was instructed in the Metal on Metal hip litigation, the PIP Breast Implant Litigation and litigation relating to TVT (vaginal mesh) and gastric bands. She also acted in the Oral Contraceptive Group Litigation.

Farrah Mauladad KC

Barrister specialising in inquests and public enquiries, clinical negligence, personal injury and professional discipline. Regularly appears for insurers, NHS Trusts, Clinicians and families in inquests where issues of unlawful killing, suicide, neglect and the application of Article 2 of the ECHR have arisen. Extensive experience in all areas of clinical negligence including claims involving general surgery, general medicine, physiotherapy, psychiatry, oncology, osteopathy, ophthalmology, dentistry and orthopaedics. Instructed by the National Health Litigation Authority, the Medical Defence Union, the Medical Protection Society, the Dental Protection Society and families. Represents health professionals in professional regulatory hearings. Acted for doctors in the General Medical Council, psychologists before the Health and Care Professions Council, counsellors and psychotherapists before the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, the Association for Child Psychotherapists, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, nurses before the Nursing and Midwifery Council and osteopaths before the General Osteopathic Council. Instructed by Claimants and Defendants in personal injury claims including claims arising from road traffic accidents, industrial disease (asbestos, WRULD, deafness claims, occupational asthma and stress at work), manual handling and other work place accidents. Advises local authorities and care homes on civil claims brought against them by children/patients abused in homes/schools.

Frederick Simpson

Practices across chambers’ core areas, with a particular focus on professional negligence, construction, insurance, property damage and product liability. He is regularly instructed to provide advice and representation, both at first instance and on appeal, either as sole counsel or as part of a team of barristers. Recent instructions include a novel professional negligence claim and acting as part of the counsel team for one of the lead defendants in the Diesel Emissions litigation. In appropriate cases he provides advice or representation pro bono as part of the Bar’s Advocate scheme.

Gemma Witherington

For a number of years, Gemma has been recommended as a leading junior by Legal 500. She specialises in personal injury, clinical negligence, insurance fraud, professional negligence, costs and insurance. She also sits as both a Deputy District Judge and Recorder for Civil work. She has extensive experience of acting for both Claimants and Defendants and is also experienced in group litigation and all matters of civil procedure. She is known for her forensic abilities, and she has a sharp eye for detail. The Legal 500 have described Gemma as “a rising star and a real fighter” and “an astute thinker”. It also notes she is “Very good at giving direct, sensible and pragmatic advice”. She is ranked for Clinical Negligence, Insurance Fraud and Personal Injury. She is known for being approachable, client focused and is never afraid of a challenge. She is sought after by clients for her ability to deliver robust and clear advice. She is asked to speak at numerous training events and seminars, and gives webinars for Thomson Reuters, APIL, and MBL.

Hamish Fraser

Hamish has developed a successful practice across Chambers’ core areas, particularly in commercial disputes, insurance, professional negligence, inquests and inquiries, property damage, and product liability.

Harry Vann

Barrister, specialising in Health & Safety and other regulatory crime, especially fire safety and trading standards, with extensive experience in inquests and inquiries in which these issues arise.

Harry Lambert

Harry Lambert practises in the areas of product liability, clinical negligence and property damage. He has been involved in some of the most high profile group actions of recent years including the Thalidomide, Phone Hacking, Seroxat, Mau Mau, Human Trafficking and Metal on Metal Hip litigation.

Helen Pagett

Personal injury; commercial; insurance.

Isabel Hitching KC

Isabel has a long established specialist practice in construction and engineering and related commercial and professional negligence fields. Known for combining intellectual rigour with a team working approach, analysing and marshalling vast disclosure and working effectively with experts. Prior to silk, Isabel was the most senior specialist on AG’s panel acting in a large number of high value and politically sensitive disputes. Isabel continues to act for the government as QC, as well as for insurers and private clients. Contractual and professional negligence claims: in relation to domestic and international construction and engineering projects on all major standard and bespoke terms. She has extensive experience in relation to PFI and government framework agreements. Infrastructure and energy: acts for both government and private companies in relation to construction and maintenance of roads, rail, tram systems, flood defences, prisons, court premises, MOD premises (individual and Joint Services), airfields, power and utilities (on and offshore oil and gas, wind, renewables and waste energy). Isabel is also instructed in cases concerning shipbuilding. IT: Isabel acts for government and private companies in relation to provision and operation of long-term hardware and software and IT support services for central and local government. Payment and performance provision disputes under complex PFI contracts: road, infrastructure and defence. Property damage: chemical contamination, flood, fire, collision. Financing of construction and engineering projects: bi-furcated finance, on-demand bonds, fraud. Insurance: coverage, fraud, valuation. Frequent High Court trials, adjudications and arbitrations (including as arbitrator). Regularly appears in Court of Appeal. With academic background as lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford, frequently instructed in test cases on novel points of law including Supreme Court. Isabel is known for commercial and strategic approach in mediations and negotiations.

Ivor Collett

Barrister specialising in insurance (including policy disputes and wording, insurance fraud, and claims involving brokers and underwriting agents) and professional indemnity litigation across many professions, particularly in the fields of construction and lawyers. He is experienced in ADR and professional disciplinary work. Reported cases include: APP Wholesale Plc v Adlink UK Ltd [2012]; Davies v Barnes Webster & Sons [2011]; Hirst & Ors v Trustees of the Irk Maclaren Settlement & Anor [2007]; Warfield Park Homes Ltd v Warfield Park Residents’ Association [2006]; Kew v Bettamix Ltd and ors (2006); Hodson Developments Ltd v GTA Civils Ltd Whitehouse Practice (2006); Shine v London Borough of Tower Hamlets (2006); and Warfield Park Homes Ltd v Warfield Park Residents’ Association (2006).

Jack Murphy

Jack has developed a specialist criminal regulatory law, personal injury, and inquest law practice.He has extensive court experience. As part of his civil practice, he regularly appears in the County Court for trials and interlocutory hearings; as well as in front of Queen’s Bench Masters. He has been led in the Upper Tribunal and Court of Appeal. As part of his criminal regulatory practice, he regularly appears in both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. He is developing a particular expertise in inquest work, and has acted as sole counsel in several complex, multi-day inquests.

Jack Ferro

Barrister specialising in personal injury, industrial disease, clinical negligence, product liability, professional negligence and commercial litigation. Extensive experience of catastrophic and complex injuries, and high-value personal injury and fatal accident claims including issues of private top-up of state-funded care, education and medical treatment, periodical payments and indexation, and the interaction between organic brain injury and psychological injury. Commercial experience includes numerous telecoms regulation cases, product liability cases arising from defective industrial machinery and the litigation arising from the Buncefield oil storage depot explosion.

Jack Macaulay

Jack practices in personal injury, with a particular focus on cases involving allegations of dishonesty, as well as clinical negligence, professional negligence, and property damage.

James Ageros KC

Health and safety enforcement and environmental law. Cases include: R v Friskies Petcare Ltd; R v Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Ltd; R v Connelly and Kennet.

James Maxwell-Scott KC

Barrister specialising in health and safety, public inquiries, inquests, clinical and professional negligence, general common law and personal injury. Leading cases: The Hutton Inquiry, The Mubarek Inquiry, The Shipman Inquiry and the BSE Inquiry; Chilcott v Thermal Transfer Ltd [2009] EWHC 2086 (Admin).

James Medd

Barrister, the bulk of whose work litigates in the TCC and involves property damage from fires, floods or explosions. James also specialises in insurance and product liability disputes arising out of property damage and personal injury, particularly injuries on construction sites.

James Sharpe

James specialises in commercial and insurance disputes, construction, and professional negligence claims. He regularly appears in the High Court (mainly the TCC and Commercial Court) as sole counsel or as part of a larger team. He has also been led in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. James is a contributing author of Emden on Construction Law and has co-written two chapters: “Bonds and Guarantees” and “Contractor’s Obligations as to Completion”. He is also a contributing author to Westlaw Insight on the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Acts.

Jamie Clarke

Jamie Clarke has more than 20 years’ experience in his core practice areas of catastrophic / utmost severity personal injury litigation, industrial disease (including asbestos, NIHL, HAVS, workplace cancers), workplace stress, clinical negligence and professional negligence disputes arising out of those areas of practice. In recent years Jamie has become increasingly recognised for in ‘abuse’/neglect claims, including historical sexual abuse claims involving schools and celebrities and contemporaneous cases of neglect in regulated care / nursing homes. He complements his core practice areas with acknowledged expertise in related areas such as costs, inquests and coverage / indemnity disputes. Jamie has extensive experience and expertise in all aspects of the conduct of injury and disease litigation, such as costs budgeting, limitation, experts’ disputes, withdrawal of admissions, disclosure/inspection, deployment of surveillance material and settling counter schedules. Jamie has successfully secured “fundamental dishonesty” rulings at trial, leading to enforceable adverse costs orders. He also has experience of obtaining enforceable wasted costs orders following strike out. Jamie has a reputation as a highly effective and determined trial advocate, with a strong work ethic and focus on providing his clients with an enhanced level of service. Jamie gained recognition in the Legal 500 2019, who remarked that he is ‘reliable, thorough and forensic counsel who can see the bigger picture’. In 2021, the Legal 500 reported “Jamie is annoyingly good as an opponent. Confident, assured and very reliable. He is always very well prepared and enthusiastic about his instructions.” In recent years, Jamie has enjoyed a very high success rate at trial as well as securing highly favourable outcomes for his clients in settlement meetings and mediations, as well as at early stage interim hearings. Clients have remarked on Jamie’s technical and tactical insight, balanced with an accessible and determined approach. Jamie welcomes the opportunity to be involved from the earliest possible stages of a claim in order to provide strategic advice tailored to his clients’ particular commercial and personal objectives. In April 2020 Jamie was amongst the pioneers of remote trials, bringing in a multi-day trial via Skype below insurers’ low, historic Part 36 offer. Throughout the lockdown, Jamie has been consistently busy with remote hearings, including trials, and remote ADR meetings.

Jason Evans-Tovey

Barrister whose practice encompasses a wide range of civil common law and commercial work including contractual disputes, professional negligence, property damage, insurance and reinsurance and construction disputes. In addition to the usual array of contractual disputes relating to products, services, insurance and reinsurance, share sale agreements, leasing agreements, franchises, licence and distribution agreements (including some IP and competition law issues) he advises and acts on application for injunctions and applications relating areas within conflicts of law (e.g. jurisdiction and choice of law) and has experience of litigation in the ECJ). In relation to professional negligence he acts in claims involving accountants (including claims by clients and claims by third parties, claims involving fraud, claims involving issues of recoverable loss and limitation periods); engineers; valuers and surveyors (including claims by purchasers and lenders, claims relating to domestic and commercial property, claims concerning defects and valuations advice and claims relating to duties of care and damages), solicitors (including claims by third parties, claims for loss of a chance, SRA codes of conduct issues), barristers (including claims relating to settlements), architects (including defective design and delay claims), insurance brokers (including claims relating to the true meaning and effect of a policy), financial advisers (including claims relating to investments and personal and company schemes). He advises and acts in policy disputes of all types (excluding marine), including professional indemnity, public liability, employers’ liability, material damage (including fire, flood, subsidence and theft claims), business interruption, and motor policies, and, relying in part on a science background, he acts in technical disputes. He is a former private pilot, trustee and school governor.

John Cooper KC

Regularly instructed to appear both at inquests and trials. In the recent past has represented numerous large companies including Shell International Ltd, Whitbread, Kent County Council, Siemens, Asda, Hays plc, Nestle (UK) Ltd, Hanson Brick, Marshalls plc, Amey, Biffa Waste Services, Carpetright, Sir Robert Alpine Ltd, Mitsui Babcock, JJB Sports, Amec, Rokbuild, Carillion, Iceland, BUPA, Kwik-Fit, Lidl, KONE plc, Persimmon, TDG plc, Brookfield Construction, Enterprise Managed Services Ltd, Multiplex, Avery Dennison, The Wrigley Company Limited, Veolia Environmental Services Ltd, New Look Retail, Raleigh UK Ltd, Watkin Jones, Wilimot Dixon, Sita, Raleigh UK Ltd, Tangerine Confectionery, Heineken UK, Balfour Beatty, WM Morrison, Linden Group Limited, the National Trust, 3663 and Molson Coors. Appeared on behalf of the company in R v HTM at first instance and in the Court of Appeal and successfully defended the company at trial; successfully defended a headmaster in an asbestos-related prosecution under the Health & Safety at Work Act; successfully represented Captain Mark Phillip’s Equiland Company in the Gatcombe Park prosecution concerning a fatal accident at the annual three day event; successfully defended Enterprise Management Services Ltd at trial; successfully defended in the Golden Jubilee Bridge fatality case after the case had been referred back for a re-trial; successfully defended Keltruck Ltd at trial; successfully defended Brookfield Construction at trial; successfully defended Balfour Beatty Rail Projects at trial; represented Heineken UK Ltd at trial; represented Willmott Dixon in Marks and Spencer store refit case involving allegations of asbestos exposure; instructed in electric gates case in Manchester and Bridgend; represented BUPA in care home fatality; appeared for the Appellant in Tangerine Confectionery & Veolia (ES) UK Ltd v The Queen [2011] EWCA Crim 2015. In 2012 represented : Nestle UK in a fatality on the quality street production line; Schindler UK involving a fatality in a lift construction at Terminal 5; Bowmer Kirkland in Liverpool Crane collapse case; He successfully defended the Managing Director charged with gross negligence manslaughter in Lion Steel corporate manslaughter case; Appeared in New York as an expert witness on UK health and safety law for DuPont in commercial litigation involving hundreds of millions of dollars; York Racecourse in a fatality involving a cyclist near to the course. In 2013 defending in electric gates gross negligence manslaughter case in Manchester, successfully represented Red Industries in 20,000 fish kill on the River Trent by persuading the Judge to stay the indictment for abuse of process and successfully defended Persimmon Homes in child death by collapse of fire place. Appearing in 5 Health and Safety at Work cases in the Court of Appeal. Additionally involved in many cases involving fatalities in the workplace and other serious injuries, including the Vauxhall helicopter Crash, The Lindsey Oil Refinery fatality, the four fatalities at Claxton Engineering, the four fatalities at the Pembroke Oil Refinery and several corporate manslaughter investigations. Regularly conducts seminars to companies and professional bodies.

John Stevenson

Barrister specialising in professional negligence, clinical negligence, insurance, general commercial and cases involving horses.

John Greenbourne

Barrister specialising in professional negligence (chiefly concerned with insurance services, legal advice, property valuation and construction and clinical treatment), general commercial, insurance and reinsurance, personal injury. Cases include: Perry v Raleys Solicitors [2017] EWCA Civ 314, [2017] PNLR 27 (when appellate court can interfere with lower court’s findings of fact; whether claim for loss of chance of compensation if original claim dishonest); Procter v Raleys Solicitors [2015] EWCA Civ 400, [2015] PNLR 24; (extent of duty of solicitors acting for large number of claimants under occupational disease scheme; HLB Kidsons v Lloyd’s Underwriters [2008] EWCA Civ 1206, [2009] Lloyd’s IR 178; [2009] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 8 (timing of notification of claims and whether condition precedent – accountants suing professional indemnity insurers, brokers and solicitors after insurers refused to indemnify in respect of claims in respect of failed tax avoidance schemes); Lindsay v Wood The Times 08.12.06 [2006] EWHC 2895 (QB) (test of mental capacity to conduct claim for personal injury and manage the resultant fund); Skipper v Calderdale MBC [2006] EWCA Civ 238 [2006] ELR 322 (whether claim should be summarily dismissed, educational negligence); Bankers Insurance v South [2004] Lloyd’s IR 1 (whether holiday policy covered liability for jet ski accident, notification term a condition precedent, effect of unfair terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1994, whether breach of condition precedent entitled insurers to avoid in absence of prejudice); Wong v Parkside NHST [2003] 3 All ER 932 (CA) (whether common law tort of harassment; requirements for tort of intentional infliction of harm); Phelps v Hillingdon LBC [2001] 2 AC 619 (liability of LEA and educational psychologist to dyslexic pupil); Norglen v Reeds Rains Prudential [1999] 2 AC 1 (assignability of cause of action by company to legally aided individual); Kincardine Fisheries v Sunderland Marine Insurance (CA) The Times 12.02.97 [1998] CLY 3363 (construction of fish farm insurance policy; claim against brokers and insurers); Theodore Goddard v Fletcher King [1997] 2 EGLR 131 (liabilities of solicitor and surveyor for drafting defective lease); X v Bedfordshire CC [1995] 2 AC 633 (duties of care owed by statutory authorities and professional employees); Ezekiel v McDade [1995] 2 EGLR 107 (CA) (measure of general damages against residential property surveyors); Slade v Adco The Times 07.12.95 (CA) and Draper v Ferrymasters [1993] PIQR P356 (CA) (dismissal of personal injury claims for want of prosecution); Suttle v Simmons [1989] 2 Lloyd’s 227 (PC) (extent of insurers’ liability under compulsory motor insurance legislation).

Joshua Brown

Josh’s developing practice covers the range of Chambers’ practice areas, with a particular emphasis on commercial disputes, insurance, professional negligence, property damage and construction. As well as settling pleadings, advising and other written work, Josh has a busy court practice. He is regularly instructed to appear in fast track trials and small claims, as well as interim applications and CMCs.

Julia Kendrick

All fields of commercial and common law including personal injury, industrial disease, health and safety, professional and clinical negligence, insurance, reinsurance, commercial contracts, product liability and construction.

Julian Field

Julian is a senior junior with a commercial practice encompassing property damage, insurance, product liability, contract and tort, commercial fraud and professional negligence. His core specialties are property damage and insurance, areas in which he has a wealth of experience and is very highly regarded. He is regularly retained on behalf of major insurers, often involving large, complex and high value disputes. He has a reputation for being ‘user friendly’ and able to work as part of a team. Julian is consistently ranked as a leading junior in the legal directories, attracting comments such as: “As good as most silks, very easy to work with, very grounded and a go-to for difficult work.” “Has a fantastic reputation for handling significant property damage cases” “Has a deep-tissue insight into insurance claims” In parallel with his practice at the Bar, Julian is also an experienced mediator, accredited with both CEDR (1998) and the ADR Group (2005). Examples of recent cases include: Grenfell Tower fire (2021) – instructed on behalf of the main contractor, Rydon; L&T v Synectics (2021) – dispute arising out of contract for supply of CCTV monitoring equipment for the continuous surveillance of major oil pipelines in Abu Dhabi; Amadeus Properties v Paul’s Hair World (2021) – instructed on behalf of landlord’s insurers (NIG) in subrogated recovery action arising out of fire at large retail/business premises, Fire started by arsonists but spread as a result of highly combustible stock stored at premises and dangerous alterations made to the premises by the tenant. Application of principle in Berni Inns. Re Covid-19 (2020) – advising leading insurer on policy coverage in respect of business interruption claims; Vital Energi v LJJ Ltd & Wilmot Dixon (2020) - escape of water at The Movement, a prestigious £110m development in Greenwich; Re The Lancasters (2020) – instructed on behalf of Zurich in relation to claims by 77 claimants under Building Guarantee policies arising out of defects at ultra-prime redevelopment of a Grade II listed Georgian terrace in Hyde Park; Prezzo v High Point Estates (2019) - application of principle in Berni Inns to subrograted recovery action by landlord’s insurers (Zurich) following a £2m fire; Viridor v Aviva (2019) – advising Aviva on liability under asset and revenue protection policy in respect of £20m claim arising out of catastrophic disintegration of turbine at thermal energy recovery facility.

Juliet Stevens

Barrister

Katie Sage

Katie specialises in criminal regulatory law, inquests and inquires. She has been instructed as junior counsel for one of the public authority Core Participants in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for the past four years and is particularly well placed to advise in fire safety related cases. Alongside the Inquiry, Katie has recently represented a Company Director who pleaded guilty to a section 37 offence, helping him to avoid a custodial sentence in circumstances where 26 weeks custody was the starting point under the Guidelines. She has also continued to develop her practice representing corporate defendants in both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts, as well as in the Coroner’s Court. She is currently instructed in a prosecution relating to an external wall cladding system under the Housing Act 2004 and in respect of the Corporate Manslaughter prosecution of Greenfeeds Ltd, led by Mark Balysz. Katie’s experience crosses a broad range of industries including: housing, manufacturing, recycling, construction, retail and agriculture. She also has experience in relation to road traffic related prosecutions. Katie retains a complimentary civil law practice, specialising in personal injury (employers’ and public liability) and property damage (escape of water and fire). In her civil practice, she has experience drafting pleadings and advices for cases across all three civil “tracks” and both as a trial advocate and at interim hearings, including CCMCs.

Katie Ayres

Katie Ayres practices in the areas of local authority liability, abuse law, clinical and professional negligence, insurance, product liability and property damage. Katie has a particular interest and expertise in claims involving niche and developing areas of tort law which often overlap with parallel claims under the Human Rights Act 1998 when public bodies are involved. She has significant experience of appealing such cases to the highest courts and is able to advise on prospects of success and procedure for appeals to the Supreme Court. She was the author of the Supreme Court Yearbook 2019 chapter on Tortious Liability.

Kim Franklin KC

Barrister, adjudicator and arbitrator specialising in construction, energy, civil and marine engineering claims for developers, contractors, consultants and insurers in adjudication, domestic and international arbitration and court, including the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the Privy Council. Reported court cases include: CRS v Taylor Young Partnership [2002] HL Successfully resisted contribution claim for fire damage covered by joint names insurance; London & Amsterdam Properties Ltd v Waterman Partnership [2004] BLR 179 successfully resisting adjudication enforcement for breach of natural justice; Aldgate Construction v Unibar Plumbing & Heating [2010] recovery of future losses for fire damaged development; Liberty Syndicate Management v Campagna [2011] test case for liability of latent defects surveyors. Inframatrix Investments Ltd v Dean Construction Ltd [2012] upheld bespoke limitation period in the Court of Appeal; Antigua Power Company Ltd v The Attorney General [2013] acted for the claimant power providers in its claims against the government in the Privy Council; Landmark v American International Bank [2014] claim by power providers in the Privy Council. Instructed by insurers defending high value arbitration claims against international consultants in UAE. Adjudcation appointments by TecSA and RIBA for claims by UK consultants and contractors for payment and delay. International Arbitrator appointments by Dubai International Arbitration Centre for claims by international UAE contractors for marine infrastructure and mixed use developments.

Lucy Wright

Lucy Wright specialises in criminal regulatory law with a focus on health and safety, inquests and inquiries. Lucy has a reputation as an impressive trial advocate, adept with legal argument and meticulous in her preparation. She is one of the most sought-after junior counsel for complex and high-profile cases in her fields of experience. Recent instructions have included proceedings alleging corporate and gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences involving death or serious injury. In Court, Lucy is described as commanding the respect of the Judiciary and Jury for her knowledgeable, incisive and measured approach. Lucy is regarded by those who instruct her as being exceptionally organised and having an incredible work ethic. She has a reputation as being impressive in her ability to process, analyse and dissect out the relevant evidence to the advantage of her client. Lucy always places her client at the centre of the trial preparation process and she takes considerable pride in creating a successful working partnership. She has experience of acting for clients from Directors to employees together with insured clients on behalf of a number of insurers. Those who instruct her, often describe her as a real ‘team player,’ and praise her ability to adapt and tailor her approach to the giving of advice to cater to the needs of both her Professional and Corporate clients and/or individual clients with limited understanding of the legal system.

Malcolm Galloway

Malcolm is recognised as a leader in the field of Criminal Regulatory Law, specialising exclusively in Health and Safety, Environmental Law and Inquests. He is instructed to represent individuals and Companies in complex and high profile health and safety investigations including Gross Negligence Manslaughter and Corporate Manslaughter and frequently appears in inquests forming part of an investigation by the HSE. His clients include International Logistic Companies, Principle Contractors, Care Homes, Hotels, High Street Restaurant Chains, Supermarkets and Transport Companies. Malcolm is standing Counsel to South West Water and also represents Northumbrian Water Ltd. He has extensive experience representing both corporate and individual defendants facing prosecution for breaches of environmental legislation. He has defended cases of major pollution incidents; permit breaches, the release of hazardous substances. His clients come from diverse backgrounds ranging from large Utility companies to restaurants, farmers and waste and recycling firms.

Margaret Bickford-Smith KC

Barrister and mediator. Margaret is current Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators London Branch. Her mediation experience includes commercial cases, and work in the fields of construction, property (boundaries, easements), commercial landlord & tenant, nuisance, personal injury and clinical negligence. As advocate she practised for many years as litigator in common law, commercial, chancery and arbitration work, latterly specialising in clinical negligence, industrial and mining personal injury claims, claims of psychiatric injury and stress, and in environmental and regulatory cases. Her clinical negligence practice became focused on high-value claims of profound handicap eg birth defect. She was formerly retained nationally (for deafness claims) by British Coal Corporation. Her industrial/mining experience gave her a good understanding of mechanical and technical issues, in particular for disaster work and subsidence claims. Her environmental experience has focused on pollution (oil, odour, fume, effluent, foundry work, etc), for both civil disputes and criminal prosecutions. Cases include AB v Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust (serious birth injury, quantum concl. 2012); YZ v Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust (serious birth injury, concl. 2011); Parkinson v St James etc Hospital Trust (clinical negligence, CA 2001); Hunter v BCC (CA: psychiatric injury); Longden v BCC (HL:damages: pension loss); Smoker v LFCDA (HL: damages: deductibility of pension benefits); Dudley MBC v G Clancey (environmental prosecution 2000-02); regulatory advisory/IPPC work thereafter.

Mark Armitage

Barrister specialising in personal injury and is regularly instructed by both claimants and defendants in all aspects of personal injury litigation including claims arising from workplace accidents, manual handling and industrial disease (including asbestos-related injuries, work-related upper limb disorders and industrial deafness claims). He has often appeared in fast track and multi track trials involving the use of work equipment and the provision of personal protective equipment. He recently represented a community support officer who successfully sued for spinal injury arising out of the use of unsuitable body armour. Also specialises in all employers’ liability and industrial disease; commercial litigation – sale and supply of goods and service and all aspects of contractual disputes; civil procedure – particularly costs work

Mark Alexander Balysz KC

Mark Balysz is one of the country’s leading criminal and inquest advocates, specialising in corporate and individual manslaughter, health and safety, environmental prosecutions, trading offences and financial crime. Mark is a regular guest lecturer in health and safety on the Construction Law and Dispute Resolution Masters degree at King’s College, London University.

Martyn Berkin

Barrister specialising in commercial law, including contracts, recovery of assets, constructive and resulting trusts, enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition to these fields he has experience of the legal systems of the United States and the acquis communautaire of the EU. Instructions include a substantial claim involving the registration of a judgment from the Tanzania High Court and has given evidence on English law in the Slovenia Insolvency Appeal Court and the United States District Court for New York City. Other areas of work include professional negligence, including lawyers and accountants and commercial landlord and tenant. He has also acted in several cases involving major international philatelic archives, most recently through an AAA arbitration. He is an expert in the field of art and antiquities auctions. Within these areas of law he has taken on a considerable number of cases on appeal.

Maurice Holmes

Maurice has a broad practice encompassing the majority of Chambers’ core specialisms, principally with a commercial focus. He has substantial advocacy experience as sole counsel before a variety of courts, arbitral tribunals and sports disciplinary panels whether at interlocutory, trial or appellate level. He is equally comfortable acting as junior to leading counsel. Current or recent instructions in the Commercial Court include: acting in numerous claims over interest rate swaps concerning issues of capacity, private international law and restitution; a claim for indemnity under a policy of commercial combined insurance with a concurrent claim against the broker involving a consideration of various issues under the Insurance Act 2015. Maurice is recognised as an established junior in sports law. He is regularly instructed on behalf of sports governing bodies, players/athletes, clubs, coaches and agents. Maurice was shortlisted for Sport Junior of the Year for the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023.

Meredith Daniel

Meredith has a broad practice across Chambers’ core areas including personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests, property damage, professional negligence and general commercial litigation. She has a busy court practice, appearing in a variety of hearings and applications every week. Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, she has conducted numerous remote hearings and applications. She is also instructed in The Ingenious Litigation, led by Ben Quiney QC and Carlo Taczalski, a multi-million pound claim concerning allegedly negligent tax planning advice.

Michael Harper

Michael’s practice centres on professional negligence, insurance, property damage, product liability, commercial disputes and related (or overlapping) areas. Michael regularly advises or acts at all stages of litigation and in a variety of hearings, including as sole counsel in the High Court. Alongside this, Michael prides himself on working effectively as part of a larger team. Examples include a £300m professional negligence dispute (one of the Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2019).

Michael Curtis KC

He has a broad commercial and civil practice with particular emphasis on construction, insurance, property damage and professional negligence. In the last three years he has been instructed in two of the leading reported cases concerning causation, remoteness and measure of loss: in Coal Pension Properties v NuWay [2009] 124 Con LR 50 (measure of loss in commercial property damage claims) he acted for the claimant; in Supershield v Siemens [2010] 129 ConLR 52 (causation/remoteness) he acted for Slaughter & May in the settled litigation, to which Supershield and Siemens were additional parties. in the same period he also acted for the insured in a two-month $150m international Cayman Island arbitration; for London Fire in Veolia plc (formerly Three Valleys Water) v London Fire & Emergency planning Authority [2009] EWHC 3019 and [2010] EWHC 208; and for Total in the Buncefield quantum litigation. He is currently acting for the Allianz and Provident policyholders in Coles v Hetherton, the RSAI test case litigation, where the defendants recently obtained permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Michael Kent KC

He acts for claimants and defendants in a range of complex matters, including disease cases and catastrophic and psychiatric injury claims. He regularly advises on insurance coverage disputes (particularly those relating to employers’ and public liability claims especially long tail disease claims). He has acted in a number of test or group actions including contaminated blood products, the Camelford water pollution cases, CJD from human growth hormone, asbestos-related pleural plaques, industrial deafness in Midlands clothing industries , dermatitis from contact with chemicals in furniture (the Linkwise/Eurosofa litigation), claims by veterans of UK atom bomb tests in 1950s; historic child abuse cases; claims by some 18,000 claimants alleging injury from factory fire (Sonae Group Litigation); historic physical and sexual abuse at children’s home.

Michele De Gregorio

Barrister specialising in commercial and common law, in particular in the fields of insurance, construction, professional negligence and product liability. He regularly appears in the TCC, Commercial and Mercantile Courts and is typically instructed in cases involving complex technical and scientific issues. He is a TECBAR accredited adjudicator and has considerable experience in mediation, adjudication and arbitration (both domestic and international).

Mike Atkins

Mike Atkins practises exclusively in the field of criminal regulatory law, with particular expertise in health and safety, inquests, consumer law, product safety, fire safety, environmental law, and food safety. He regularly appears in significant and high-profile cases, both in his own right and as a junior. He is instructed in cases of corporate and gross negligence manslaughter, prosecutions following fatal and other serious accidents, and appeals against enforcement notices. He frequently appears on behalf of multinational and household name companies as well as directors, employees and public bodies. He has experience of cases involving construction and demolition, work at height, manufacturing and technology, warehousing and logistics, the rail industry, waste management and recycling, mining and quarrying, work with asbestos, fire safety, gas and electrical safety, medical treatment, residential care, schools and nurseries, food poisoning and severe allergic reactions, deaths in custody, and road traffic accidents. His regulatory and consumer experience includes consumer protection, product safety, food safety, trade descriptions and advertising, the regulation of medical devices, and building regulations. He is also instructed in prosecutions for environmental offences including cases of serious water pollution and breaches of permit conditions. As junior counsel, he secured the acquittal of the first NHS Trust to be charged with corporate manslaughter. He was junior counsel for the acquitted Managing Director in the Lion Steel corporate manslaughter case, and junior counsel to the Coroner in the inquests into the Lakanal House tower block fire which lasted 3 months. He secured the acquittal, after a 7 day jury trial, of a director charged with neglect after an employee suffered serious injuries in a fall from height. He regularly advises on challenges to invoices issued under the HSE Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme. He has been appointed to List B of the list of specialist regulatory advocates to prosecute on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency and the Office of Rail and Road and is a contributor to Westlaw Insight on food law.

Nadia Whittaker

Nadia Whittaker specialises in clinical negligence, personal injury, occupational disease and inquests. In clinical negligence she is instructed on behalf of Defendant health organisations, including NHS Resolution and private healthcare insurers (such as MPS and MDDUS), but also on behalf of the Claimants. Her caseload covers a wide range of medical issues and typical cases are concerned with allegations in obstetric, surgical and neurosurgical, anaesthetic, oncological, bariatric, ophthalmic, psychiatric, emergency medicine, nursing care and ambulance services. Informed consent is one of her sub-specialities and she has recently successful defended a number of such cases at trial. She regularly advises and represents the Defendants in alleged dishonesty cases. One such case which she defended on the basis of fundamental dishonesty is currently proceeding to a contempt application. Nadia has a growing practice in dental cases and recently defended an application for a group litigation order, securing a landmark decision that qualified one-way costs shifting does not apply to pre-action applications. One of her key strengths is rigorous analysis, which permits her to secure optimal outcomes in highly contested cases, often against Leading Counsel. She also represents medico-legal experts on issues arising from alleged negligence in giving such expert evidence, including wasted costs and professional negligence actions. Her personal injury practice covers employer and public liability as well as intentional torts, including sexual abuse. She has recently successfully represented a young woman who was pursuing her own parents in respect of rape and sexual and emotional abuse in her childhood. Nadia’s typical caseload in personal injury is concerned with catastrophic cases with life changing spinal injuries, amputations and traumatic brain injuries, following road traffic accidents and industrial accidents. Examples of recent cases involve subtle brain injury raising complicated issues of capacity, multiple phases of future care needs and contentious issues surrounding residual earning ability both in the UK and foreign countries (including countries such as Kuwait and Romania). Many of her cases involve thorny insurance issues, contractual interpretation and claims against the Motor Insurers' Bureau, often raising complex procedural points. Nadia is a specialist in all aspects of industrial disease: noise-induced hearing loss, asbestos-related conditions (mesothelioma; lung cancer; asbestosis; diffuse pleural thickening), upper limb disorders and other disease such as dermatitis; botryomycosis; actinomycosis; abscesses; bird fancier’s lung. She acts for care homes in cases involving pressure sores, death and intentional abuse and regularly attends inquests. She is often instructed in complex claims involving financial dependency following death.

Nicola Atkins

Nicola Atkins joined Crown Office Chambers in 2019 having established a successful civil and commercial practice at a leading common law chambers. Nicola practises across all of Chambers’ core areas of work, with a particular specialism in professional liability, property/property damage and public authority liability. Nicola is an experienced advocate and regularly appears in the County Court, High Court and in arbitrations and has been led in the Court of Appeal.

Patrick Blakesley KC

His personal injury practice includes all kinds of personal injury work for both claimants and defendants. He has considerable experience in catastrophic and other high-value claims. His work generally involves: brain and spinal and other orthopaedic injuries including paraplegia and tetraplegia; amputations and prosthetics; death and dependency; toxic substances – COSHH claims, carbon monoxide and other gas poisoning, food poisoning; accidents abroad. Jurisdiction and applicable law issues; stress, bullying and harassment claims; limitation; cases of complex causation; MIB and CICAP. He regularly handles multi-million pound claims, both on his own and with leading counsel. He is often instructed on his own against leading counsel. His industrial disease practice includes mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions; taking evidence on commission; work-related upper limb conditions; noise induced hearing loss; limitation, causation and apportionment.

Patrick Maxwell

Patrick specialises in construction, professional negligence, insurance and commercial disputes. Much of his work is in the High Court (particularly the TCC) and he has also appeared before the Court of Appeal. Patrick is experienced in alternative dispute resolution and is regularly instructed in relation to adjudications and arbitrations. Alongside his commercial practice, Patrick maintains a distinct interest in prison law. He represents interested parties at inquests and works on related civil and public law disputes.

Paul Higgins

Paul Higgins has developed a formidable reputation for Defendant work in personal injuries, dealing with a wide range: road traffic, public liability, industrial accidents and industrial disease. His practice encompasses the whole spectrum, up to and including catastrophic injuries valued in excess of £6m. His caseload is such that he will ordinarily accept instructions in multi-track claims only, or where there is a point of substance or complexity justifying the instruction of senior counsel. He is particularly instructed where complicated issues of liability arise, or where discreet items of loss in a catastrophic injury claim require detailed analysis. He has a firm but fair manner in negotiations and has a robust approach to advocacy in the event that a claim is pursued beyond its reasonable limits.

Peter Houghton

Barrister practising in the core areas of Chambers’ work, with particular emphasis on personal injury, industrial disease (deafness, vibration white finger, repetitive strain injuries and asbestos and other dust-related disease), clinical negligence, insurance disputes, commercial contracts and costs litigation. Reported cases: Durham v BAI (Run Off) Ltd [2009] 2 All ER 26 and [2011] 1 All ER 605: the employers’ liability policy trigger litigation, instructed on behalf of a major liability insurer at first instance and in the Court of Appeal (also instructed in resisting appeal to the Supreme Court in late 2011).

Peter Morton

Significant specialism in industrial disease, including asbestos-related conditions, deafness, HAVS asthma and rhinitis. Acts for both claimants and defendants in high-value CRPS/RSD cases. Undertakes both solicitors’ negligence and clinical negligence cases. Enjoys partnership disputes, restraint of trade and contractual and quasi-contractual matters. Content to practice anywhere in mainland UK.

Richard Sage

Richard has a strong and successful practice in the fields of construction, insurance, professional negligence, product liability and property damage. He is regularly instructed in leading cases in the High Court and Court of Appeal, against silks and senior juniors, and in domestic and international arbitrations. Much of Richard’s work involves major engineering, infrastructure and energy projects and related insurance and professional negligence disputes. In recent years, he has acted in several high value Middle East arbitrations linked to substantial construction and engineering contracts on landmark projects. Richard has an established professional negligence practice. He has acted for and against professionals in a wide range of disciplines, including claims against solicitors, barristers, accountants, auditors, architects, engineers and loss adjusters. Richard is highly regarded in property damage litigation, particularly in claims involving fires and floods, and claims involving technical expert evidence. Richard has substantial experience of claims under the Consumer Protection Act, and acted as junior counsel in the leading case in this field. Richard regularly acts in coverage disputes relating to his core areas of practice. He has been recommended in the directories as “exceptional and very highly regarded”, “sharp and focused with an unassuming brilliance”, and having “a sharp, keen mind and a steady, measured determination and focus that make him an incredibly reassuring and competent advocate to work with.” Reported cases include: Gee v DePuy International Ltd [2018] EWHC 1208; Clapham v Peacock [2018] EWHC 518; Ashfaq v International Insurance Co of Hannover Plc [2017] EWCA Civ 357; Milton Keynes v Nulty [2013] EWCA Civ 15; Genesis v Liberty Syndicate [2013] EWCA Civ 1173.

Robert Stokell

Robert specialises in substantial construction and engineering disputes, insurance-related advice and litigation, product liability, professional negligence and property damage. He is well-placed to advise where a case raises issues in more than one of these areas. He appears regularly in the High Court (particularly the TCC) and has acted in the Court of Appeal, in adjudication, arbitration, mediation and settlement meetings. Robert is the Treasurer of the Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR) and he is a TECBAR accredited adjudicator. Recent cases include Calonne v Dawnus (residential building project, defects, defeating appeal to Court of Appeal), Haberdashers' Aske's v Lakehouse (joint insurance and the construction of a project insurance policy), Skymist v Grandlane (pre-action disclosure); and adjudications for a major engineering company (energy project, defects, LDs), a structural engineer (NEC3 Professional Services Contract, ground investigations and pile design), and a contractor (infrastructure contract). Previous cases include Harrison v Shepherd Homes (piled foundations, defects and nuisance in a housing development, claim against NHBC), Goldsworthy v Harrison (defeating an application to enforce an adjudicator’s decision), Thameside v Arthenella (settlement by oral agreement), and County Motor Works v PBFW (fire damage, alleged spontaneous ignition of linseed oil). For further details please see www.crownofficechambers.com/barristers/robert-stokell

Roger Ter Haar KC

King's Counsel specialising in arbitration and adjudication in Construction, Engineering, Insurance, Reinsurance, Energy, Shipbuilding and Professional Negligence Disputes.

Rory Holmes

Rory has a broad practice, and is instructed in cases involving physical injuries, psychiatric injuries, chronic pain syndromes, and functional/somatoform disorders. He has particular experience in proceedings where fraud or dishonesty is alleged or intimated. His cases are typically mid-level Multi Track value and above. Rory deals with claims against local authorities, public providers, manufacturers, occupiers, and employers. He also has a particular interest in injuries arising from or in connection with professional sport. He has experience in advising in cases of accidents abroad and accidents in this jurisdiction involving foreign nationals. Rory advises on all aspects of litigation including limitation, liability, and quantum, either at conference or in writing. His cases regularly involve the drafting of detailed schedules and counter schedules of loss. He delivers seminars on a range of topics to solicitor and insurer clients During his time at the Bar he has spent time working both in-house and on secondment within various law firms. He is instructed to handle cases on his own, or as part of a Counsel team.

Rosanna Hellebronth

Junior Tenant.

Sahana Jayakumar

Sahana Jayakumar joined Crown Office Chambers in 2021 and has a practice encompassing construction, corporate and personal insolvency, property damage and commercial litigation and arbitration. Sahana has experience of regular County Court and High Court advocacy and is comfortable acting as sole counsel and being led on complex matters. Sahana has experience of advising on jurisdictional issues and working on matters with a cross-border element, both in litigation and international arbitration disputes. She has worked in the Dubai International Finance Centre and as a stagiaire in the International Arbitration department of an international law firm in Paris, and has rights of audience in the Astana International Finance Centre Courts in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. She is currently working towards an LLM in International Dispute Resolution awarded by the School of International Arbitration at Queen Mary University, London.

Sandesh Singh

Professional discipline, crime and fraud.

Shaun Ferris

His practice is based on a broad range of personal injury work including, in particular, catastrophic injury claims and chronic pain cases. He has developed an interest in issues surrounding allegations of fundamental dishonesty. He is experienced in product liability work across a broad range of claims. He is regularly instructed to appear against silks in such cases whether at trial or settlement meetings. His current case load includes several cases involving traumatic brain injury, tetraplegia, paraplegia, traumatic amputations and fatal injuries as well as cases where various chronic pain syndromes such as Fibromyalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Somatoform Symptom Disorder are in issue. Adept at working as part of a team, managing and coordinating expert evidence, giving clear and imaginative advice and guidance on all aspects of any particular piece of litigation including all tactical and legal issues; a skilled and robust performer in court whether at interlocutory hearings or at trial; considerable experience of conducting settlement negotiations at round table meetings in both high and medium value cases; consistently recognised as a "leader at the bar" for personal injury work.

Simon Antrobus KC

Simon has over twenty years of experience as one of the leading figures in this field of criminal regulatory law. Along the way, he has represented corporate clients in some of the highest profile health and safety cases that there have ever been brought in this country, including the Buncefield Oil Terminal explosion, the prosecution of Merlin Entertainments, the owners of Alton Towers Theme Park, in relation to the Smiler Rollercoaster accident, the recent criminal prosecution relating to the Hillsborough football stadium disaster of 1989, and the ongoing criminal investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire. In 2021, Simon (leading Sandesh Singh from chambers) successfully represented the Managing Director of a wood processing business in one of the largest safety-related manslaughter trials undertaken in this country, over a 3-month period at Chester Town Hall Nightingale Court before Mrs Justice May and a jury. The case related to the explosion of Bosley Wood Mill in 2015 in which four workers died and many others were injured or lost their livelihoods. Simon secured the acquittal of the MD in relation to 4 counts of manslaughter, through a series of legal submissions which were accepted by the trial judge and then upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Simon O'Dwyer

Simon is a specialist personal injury barrister who practises exclusively in multi-track personal injury work acting for both claimants and defendants; undertaking the full spectrum of personal injury claims. He has developed an extensive, nationwide practice and accepted an invitation to join Crown Office Chambers in 2019. Simon appeared in one of the first cases where a finding of fundamental dishonesty was made and has successfully achieved such findings on numerous occasions at trial since. In addition to his personal injury practice, Simon also undertakes costs work. Frequently appearing in both the County Court and the Senior Courts Costs Office often acting in cases concerning new arguments in respect of the application of Qualified One Way Costs Shifting both in terms of exceptions to QOCS (strike out/fundamental dishonesty) and enforceability of standard orders against damages. He has wide ranging experience of arguments surrounding the application of fixed costs in cases pre-allocation and in circumstances where the claimant has unreasonably valued a claim in excess of £25,000 so as to avoid entering the Protocol for Low Value Claims.

Siobhan Lambertsen

A general practice encompassing all areas of commercial and common law. Has advisory and trial experience in the fields of personal injury, commercial contracts, insurance and also experience in the Coroner’s Court.

Sophie Ashford

Sophie is developing a broad practice across the span of Chambers’ core areas, with an emphasis on commercial disputes, professional negligence, property damage, insurance, inquests and inquiries, criminal regulatory and personal injury. Prior to joining Chambers, Sophie was a judicial assistant to Dame Victoria Sharp, President of the King’s Bench Division in the Court of Appeal. She also trained as a commercial solicitor at a US commercial law firm in their London and Singapore offices, spending a year working in the international arbitration and civil litigation teams, six months on secondment in-house at Nestle and six months in the Financial Restructuring and Insolvency team.

Steven Coles

Regularly instructed in a wide range of insurance-related cases, often policy coverage disputes, also defence of third parties’ claims under public liability or professional indemnity policies, and insurers’ subrogated recovery claims (e.g. insurance-related claims arising from fire, flood, other damage to property, damage from defective building works, product liability, professional negligence, other contract claims, and personal injury claims involving insurance issues). Cases include high value claims, and heavy claims in terms of numbers of witnesses, experts, documents, and complexity of legal issues. He has often acted as junior to leading counsel, and on his own, often against leading counsel. Recent cases include: advising in claims for £2 Million arising out of bridge collapse in civil engineering works (2020); acting for claimants and insurers in product liability claim for £2 Million from defective adhesive manufactured and supplied to numerous contractors (2020); advising insurers on multi-Million claim and issues arising out of the death of a high-profile musician abroad (2019); acting for insurers in relation to a claim for £600,000 loss and damage to retail premises below by foul water leaking from pipework to flats above (2019); advising insurers on policy cover in relation to £800,000 fatal accident claim (2019); advising insurers on a £650,000 fire claim caused by hot works and fire spreading to adjoining house (2019); advising insurers on extent of policy cover under a personal accident policy for catastrophic injuries suffered in an accident on holiday abroad (2018); advising on policy indemnity under public liability policy for building collapse where one person killed and others injured (2018); advising insurers in relation to claim for several £ Millions for fire damage to a block of flats (2017); advising on policy cover in respect of £1.6 Million claim against contractors arising from damage to a large inflatable public exhibition dome damaged beyond repair (2017); advising on policy coverage in relation to a £700,000 claim against contractors for deterioration of road surfaces where defective aggregate used (2017); acting for insurers in £5 Million fire claim by owners of warehouse destroyed by fire (2015); acting for insurers in £1 Million personal injury and product liability claim by paraplegic claimant against manufacturers, suppliers and health authorities of a defective wheelchair which collapsed; acting for suppliers in a claim for £1.5 Million against manufacturers and suppliers of defective solder used in manufacture of electronic printed circuit boards (2014); advising on policy cover issues in £375,000 claim under a household policy covering unsatisfied judgments (2020); advising in relation to landlord’s claims for fire damage where fire deliberately caused by tenant (2020) and acting for insurers at trial in the similar cases Middleton v MMA (2014) and Lloyd Evans v Zurich (2010) which decided issues of policy cover for fire and exclusions for deliberate damage; acting for insurers in £5 Million claim under a property policy for destruction of a factory by fire (2012).

Susan Lindsey

Barrister specialising in construction law.

Suzanne Chalmers

Suzanne specialises in insurance, professional negligence, property damage and personal injury as well as dealing with general commercial disputes. Her insurance work involves all types of policy dispute (non-marine). Issues have included policy wording, subrogation, non-disclosure, conditions precedent and proximate cause. She handles a wide range of claims for and against professionals, particularly solicitors and barristers, construction professionals and insurance brokers. She regularly deals with high-value property damage claims arising out of fire, flood or subsidence and has particular expertise in cases involving allegations of fraud. Suzanne has extensive experience in the field of personal injury, acting for both claimants and defendants. She is frequently instructed in cases of the utmost severity, involving brain damage or severe spinal injury, and in cases involving difficult causation issues, such as the occurrence of epilepsy, stroke, psychiatric injury or pain disorder. Cases include: Joyce v O’Brien [2014] 1 WLR 70; [2012] PIQR P18 (QBD) – application of the doctrine of ex turpi causa in cases of joint criminal enterprise; Lindesay v Lamb & Tatner [2008] EWCA Civ 1143 – scope of the duty of care owed by drivers involved in a multiple vehicle pile up; Shinedean Ltd v Alldown Demolition Ltd [2006] 1 WLR 2696 (CA); [2005] EWHC 2391 (TCC) – meaning and operation of claims co-operation conditions; England v Guardian Insurance [2000] Lloyd’s Rep IR 404 – policy claim following subsidence of property involving issues of subrogation and the extent of insurers’ rights over recoveries.

Toby Chandler

Toby Chandler accepts instructions in all aspects of chambers’ commercial and construction work. He is regularly involved, both led and unled, on substantial litigation in the Commercial Court and the TCC as well in arbitrations and adjudications. His work frequently has an international element, and he draws on substantial experience advising on jurisdictional and enforcement issues.

Victoria Woodbridge

Specialises in clinical negligence and personal injury, including industrial disease and health and safety. Experience in clinical negligence includes: extensive advisory and drafting work for claimants and defendants, obstetrics (including cerebral palsy), gynaecology, plastic surgery, oncology and general medicine. Personal injury experience includes: representing claimants and defendants in road traffic, public liability and employers’ liability claims, industrial disease including asbestos-related injury; health and safety. Experience of Magistrates and Coroners Courts. Recent reported cases: OCS Group v Davinia Wells [2008] EWHC 919 (QB) Nelson J (disclosure of medical records).

William Lacey

William accepts instructions across Chambers’ core areas of practice, with an emphasis on insurance and reinsurance, professional liability, commercial disputes, property damage, inquests and inquiries and personal injury. Alongside his written practice, William already has considerable advocacy experience. He has been instructed to appear in the County Court in a wide range of small claims, applications, MOJ Stage 3 hearings and infant approval hearings. He has also represented the family of the deceased in a three-day jury inquest; and gained tribunal advocacy experience as a volunteer for IPSEA, a charity which helps people to appeal Local Authority decisions concerning SEND provision.

Henk Soede

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