Barristers

Simon Readhead KC

Simon Readhead KC

Position

Simon Readhead KC has a wide ranging practice for both claimants and defendants in medico-legal law.

His work includes clinical liability, professional liability and indemnity claims including claims involving industrial accidents and occupational diseases, health and safety claims and product liability.

Simon has a special interest and expertise in catastrophic injury claims including birth trauma, other neurological injuries particularly involving the head and spine and high value and complex quantum claims.

Simon is recognised as a Tier / Band 1 King’s Counsel in the current editions of the leading legal directories in the UK. He is also listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in the UK and was nominated for King's Counsel of the Year in the Clinical Negligence category of the 2024 Legal 500 Bar awards. Simon is a Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple and is the immediate Past President of the Medico-Legal Society in the UK.

Simon is a former Junior of the Midland Circuit and was the founding author of piBlawg, an online clinical liability and personal injury blog. He was also involved in the development of piCalculator which is now the leading online encrypted damages calculation tool. Simon is regularly asked to speak at conferences and seminars both in the UK and abroad, most recently in Hong Kong.

Career

Appointments

Lecturer in law at the Hammersmith and West London College: 1977-1979 Legal Adviser to News Corporation Limited: 1978-1986 Junior of the Midland & Oxford Circuit: 1989-1990 Member of the General Council of the Bar’s Costs Panel: 1992-1998 Recorder of the Crown and County Courts: 2000 Trustee of the Permanent Exhibition of Judicial and Legal Costume, Royal Courts of Justice: 2011 Trustee of the Rolls Building Art and Educational Trust: 2012 Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple: 2012 Head of 1 Chancery Lane Chambers: 2017–2022 Joint Head of Deka Chambers: 2022 President of the Medico-Legal Society: 2022-2024

Education

Lincoln College, University of Oxford (B.A. Jurisprudence 1977; B.C.L. Civil Law 1978; M.A. Jurisprudence 1982)

Mentions

London Bar

Clinical negligence

Leading silk1
Simon Readhead KC – Deka Chambers ‘Simon's preparation and attention to detail are second to none. He is an outstanding advocate and can be relied on to provide a thorough examination and rigorous assessment of all issues.’