Referred to as ‘one of the heavyweights in the industry’, the clinical negligence practice group at Outer Temple Chambers is highlighted for its ’good range of talent and experience’. Operating predominately in highly complex disputes, the set’s cases encompass surgical errors, spinal injuries, cognitive injuries, along with various natal claims. Robert Dickason‘s recent activity is an example of this, such as Masih v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, an ongoing case pertaining to sudden cardiac death while under treatment for acute pancreatitis, which saw both breach of duty and causation under scrutiny. Senior barrister Nathan Tavares KC  was recently active in CB v Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, an ongoing matter regarding the liability of mental health services and the extent of any responsibility to share information.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Graham Woods and Chris Rowe are excellent.'
  • 'Paul Barton is always very accommodating and goes the extra mile to assist.'
  • 'The clerks are very efficient, responsive and helpful. The service provided is second to none.Paul Barton in particular goes out of his way to ensure excellent service.'
  • 'A good range of talent and experience.'
  • 'Great breadth and strength in medical negligence cases.'
  • 'Very professional set and competent in their area of work, with good availability of barristers.'
  • 'Very good strength in depth at both silk and junior level in the clinical negligence space. One of the heavyweights in the industry.'
  • 'The chambers have a broad range of skills and depth to call upon whenever needed.'

Silks

Leading Silks
KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.
Eliot Woolf KC
2
Eliot Woolf KC
Outer Temple Chambers
'Eliot is incredibly astute and meticulous in his preparation. He is approachable and kind with vulnerable clients but still robust and in negotiations and ensures that they get the outcomes they deserve.'
Nathan Tavares KC
2
Nathan Tavares KC
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘Excellent, skillful. Attention to detail is amazing, Skillful negotiator and very calm and measured.’
Christopher Wilson-Smith KC
3
Christopher Wilson-Smith KC
Outer Temple Chambers
'Quick to assimilate information and incisively focus in on key aspects of a case. Can elucidate and articulate complex issues in a manner which is easy to understand. Has a commanding presence both in conference and court.'
Sarah Crowther KC
4
Sarah Crowther KC
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Sarah is hugely well-respected in the clinical negligence world. She is very easy to work with, thorough and sensible.'
Rachel Vickers KC
4
Rachel Vickers KC
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Attention to detail is second to none. Extremely thorough, compassionate and listens to clients and takes the time to explain things in a way that is easy for them to understand.’
Gerard McDermott KC
4
Gerard McDermott KC
Outer Temple Chambers
  ‘He is wise, measured and authoritative. He is also unflappable in the face of more hostile opposition.’
James Counsell KC
4
James Counsell KC
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Very good trial advocate with great attention to detail. He is very personable and puts his witnesses at ease.’ 
Jonathan Hand KC
4
Jonathan Hand KC
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Incredible attention to detail. Very good with clients, calm but authoritative and very unlikely to not know the answers in cases involving birth injury.’

Juniors

Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
Harriet Jerram
2
Harriet Jerram
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘Knowledgeable, thorough analytical, persuasive in negotiations and hearings, great with clients.’ 
Robert Dickason
2
Robert Dickason
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Excellent attention to detail, fantastic approach with clients and very personable to work with.’
James Aldridge
3
James Aldridge
Outer Temple Chambers
‘James is extremely thorough and has a really good approach to liaising with clients and experts. His approach at settlement meetings is extremely detailed and he has reasoned arguments.’
Tom Gibson
3
Tom Gibson
Outer Temple Chambers
'Tom has a firm grasp on the detail of cases and his quantum advice in particular is of an excellent standard. He is extremely diligent and responsive.’
Ben Bradley
3
Ben Bradley
Outer Temple Chambers
‘Ben is always thoroughly prepared, fantastic with clients, approachable and sensible, adopting a common sense plan to achieve successful resolution of cases.’
Daniel Clarke
3
Daniel Clarke
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘First port of call on complex personal injury and clinical negligence claims.’
Carin Hunt
3
Carin Hunt
Outer Temple Chambers
  ‘Carin is clearly very bright and has a firm grip on the complex issues surrounding clinical negligence claims. Her work has been detailed, thorough and well reasoned.’
Olinga Tahzib
4
Olinga Tahzib
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘Olinga is very impressive in conference and has a detailed, forensic mind when it comes to considering medical evidence.’
Will Young
4
Will Young
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘Will stands out for his exceptional diligence and meticulous attention to detail, seamlessly blending efficiency with thoroughness. He possesses a keen ability to evaluate evidence in a cost-efficient manner, ensuring no stone is left unturned, while considering the broader implications of the issues at hand.’ 
David Haines
4
David Haines
Outer Temple Chambers
 ‘As a qualified doctor, David is all over the medical side of things, often operating at a higher level than instructing solicitor and alternate counsel is capable of. His advanced level of understanding enables him to question medico-legal experts in a way which very few counsel are able to do so. He is also a very capable advocate.’