Experience Philip has been a Partner at Capsticks since 2002, a Nominated Partner for NHS Resolution for over 10 years and he leads the firm’s national inquest service. Philip works with clients in the health and social care, insurance and emergency services sectors to resolve and learn from claims, inquests and serious incidents. Philip also has judicial experience, having worked for five years as an Assistant Coroner. Expertise Philip specialises in handling inquests, inquires and clinical negligence claims on behalf of defendants. He is trusted to deliver the best possible outcomes in the most sensitive and complex cases. A client described how “Philip’s advice and support for me and my executive team has proved invaluable on many occasions. With Philip you have a proactive and personal service, always available and willing to go the extra mile.”Notable projectsLead Solicitor to the NHS on the Jimmy Savile investigations and handled all claims arising from the abuse. Representing the LAS in the Inquests following the Terror Attacks at Westminster Bridge/Palace of Westminster and London Bridge/Borough Market.External legal advisor to the DHSC project delivery group for the Independent Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse.Defendant clinical negligence representative in the High Court User group and met with Lord Justice Jackson during his review into the costs of civil litigation.Trial wins in numerous claims ranging from small value to injuries of maximum severity worth several million pounds. Philip has also represented clients in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
Capsticks LLP
Catherine Bennett and Peter Marquand co-lead the ‘fantastic’ clinical negligence team at Capsticks LLP; NHS Resolution is a key client, and the team has maintained its position on the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts and Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice panels. The firm has also developed a medical malpractice team representing insurers in claims regarding private surgeons, clinics and hospitals. The team is proactive in engaging with innovative solutions for its clients, from training staff in mediation, to working with the NHS to develop its Early Notification birth injuries scheme. Majid Hassan specialises in claims against GPs, and is extending the team’s expertise regarding private healthcare work. Tamara Knight is particularly experienced regarding multiparty sexual assault claims, alongside psychiatric injuries and fatal claims. Philip Hatherall is another key contact.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Capsticks continues to provide an excellent service nationally to defendants facing clinical negligence claims.’
‘Majid Hassan is a particularly impressive practitioner with extensive experience of the interface between clinical negligence and sport, and great commercial awareness.'
‘In my view, Capsticks are the best NHS defendant panel firm bar none. They are extremely well led by Peter Marquand and he has recruited brilliantly. This means that the various teams work efficiently and are well supervised against a background of unrivalled experience in the health litigation field.’
‘Cassius Box is hugely experienced, astute and has excellent judgment. Gerard Aston is a superb supervisor and team leader who gets the best out of those around him.'
‘Excellent legal and clinical knowledge. Efficient and calm. Fantastic and well-deserved reputation and a great team to work with for all manner of clinical negligence allegations.’
‘Professional and knowledgeable, the individuals I work with are always on top of the job, able to contribute usefully on all aspects and excellent to work with. Special mentions to Charlotte Millar (a tireless worker with formidable intellect) and Cassius Box (likewise).’
‘This is one of the foremost practices in the healthcare sector for defendants. They have been in the field for years and have commensurate experience.’
‘Attentive, responsive, adaptive.’
Key clients
- NHS Resolution
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- BRIT Insurance
- James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
- MDDUS
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Howden Specialty Insurance
- Axis Insurance
- Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
- Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Ramsay Healthcare
- Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust
- South East London CCG
- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Foundation Trust
- East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Fairfield Independent Hospital
- Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
- Hertfordshire Partnership University Foundation Trust
- Milton Keynes University Hospitals NHS Trust
- North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust
- North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
- Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
- Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust
- Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
- Newline Group
- Axis Capital
- Beazley Group
- Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
Work highlights
- Successfully defended a case relating to prioritisation of patients for an NHS Trust at trial.
- Successfully defended a multi-million pound birth injury claim for an NHS Trust at trial.
- Advised NHS Resolution and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust on the compensation scheme for the victims of David Fuller, the maintenance technician who abused corpses in the hospital mortuary.
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Leading individuals
Experience Catherine has over 12 years’ experience of handling complex, sensitive and high value claims for Defendants. She is a Nominated Partner for NHS Resolution and manages a team of lawyers undertaking a broad range of case work of differing value and complexity. She also manages Capsticks’ Claims Handling Service which provides an innovative, outsourced service for the management of healthcare organisations’ claims. Expertise Catherine is a recognised expert in defending the most challenging claims, including those concerning alleged breaches of human rights. Although very experienced in traditional court based litigation, Catherine has used mediation successfully on behalf of defendants on numerous occasions. Catherine is well known for leading the Capsticks’ claims handling service. She has developed an innovative in-house administrative service for Trusts. Training is one of Catherine’s passions and she has lectured extensively on medico-legal topics and trends in litigation at board level.
Experience Majid leads the firm’s medical malpractice insurance team with considerable experience advising the NHS, Lloyds underwriters, and a leading medical defence organisation on claims and associated proceedings. Expertise Majid is best known for his considerable expertise advising doctors, hospitals and indemnifiers in clinical negligence. He also handles clinical trials and product liability claims for insurers. He advises hospitals and professional sports bodies and medical teams on clinical risk management and governance matters. His clients include medical malpractice underwriters, the MDDUS, British Athletics, Football Association of Wales and Liverpool Football Club.
Next Generation Partners
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Peter Marquand, Catherine Bennett