Able to draw upon strength across its Birmingham and Northampton offices, the Reading-based Shoosmiths LLP team is well-positioned to manage a diverse range of birth and brain injuries. Denise Stephens, who leads the group, possesses nearly thirty years of experience in the field, with a particular specialism in multi-million-pound catastrophic clinical negligence claims. Susan Prior is regarded as an ‘extremely experienced operator’ and Teri Gauge-Klein strengthens the practice with her vast litigation expertise.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Large team; excellent strength and depth; very high-quality case load with numerous maximum severity cerebral palsy cases.’
‘Denise Stephens is a standout lawyer - a towering force undertaking the highest value and most complex cases - superb tactical skills, hugely courageous and dedicated to achieving the very best results for her clients.'
‘Shoosmiths have great quality work including complex catastrophic injury work. They have excellent client care.’
‘Denise Stephens is a powerhouse - very experienced in catastrophic injury claims and lovely to deal with.'
‘Shoosmiths have an incredibly experienced and passionate team who work hard for all of their clients in serious injury cases. They are very collaborative and committed to the work that they do.’
‘Denise Stephens is hugely experienced and a superb advocate for her clients. She is not afraid to take on cases with high degrees of complexity.’
‘The team specialises in non-catastrophic clinical negligence work. They are exceptional litigators. Their management of a case from inception to trial (or settlement) is confident, knowledgeable and robust. They are my go-to firm when asked for recommendations from personal and professional contacts.’
‘Susan Prior is an extremely experienced operator. She is a leader in the field.’
Work highlights
- Recovered damages of £650k for a client who suffered from spinal scoliosis as a result of the defendant’s negligent failure to continue long-term follow up after he underwent spinal surgery at the age of 1.
- Achieved a settlement of £900k for the dependant of a man who died after a negligent delay in diagnosing a leaking anastomosis following bowel surgery for cancer.
- Acting for a client as a result of an alleged delay in diagnosing compartment syndrome in a young footballer which resulted in a severe and permanent tibial nerve injury.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Denise Stephens