Rebecca Henshaw-Keene

Rebecca acts for both Claimants and Defendants in CCMCs, applications and trials. As part of her multi-track practice, she has a particular interest in employers’ liability claims.

Prior to pupillage, Rebecca worked as a paralegal to a silk specialising in catastrophic injury. She is adept at drafting schedules and counter schedules in complex personal injury and fatal accident claims, beyond her year of call.

Recent instructions include as junior counsel in a complex claim raising issues of res judicata, sole counsel in claim following a fall from height resulting in a traumatic brain injury, and a claim arising from the assault of an NHS clinician.

Rebecca has experience in fundamental dishonesty and fraud actions for Defendants and their insurers, both at trial and in assisting senior counsel with extensive disclosure reviews.

She has also represented clients appealing awards determined by both the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Rebecca is instructed in high-profile group actions in the arenas of toxic torts, aviation, product liability, and military claims. She also has experience in cases progressing under collective case management.

She is a responsive junior and works well in a team.

Rebecca is instructed in a range of industrial disease matters both as sole and junior counsel. She is instructed mesothelioma cases, and claims for pleural thickening and asbestosis.

She has recently been instructed as junior counsel on behalf of a Claimant in a solvents case, and as second junior in a mesothelioma claim with an international element (led by Michael Rawlinson KC).

Rebecca represents Claimants against the Ministry of Defence in group litigation claims for non-freezing cold injuries and has advised on military hearing loss.

She is assistant editor of the 12KBW Asbestos Blog.

Rebecca is currently instructed in a number of group injury claims arising from air travel, including litigation arising from large loss events.

Rebecca is instructed on matters against tour operators arising from accidents abroad and at sea, both under the Package Travel Regulations and the Athens Convention.

During pupillage, she assisted with appeals concerning Spanish Penalty Interest.

Rebecca has established herself in the costs team at 12KBW and her practice continues to grow in this area.

She has experience in the following:

• Advising on costs recovery after strike out;
• Securing costs following interim applications;
• Show cause orders for wasted costs;
• Securing a four-figure sum for costs arising from ‘unreasonable conduct’ on the small claims track;

Rebecca is assistant editor of the 12KBW Costs Blog with Deputy Costs Judge Andrew Roy KC.

Her recent article on wasted costs was published in the Association of Costs Lawyers’ Journal.

Rebecca is instructed as a second junior on the Lampard Inquiry.

She acts for families at inquests, including those arising from industrial disease.

Rebecca has experience preparing for prison and healthcare inquests as a paralegal in a public law firm.  She is able to work quickly and accurately with large amounts of disclosure. She has experience of working in the health, adult social care, and prison systems.

Rebecca has experience in advising on coverage disputes, including in the context of employers’ liability claims, and more generally in litigation arising out of construction disputes and property damage.

She routinely acts for the Motor Insurance Bureau in interlocutory hearings and at trial. She has experience of cases under the Uninsured Drivers Agreement.

She regularly gives training on motor indemnity issues.

As a paralegal, Rebecca assisted with claims brought under the Lambeth Children’s Homes Redress Scheme.

She will consider cases on a pro-bono basis.

BPTC, City Law School (2021)
GDL, BPP (2019)
MPhil, Economic and Social History, University of Cambridge (2014)
BA (First-Class Honours), History, University of Cambridge (2013)

Lord Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
City Law School Scholarship
Winner, BPP GDL Mooting Competition 2018
Haldane Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn
Career Guarantee Scholarship, BPP
MPhil in Economic and Social History, jointly funded by the Newnham College Graduate Support Studentship and the Ferguson Trust
Creighton Memorial Prize (Newnham College)
Dr Ethel Williams Prize (Newnham College)

• Personal Injury Bar Association
• Attorney General’s Junior Junior Panel

Considering failures to represent non-English speaking witnesses, and resultant wasted costs (re-printed by the Association of Costs Lawyers’ Journal)

https://costsandlitigationfunding.com/2024/04/19/non-english-speaking-witnesses-and-wasted-costs/