Launch of Costs Litigation Team’s Seminar Series

Henry F. Charles

Henry is recognised as a leading personal injury and clinical negligence practitioner.  He acts for Claimants and Defendants typically in complex and high value claims.  He has negotiated settlements as high as nearly £7,000,000.

He was awarded Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Junior Barrister of the Year award in 2014 by Chambers & Partners.  He has appeared in their guide for many years, recommended in both personal injury and clinical negligence.  Observers have said, for example,  “I am impressed by his attention to detail and his commitment to ensure that no stone gets left unturned. He has a very agile and adaptable approach to things" and that he is “A tower of strength; he is calm in the midst of battle, knows how to read judges and is an excellent strategist”  He has also been described as "unflappable and laser-like in terms of his focus.", an "extremely safe pair of hands," and as “delightful” with both “panache and a beautiful manner". “He knows when to fight,” declare observers.

Henry encourages a team approach, he is happy to travel to see claimants and insurers alike.

Andrew Roy KC

Andrew specialises in complex, sensitive and high value cases involving personal injury (especially catastrophic claims), costs, industrial disease, clinical negligence, professional negligence, limitation and related areas.

Andrew has a significant appellate practice. He is head of the 12KBW Costs Team.  He sits as a Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts.

Andrew is ranked in both Personal Injury and Costs by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. They note that he has “A razor-sharp intellect coupled with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the case law, who is able to combine both into dazzling and fearless advocacy”, is “incredibly bright and tenacious”, “concise, pays enormous attention to detail and is excellent with clients", and “very thorough, persistent and persuasive in court" with “a great ability to distill the most complex legal arguments”.

The directories also recommend Andrew as being“adept at handling challenging cases of high complexity”, “a ferocious advocate in court”, “a great strategist with an eye for the big picture at all times”, “legally savvy” a “fierce advocate, who is very bright but also practical”, "a great choice of counsel when you know you have a fight on your hands” and "Exceptional - he is straight to the point, technical and an all-round great barrister."

As one of only a handful of barristers ranked by the directories in both personal injury and costs, Andrew brings this in-depth crossover expertise to both his personal injury cases and his costs work. The directories note that in respect to personal injury, he is “a strong negotiator and has the added value of real costs expertise” who is “Valued by instructing solicitors for his considerable knowledge of costs issues”. They likewise note that in respect of costs he “draws strength to his practice through his personal injury expertise.”

Andrew is Head of Pupillage at 12KBW.

Mary Newnham

Mary practises predominantly in personal injury and clinical negligence. She acts for both claimants and defendants in a wide range of multi-track cases.  Mary is regularly instructed in cases involving fatal accidents, brain injuries and serious and multiple injuries. She is also very familiar with cases where there is an interplay between physical and psychological injuries or a diagnosis of functional or somatoform disorders.  She is comfortable with cases involving multiple experts, causation problems and complex calculations of loss, whether they conclude at trial or at JSM.

Mary has substantial experience in road traffic litigation, including cases involving allegations of fraud and coverage/ indemnity issues. She also specialises in employers’ liability claims and public liability cases, often involving multiple defendants.

Mary’s clinical negligence practice includes cases where consideration is given to bringing additional claims for negligent medical treatment following an accident as well as free-standing claims against medical professionals for late diagnosis, negligent treatment or lack of informed consent.

Mary is regularly instructed to appear in the Coroner’s Court and has experience of substantial inquests involving juries, potential unlawful killing verdicts, deaths in the care of the state and cases where there is potential for a Preventing Future Deaths report.

Mary provides lectures and seminars to solicitors and insurers and can do so in-house.

Mary is currently living in Manchester and is happy to cover hearings in the North-West area.

Lois Aldred

Lois is an experienced Personal Injury and Costs Specialist known for her approachable style, tenacious advocacy and the ability to effectively argue tricky legal points.

Lois combines her practice as a barrister with sitting as Recorder on the Midlands Circuit.

Away from Law Lois has a keen interest in travel, languages, and sustainable gardening when she isn’t marshalling her trio of young sons.

She speaks (now) basic French after her time living and studying in Strasbourg, when a student along with a little Spanish and Japanese.

Before coming to the Bar Lois Taught English Language Oral Communication in Osaka, Japan.

Thomas Banks

Tom is ranked as a Personal Injury Leading Junior in Legal 500. He specialises in catastrophic, complex and high value Personal Injury claims, Insurance Law, Inquests, Military claims, Fraud and Costs.

His specialist personal injury practice focuses on Brain and Spinal Injuries, Fatal Accidents, Motor Insurance and Indemnity Law,  International and Travel Law, Public and Employers Liability and Industrial Disease

As former Tank Commander and Intelligence Officer in the British Army, he is also recognised as an established specialist Counsel in Armed Forces Claims.

Tom has also been instructed in High Court Defamation proceedings.

Jeremy McKeown

Jeremy accepts instructions across all of 12KBW’s core areas. He has particular experience in claims involving employment and discrimination (with expertise in post-termination restrictions), costs, public / occupiers’ / employers’ liability, insurance, credit hire and fundamental dishonesty.

His practice encompasses advisory work, drafting and advocacy in fast track and multi-track claims, both in the High Court and County Courts.

Owing to previous employment at a City law firm, he has a detailed knowledge of civil procedure and experience across a broad range of commercial and arbitration, regulatory and fraud work.

He is a contributor to several blogs and publications in his specialist areas.

David Green

David is a leading personal injury junior. “The quality of David’s advice is second to none” (Legal 500 2022).

In personal injury he specialises in occupational and environmental disease claims, including all aspects of asbestos disease, and noise-induced hearing loss.

He maintains a particular interest and specialism in military cases, and is instructed in the ongoing military deafness litigation (led by Harry Steinberg KC).

David is also ranked as a rising star in employment law. “David is an excellent advocate and is able to think very well on his feet. He has very good technical knowledge of both the law and procedure” (Legal 500 2022).

Cases include:

Abbott v Ministry of Defence [2022] EWHC 1807 (QB): represented nearly 3,500 claimants for noise-induced hearing loss and/or tinnitus brought against the MOD (led by Harry Steinberg KC).

Wokingham Borough Council v Arshad [2022] EWHC 2419 (KB): successful appeal on behalf of a local authority against claim for psychiatric damage, brought by a taxi driver after a mistake in the taxi licensing process.

David also appeared for the successful Respondent in Greene v Davies [2022] EWCA Civ 414, an appeal concerning an important point of law on abuse of process in regulatory disciplinary proceedings.