We are proud to be hosting our Manchester Clinical Negligence & Personal Injury Conference on Thursday 21st November 2024 from 2.30pm at The Lowry Hotel followed by a drinks and canapés reception.

Breakout sessions on a range of topical clinical negligence and personal injury topics will run in parallel throughout the afternoon, followed by a joint plenary session for all delegates covering questions and issues common to both practice areas.

This free of charge event is for clinical negligence and personal injury law practitioners. Our conference will be CPD accredited.

To reserve your place please complete the registration form below.

Programme

Time Talk Information
2.30pm-3.00pm

Registration & Refreshments

3.05pm-3.35pm

Session 1

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE

Breaking the chain of causation: When can post-injury medical treatment break the chain of causation?
Gareth McAloon, Mary Newnham

OR

PERSONAL INJURY

Loss of Chance and Disability in Future Loss Claims
Andrew Ward, Thomas Banks

3.40pm-4.10pm

Session 2

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE

Clinical Negligence Case Law Update
Dr David Sharpe KC, Rachit Buch

OR

PERSONAL INJURY

Rome 2 and Jurisdiction update
Alex Carington, Jessica Muurman

4.10pm-4.25pm

Refreshment Break

4.25pm-4.55pm

Session 3

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE

Material Contribution – Full Circle?
Henry Charles

Accommodation awards in short(er) life expectancy cases
John-Paul Swoboda

OR

PERSONAL INJURY

Forced conversations? Mandatory ADR: Where we are and where are we going
Angela Frost, Catherine Peck

5.00pm-5.30pm

Session 4

JOINT CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE & PERSONAL INJURY Q&A PANEL SESSION
Dr David Sharpe KC, Angela Frost, Edward Ramsay, Elizabeth Boulden 

5.30pm

Drinks and canapes reception

Gareth McAloon

Gareth’s core specialisms are personal injury, industrial disease, clinical negligence, inquests and inquiries, and associated insurance work. His work mostly involves high value claims or claims with complex evidential matters. He represents both Claimants and Defendants in personal injury matters, and regularly appears on behalf of families or other corporate interests or government agencies at inquests.

Gareth is highly sought after for both court and paperwork matters. Gareth is known for his highly effective advocacy which grasps the crucial and determinative issues in a case with clarity and focus. He is well-skilled in witness handling and submission advocacy at all court levels.

Gareth was appointed to the Attorney General's Panel of Counsel in 2020 on the Midlands Circuit. He has also served as the Personal Injury Bar Association Midlands Circuit Representative since 2019. Gareth is ranked as a Leading Junior for personal injury law by the Legal 500.

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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.

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Andrew Ward

Andrew is recommended in the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 directories as a leading personal injury junior. He represents Claimants and Defendants in high value employer’s liability, public liability and RTA personal injury claims. He has extensive experience of traumatic brain injury, amputation, chronic pain conditions, functional neurological disorder, paralysis caused by spinal injury, fatal accident claims, issues of motor insurance policy coverage and fundamental dishonesty.

The Legal 500 (2023) says:

“Andrew is a very measured and persuasive advocate at court. He is never flustered, he is scrupulously polite and he is devastatingly effective. He knows his specialist area of the law backwards, he rarely pursues bad points and he is a very sensible opponent.”

Andrew is also a tenant at Exchange Chambers, Manchester.

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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.

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Dr. David Sharpe KC

Dr David Sharpe KC specialises in clinical negligence, professional negligence, serious personal injury, construction, sport, inquests & inquiries and property law. David practices within all areas of England & Wales and works for claimants and defendants.

He practiced as a doctor to Consultant level in Emergency Medicine (and is a Fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons and Royal College of Physicians) prior to qualifying as a Barrister and retains an exceptional knowledge of scientific, medical and technical matters relevant to his current legal practice.

David is also admitted to the Inner Bar in a number of other jurisdictions, has developed expertise of jurisdictional issues and has built a strong international aspect to his practice. He regularly receives instructions from overseas.

He has fully embraced ADR and is a qualified arbitrator and mediator. As such he is equally happy to act either as arbitrator/mediator or as counsel in such proceedings.

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Rachit Buch

Rachit specialises in personal injury, industrial disease, clinical negligence and international and travel law. He is ranked in the legal directories for personal injury: industrial disease (Band 2, Chambers & Partners) and clinical negligence (Tier 4, Legal 500). He is described as “a strong advocate”, who “excels at understanding both the overall picture and the important details of the case. He has a great manner with clients”.

His industrial disease practice focuses on mesothelioma claims and other asbestos-related diseases.

His clinical negligence practice includes birth-related claims, surgical negligence and delayed diagnosis in oncology and other disciplines.

He acts for claimants and defendants in high value and complex litigation. He has particular expertise in cases with an international element, including jurisdictional challenges, cases involving foreign law and accidents abroad.

Rachit has experience in cases involving a public law aspect, including liability of public bodies such as the Ministry of Defence. He was instructed in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, as well as having an established inquest practice.

He is instructed in claims involving issues of national security including sensitive military deployments or undercover policing.

Having studied Human Genetics for his first degree, Rachit applies his knowledge of scientific and medical issues to the law.

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Alex Carington

Alex’s practice encompasses 12KBW’s core areas with particular focus on travel, serious personal injury, clinical negligence, fraudulent claims and inquests.

Alex is recognised as a leading junior in Legal500 in travel law as “punching well above his weight and is already an established specialist in Athens Conventions claims”.

His passion remains in all forms of advocacy work, alongside his paper practice.

Alex has good working knowledge of German having read Law and German Law at Exeter University before completing a Masters in German Law at Saarland University, Germany. He enjoys learning from different jurisdictions and is an Honorary Member of the Tampa Bar, Florida, after taking part in an exchange programme there.

In his spare time, Alex enjoys baking, triathlon and skiing. He is a trained Level 2 Triathlon Coach and qualified to represent Team GB at age group level in the 2021 World Championships in Bermuda and the 2021 European Championships in Valencia. Alex brings his personal knowledge of sports coaching and procedures to his sports law practice.

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Jessica Muurman

Jessica joined Chambers in October 2024 following the successful completion of her pupillage under the supervision of Marcus Dignum KC, Isaac Hogarth and James Pickering. She accepts instructions in all areas of personal injury, appearing in court several times a week while developing a busy paperwork practice.

During her pupillage, she gained a wide breadth of experience in personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests, industrial disease, indemnity, travel and military work. She is interested in all the core areas of Chambers’ expertise.

Prior to pupillage, Jessica worked at an Employment Tribunal and a healthcare regulator. She also undertook ProBono work, notably representing families in appeals against school exclusions (via the School Exclusion Project). In addition, during her legal studies she volunteered with Advocate (formerly the Bar ProBono Unit), Liberty, and various law clinics, gaining experience across a breadth of civil work. Jessica will consider cases on a Pro Bono basis.

Jessica studied Biomedical Sciences, where she graduated with a first-class degree. In her legal studies, Jessica obtained a Distinction in both the GDL and Bar Course, and was supported by Inn and institution scholarships.

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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.

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John-Paul Swoboda

John-Paul specialises in Asbestos Litigation, Sports, International litigation, Serious injury, Aviation, Clinical Negligence, Professional Negligence and Inquests. He undertakes high value work appearing in the High Court and Appellate Courts. He enjoys working as part of a team. He won the Legal 500 Personal Injury Junior of the Year Award in 2023. John-Paul was elected joint Deputy Head of Chambers in July 2024.

In relation to asbestos claims, he is instructed by most, if not all, well-regarded claimant firms with an established asbestos team. He is ranked in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500. Recent reported cases include:

  • Johnstone v Fawcett’s Garage (Newbury) Ltd [2023] EWHC 3010 (KB) (appeal listed in February 2025)
  • Keegan v Independent Insurance Co Ltd [2022] EWHC 1992 (QB);
  • Brooks v Zurich Insurance Plc [2022] EWHC 1170 (QB);
  • Witham v Steve Hill Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 1312 (led by Steven Snowden KC);
  • Gregory v H J Haynes Ltd [2020] EWHC 911 (Ch);
  • Helm v Kenyon & Sons Ltd v Somewatch Ltd [2019] EWHC 1108 (QB);
  • Cary v Vauxhall Motors Ltd [2019] EWHC 238 (QB);
  • Mark v Universal Coatings and Services Ltd v Barrier Ltd [2018] EWHC 3206 (QB);
  • Stacey v Triplex Safety Glass Company Ltd [2017] EWHC 1945 (QB).

His private international law expertise spans jurisdiction (pre and post-Brexit), applicable law (pre and post-Brexit), forum non conveniens cases and service out of the jurisdiction in both injury and non-injury commercial work. John-Paul also has expertise in Aviation, having worked on cases arising from air disasters. He regularly appears in Package Holidays claims, Admiralty matters, Athens and Montreal Convention cases and clinical negligence cases with a foreign element. As a result of his Spanish language skills, John-Paul is often instructed in Spanish cases and has appeared as an expert in English law in the Spanish Courts. Recent reported cases include: Chouza v Martins & Ors [2021] EWHC 1669 (QB) (Spanish law); Haggerty-Garton v ICI [2021] EWHC 2924 (QB) (Scots law); Maddison v TUI [2023] EWHC (to be heard by the Court of Appeal). John-Paul is ranked in the Legal 500 for Travel Law including Jurisdictional issues.

John-Paul’s clinical negligence work is high value and he receives instructions from most ranked firms. He is ranked in the Legal 500 for his clinical negligence work. He enjoys the medical and scientific aspects of such litigation and works closely with his instructing solicitors and experts. He has significant experience of cases involving birth injury, amputation, unnecessary and negligent surgery, delayed diagnosis, fatal cases, disclosure of risk and the negligent administration of clinical drugs.

John-Paul is listed in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for his more general personal injury work which includes EL, PL and RTA cases. Recent reported cases include Irani v Duchon [2019] EWCA Civ 1846.

John-Paul undertakes professional negligence work, mainly in respect of actions arising from personal injury claims. He successfully represented the Claimant in the Court of Appeal in Witcomb v Keith Park Solicitors [2023] PNLR 20.

He practices Sports Law where he is able to bring his extensive Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence knowledge to bear on such matters. However, his practice is not restricted to injury related work; he accepts non-injury Sports work of a contractual or regulatory nature. He has received instructions relating to those in the English Premier League.

John-Paul acts for bereaved families, and occasionally acts for other interested parties, at Inquests. John-Paul has particular interest and expertise in Article 2 ECHR enhanced Inquests. He has acted in high profile Inquests such as the Inquest touching the death of Toni Speck (a death in police custody); the Inquest touching the death of Graham Coker (a death following oesophageal cancer surgery where their department was subsequently shut down); the Inquest touching the death of Jodie White-Charles where a young mother died of sickle cell complications as a result of Trust failures.

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Angela Frost

Angela specialises in high value, complex and catastrophic personal injury claims.

She is instructed by Claimants and Defendants in cases involving serious and high value personal injury. She has a loyal following of both solicitors and insurers due to her practical and no nonsense approach to claims.

Angela has amassed a wealth of experience in cases involving chronic pain and subtle brain injury. She is sought after in such cases particularly where they have a potential fraud element.

Angela is regularly instructed in cases where the value is in excess of £2million and against KC’s unled.

Angela has extensive experience in claims involving fraud, whether exaggerated/feigned injury or staged accidents. Leading insurers turn to Angela at an early stage to advise in cases where fraud is suspected and can rely on her to deliver targeted and precise cross examination at trial.

Claimant solicitors appreciate Angela’s ability to engage with their clients and the way in which she is able to deliver complex and difficult information and advice in a way that is appropriate and comprehensible to the individual in front of her.

Angela is instructed nationally by leading firms and insurers and is often able to turn around papers at short notice. She is happy to receive instructions electronically.

Angela sits on the Editorial Board of Kemp & Kemp: Law Practice and Procedure, and she edits the chapters on Service, Statements of Case, Admissions, Part 36, Trials, and Appeals.

Angela was elected joint Deputy Head of Chambers in July 2024.

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Catherine Peck

Catherine specialises in catastrophic and complex personal injury claims.  She has over 25 years’ experience at the Personal Injury Bar, is regularly instructed as sole counsel in claims in excess of £2m and is recognised as a leading junior.

Directories’ feedback includes: “a fearless and persuasive advocate who is meticulous in her preparation” “she is very clear, sensible and takes all the right points” “a very able, assured and confident barrister” “she is always excellently prepared and gives great tactical advice” “extremely thorough and a very good advocate. She’s a clear communicator and instils great confidence in her clients”.

Aside from being a very effective trial advocate, Catherine is an accomplished negotiator with an established track record of advising on evidence and strategy and guiding the cases on which she is instructed to a successful conclusion via ADR.  Whether acting for claimants or defendants, she has built strong working relationships with those instructing her, resulting in regular repeat instructions.

Whilst Catherine usually acts as sole counsel (frequently where King’s Counsel is instructed by other party), she is regularly led in cases of particularly complexity, importance or high value (recent examples being by William Audland KC, Harry Steinberg KC and Steven Snowden KC).

Catherine is an accredited mediator (civil and commercial disputes; workplace disputes) and has a particular interest in the psychology and tactics of negotiation.  She provides talks to solicitors and is a very experienced advocacy trainer.

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Edward Ramsay

Edward is ranked as a Leading Junior for Clinical Negligence in the Legal 500 and for Inquests and Inquiries in both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. He has been described as showing “huge attention to detail”, with “a razor-sharp intellect” and an “unrivalled knowledge of coronial law”. In court the directories describe him as being “skilled”, “impressive”, and “fantastic on his feet”, with “a natural instinct of which lines of inquiry to pursue with witnesses”.

Edward accepts instructions across all practice areas in Chambers. He specialises in healthcare and inquest law and is frequently instructed in lengthy and complex hospital inquests, including enhanced Article 2 inquests and jury inquests.

In 2021 Ed was appointed Assistant Coroner for the Swansea Neath Port Talbot area.

He is frequently instructed on personal injury and clinical negligence cases acting for claimants and defendants, particularly in the field of fatal accident claims, and often where he has previously appeared at the inquest relating to the death in question. He has led many high value cases through from inquest to successful settlement, including at JSM and mediation.

Ed has extensive experience managing experts in conference and in drafting statements of case and complex schedules of loss. As a result of his inquest practice, he has a wealth of experience in general witness handling, including examination of experts.

Ed continues to act for large insurers in fraud and related costs work arising out RTA and exaggerated credit hire claims.

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Elizabeth Boulden

Elizabeth’s personal injury practice has particular specialisms in clinical negligence, inquests, employers’ liability and international and travel claims.

She frequently represents parties in trials, CCMCs, application hearings and inquests. Elizabeth is often instrucuted on paperwork matters advising and drafting pleadings. She is comfortable acting in multi-track and high value cases.

Elizabeth is experienced in clinical negligence cases, and she edits 12KBW’s clinical negligence blog.

Elizabeth regularly represents interested persons in inquest hearings, in particular those relating to circumstances of alleged clinical negligence in hospitals.

Prior to her legal studies, Elizabeth achieved 2 science Masters Degrees, with a particular focus on virology, immunology, cancer biology and laboratory research.

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