‘Senses & Sensibility’: clinical negligence injuries impacting the senses and mind (series)

William Audland KC

William is ranked as a leading silk in the major directories in all his principal areas of practice - international and travel, personal injury, clinical negligence and sports law - and specialises in cross-border claims which combine these areas of expertise. He represents both claimants and defendants, and has a growing practice as a mediator.

Andrew Roy KC

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

Andrew has a significant appellate practice up to and including the Supreme Court and Privy Council.  He is head of the 12KBW Costs Team.  He sits as a Deputy Costs Judge of the Senior Courts.

Andrew is recognised as a leading silk for Personal Injury and Costs by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, having been ranked since 2009.  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” and is "a great choice of counsel when you know you have a fight on your hands”.

The directories further describe Andrew as “a great strategist with an eye for the big picture at all times”, “absolutely first class”, “a ferocious advocate”, “Exceptional” with a “phenomenal grasp of the law” and “an incredibly detailed knowledge of each area in which he specialises”.

As one of only a handful of barristers ranked by the directories in both personal injury and costs, Andrew brings 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”.  They likewise note that in respect of costs he “draws strength to his practice through his personal injury expertise.”

Vanessa Cashman

Vanessa specialises in clinical negligence. She acts predominantly for claimants and her practice encompasses a huge range of medical specialties. She has particular expertise in birth and obstetric injuries, spinal injury and brain injury. Vanessa is Joint Head of our Clinical Negligence Team.

Vanessa is ranked for clinical negligence in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She is known for her warmth and sensitivity and her extensive medical knowledge.

She also has considerable experience in personal injury and inquests.

Charley Turton

Charley is a specialist in complex personal injury and clinical negligence and is instructed in some of the largest group injury claims brought in the English courts. She is recognised in the directories for both personal injury and clinical negligence, where she is described as “brilliant”, a “rising star”, “a clear and confident advocate” and “a really intelligent barrister who thinks things through carefully”.

Charley’s practice spans sports law, aviation, abuse, and international injury. Charley is regularly instructed as sole counsel in complex, high-value litigation, frequently against opponents of significantly greater seniority. She also thrives as part of a team, particularly in the context of group litigation. Her past and ongoing instructions include:

• The Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Litigation. Led by Michael Rawlinson KC, Charley acts for a large cohort of claimants alleging that Baby Powder was contaminated with asbestos and other harmful substances, and that talc used in the product was itself a cause of injury.
• Rugby Concussion Litigation. Led by William Audland KC, Charley acts for the Rugby Football League in high-profile head injury litigation brought by over 1,000 rugby league and union players and former players.
• Harrods Abuse Claims. Led by Michael Rawlinson KC, Charley acts for the survivors of sexual abuse perpetrated by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
• LaMia Flight 2933 Air Accident. Led by Steven Thompson KC, Charley acts for injured passengers and families of deceased following the 2016 crash in Colombia.
• Inquest into the death of Adam Johnson. Led by William Audland KC, Charley acts for the bereaved family of the ice hockey player who died when his neck was cut by a skate during a 2023 match between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers.
• Fundão Dam Collapse Litigation. Led by Harry Steinberg KC and Patrick Vincent KC, in 2018-19, Charley acted for the claimants in this action arising from Brazil’s worst ever environmental disaster.

Before coming to the Bar, Charley read English Literature at Merton College, Oxford, where she was awarded a ‘Blue’ for football. She still turns out for the occasional Friday night match.

In her free time, Charley is a keen traveller and, whenever possible, she plans her trips around opportunities to scuba dive.

Thea Wilson

Named as a leading junior in the Legal 500, Thea specialises in Clinical Negligence, complex Personal Injury claims, and Inquests. She is an editor of Facts & Figures and is particularly adept at handling complex quantum calculations.

Thea has a wealth of experience in handling cases involving delayed diagnosis, pregnancy-related injuries, birth injuries (including hypoxic brain injuries), cardiac issues, spinal injuries, brain damage, psychiatric injury, chronic pain, and fatal accidents. With an eye for detail and a sympathetic manner, she is particularly skilled in advising vulnerable clients and explaining complex issues in straightforward terms.

Thea’s role as Assistant Coroner for Essex gives her significant insight and expertise in the inquest process. She regularly acts for interested parties at inquests, in particular in claims involving clinical negligence, road traffic accidents, and deaths in custody or mental health detention. She is happy to advise on all aspects of the coronial process.

Thea’s expert knowledge of the CPR stands her in good stead in acting for and advising solicitors on procedural matters in relation to applications and appeals, and in respect of costs. Thea is sought after in cases with a potential fraud element and in cases with insurance coverage issues.

Thea is regularly instructed by the NHS, trade union organisations, local authorities, leading insurers, and the Motor Insurers Bureau.

Thea has represented victims of sexual and physical abuse both in civil claims and before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Tribunal.

Thea is happy to accept cases on a CFA basis and is willing to consider Pro Bono instruction where appropriate.

Isaac Hogarth

Isaac is Joint Head of our Clinical Negligence Team.

Isaac has a specialist clinical negligence, personal injury and insurance practice. Isaac is generally instructed in cases involving life-changing spinal and brain injuries, chronic pain, amputations and fatalities. He is ranked as a leading junior in personal injury and clinical negligence in both the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners 2026.

In addition to his injury practice, Isaac has an established reputation as an insurance specialist and is often instructed to advise insurers and the MIB on technical coverage and indemnity issues.

Isaac is an experienced advocate with an excellent track record at trials, joint settlement meetings and mediations. He is often instructed as a junior in high value claims, and also has extensive experience as sole counsel.

In addition to his civil practice, Isaac is often instructed to provide representation at inquests, particularly those arising from deaths in hospitals and road traffic accidents.

John Elston, Consultant Ophthalmologist

Dr Mynors-Wallis, Consultant Psychiatrist

Laurence became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1989, obtaining the Laughlin Prize for the best examination results in that year.  He obtained a Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship to study the treatment of depressive disorders in primary care, obtaining a Doctorate in Medicine from Oxford University in 1994.  He has scientific publications in the field of depressive and emotional disorders and in leadership and management.

Laurence has been a consultant psychiatrist in adult psychiatry for nearly 30 years. He was Medical Director of Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust for 15 years until 2016. He was a Foundation Council member of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and sat on the Advisory Board for five years until 2016.  From 2010-2015 he was the Registrar of the Royal College of Psychiatrists with lead responsibility for psychiatric standards, public information, policy and the revalidation of consultant psychiatrists.  In 2017 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for his “outstanding contribution to psychiatry”.

He is the author of the chapter on Psychiatry in Clinical Negligence (Powers and Barton) 5^th Edition, 2015, 6^th Edition, 2023.  He is a co-editor of Expert Psychiatric Evidence, 2nd Edition (Cambridge University Press 2020) and was the lead author of the chapters on Personal Injury and Reports for the Coroner’s Courts.  He has a significant medico-legal practice in the areas of clinical negligence, personal injury and capacity.

Adel Helmy, Consultant Neurosurgeon