Annual PI Webinar Day 2021

Philip Mead

Philip is a member of the International and Travel Group of 12KBW with an established practice in the field of cross-border personal injury and employment law. He has been named as a Band1 or Star Individual in Chambers & Partners for several years in respect of International and Travel Claims and has appeared in the leading cases on jurisdiction and conflict of laws. Philip has particular expertise in the field of European law, in respect of the application of the Judgments Regulation, the Rome II Regulation and the Motor Insurance Directives.

Philip’s personal injury practice involves claims of the utmost severity and includes the following areas: road traffic accident claims, direct actions against foreign insurers and compensation bodies, employer’s liability claims, product liability claims, fatal accident claims, package holiday claims and maritime and aviation claims.

Philip’s employment practice has involved peripatetic and overseas workers, seafarers, claims against foreign embassies and international organisations, in relation to claims for breach of contract, discrimination and breach of statutory rights.

Philip has received instructions directly from foreign lawyers and foreign clients. He is able to act on a direct access basis without the need to instruct an English solicitor.

James Pickering

James is a leading junior in cases involving serious injuries and fatal accidents, with expertise in international and group litigation. He acts in the most cutting-edge and high profile litigation, often with a cross-border element.

Chambers UK and The Legal 500 describe him as “really excellent” and “a super junior with a massive future. He is incredibly bright, meticulous and approachable.” He “possesses a towering intellect and is able to master the law in a wide range of areas from international law to English procedural law before deploying it with lethal effect.”

He is ranked as a leading junior in Personal Injury (Chambers UK and The Legal 500), Industrial Disease (Chambers UK), and International Personal Injury (Chambers UK).

James leads 12KBW’s Band 1-ranked International & Travel Team. He edits the key practitioner textbooks in his areas of practice: Occupational Illness Litigation (Sweet & Maxwell), Asbestos: Law & Litigation (Sweet & Maxwell), and Butterworths Personal Injury Litigation Service (Accidents Abroad) (LexisNexis UK).

Pankaj Madan

Called to the Bar in 1997 and with over two and a half decades at the forefront of personal injury law,  Pankaj's career is marked by a deep commitment to catastrophic injury cases. He specialises in severe and catastrophic injury cases, some with a potential value of over £20m. Most involve brain injury in particular. At Exchange Chambers and 12 King's Bench Walk, two of the leading Personal Injury sets in England, his practice is rooted in a profound understanding of the intricacies of brain injuries, severe pain, FND and amputation cases, ensuring meticulous representation for the side he is instructed for. His role extends beyond the courtroom as a writer and lecturer, contributing to the body of knowledge with recent publications such as “A Practical Guide to Catastrophic Brain Injury Claims” published in June 2024. He sits as a Deputy District Judge (since 2010) and is the first lawyer ever to sit on the Royal Society of Medicine, Pain Section Council. He has excellent expertise in costs management of severe and catastrophic injury claims securing budgets in excess of £1m in some cases.

Clients also benefit from his expertise in alternative dispute resolution, honed through rigorous analysis of medical evidence and strategic use of experts. Recognised repeatedly by the Legal 500 and in 2025 again for a "Tier 1" legal service, he is dedicated to securing favourable outcomes for clients on whichever side. As a member of the Equality and Diversity Committee, he advocates for progressive change, fostering an environment where excellence in legal practice is synonymous with equality and diversity.

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.

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.

Oliver Rudd

Oliver has a wide-ranging practice with extensive experience in dealing with a range of cases from chronic pain and industrial disease litigation, to cases involving alleged defective products, professional negligence and exaggerated and fraudulent claims.

Oliver regularly acts for leading national and international insurers and is frequently instructed in advisory as well as costs matters.

Oliver acts for both claimants and defendants and has experience in representing a number of local authorities and Health Care Trusts. He has frequently been instructed in cases valued at over £1m.

Oliver’s areas of expertise include the following: –

• Complex orthopaedic and psychiatric injuries;
• Brain Injuries;
• Fraud and exaggerated claims [including use of surveillance evidence];
• Fatal Accidents;
• Pain disorders including “CPRS” Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, somatoform disorders, chronic pain and fibromyalgia;
• Injuries and damage arising from alleged defective products;
• Industrial disease;
• International injury cases;
• Costs.

Joel C. T. Kendall

Joel specialises in personal injury, employment law and clinical negligence. He has extensive experience of working at the interface of personal injury and employment, in particular in the areas of workplace stress and harassment. He is regularly instructed by some of the leading claimant and defendant solicitors. In addition he is instructed by public authorities and Trade Unions. 

Joel regularly provides lectures on a variety of employment and personal injury areas, including the operation of the Johnson exclusion area, a difficult and complex subject affecting both personal injury and employment litigation.

Outside the law Joel’s interests include classical music, cinema and Wycombe Wanderers FC.

Michael Brace

Michael specialises in high value and complex personal injury claims and is recognised as a leading junior: In the current edition of Chambers & Partners he is described as “detail-oriented and client-friendly” and as providing “very clear and detailed advice” whilst the current edition of the Legal 500  notes he “is able to advise on a range of cases to include more novel cases such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis claims.’    

Michael’s practice focuses on:

• Catastrophic injuries  and fatalities
• Brain injuries
• Complex orthopaedic and amputation cases
• Psychiatric conditions

Michael  practice is UK-wide.  He acts for both claimants and defendants and receives instructions from leading solicitors and major insurers.  He has particular experience in dealing with complex and contested medical and engineering evidence.

Michael was one of the Attorney General’s Junior Counsel to the Crown from 2000 – 2007 and a “Panel Counsel to the Welsh Assembly Government” from 2000-2007.

Daniel Tobin

Dan specialises in high value, complex personal injury, motor claims, property damage and general insurance work.

He has been listed as a Leading Junior in Personal Injury since 2010. He is currently listed as band 2 in The Legal 500 and band 3 in Chambers and Partners.

In Chambers and Partners 2023, he is described as “a very user-friendly barrister who puts clients and witnesses immediately at their ease”. He is also described as “really straight-talking and [with] a great command of the courtroom”.

Other directory’ feedback includes: “An outstanding advocate who presents cases in a straightforward and eloquent manner. (Legal 500, 2021), “a strong negotiator who presses the right buttons to obtain maximum results” (Legal 500, 2019), and “very client-focused, extremely personable and a skilled negotiator” (Legal 500, 2017)

Dan deals with liability and quantum disputes in all forms of RTA, EL and PL claims.  He is equally at home in all aspects of modern personal injury practice, whether it be settling detailed Schedules and Counter Schedules of Loss, preparing for and attending JSMs or cross-examining experts at trial. He is often instructed in cases where there are elements of fraud, malingering and/or exaggeration.

He has extensive experience of amputation and prosthetics, catastrophic brain injury, spinal injuries, chronic pain and somatoform conditions.

He often appears on his own against Leading Counsel.

Recent Defendant cases include:

• a claim against a former employee of a large statutory undertaker who was alleging that CRPS had caused a lifelong loss of earnings, where surveillance evidence utilised at trial established malingering;
• a claim arising from the allegedly negligent installation of a domestic hot water system which caused severe burns leading to amputation;
• proceedings brought by a former Team GB martial artist who claimed seven-figure damages for, inter alia, being deprived of the opportunity to compete at the Tokyo Olympics;
• a claim arising from the life-altering injuries caused when the claimant was deliberately run down and left for dead by an ex-boyfriend;
• a double fatality caused on the M42 motorway, caused by flooding which was said to have been caused by negligently installed telecommunications apparatus;
• representing a local authority in proceedings brought on behalf of a child who was blinded by the allegedly negligent use of a lawnmower.

In terms of his Claimant work, Dan has been described as “the go-to man for highways claims” (Chambers & Partners, 2018). He is proud of the fact that “he has an excellent knowledge of the Highways Act and a feel for injured cyclists”. (Legal 500, 2018) but remains “a very approachable and down-to-earth barrister”. (Chambers & Partners, 2018).

Recent successfully concluded Claimant cases include:

• representing the Estate of a triathlete killed as a result of a hitting a pothole in the highway whilst training for Ironman Wales;
• acting for a cyclist who suffered C3/C4 spinal cord injury as a result of an accident on the highway;
• representing a dental surgeon who suffered extensive maxillo-facial and dental injuries in a cycling accident;
• acting for a claimant who suffered a significant spinal injury whilst riding a quadbike on the public highway;
• a claim on behalf of an elderly resident in a care home who fell down an open lift shaft;
• acting for a pedestrian who suffered a very significant ankle fracture when tripping on a tree pit located on London Southbank;
• a claim for a cyclist who was deliberately run over by a motorist.

Dan has also, for several years, acted for a number of large institutional defendants in claims arising from the allegedly defective installation of cavity wall systems, being work which in more recent times turns on fairly technical insurance indemnity issues arising from the significant number of CWI claims pursued under the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010.

He has two teenage daughters and lives in London. Outside of work he rides his bike (a lot), enjoys reading, eating out and the cinema. He is a qualified skydiver, has a black belt in Korean kickboxing and still harbours the (albeit ever-diminishing) ambition of completing an Ironman triathlon.

Brian McCluggage

Brian McCluggage conducts catastrophic personal injury work, predominantly in the interest of insurers. He accepts instructions in cases where the pleaded value is likely to be in excess of £500,000 and as sole counsel in cases valued at up to £15 million. Brian adopts a rigorous approach to evidential analysis and preparation (lay, expert and documentary) and enjoys working in a team with professional clients who share this philosophy.  Instructions regularly involve:

a.  Liability disputes involving technical or scientific evidence.

b.  Brain injury, from contested minor TBI to the most serious of catastrophic injury involving Minimally Conscious State.

c. Amputation, both upper and lower limb.

d. Complex fatal cases, particularly those involving business interests and accountancy evidence.

e. High value cases with the taint of fraud.

Recent cases of interest include:

JCA v. 1) CIC 2) MBD (2024): High Court, Manchester: settlement of brain injury/psychiatric case for £4.1m against Schedule of £14m as sole counsel against Silk & Junior. The primary issue in the case was the causation of a treatment-resistant severe schizophrenia – was it caused by brain injury or genetic & drug-related reasons? If brain injury related, what care regime was appropriate given dangerous and unpredictable behaviour of claimant?

Bennion v. Adventure Park Snowdonia Ltd [2023] EWHC 3334 (KB): 5-day High Court liability trial defending tragic tetraplegia case following a surfing accident in the UK’s first artificial surfing lagoon.

ABS v. LS & Esure (2023): High Court, Birmingham: settlement of devasting case involving severe brain and orthopaedic injury against a background of congenital physical issues and alcoholism. C left with cognitive deficits, limited use of right arm and aggravation of significant pre-existing knee problems. Life expectancy in issue. Settled for PPO on capitalised value of £3m against Silk & Junior.

McD v. B (2023): County Court, Manchester: liability success at trial on running down accident on Deansgate causing significant brain injury to a drunken undergraduate. Issue of law on the ‘counterfactual’ construction of the reasonable driver – D’s own PRT or the reasonable man’s PRT?

Sugden v. Cumbria County Council (2022): success in Highways Act case defeating claim by a brain-injured cyclist riding into a pothole. Judgment has implications for inspection regimes of rural local authorities, giving greater latitude to local authorities on the frequency of B-road inspections.

H v. City of York Council (2022): amputation case settled at JSM against leading & junior counsel. Claim pitched at £4m, settled at under £2m.

BLA v. SAW (2022): This severe brain injury case involved a young woman who sought to reject excessive case management and rehabilitation foisted upon her by the Case Manager. The defendant was C’s partner, giving rise to relationship stability issues and care need contingencies. Ethical issues over C solicitors approaching the insured without permission were litigated. The case settled for £2.25m.

Monks v. Connollys Scaffolding (2022): 5-day liability & quantum trial involving allegation of fraud in context of moderate brain injury and severe shoulder injury leading to loss of scaffolding occupation. £700,000 claim reduced to £3,500.

Re F (2022): £14m brain damage/psychiatric injury claim settled after JSM at £3m

Forsyth v. Carnforth Hotel (2021): successful defence of occupational liability case after C fell out of hotel window sustaining serious lower limb injuries. Novus Actus and Volenti defences succeeded. Successfully distinguished James v. White Lion Hotel (2020) CA.

Re H (2021): serious brain injury case settled at £6m through Periodical Payment Order

Blake v. Croasdale [2019] RTR 73: successful defence of £4m brain damage claim on basis of ex turpi causa brought by Leeds drug dealer

Tuson v. Murphy [2018] EWCA Civ 461 (Court of Appeal): leading case on interaction between CPR Part 36 and exaggerated claims

Axa v. FCS [2018] EWCA Civ 1330 (Court of Appeal): leading case on exemplary damages in respect of road traffic fraud.

Shui v. University of Manchester [2018] ICR 77: Appeal Tribunal case principles setting out adjustments for litigants suffering mental illness

McHugh v. Okai-Koi [2017] EWHC 1346 (QBD):  defending fatal case after road rage incident in London public house. Ex turpi causa, contributory negligence. C failed to beat Part 36 after 4 day High Court trial

Blake v. 1) Croasdale 2) Esure [2017] EWHC 1336 (QBD): a leading case on resiling from admissions

Select Car Rentals v. Esure Services Limited [2017] EWHC 1434 (QBD): leading case on third party costs orders against credit hire companies

Hatfield v. 1) Drax & 2) SG Transport (2017): successful liability defence of truck accident leading to upper limb amputation

Brian is also a tenant at 9 St. John Street Chambers in Manchester.

Christopher Fleming

Christopher specialises in personal injury claims, with a particular focus in clinical negligence, cross-border disputes and industrial disease. He is regularly instructed in high value and complex matters. He appears for Claimants and Defendants in trials, application hearings and case management conferences. Christopher is a skilled and tenacious advocate with a good eye for detail.

Christopher is frequently insrtucted on paper-based matters, and regularly advises clients on questions of law, procedure, and strategy.

Christopher is also qualified to practice in Northern Ireland and regularly receives instructions to appear in court in both jurisdictions.

Patrick Vincent KC

Patrick is a specialist in Insurance, Personal Injury and International/Travel law. He acts for Claimants and Defendants in insurance and policy construction disputes, complex catastrophic personal injury claims, property damage claims and cross jurisdictional litigation.

Isaac Hogarth

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 2025.

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.

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.

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.

Steven Snowden KC

Steven Snowden KC is Head of Chambers at 12KBW. He is recognised in the independent legal directories as one of the leading barristers in the country in his chosen areas of work. He is ranked in band 1 for personal injury and industrial disease in both the C&P and the L500 guides and also ranked for Public Inquiries and Inquests by the Legal 500.

Steven’s main areas of practice are high-value, complex or sensitive personal injury and industrial disease cases. His practice extends to associated clinical negligence and professional negligence work, Court of Protection, insurance, sports, group litigation and public inquiries. He works for claimants and for defendants.

Steven is a very experienced trial advocate and regularly deals with substantial and complex cases in court and in settlement meetings. His current caseload includes the liability and quantum aspects of head injuries, paraplegic and other serious spinal injury cases, amputations, psychiatric injuries and fatal claims. In disease work he deals with mesothelioma and other asbestos claims, and other occupational illness claims involving difficult issues of liability, causation or quantum. He represented the largest group of the infected and affected individuals and families (1,400+ core participants) in the Infected Blood Public Inquiry.  He is instructed in the professional footballers’ concussive injury claims. He is retained to represent patients and families in the Essex Mental Health Public Inquiry.

He was the elected Chair (2020 – 2022) of the Personal Injuries Bar Association, a member of the Bar Council (2020-2022), a Director of BMIF (2022 to 2024) and has for many years been one of the authors of the Judicial College Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases.

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.

David Callow

David has a wide-ranging practice with substantial experience of claims of the utmost severity.

He has particular experience and expertise in handling claims involving psychiatric injury (particularly occupational stress claims), chronic pain and complex claims involving multiple and/ or catastrophic injury.

He is widely instructed by major insurers in their efforts to combat fraudulent claims and particularly adept at the tactics required in such claims.

He has been recognised for several years by Chambers and partners as a leading junior and is regularly instructed by both Claimants and Defendant in cases involving particular complexity in relation to causation and the valuation of quantum. A large proportion of his claims are resolved at settlement meetings where he is an experienced and robust negotiator.

David speaks regularly on a wide range of topics most recently in relation to fraud and stress at work claims.

Private: Max Archer

Max is recognised as a leading practitioner in a number of different fields including aviation law, cross border litigation, industrial disease, product liability and group actions. Across these fields he is experienced in tortious disputes, commercial litigation and regulatory matters.

He is known for his excellent client care, robust advocacy and pragmatic approach to litigation. Max’s work is often technical, high value and complex. He often appears unled against silks in the higher courts and is acknowledged for his advocacy skills.

Max has unparalleled knowledge of aviation law and has become a go-to junior in this area in respect of large loss events  occurring all over the world as well as domestic accidents, regulatory issues and commercial aviation work.

His work often has an international dimension, he has expertise in jurisdiction and conflicts of laws as well as private international tort law and human rights issues.

Max often acts in group actions, both led and unled. He is adept at handling mass tort cases and often acts in environmental actions as well as group personal injury claims.

He is a contributing author of Asbestos: Law & Litigation (Sweet & Maxwell, 2019) and the co-editor of 12KBW’s Asbestos Blog.

Max is recognised in Aviation, Personal Injury and Travel in the Legal 500 and in Aviation, Personal Injury and Industrial Disease in Chambers & Partners.

Spencer Turner

Spencer specialises in sports disputes, personal injury, clinical negligence, international and travel law, industrial disease, information law, and group litigation. He is regularly instructed in complex and high-profile matters for claimants and defendants, both as led and as sole counsel across all of his core practice areas and before a range of different courts and tribunals. He is a sought-after junior barrister who is often praised for his diligence, excellent client care, strong advocacy and ability to work well in teams.

The legal directories recognise Spencer’s expertise across a broad range of practice areas where he is ranked as a ‘rising star’ or ‘up and coming’ in personal injury, industrial disease, insurance fraud, international personal injury, clinical negligence and sports law. They variously describe him as “great” with “impressive advocacy”, “already having developed a practice that exceeds his seniority”, “absolutely superb”, and “thorough, professional and well-liked by clients”.

Spencer’s sports disputes practice sees him regularly instructed on behalf of sports governing bodies, players/athletes, clubs, coaches and agents across the full range of sports matters. His personal injury, clinical negligence, industrial disease and travel work involves cases of the utmost severity, and he has experience of large-scale litigation, being led, and acting as sole counsel.

Simon John

Cressida Mawdesley-Thomas

Cressida specialises in all aspects of Personal Injury law. She has a thorough and collaborative approach and is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Rising Star who “has already amassed an extremely impressive caseload, far beyond that of many barristers much more senior”.

In disease litigation Cressida acts for Claimants suffering from mesothelioma, lung cancer, diffuse pleural thickening and asbestosis. She is also experienced in VWF/ HAVS claims. She regularly appears in the Masters’ corridor and is well versed in limitation arguments and complex issues of causation. As second junior in Mather v MOD she helped obtain a settlement of over £3 million for a former RAF painter & finisher who developed MS following exposure to organic solvents in breach of the COSHH Regulations.

Cressida has particular interest in equine claims brought under The Animals Act 1971.  She is currently junior counsel in a high value, complex CRPS claim following a military riding accident. Cressida is adept at drafting schedules of loss in cases involving the loss of a military career.

In clinical negligence Cressida has experience in a range of different cases, including delayed diagnosis, as well as unnecessary and negligent surgery. This compliments her coronial practice where she is instructed in inquests involving multiple expert jurisdictions. She successfully obtained a regulation 28 prevention of future death report in a case arising out of the police’s treatment of head injuries and questioned experts in pathology, neuropathology, and toxicology.

Cressida is adept at handling complex motor insurance indemnity points. She successfully acted as Junior Counsel for the Second Defendant in Covea Insurance Plc v Greenaway [2021] 3 WLUK 379, considering the meaning of the ‘stolen or unlawfully taken’ exception under s. 151 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Greenaway was the first case to practically consider how the domestic court is to interpret retained EU law under section 6(3) of the EU Withdrawal Act 2018. Unled she successfully acted for the Second Defendant in Kelec v (1) Kotwal (2) Nelson Insurance (HHJ Dight CBE, central London County Court, 18 August 2022). The case concerned the limits of a direct action under The European Communities (Rights against Insurers) Regulations 2002 (‘the 2002 Regulations’).

Cressida acts and advises in costs litigation, including detailed assessment hearings, where she is an effective advocate. She co-edits 12 King’s Bench Walk’s Costs blog with Deputy Costs Judge Andrew Roy.

Prior to coming to the Bar Cressida worked at a top American investment bank. She is highly numerate and drafts living and fatal schedules of loss beyond her year of call.