Head to Toe 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.

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.

Edward Ramsay

Edward is ranked as a Leading Junior for Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Inquests and Inquiries in the Legal 500 and for Clinical Negligence and Inquests and Inquiries in Chambers and Partners.

He has been described as showing "huge attention to detail", with "a razor-sharp intellect", "a fantastic medical and legal brain", and an "unrivalled knowledge of coronial law". In court the directories describe him as being "skilled", "fearless", and "fantastic on his feet", with "a natural instinct of which lines of inquiry to pursue with witnesses", "able to move the most stubborn and reluctant of judges to be on his side".

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.

Helen Waller

Helen is a highly experienced junior with a practice well beyond her year of call. She specialises in personal injury and industrial disease work. Her practice includes catastrophic injury and fatal accidents, both as sole and junior counsel. Helen is regularly instructed on multi-million-pound cases, including complex traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic spinal injuries, and amputations. She works for both claimants and defendants, receiving instructions from leading solicitors and major insurers. She has developed particular expertise in quantum. Helen has been instructed as junior to a number of leading practitioners in the field, including Paul Russell KC, Chris Kennedy KC, William Audland KC, Steven Snowden KC, David Sanderson, Nigel Lewers and John-Paul Swoboda KC.

Helen regularly appears in trials, CCMCs, approval hearings and applications against opponents of all seniority, including silks. She also has considerable experience of JSMs, both as sole and junior counsel.

The legal directories recognize Helen as “tenacious” and “an absolute bastion of client service”. She is ranked as a “rising star” in the Legal 500 and “up and coming” in Chambers & Partners.

Away from 12KBW Helen enjoys wine tasting, cycling, and travelling.

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 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.

Charlotte Reynolds

Charlotte represents both claimants and defendants in a broad range of catastrophic personal injury and clinical negligence claims including those involving brain injury, spinal injury, and amputation claims. She has a particularly strong reputation in claims involving serious psychiatric injury, chronic pain, and somatoform disorders, including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Functional Neurological Disorder.

Her knowledge of the health and social care sector also means that she brings additional insight and experience to cases involving injuries sustained in a hospital or care home setting.

Charlotte has a particular interest in claims involving dishonesty ranging from high value claims involving exaggerated injury and loss to staged accidents, and regularly lectures on the topic. She is often involved at an early stage to review the evidence and advise on the best tactical approach to lead the case to a successful resolution be that a finding of fundamental dishonesty, discontinuance, or settlement well below the pleaded value.

Charlotte also advises insurers and policyholders on policy disputes concerning policy wording and coverage and indemnity issues.

Charlotte is also a member of the Bar Council Ethics Committee.

Thea Wilson

Thea specialises in Clinical Negligence, complex Personal Injury claims, and Inquests.

Thea has a wealth of experience in handling cases involving delayed diagnosis, birth and pregnancy-related injuries, spinal injuries, brain damage, psychiatric injury, chronic pain and fatal accidents. Thea is particularly adept at handling complex quantum calculations.

Thea’s role as Assistant Coroner for Essex gives her 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 and 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. She is sought after in cases with a potential fraud element and has a wide range of experience dealing with insurance coverage issues.

Thea is regularly instructed by trade union organisations, local authorities, insurers, the NHS, and the MIB.

With an eye for detail and a sympathetic manner, Thea is experienced in dealing with vulnerable claimants. 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.

Henry King

Henry is a barrister who specialises in costs, insurance, and commercial disputes. He also has a Multi-Track personal injury practice on high value, complex matters which require an extra level of attention to detail.

He was ranked in the Legal 500 2025 as having an “encyclopaedic knowledge of costs law” and appears for both receiving parties and paying parties at all levels of costs assessment. This includes solicitor client costs. He has been instructed (unled) on matters involving seven figure bills.

His insurance practice covers the full spectrum from complex policy wording disputes and declinatures of cover to straightforward property damage claims. He regularly acts in cases worth over £500,000 for both Claimants and Defendants. This has included matters where brokers are alleged to have been negligent, claims under the Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010 and claims involving interpretation of the Insurance Act 2015.

As to his commercial practice, he has worked on all manner of commercial claims from multi-million-pound cases about titanium parts sold to a household name car manufacturer to supply chain disputes between perfume companies. Clients appreciate his ability to get to grips with their business quickly in order to understand the heart of the dispute.

Henry is an adept personal injury litigator specialising in claims pleaded in excess of £200,000. He acts for both Claimants and Defendants, and both have equally praised his approach to litigation, as well as his tactical, commercially sensible mindset.

Henry’s practice is managed by Lily Baker, Practice Manager (baker@12kbw.co.uk).

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.

Emily Read

Emily focuses on civil litigation involving damage to people and to property as well as proprietary interests, insurance disputes, recovery and costs.

Emily’s extensive caseload has included and includes, a number of complex injury claims, involving deputyship issues and high value PPO’s. In 2025, a claim in which Emily has been involved since 2020, having dealt with liability and then been led on quantum by leading counsel, settled for a value in excess of £20,000,000.

Emily has significant experience in equine cases, in particular involving jockeys - with over 20 Animals Act cases in 2024-2025, including two High Court trials.

Having worked in the insurance industry for a number of years and always maintained a strong insurance practice, Emily is very well placed to advise on insurance disputes.

Emily’s practice covers Claimant and Defendant work in almost equal measures, and she has a keen eye for both the personal and commercial needs of different clients, making her strong and up to date knowledge of costs and the CPR a significant strategic benefit.

John-Paul Swoboda KC

John-Paul specialises in Personal Injury, Asbestos Litigation, Clinical Negligence, International injury litigation (including aviation), Indemnity and insurance, Professional Negligence, Group litigation and Sports. 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. He took silk in 2025.

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) [2025]  PIQR P15 (Court of Appeal)
• 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 work often relating to birth injury, brain injury, spinal injury, amputation, other catastrophic outcomes and fatalities. He receives instructions from most ranked firms. He is ranked in the directories 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 undertakes all personal injury work including EL, PL and RTA cases. Reported cases include Irani v Duchon [2019] EWCA Civ 1846.

John-Paul has expertise and experience in professional negligence claims acting for claimants and defendants. He is often instructed in relation to claims relating to solicitors and barristers and also has experience of many other professions. 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. He also has expertise in respect of non-injury Sports work of a contractual or regulatory nature. He has received instructions relating to those in the English Premier League, for professional jockeys and for other professional sports people.

John-Paul has expertise and litigation experience in indemnity and insurance work. In respect of motor indemnity, he has a broad range of experience and expertise in cases which involve consideration where the insurer may fall within the liability tree (from contractual, hybrid, RTA, Article 75 or MIB). He has expertise in respect of issues arising under the Insurance Act 2015, and the Third Parties (Rights against insurers) Act 2010.

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.

Daniel Sokol

Daniel is recognised as a Leading Junior in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, where he is described as ‘extraordinarily bright’, ‘a great advocate’, ‘sound [in] judgement’ and a ‘singularly impressive lawyer who punches well above his level of call.’

Specialising in clinical negligence, personal injury, and education law, Daniel has extensive experience handling high-value, catastrophic injury cases, including fatal road traffic and boating accidents. His expertise extends to complex medical negligence cases involving clinicians in hospitals and in primary care, with a focus on incidents causing death, birth injuries, spinal injuries, amputations, and other life-changing disabilities.

A former university lecturer with a PhD in medical ethics, Daniel’s advocacy – both written and oral – is known for its clarity and persuasiveness. In November 2011, as a pupil, Daniel was awarded the Inner Temple Advocacy Prize and he has been involved in advocacy training for Bar students.

He undertakes a wide range of court work, acting for both Claimants and Defendants.

Daniel is the Lead Adviser for Alpha Academic Appeals, assisting university students who have been accused of misconduct (from cheating to sexual assault), who are appealing academic results, or who are undergoing fitness to practise procedures.

Daniel has been a keynote speaker in international medical conferences, an after-dinner speaker, written four books on ethics and law and over 400 articles, both in peer-reviewed academic journals and in newspapers such as the Times, the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Independent, and the New York Times.

He is a columnist for the British Medical Journal on ethico-legal issues, for which he was awarded ‘Best Column’ by the Medical Journalists’ Association in 2015.

In 2020, Daniel was appointed the first Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Research Ethics Committee.  He formerly served on several committees, including those for the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, and the Royal College of Surgeons. He is the current President of the Osler Club of London, a prestigious medical society founded in 1928.

He is trained to accept direct instructions from the public under the Bar’s public access scheme and has authority to conduct litigation. He is an accredited mediator.

Daniel speaks French fluently, has conversational Spanish, and enjoys squash and tennis. He is a close-up magician and, in 2014, was admitted as a Member of the Magic Circle.

Elizabeth Boulden

Elizabeth’s personal injury practice has particular specialisms in clinical negligence, inquests, employers’ liability, international & travel and non-asbestos industrial disease. She is ranked in the Legal 500 for clinical negligence.

She frequently represents parties in trials, CCMCs, application hearings and inquests. Elizabeth also has a busy paperwork practice advising and drafting pleadings. She is comfortable acting as sole counsel in high value cases and with cases dealing with serious injuries such as brain injury.

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 particular focus on virology, immunology, cancer biology and laboratory research.