Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Clinical Negligence - London (Bar)

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Hailsham Chambers is described by instructing solicitors as hosting "an excellent cohort of very experienced counsel" who are "willing to go the extra mile to achieve the best possible result." The team is highly regarded for its expert representation of both claimants and defendants in a wide range of clinical negligence cases, and offers considerable strength in brain and spinal injury, obstetric and fatal claims. Members are also recognised for their adroit handling of claims involving allegations of surgical negligence and failures in diagnoses. Its barristers recently acted in JD v Circle Healthcare, a brain damage claim following surgery. The case raises important points of law surrounding private healthcare treatment.

Stephen Smith is the senior clerk.

Strengths

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Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Alexander Hutton
1
Alexander Hutton
1
Band 1

Alexander Hutton KC is a highly sought-after silk with over 20 years' experience of practising within the field of medical law. He is entrusted by both claimants and defendants to handle cases of high value and complexity.

He is my first choice for high value complex cases. He is a great advocate and very good with clients. He is absolutely at the top of his game.

He has a calm and reassuring presence, he is quick to assimilate information and to identify issues and solutions.

He really understands my clients and their needs and outlook. He works hard to achieve a fair outcome. He is approachable, very helpful and easy to work with.

His advice has always been beyond compare and delivered in an easy manner. The matter required a team player and that was what Alex was.

Dominic Nolan
1
Dominic Nolan
1
Band 1

Dominic Nolan KC has amassed a wealth of knowledge over his lengthy career. His particular area of expertise lies in high-value matters involving breach of duty and causation, specifically in relation to severe brain and spinal injury claims. He handles claims for both claimants and defendants.

He is very good.

Dominic is superb on his feet and a brilliant negotiator. Has very sound judgement in the most taxing cases. He is excellent with clients and great on detail.

He is fantastic.

1
Jane Mishcon
1
Band 1

Jane Mishcon is a highly regarded junior with a broad clinical negligence practice encompassing a range of matters, including spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, fatal accidents and failures to diagnose. She has chaired several independent inquiries. She represents both claimants and defendants.

Jane is a wonderful and hard-working barrister and her knowledge on clinical negligence is second to none. She works at silk level.

1
Jane Tracy Forster
1
Band 1

Jane Tracy Forster handles all manner of clinical negligence matters, ranging from relatively straightforward claims concerning anaesthesia to highly complex cases involving surgery. She continues to devote much of her practice to birth-related injury claims, and also regularly handles cerebral palsy and obstetric matters. She represents both claimants and defendants.

Jane has handled a sensitive case with care and thought, but in a straightforward way.

Jane is extremely detail-oriented and a perfectionist. She has a great eye for detail and often appears to know the medicine better than the experts.

1
Matthew Jackson
1
Band 1

Matthew Jackson is hailed for having a brilliant legal mind which he applies to a wide range of cases, including those concerning neurosurgery, spinal injuries, cardiology and plastic surgery. He almost exclusively acts on behalf of defendants such as the MPS and NHS Resolution. He has appeared in numerous high-stakes cases involving surgeons and cardiologists.

He shows an excellent standard of work in complex matters, providing careful, practical and robust advice. He has fantastic awareness of the law in this area.

Matthew is always a strong advocate providing sensible advice and support.

1
Nicholas Peacock
1
Band 1

Nicholas Peacock is routinely instructed by both patients and medical organisations to undertake clinical negligence matters at all levels. He often appears in the High Court. He also provides high-quality representation at inquests and professional discipline cases.

He is very personable, sees the issues very quickly and provides robust advice.

He's a great person to work with and a steely negotiator.

He is extremely analytical and a very experienced advocate. He is approachable and provides realistic advice for clients.

He is calm but gives very robust advice, presented in excellent detail. He has good communication and a flexible approach.

He is adept at responding to unfolding developments with agility, crafting arguments that are both persuasive and responsive to the specific context of any case, no matter the complexity.

1
Peter Ellis
1
Band 1

Peter Ellis is a leading barrister who handles complex matters such as those pertaining to spinal cord and brain injuries. He is regularly instructed by leading UK firms to undertake very severe cases. His understanding of the evidential issues is informed by his medical background.

Peter is an outstanding advocate, and my go-to barrister on complex matters. His medical knowledge, advice, client care and interpersonal skills are second to none.

He is, in a nutshell, the perfect counsel. He has an eye for detail, insight and the ability to package that in difficult conversations in trying circumstances.

He is a very knowledgeable barrister who really gets to grips with the medicine. He's very personable and good with client care.

He is a very experienced and knowledgeable barrister who is particularly good in mediations and joint settlement meetings.

2
Catherine Ewins
2
Band 2

Catherine Ewins has a diverse caseload and regularly tackles complex, high-value claims. She demonstrates considerable strength when handling matters pertaining to delayed diagnosis and failure to diagnose. She is also well able to contend with cases involving catastrophic injuries and fatalities. She is adept at handling litigation, mediation and inquests.

Catherine has been excellent to work with. She is extremely thorough, tactically astute and very responsive, no matter how busy she is.

Her ability to understand complex liability arguments and explain quantum to a client is exceptional. She is great with clients and has an amazing ability to put minds at ease.

She is extremely bright and knowledgeable, she is a tough negotiator and has excellent client care skills.

Her advice is always well considered and pragmatic. She has an excellent eye for detail. She is responsive and open to discussing approaches.

She is an excellent all-rounder.

2
Julian Picton
2
Band 2

Julian Picton KC is a well-regarded barrister with experience acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants in high-value and medically complex clinical negligence claims. He focuses his practice on the handling of birth and neurological injury claims.

He has such a fantastic manner with clients and lawyers, and he is just very very reassuring. He will look at cases so forensically and he knows everything about the case.

He combines encyclopedic knowledge with emotional intelligence and client care skills.

It is a pleasure to work with Julian. He is extremely knowledgeable and thorough and has an excellent manner with clients.

Julian is very personable and his quantum advice is meticulous. He is wonderful to work with and very intelligent. He is great with clients.

3
Eva Ferguson
3
Band 3

Eva Ferguson is regularly called upon to act for both claimants and defendants in a wide range of clinical negligence cases. Her broad expertise encompasses brain and spinal injury and failed diagnosis claims, among other matters.

Eva is an exceptional barrister, highly experienced and skilled in her field, with a thoroughness and eye for detail which never fails to impress.

Eva is just fantastic. She is great at marshalling experts, formulating case theory, strategising and advocacy.

She is very personable and very good in court.

Nicholas Pilsbury
3
Nicholas Pilsbury
3
Band 3

Nicholas Pilsbury often represents NHS Trusts and other defendants in a broad range of clinical negligence cases. He has experience handling birth injuries as well as more niche issues such as securing the supply of medication.

Nicholas is superb. He is a technically excellent advocate with a laser focus on strategy and the client's objectives.

When it comes to advocacy, Nicholas has mastered the art. He's an adept orator who is quick on his feet and has an exceptional ability to convey complex legal arguments with eloquence and precision.

3
Nicola Campbell-Clause
3
Band 3

Nicola Campbell-Clause is a talented barrister who is noted for her expert representation of both claimants and defendants in complex clinical negligence cases. She is regularly called upon to advise her clients on a range of complex matters such as cauda equina cases and brain injury claims.

She is an expert in complex clinical negligence cases, and takes into account commercial considerations when providing advice. She's a strong advocate.

She went above and beyond to provide thoughtful, detailed, sensible and pragmatic advice, with a view to meeting various deadlines and ultimately securing a very good settlement.

Her empathy and understanding with lay clients is exceptional, putting clients at ease whilst at the same time her confident and clear approach is always reassuring.

She gives excellent robust advice which is effective and clear. She is absolutely willing to go the extra mile which is especially noticeable in those tricky cases.

3
Thomas Crockett
3
Band 3

Thomas Crockett is well-regarded for his expertise in complex surgical and nursing cases and is well-versed in claims concerning the causation of psychiatric illnesses. He is also noted for his ability to handle wrongful birth claims and counts both claimants and defendants among his clients.

He is knowledgeable, capable and reliable. He is friendly and approachable.

He has a proven track record of successfully defending claims to trial. He has a real eye for detail and excellent in conference with experts and witnesses.

He is highly commercial and he cuts through the case. He is a real pleasure to work with, always available, incredibly responsive and all over the detail.

4
Clementine Coram James
4
Band 4

Clementine Coram James is a respected junior who is adept at handling a variety of clinical negligence claims for both claimants and defendants. She is regularly instructed in birth injuries, delay in diagnosis claims, psychiatric and dental care claims.

Clementine is a pleasure to work with. Her attention to detail is notable, as is her swift turnaround of work.

She has a wealth of experience in clinical negligence matters, bringing a sophisticated and considered approach to each matter. She has an excellent and assuring way with clients.

Clementine is always very responsive and is excellent with clients.

4
Henry Bankes-Jones
4
Band 4

Henry Bankes-Jones handles a range of clinical negligence mandates including complex haematological and oncological cases. He frequently acts for claimants in clinical negligence claims.

He was accessible and clear, and very effective in dealing with opponent and experts alike. He's definitely worth instructing.

I rate him very highly. I feel he has my clients' interests at heart, is supportive and knows what he is doing.

5
Justin Meiland
5
Band 5

Justin Meiland is a well-regarded junior with experience in representing both claimants and defendants across a number of complex clinical negligence claims. He is regularly instructed in matters ranging from delay in diagnosis of cancer, cauda equina and secondary victim claims. He also has notable inquest experience.

Justin provides exceptional advice, is always well prepared, and goes the extra mile to ensure that the evidence is correctly prepared, which makes all the difference in a difficult case.

Ranked Barristers at
Hailsham Chambers

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Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Clinical Negligence

Alexander Hutton KC
1
Alexander Hutton KC
1
Band 1
Dominic Nolan KC
1
Dominic Nolan KC
1
Band 1
2
Julian Picton KC
2
Band 2

Juniors

London (Bar)

Clinical Negligence

1
Jane Mishcon
1
Band 1
1
Jane Tracy Forster
1
Band 1
1
Matthew Jackson
1
Band 1
1
Nicholas Peacock
1
Band 1
1
Peter Ellis
1
Band 1
2
Catherine Ewins
2
Band 2
3
Eva Ferguson
3
Band 3
Nicholas Pilsbury
3
Nicholas Pilsbury
3
Band 3
3
Nicola Campbell-Clause
3
Band 3
3
Thomas Crockett
3
Band 3
4
Clementine Coram James
4
Band 4
4
Henry Bankes-Jones
4
Band 4
5
Justin Meiland
5
Band 5