About

Provided by Outer Temple Chambers

Our clinical negligence barristers cover a vast range of claims involving doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals. We are frequently instructed in the most demanding and highest value cases, including birth injury, brain injury, cerebral palsy, misdiagnosis, fatal claims, orthopaedic cases, ophthalmology, and spinal injury. We act both for patients and their families and for bodies such as the NHS Resolution and the medical defence organisations.


We have wide experience of multi-party clinical negligence litigation, public inquiries, internal NHS reviews and other extra-judicial investigations. Our barristers have regularly been instructed in the most important and complex cases including the Kennedy Inquiry into paediatric cardiac surgery, the Shipman Inquiry, the Thompstone periodical payment indexation cases and the inquests into patient deaths at Gosport Hospital.


We represent families, professionals and other interested persons at coroner’s inquests. We advise patients, doctors, NHS Trusts and regulatory bodies on law and policy in this area, including public law and human rights. 


We appear in the range of tribunals where healthcare issues can arise, including the Administrative Court and the Court of Protection. 


We also act in disciplinary and criminal proceedings involving doctors and other healthcare professionals, as well as dealing with the associated contractual and employment disputes.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Clinical Negligence - London (Bar)

3
Band 3

What the Team is Known For

Outer Temple Chambers boasts a strong bench of senior and junior barristers, the set has been described as having an "exceptional balance of quality with highly analytical barristers" who act on behalf of both claimants and defendants. Areas of expertise for the team include birth injury and catastrophic brain and spinal injury cases, as well as high-value quantum disputes. Recent work from the set has includes Purchase v Dr Ahmed, part of the Supreme Court litigation contributing to the landmark case regarding secondary victim claims.

Paul Barton is practice director for the health team.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

S
Christopher Wilson-Smith KC
S
Senior Statespeople

Christopher Wilson-Smith KC is widely praised for his expertise and is frequently instructed by both claimants and defendants in high-profile cases, a number of which concern birth injury claims. He has a portfolio of multimillion-pound wins under his belt, many of which concern cerebral palsy.

He has immense experience as an advocate.

He has forensic skills and his advocacy is second to none.

Christopher fought hard for my client and really went the extra mile.

1
Eliot Woolf
1
Band 1

Eliot Woolf KC has an enviable caseload and handles a wide range of high-value claims for both claimants and defendants, including those arising from spinal injuries, birth injuries and orthopaedic surgery. He is also well-regarded for his expertise in wrongful birth cases.

Eliot is an outstanding advocate who is highly adept at engaging with clients and distilling complex legal advice into clear accessible guidance.

He has lovely mannerisms and he's calm and collected - but he's bright and gets to the root.

He has such a personable manner; he is excellent with clients, very empathetic and deals with cases in a sensitive way.

He's an absolute pleasure to work with. He provides fantastic advice, advocacy and client care skills which are second to none.

Eliot is exceptionally good with clients, he is able to explain complex technical issues clearly and can find a way through tricky cases.

1
Nathan Tavares
Head of Clinical Negligence
1
Band 1

Nathan Tavares KC is a specialist in the field who has particular expertise in cases involving spinal cord injuries, psychiatric negligence, birth injuries and negligent neurosurgery. He is instructed by both claimants and defendants.

He is thorough and detailed in his preparation. He is steely and focused in his advocacy.

Nathan showed great judgement and put us at ease throughout the claims process. His confident manner meant we felt in safe hands.

He is someone who has got such a strong understanding of people who are vulnerable, he represents in a way which is personal and understanding.

He has a wealth of knowledge in adult brain injury and complex catastrophic injury cases. He's an excellent silk.

2
James Aldridge
2
Band 2

James Aldridge is a significant player in the market who has over 30 years' experience. He tackles a wide range of cases, including those arising from cerebral palsy, wrongful birth and surgical negligence. He is also an expert in handling claims arising from delayed cancer diagnosis. He acts predominantly for claimants.

His standard of work is enormously high and he turns work around quicker than any barrister I know.

James is very responsive, excellent with clients, he stands his ground and gets results.

James is excellent with clients, even in the most difficult and sensitive of cases. He is efficient, very experienced with a large variety of cases and gets to the key issues quickly.

James has a very keen eye for detail and provides advice in an extremely time efficient manner. His advice is extremely detailed and he clearly has an understanding of key issues.

He tackles complex expert issues head on, and has an impressive eye to detail. He will also provide a timescale for his advice and will adhere to it which helps when managing the litigation.

2
Rachel Vickers
2
Band 2

Rachel Vickers KC manages a busy clinical negligence practice, acting for both claimants and defendant medical bodies such as NHS Resolution. She is particularly noted for her work on claims involving high-value neonatal or spinal injuries. She is also experienced in the handling of claims arising from delayed or missed diagnoses.

Rachel is the barrister you want when you are really up against it. She cut through a mountain of evidence and isolated the key issues with ease. She demonstrated genuine empathy with the client.

Rachel really gets under the skin of a case. She is so well prepared and is excellent in conference with multiple experts on cases of the utmost severity and complexity.

She is an amazing tactician. She gets to grips with cases quickly and can see how to achieve the desired outcome. She's a tough negotiator.

She is very good with clients and at handling multiple experts.

She is incredibly astute, she has a hawk's eye for detail and she is methodical in her approach. I really like working with her and she leaves no stone unturned.

Sarah Crowther
2
Sarah Crowther
2
Band 2

Sarah Crowther KC is a highly respected silk in the clinical negligence market with notable experience of handling birth injury claims involving complex liability and quantum issues. She is also regularly instructed in spinal injury claims and matters involving allegations of breach of duty. Her clients include both claimants and defendants.

Sarah is great, energetic, good at negotiations and thorough.

She is very personable as well as being very good at the law.

She is really specialised and is brilliant. I'm hugely relieved we have her on our side.

Sarah provides great service, is approachable, knowledgeable and an excellent communicator.

2
Tom Gibson
2
Band 2

Tom Gibson represents both claimants and defendants in claims arising from delayed diagnoses, birth injuries and surgical negligence. He has experience of appearing before medical inquests on behalf of both NHS trusts and bereaved families. He is also noted for his expertise in sports-related clinical negligence cases.

Tom has an individual style and approach, bringing some zest into proceedings. He's intelligent, thorough and a pleasure to work with.

He really impressed me, he has a really strong understanding of legal principle.

Tom is approachable, personable and responsive. He's excellent with clients. He gives clear advice and is strategic with difficult cases. His approach is pragmatic and commercially-minded.

Tom's advocacy was clear and persuasive and resulted in an excellent outcome.

3
David Haines
3
Band 3

David Haines is a former hospital doctor who draws on his deep medical knowledge when litigating challenging claims relating to injuries and fatalities. He also represents family members at inquests.

He is a very caring counsel who is brilliant with clients.

He has attention to detail, vast medical knowledge and a calming presence.

David is forensic, tactical and tenacious. He is a terrier on his feet. He can be always trusted with the most complex of cases and the most vulnerable clients.

David is an exceptional barrister whose knowledge on clinical negligence cases is outstanding. He is brilliant at getting to the crux of a matter. He is excellent with both experts and clients.

3
Harriet Jerram
3
Band 3

Harriet Jerram has considerable experience in the field of clinical negligence. She handles the full range of medical and surgical matters including brain and spinal injury cases. She acts for both claimants and defendants.

She's a great barrister who provides excellent, clear and pragmatic advice.

She is very detailed with no stone left unturned.

She is a very good advocate.

3
James Counsell
3
Band 3

James Counsell KC upholds a well-balanced clinical negligence practice serving both claimants and defendants, including dentists and doctors. His instructions concern the full spectrum of allegations including surgical and diagnostic errors. He is also accomplished at handling personal injury cases.

His advice on any case is always gospel and this gives great confidence to clients. He has meticulous attention to detail, but is sensible and pragmatic.

He has a brilliant legal mind; he's great with clients, easy to use, very reactive and is a great court advocate.

He has a great ability to put people at ease in potentially very combative situations, he can diffuse them, while ensuring his clients' interests are best protected.

Jonathan Hand
3
Jonathan Hand
3
Band 3

Jonathan Hand KC is a talented silk who receives instructions from both claimants and defendants. He is particularly adept at handling high-value cases involving severe neurological and spinal injuries, and is well-versed in Fatal Accidents Act claims.

He has a very pleasant manner with clients. He is clear and thorough in his advice, and has considerable experience in dealing with these claims.

Jonathan is super calm but super focused, with meticulous attention to detail. He was a very reliable, approachable and collaborative adviser, and an effective negotiator in round table meetings.

Jonathan is excellent to work with, he is clear at all times, is excellent with clients and is meticulous in making sure all issues are covered.

Jonathan is very approachable, responsive and has an impressive eye for detail.

He's a great silk who is willing to fight.

3
Robert Dickason
3
Band 3

Robert Dickason is a well-regarded junior barrister who demonstrates notable strength in representing both claimants and defendants in complex clinical negligence claims. He is well-versed in group actions and has considerable experience handling difficult liability and quantum disputes.

Robert is technically excellent. His advocacy is on point and he handles complex matters with ease.

He possesses the rare ability to make complex legal and procedural arguments sound like common sense. He is great with clients.

4
Harry Lambert
4
Band 4

Harry Lambert is regarded for his handling of complex clinical negligence matters. He adeptly handles obstetric, orthopaedic and paediatric claims. He has particular experience in Erbs Palsy and amputation cases.

He can digest a complex case at seemingly a moments notice and is never afraid of taking on a challenging case.

He inspires confidence and gets straight to the point with a keen sense of pragmatism. He's very good with medical evidence and grasps complex medical issues quickly.

Harry is great, he is willing to take risks, where other barristers will see a problem and run away. He has a knack of being a specialist in anything he turns his hand to.

Will Young
5
Will Young
5
Band 5

Will Young handles a variety of clinical negligence cases amongst a broader personal injury practice. He is instructed for both claimants and defendants regarding delayed diagnostics, negligent care and other relevant mandates.

He's an excellent lawyer, highly skilled and a great advocate.

He provides clear and strong advice on prospects of a claim, and has the ability to cut through complex matters.

His talent for crafting compelling pleadings and distilling complex reports is matched only by his pragmatic mindset and effortlessly approachable manner, making him sharp in strategy and style.

He is the most responsive and approachable counsel I know, and his recall of cases and issues is impressive. He is tactically savvy, very clever and not afraid to push a case to its limits.

Ben Bradley
Ben Bradley
New Silks

Ben Bradley KC is instructed by both claimants and defendant practitioners in complex clinical negligence cases, particularly those arising from catastrophic injuries. He has substantial experience of handling cases pertaining to spinal cord injury and birth injury.

Ben is an outstanding legal mind, an excellent tactician and he gives sound advice. He takes no nonsense and his drafting of pleadings is a work of art.

Ben is not afraid to tackle difficult cases, demonstrating a fearless approach to advocacy. He has proven experience at trial, where he excels as a fantastic advocate on his feet.

He is absolutely brilliant. He is very bright, lovely with clients and prompt at replying.

Ben is brilliant, extremely clever and a stellar tactician.

He totally gets mediation and understands how to use it as a process, and how to use it for the benefit of his clients. He is very commercial and really understands negotiation.

Ranked Barristers at
Outer Temple Chambers

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Clinical Negligence

S
Christopher Wilson-Smith KC
S
Senior Statespeople
1
Eliot Woolf KC
1
Band 1
1
Nathan Tavares KC
Head of Clinical Negligence
1
Band 1
2
Rachel Vickers KC
2
Band 2
Sarah Crowther KC
2
Sarah Crowther KC
2
Band 2
3
James Counsell KC
3
Band 3
Jonathan Hand KC
3
Jonathan Hand KC
3
Band 3
Ben Bradley KC
Ben Bradley KC
New Silks

Juniors

London (Bar)

Clinical Negligence

2
James Aldridge
2
Band 2
2
Tom Gibson
2
Band 2
3
David Haines
3
Band 3
3
Harriet Jerram
3
Band 3
3
Robert Dickason
3
Band 3
4
Harry Lambert
4
Band 4
Will Young
5
Will Young
5
Band 5