About

Provided by Outer Temple Chambers

Our personal injury barristers offer specialist advice and advocacy across the full spectrum of personal injury work, ranging from a simple trip to catastrophic injury cases. The large and diverse team includes specialists in:

  • Animals claim
  • Asbestosis and Mesothelioma
  • Brain injuries
  • Child abuse
  • Covid cases
  • Industrial disease
  • Military claims
  • Spinal injuries/Cauda Equina


Our team of personal injury specialists also have extensive experience in multi-party actions and public inquiries as well as cross-border issues. They act for both Claimants and Defendants.


Recent cases include:    

  • Coventry v Lawrence: in the Supreme Court on behalf of a national asbestos charity on the compatibility of the CFA regime with the ECHR. 
  • Rothwell v Chemical & Insulating Co Ltd: pleural plaques test cases. 
  • Greenway v Johnson Matthey: platinum sensitivity test case.
  • Cape “Afrika” litigation – on behalf of 1000s of South African asbestos miners.  
  • Anglo American Plc. litigation - on behalf of 1000+ South African gold miners.
  • FS Cairo LLC (Appellant) v Brownlie (Respondent); for the Respondent in the Supreme Court.  
  • High-profile litigation re racial abuse of young players at Chelsea FC in the Court of Appeal
  • Claims against Manchester City FC for vicarious liability in the High Court concerning abuse of young players.
  • DSN v Blackpool; in the Supreme Court.
  • BXB v Watchtower; in the Supreme Court.
  • Grenfell Tower fire litigation.
  • Schoultz v. Ball & Ors; on both sides in this large Animals Act claim.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Personal Injury - London (Bar)

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

Outer Temple Chambers is a highly regarded set for personal injury matters that houses "high-quality juniors and silks with broad experience in high-value complex work." Members are experienced in the representation of both claimants and defendants, and count several multinational companies, major insurers and defence organisations among their diverse clientele. Areas of expertise for the team include high-value catastrophic injury, fatal accident, sexual abuse and industrial disease claims, and the set's barristers are routinely instructed in complex multiparty cases and cross-border matters involving difficult jurisdictional issues. Recent standout work includes Tyers v Aegis Defence Services (BVI) Limited and others, a precedent-setting case arising out of a fatal accident to a private contractor in Iraq.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Gerard McDermott
Gerard McDermott
Star Individuals

Gerard McDermott KC is a pre-eminent silk and one of the finest personal injury barristers on the circuit. He focuses on the largest catastrophic injury cases and routinely acts in precedent-setting cross-border litigation. He is widely praised for his fantastic track record in unpromising or challenging cases. Much of his work relates to RTAs. His personal injury work is aided by his expertise in employment law and understanding of complex EU legislation.

Gerard McDermott is extremely knowledgeable and has excellent client care skills.

Gerard is an excellent silk who has good interpersonal skills and is a pleasure to work with.

Gerard is so experienced and so kind. He is a total asset in leading on large and complex matters.

He is incredibly well liked. He is a popular choice who is very good with clients.

Sarah Crowther
1
Sarah Crowther
1
Band 1

Sarah Crowther KC is an established personal injury and clinical negligence barrister. She regularly acts for both claimants and defendants in cases arising from motor accidents. She is often called upon to appear in cases where liability is contested.

She swoops in on difficult issues and does it in a commercially astute way. She comes in and gets case resolved successfully in a sympathetic way. She is a standout barrister.

Sarah is a fantastic advocate. She is tenacious, indefatigable and willing to fight your client's corner. She is a skilled cross-examiner; it is simply a delight to witness Sarah on her feet.

She is at the top of her game. Her expertise is impressive.

Few can match Sarah when it comes to expertise in high-value cross-border personal injury litigation. Her client care skills are first-rate. She is charming and very approachable.

Sarah Crowther has a robust, no-nonsense manner. She has enormous skill and vast knowledge.

2
Eliot Woolf
2
Band 2

Eliot Woolf KC is known for his impressively broad practice which encompasses cross-border and travel claims, catastrophic injury and military accidents. He often represents claimants in motor accident cases. He elicits praise for his forensic approach to complex evidence, particularly when it concerns issues of quantum and liability.

Eliot is very knowledgeable and takes the time to have detailed discussions to ensure the position is understood.

Not only is Eliot very talented, but he also has an excellent bedside manner and is very responsive.

Eliot is fiercely intelligent, calm under pressure, kind and has excellent judgement.

Eliot is wonderfully clever and handles complex and high value matters with ease.

Eliot is an excellent advocate. He has a first-class practice and is always courteous and professional, calm under pressure, and gets the best possible results for his clients.

2
Harry Steinberg
2
Band 2

Harry Steinberg KC is highly regarded for industrial disease and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has an exhaustive knowledge of asbestos disease issues. He has also developed an understanding of the international laws relating to aerotoxic syndrome and is frequently instructed in group action product liability cases.

Harry is someone you want in your corner. His advice and tactical skills are excellent.

He is collaborative, easy to work with, responsive and incredibly erudite with a relaxed and easy manner. He is my first choice for quantum questions.

Harry is an excellent silk. He is very bright and has good people skills.

Harry is brilliant on his feet. He is a robust advocate who fights hard for his clients and has conviction in his advice.

2
Nathan Tavares
Head of Personal Injury
2
Band 2

Nathan Tavares KC appears in significant, high-value catastrophic injury cases in which damages often exceed £1 million. He is well equipped to handle litigation involving multiple claimants and difficult liability and quantum issues. He acts for both claimant and defendant clients.

Nathan has sound judgement and is extremely thorough. He is approachable and great with clients. He is a first-rate advocate who is not afraid of a fight on complex issues.

Nathan's strategic nous is exemplary, as is his attention to crucial detail, which can favourably change the course of a case.

Nathan is a first-rate silk who misses nothing. He is always extraordinarily well prepared and has a sympathetic client manner.

Nathan is truly excellent. He is my go-to silk. He is very reliable and responsive, and he has excellent soft skills with the legal team, clients and their families alike.

3
James Counsell
3
Band 3

Head of chambers James Counsell KC is experienced in a range of personal injury matters. He stands out in particular for his specialism in acting for survivors of non-recent sexual abuse.

James Counsell is an extremely sensitive and empathetic counsel in complex and upsetting areas of work.

James Counsell has a brilliant legal mind and is great with clients. He is very reactive and a great court advocate.

Jonathan Hand
3
Jonathan Hand
3
Band 3

Jonathan Hand KC routinely acts on behalf of both claimant and defendant solicitors in major personal injury and clinical negligence matters. He is an authority in the niche area of catastrophic injuries caused by animals, particularly those involving horses. He is also highly regarded for his adroit handling of complex liability issues arising from RTAs and sporting accidents. He fields additional expertise in fatal accident claims.

Jonathan Hand is loved by clients. He is a very bright barrister.

Jonathan is calm and composed at all times and is a real pillar of support when it comes to the complex cases.

3
Matthew Phillips
3
Band 3

Matthew Phillips KC has a broad personal injury practice and offers considerable expertise in industrial disease and catastrophic injury claims. He has experience acting in cases stemming from RTAs.

Matthew Phillips is friendly, approachable and forms fantastic relationships with clients. He has good technical knowledge and ensures he is prepared for all conferences, hearings, etc.

Matthew Phillips is a class act. He combines technical ability, first-rate judgement and second-to-none client care skills. He is the complete package.

Matt is well thought of and down to earth. He is very able.

Will Young
3
Will Young
3
Band 3

Will Young has growing expertise in personal injury matters and is routinely instructed in catastrophic spinal cord and brain injury claims. He is also well versed in complex equine injury and psychiatric injury cases, and is sought after for his expertise in complex quantum disputes.

He has an ability to get through huge volumes of information very quickly. His drafting is impeccable, and he is thorough and well prepared.

Will is a well-regarded and extremely diligent and approachable senior junior. He has impressive technical ability and fine judgement.

Will has a great eye for detail while also considering the bigger picture. He sets out his arguments clearly and concisely, combining his technical expertise with his excellent client care.

Will is an extremely capable barrister and nothing seems to be too much trouble for him. His accessibility and turnaround times are unrivalled and he is a joy to work with.

4
Aliyah Akram
4
Band 4

Aliyah Akram has broad expertise in personal injury claims, representing claimants suffering from catastrophic injuries as well as conditions such as sick building syndrome. She is also well versed in cases arising from fatal accidents, including motor accidents. This is complemented by her prowess in industrial disease and travel cases.

Aliyah is conscientious and provides measured advice. She considers the nuances of a claim and thinks outside the box. She is approachable and has excellent client care.

Aliyah Akram is a rising star and future KC material. She is fantastic at fatal cases.

Aliyah has a great relationship with claimants. Her outlook on litigation is refreshing, her advocacy is exceptional and her preparation is great.

4
Harry Lambert
4
Band 4

Harry Lambert has a strong practice addressing the crossover between human rights and personal injury claims, particularly those arising out of abuse. He acts for both claimants and defendants. He has expertise in appellate cases.

He is a great senior junior who is doing some fabulously innovative work.

Harry is a robust advocate who is tough in court.

Harry Lambert is a brilliant lawyer and very much in demand.

Ian Denham
4
Ian Denham
4
Band 4

Ian Denham's well-regarded personal injury practice encompasses serious spinal injury and brain injury claims, as well as fatal accident claims. He is experienced in representing claimants in cases involving complex causation, contributory and dependency issues. He is also well-placed to handle matters arising from motoring accidents, both at home and abroad.

Ian is very well known for international personal injury work. He was strong on communicating and realistic in terms of timescales. He is a safe pair of hands.

Ian has well-rounded knowledge of pressing legal issues and topics. He is level-headed, very experienced and a very good advocate.

Ian is a trusted counsel and a safe pair of hands.

Ian’s preparation and advocacy is first-class. He handles complex and contested cases with ease.

4
James Aldridge
4
Band 4

James Aldridge is an RTA and liability specialist with extensive experience in catastrophic injury, including brain and spinal injury, and psychiatric injury cases. He represents both claimants and defendants. He is also regularly instructed in public and employers' liability cases.

James is an outstandingly good advocate who keeps a calm head.

James is very impressive on all levels. In terms of advocacy, James is able to articulate himself succinctly, make his point and think on his feet when needed.

James is good with clients and deals with them with sincerity and empathy. He has an excellent eye for detail and is very knowledgeable in personal injury cases.

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.

Ben Bradley
Ben Bradley
New Silks

Ben Bradley KC is highly regarded for his handling of a wide range of personal injury and clinical negligence matters. He is frequently instructed in catastrophic injury cases, sex abuse claims and military claims. He is also noted for his expertise in equine work.

Ben is outstanding. In silk, he will flourish. He is a great advocate who you can take any big case to. He is fantastic.

Ben Bradley KC is friendly and approachable and forms a great relationship with clients from the very beginning. He is organised and prepared for conference, hearings etc. Ben is a team player.

Ben is very bright, well prepared and a first-class advocate.

Ranked Barristers at
Outer Temple Chambers

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Personal Injury

Gerard McDermott KC
Gerard McDermott KC
Star Individuals
Sarah Crowther KC
1
Sarah Crowther KC
1
Band 1
2
Eliot Woolf KC
2
Band 2
2
Harry Steinberg KC
2
Band 2
2
Nathan Tavares KC
Head of Personal Injury
2
Band 2
3
James Counsell KC
3
Band 3
Jonathan Hand KC
3
Jonathan Hand KC
3
Band 3
3
Matthew Phillips KC
3
Band 3
Ben Bradley KC
Ben Bradley KC
New Silks

Juniors

London (Bar)

Personal Injury

Will Young
3
Will Young
3
Band 3
4
Aliyah Akram
4
Band 4
4
Harry Lambert
4
Band 4
Ian Denham
4
Ian Denham
4
Band 4
4
James Aldridge
4
Band 4