Joanne Candlish

Practice Areas

Joanne, a Partner in the Industrial Disease Department and a leading and highly experienced mesothelioma and complex injury lawyer. During a career spanning over 31 years she has acted for numerous asbestos victims and their families. Joanne specialises in mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer claims and serious/complex personal injuries caused by road traffic and work place accidents.

She has taken the fight for justice for her clients to the highest courts in the land, see notable cases below. She is a highly experienced litigator and has always acted for personal injury victims and in particular people exposed to asbestos. Recent successful cases include securing a seven figure settlement for a living lung cancer victim, and a six figure settlement for the widow of an 80 year old mesothelioma victim.

Joanne recently secured a six figure settlement in a case in which she was instructed post death and the deceased’s family knew very little about the asbestos exposure suffered by the deceased. Joanne was able to identify witnesses and go on to obtain a number of supportive witness statements, and expert evidence leading to settlement with the defendant, a matter of weeks before the case was due to be heard at a 3 day Trial.

Joanne regularly obtains six figure settlements for her clients, particularly those who are suffering from mesothelioma. Her settlements include claims for novel and private medical treatment not available on the NHS as part of the settlement agreement.

In another of Joanne’s recent cases, she secured a settlement for her client of £283,500 in a multi-defendant claim, together with the option to activate a private medical treatment agreement in the future and nearly £10,000.00 for the local hospice who had provided symptom control and pain relief treatment to Joanne’s client.

Joanne works closely with local asbestos support charities, most notably The Merseyside Asbestos Support Group, The Cheshire Asbestos Support Group & The Cumbria & Lancashire Asbestos Support Group. She also works closely with Asbestos Support groups in Scotland to pursue cases for Scottish residents exposed in England or Wales.

Joanne has over many years campaigned for justice, taking to the streets in the North West and London to fight for the rights of those diagnosed with Mesothelioma and to push for the need for increased funds for research.

Campaigns include #Cape Must Pay! and Save Phoenix House.

Her clients have spoken of her empathy, dedication and determination to secure justice and compensation. She works closely with medical professionals, engineering experts, support groups and other charities to assist victims and their families and to raise awareness of the issues affecting asbestos victims.

Joanne’s expertise is recognised by those she works with and through independent accreditation by The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, of which she is an Asbestos and Occupational Disease specialist.

Career

Joanne started her legal career at a small High Street Legal Aid firm, as a trainee legal executive, in 1992. Joanne attended evening classes at the local college to pass the legal executive professional exams, which she completed in 1996. She then attended university evening classes to gain her law degree, whilst working full time as a qualified legal executive. She joined Thompsons in 2004 and was head of the North West Regional Asbestos Team, before moving to Hodge Jones & Allen as a Partner in 2021. She joined Leigh Day as a Partner in 2024.

Professional Memberships

APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers): Accredited Senior Litigator, Asbestos and Occupational Disease Specialist.