Fielding a ‘bright, communicative’ team noted for its‘excellent commercial awareness’, Capsticks LLP acts for a range of high-profile defendants. Co-chaired by Catherine Bennett  and Peter Marquand, the practice excels in litigation arising from high-value natal, cognitive and spinal injury claims. The firm is home to one of the most active specialist healthcare inquest teams, an area in which Philip Hatherall is a key name to note. Cassius Box – highlighted for his ‘experience, intelligence’ – shines in cognitive and spinal injury claims, while Majid Hassan is regularly seen handling maternal, psychiatric and emergency medicine disputes. Kate Cornelius advises on sensitive injury claims, including catastrophic cognitive injury in children.

Highlighted for its ‘unrivalled knowledge and experience of the sector’, the clinical negligence department at Clyde & Co fields a team with notable ‘experience and tactical judgment’ in defendant medical negligence litigation, including proceedings arising from serious brain and spinal injuries, fatal accident inquests, cosmetic and optical surgeries, among others. Claire Petts ‘provides exceptional leadership’ while handling high-value cognitive injury and obstetric claims. Sam Holden focuses on malpractice and negligence litigation involving NHS Resolution panels and private healthcare providers. Rob D. Wilson represents defendants in catastrophic cognitive injury claims, as well as ophthalmic, cosmetic, and post-natal injury disputes.

A key port of call for high-value, maximum severity cases, Kennedys clinical negligence practice is frequently engaged by defendants in cases arising from respiratory, cognitive, orthopaedic, spinal and natal claims, where medical causation, liability and quantum are often in dispute. Practice head Christopher Malla is a seasoned clinical negligence practitioner with a strong track record in cerebral palsy, gynaecological, pediatric, spinal and orthopaedic injury cases. Nico Fabri specialises in representing private insurers and individual healthcare providers in a broad spectrum of malpractice disputes. Ed Glasgow works closely with NHS Resolution in complex clinical negligence claims. Lauren Packer offers key support in proceedings involving amputations, birth and brain injuries.

Part of the NHS Resolution clinical negligence panel and with a growing following of private healthcare providers, Bevan Brittan LLP’s 'professional, efficient, friendly and accessible' department handles a broad spectrum of medical malpractice cases, ranging from both cognitive and spinal injuries to neurosurgical and cosmetic issues. Practice head Joanne Easterbrook acts for the NHS and independent health providers in brain injury claims, natal cases and psychiatric disputes. These are also key areas of expertise for Julie Charlton, who is skilled in group actions. Dan Morris is recommended for litigation involving neurosurgeries, cardiology, obstetrics and intensive care.

Highlighted for its 'impressive industry sector knowledge and wider context to issues affecting clients', DAC Beachcroft LLP represents both the NHS and private insurance companies in natal, medical equipment, cognitive and spinal injury, and surgical error claims, among others. Simon Perkins often acts for defendants - most notably private clinics - in surgical and cosmetic disputes, including matters involving other jurisdictions. Simon Wortley is also a key contact for the independent health sector. Rachel Roberts-Jenkins excels in group actions, while David Roberts and Nigel Montgomery possess a strong track record in representing the NHS in catastrophic injury work.

'A go-to firm for top-end clinical negligence defence work in London and the South', Hill Dickinson LLP is a key port of call for high-value individual and group claims requiring expertise in maternal injuries, surgical errors, and neurological matters. The team is jointly led by Janet McWhinney, who holds over two decades of experience in obstetric, neurological injury and GP disputes, and Rebecca Hunt, highlighted for her ‘keen sense of judgment for the most difficult cases’, including brain injury claims. National head Andrew Craggs is highly active in sexual assault claims, and oversees relations with NHS Resolution. Rohana Abeywardana is a key contact for aesthetic and pharmaceutical-related claims, along with catastrophic brain and spinal injury cases.

The ‘hardworking, efficient and clear thinking’ clinical negligence practice at Weightmans LLP is well positioned to handle highly complex medical malpractice cases on behalf of the NHS. Along with large group claims, the team is proficient in disputes requiring quantum, medical causation and liability expertise, and excels in cognitive, spinal, neonatal, psychiatric and cardiac injury litigation. Department head Rachel Kneale ‘brings common sense, insight and poise’ in the team’s most high-value claims, which typically involve neurological and obstetric issues. Paul Thomson often advises on orthopaedic, neonatal, and spinal injury cases. Also part of the core team, Isobel Michie  acts for the NHS and healthcare insurers in the full range of clinical negligence cases, and Rosalind Bird is experienced in catastrophic injury claims, with a particular focus on brain and neonatal injuries.

Browne Jacobson LLP‘s clinical negligence practice is noted for its ‘excellent strength in depth’, representing NHS Resolution and the Medical Protection Society in highly complex matters, including the recent Supreme Court case of Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, a group action claim which saw deputy head of the department Jonathan Fuggle act for two of the NHS defendants. National practice head Lorna Hardman typically advises on fatal or catastrophic brain and spinal injury claims, while Ian Long has over two decades of experience in cognitive injury and rehabilitation cases. Sian Brown leads the department’s maternal division, and specialises in claims involving obstetrics, maternal accidents and fatal births.

CMS‘s defendant clinical negligence and medical advisory team is noted for its ‘broad commercial approach to the defence of doctors’, and represents Medical Defence Union professionals, and insurers in various high-value malpractice disputes. The practice handles a broad range of catastrophic injury work, demonstrating strength in cognitive issues, as well as obstetric and natal claims. Lauded for her ‘excellent judgement’, practice head Yvonne Screene specialises in neurological, oncological, orthopaedic and obstetric claims, and also shines in group litigation. Anna Walsh co-heads the team in London, and is a key point of contact for London market insurers and private healthcare providers. Kate Holbrook represents GPs, dentists and private medical professionals in cognitive and birth injury claims, including those involving early detection issues.

Highlighted for its combination of ‘commercial sense and healthcare experience’, RPC’s medical and life sciences team operates in complex paediatric and obstetric cases, and advises on the full spectrum of catastrophic injury disputes, including psychiatric, cosmetic, cognitive and spinal injury claims. 'First-class lawyer and team leader' Dorothy Flower is noted for her extensive experience in fatal claims, inquests and cross-border cases. Praised for being 'able to quickly identify the key issues and see potential routes forward’, Sian Morgan is skilled in emergency health, pharmaceutical and misdiagnosis cases, in addition to catastrophic injuries.

Vicki Swanton and Rosie Shapiro jointly lead the healthcare and insurance department at DWF, which is well versed in a broad range of medical malpractice cases, owing to its ‘excellent knowledge of the clinical negligence sector’. Psychiatric, obstetric, surgical errors claims, and cases arising from the delayed diagnosis of terminal illnesses are all key areas of expertise for the practice. Swanton has notable experience in catastrophic injury and psychiatric claims, acting for healthcare practitioners and entities. Shapiro assists doctors, dentists and other professionals with both litigation proceedings and inquests.

The healthcare and sports team at Keoghs LLP handles a wider range of medical negligence cases, covering catastrophic injuries, surgical errors, inquests, as well as medical equipment and pharmaceutical disputes. Department head Sian Davies - noted for her ‘excellent judgment’ - has extensive experience acting for private sector healthcare providers and their insurers in medical malpractice and product liability mandates. Jamie Colman and Jason Howarth are both active in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and optical claims, with the latter especially active in sport-related medical litigation. This is also a key area of strength for Daniel Meltzer. Oonagh Webster handles cancer misdiagnosis, cosmetic and natal claims.

Keystone Law‘s insurance department represents healthcare professionals in a variety of clinical negligence matters, including natal, spinal and cognitive injury claims, and cases arising from neuro and cosmetic surgeries. Tracy Sell-Peters is experienced in spinal and orthopaedic surgery claims, while Jason Kallis is skilled in medical product liability and cosmetic surgery error cases. Joanne Staphnill is active in litigation involving psychiatric claims and surgical errors. Matthew Trinder, who joined from Browne Jacobson LLP in January 2024, brings a wealth of experience in representing private insurance and independent healthcare providers.