Working for a range of NHS trusts, insurers, brokers and corporates, DAC Beachcroft LLP’s clinical risk team is a leading provider for defence services in the region. The third-party administration team is additionally well-regarded for its niche specialisms in mental health, dental and prison health matters. The department is led by ‘standout partner’ Neil Rowe who is well-versed in a broad range of claims. Following the retirement of previous location head David Weatherburn in April 2023, litigator Mark Ashley relocated to the Newcastle office. Katharine Taylor has extensive experience in managing clinical negligence claims and defending maximum severity clinical injury claims, including obstetric, neonatology, spinal and head injury and oncology cases.

With expertise in complex personal injury litigation, Keoghs LLP is a leading provider of dispute resolution and risk services for the UK insurance industry across motor, casualty, complex and specialty classes. Jamie McCabe heads up the firm’s Newcastle office and puts emphasis on defending insurance companies in catastrophic brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputation claims. Chris Patton is dedicated to handling large loss claims, including complex orthopaedic injury, chronic pain and fatal accident claims. Joanne Willits has particular expertise in cases involving chronic pain, or complicated causation issues, and David Burn has significant expertise in dealing with brain injury claims. Senior associates James Fisher and James Knox are engaged by motor insurers in relation to catastrophic injury claims, and senior associate Joanna Grieve is experienced in complex brain injury claims and claims involving functional neurological disorders.

Specialising in industrial disease cases, handling both long-tail and short-tail disease claims, Clyde & Co‘s casualty disease department assists insurer and corporate clients. Following the retirement of former practice head Toby Scott in April 2024, Toni Ashby took over as team head, splitting her time between Newcastle and Edinburgh. Ashby is an expert in disease claims and is well-supported by experienced senior associate Roberta Pyle, who covers claimant and defendant industrial disease matters and is well-versed in asbestos-related claims. Senior associate Anthony Patterson covers short-tail liability claims including HAVS, NIHL, RSI, care home and neglect cases, as well as stress and bullying cases.

Appointed by NHS Resolution, acting for several NHS trusts, as well as healthcare specialists and insurers, DWF’s healthcare and insurance department is adept at handling a range of complex and high-value clinical negligence claims. The team is comprised of directors Caroline Calder and Rachel Thompson in Newcastle, who ‘deliver sensible and to-the-point legal advice with a vibrancy and approachability that is unmatched’; the pair co-lead the NHS resolution clinical negligence work. Senior associate Helen Fletcher and associate Rebecca Walton are also both experienced in defendant work.

Weightmans’ Newcastle and Leeds healthcare department is instructed by insurers and indemnifiers in several maximum severity claims in relation to medical malpractice. In Newcastle, Angela Kirtley advises claimants and defendants concerning complex personal injury and clinical negligence claims. Jasmine Armstrong manages the teams in Newcastle and Birmingham and covers a host of healthcare-specific issues, such as defendant clinical negligence claims concerning high-value birth injuries. Other key members of the Newcastle team are Robert Rushton, who manages significant and complex claims for NHS trusts, and Paul Hughes, who advises transport and logistics clients.