A ‘standout team’ in south Wales, Newport-based Harding Evans LLP has ‘great strength in depth’, ensuring that it is able to achieve ‘impressive results’ across a wide spectrum of primarily high-value serious clinical negligence claims, often for very vulnerable clients. As well as acting on the core clinical negligence matters, the team is also able to leverage the firm’s strong Court of Protection and private client offering to provide a truly holistic service. One of the most experienced practitioners in the field, Ken Thomas ‘combines calm confidence with a powerful intellect and wide-ranging knowledge of medico-legal matters’, including as it relates to cerebral palsy, Cauda Equina and cancer misdiagnosis cases. The ‘pre-eminent solicitor for catastrophic clinical negligence litigation in south Wales’, Emma Scourfield has a ‘wonderful way with clients’ and excels at handling catastrophic brain and spinal injuries. Recognised as a ‘first-rate legal mind’, Sara Haf Uren is able ‘to juggle a huge workload of complex cases’, co-heading the team alongside Lauren Watkins. At associate level, Debra King has ‘an impressive knowledge of medicine and the law’ and is particularly skilled at handling negligence at nursing homes and on pressure sore cases.

Bringing ‘a wealth of experience and sound judgement to everything they touch’, Hugh James ‘adds clear value’ to clients across a wide-range of claims, from the relatively straightforward to those of the highest value and complexity. The team has an appreciation ‘of the benefits to clients of a collaborative approach’, which manifests itself both internally alongside the firm’s broader private client and Court of Protection offering, as well as externally, where the team has very strong ties with a number of charities. Rhian Parsons has vast experience at handling catastrophic claims, including as it relates to brain and spinal injuries. As well as her own vibrant caseload that is particularly centred around orthopaedic, gynaecological, and cardiac claims, Katie McCraith is also responsible for developing and managing key relationships with experts. The ‘highly competent’ Elin Davies has a varied caseload, regularly achieving excellent results for clients seeking compensation in relation to birth injuries, spinal injuries and amputations. Rebecca Mather and Gareth Beard are also establishing very strong names for themselves in the market, with Mather overseeing the office’s inquest offering, which forms a key part of a strong and growing national team led from London by Lynda Reynolds. Although much more of his time is spent in a management capacity as head of the firm’s overarching individual client’s division, the ’highly intelligent’ Stephen Webber still handles some residual fee-earning work and is noted as a ‘great tactician’.

The ‘sensible and committed‘ team at JCP Solicitors excels at handling difficult cases, principally against NHS Wales. In this regard it is not only able to draw upon the expertise of fee-earners with deep subject matter knowledge and procedural strategic nous, but also the skills of Court of Protection head Lynne Morgan, for individuals who require their affairs to be managed as a result of a brain injury. Noted for his empathetic and caring approach, team head Matthew Owen is very skilled at representing clients in claims with regard to birth and brain injury cases, in particular. The vastly experienced Keith Thomas is also adept at handling brain injury cases, both in a personal injury and clinical negligence setting, and remains a member of the Headway Specialist Panel and the Children’s Brain Injury Trust Panel. Thomas Rees in Carmarthen oversees the team’s efforts in South West Wales and is noted, in particular, for handling catastrophic spinal cord injuries. Caerphilly-based practitioner Nick O’Neill continues to grow the team’s market presence in South East Wales, providing ‘realistic and pragmatic’ advice to clients across a range of claims, including misdiagnosis cases, orthopaedic injuries and those involving neurological injuries.

Appreciated for its ‘thorough approach’, the small team at Geldards LLP punches above its weight, undertaking high-quality work on a national basis across a wide range of cases, often of the utmost severity. Team head Spencer Collier remains pivotal to the team’s success, being ‘utterly dedicated and compassionate’ towards his catastrophically injured clients, including those who have suffered from maximum severity brain and spinal injuries. Leveraging ‘excellent legal knowledge’, as well as being ‘very pragmatic’ in claims investigation, Rachel Kirby is also a very integral member of the team.

Adopting a ‘truly client-centric approach’, Slater and Gordon provides a ‘very efficient and reliable’ service to privately and publicly-funded clients across a varied mix of often high-value and complex cases, where they are also able to access complementary services including Court of Protection and trusts services, if required. ‘Top-notch’ practitioners Lara Bennett and Kelly Lloyd-Davies ‘lead from the front’, and are the primary day-to-day contacts in relation to the most serious claims, including those relating to birth injury and delayed or missed diagnosis claims. The ‘very experienced and technical’ Yvonne Agnew heads up the team.

The ‘client-focused’ team at Thompsons Solicitors LLP achieves ‘first-rate results’ for both union and non-union member clients who have suffered often life-changing injuries as a result of medical negligence. ‘Extremely bright, calm and approachable’ team head Matthew Jones is appreciated for his ‘empathy and tenacity’, qualities which are key to prevailing in matters of the utmost severity, including for clients who have suffered brain and spinal injuries. ‘Passionate about her cases’, Lisa Osborne is recognised as a ‘future star’, who as well as handling her own caseload and assisting Jones on his complex matters also helps oversee a subgroup focusing on fast-track claims.

Led by ‘determined litigator’ Susan Edwards, Howells Solicitors‘ combined personal injury and clinical negligence claimant practice has a solid local reputation across a range of matters, including with regard to misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis and surgical errors.

Acting on its own as well as alongside its more well-established Bristol offering, Irwin Mitchell’s relatively newly formed Cardiff-based practice has picked up some significant instructions across a range of clinical negligence matters since it was established in May 2022. ‘Kind and considerate’ practitioner Eleri Davies is the principal contact for the office and has developed a particular interest in obstetric cases leading to cerebral palsy and gynaecological injuries. Julie Lewis oversees the practice and splits her time between Bristol and Cardiff.

Although it is in its formative stages, having only established a presence in the region in April 2024, Leigh Day‘s Cardiff office has already made an impact in the market, leveraging the firm’s nationwide brand and commitment to human rights, as well as Julia Reynolds' local reputation. The ‘outstanding’ Reynolds heads the team and is noted for her ‘thoughtful and considered’ approach to handling high-profile clinical negligence work, including as it relates to catastrophic brain injuries.

Leveraging ‘good local connections’ throughout north Wales, St Asaph-based firm Mackenzie Jones Solicitors handles a ‘steady stream of high-quality’ clinical negligence claims. Anna Mills Morgan ‘consistently goes far beyond the call of duty for clients going through difficult and traumatic litigation’, including in relation to Article 2 inquests into deaths arising out of clinical negligence. Richard Jones co-heads the team alongside Mills Morgan.

Led by Newport-based Jonathan Wellington, Watkins & Gunn Limited provides ‘tactically astute and practical advice’ to clients, including members among the firm’s roster of trade unions, across a range of complex clinical negligence matters, including with regard to cerebral palsy birth injuries.