Drawing upon 'strength and depth at all levels', from partner through to paralegal, Harding Evans LLP can provide a 'brilliant' and cost-effective service to private and publicly-funded claimants on cases across all levels of severity brought against medical professionals. Team head Ken Thomas is 'well-respected in South Wales', having secured notable settlements and victories for clients over the years in high-profile and complex cases, including with regard to diagnostic delays, birth injury claims and Cauda Equina cases. Emma Scourfield handles a myriad complex brain, amputation, spinal and cerebral palsy cases, often involving multiple expert witnesses, and is widely recognised as 'one of the stand out solicitors for complex high value clinical negligence cases in South Wales'. Lauren Watkins and Sara Uren, who have come up through the ranks at the firm having trained there, are both versatile clinical negligence lawyers, who 'work tirelessly for their clients and always secure a good result'. Senior associate Debra King is a 'tenacious fighter, that leaves no stone unturned' in pursuit of the optimal result for clients, including in cases of negligence at nursing homes and pressure sore cases, as well as gynaecological negligence and Cauda Equina claims. The 'bright and diligent' Settor Tengey  re-joined the firm in November 2023, and provides an added perspective gleaned through his most recent work on the defendant side for NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership.

Leveraging 'good tactical instincts and client management’, as well as having 'excellent knowledge of the medico-legal framework and of the clinical issues’, Hugh James remains at the pinnacle of the claimant market across high-value and complex cases throughout both Wales and England. Here, not only is the team, which is led from London by Ruth Powell, 'always willing to work to fight for the best outcome for clients and go the extra mile', but it also excels in the post-settlement phase, where clients benefit from a holistic service which, if necessary, is able to draw upon the skills of the Court of Protection offering, as well as the firm's excellent private client team. The 'doyen of clinical negligence claims', Stephen Webber  is a 'master of the litigation process' and has a 'willingness to fight for his clients on their own terms', particularly in the context of claims of the utmost severity, including those involving cerebral palsy and spinal injuries. Uniting 'a determination to get results with a canny tactical shrewdness', Rhian Parsons is also extremely skilled at handling complex cases, including brain injuries, and is well-liked by clients as a result of her empathetic approach. The 'extremely hardworking' Katie McCraith 'gets into the detail of a case and expert evidence', consequently regularly securing favourable outcomes for defendants in orthopaedic, gynaecological and cardiac claims, as well as in cases where there have been delays in diagnosis and missed diagnosis of cancer. 'Immensely intelligent and wonderfully caring', Elin Davies  'builds an excellent rapport with clients and experts alike' on conventional clinical negligence cases (across the quantum spectrum), as well as on claims against nursing homes and hospitals with regard to failings in the care of the elderly. At associate level, Gareth Beard  is noted for his 'calm and pertinacious skill in the litigation arts’, and Rebecca Mather  regularly handles complex orthopaedic cases dealing with issues of surgical negligence, consent and delayed treatment.

 

With experts based across the firm's Swansea, Carmarthen and Caerphilly offices, the 'responsive' team at JCP Solicitors has excellent coverage throughout West Wales across the full range of clinical negligence cases, where it is able to provide a very holistic service to brain injury clients by virtue of its market-leading Court of Protection offering. The 'fantastic' Matthew Owen heads the team and 'is extremely sensitive and calm in dealing with clients who have experienced the most horrific life events', including those that have suffered catastrophic brain injuries. The 'exceptional' Keith Thomas is also very skilled at handling cases of the utmost severity, including birth and acquired brain injuries, and has over the years helped to secure favourable financial settlements which have helped to provide the much needed support to clients who have, in many cases, have had their "word turned upside down". 'Very dedicated' Carmarthen-based partner Thomas Rees 'shows a highly considered analysis and careful management of the claims he conducts', including as it relates to spinal cord injuries. In Caerphilly, Nick O'Neill  is the lead partner for the firm's work across the South East Wales region and is noted for his 'comprehensive but concise advice' for clients across a range of complex cases. Recently promoted to senior associate, the 'very impressive' Elinor Laidlaw is gaining a strong reputation in the market and is 'on top of every aspect of the claim'. 

'Hardworking' and 'thorough in their approach to investigating claims', Geldards LLP provides an 'efficient and responsive service' to claimants across a broad spectrum of clinical negligence matters, including those of the utmost severity. 'Highly personable and knowledgeable' team head Spencer Collier 'leaves no stone unturned and approaches cases with a forensic eye'. As well as regularly handling maximum severity brain and spinal injury cases, Collier is also often engaged in novel cases, including a number of matters centred around the concept of informed consent. Exhibiting a 'great knowledge of the law, strong tactical instincts and a high level of client care skills', senior associate Rachel Kirby is also a key member of the team, who as part of her broad ranging practice has developed an interest in pursuing claims for clients who have suffered spinal injuries as a result of negligent surgery.

Led by the 'outstanding' Yvonne Agnew , the 'very diligent, thoughtful and hardworking' team at Slater and Gordon provides 'professional and efficient' advice to privately and publicly-funded clients across an eclectic mix of often high-value and complex cases, where they also benefit from access to complementary services including Court of Protection and trusts services, if required. Combining 'a keen desire to promote her clients' interests with an excellent judgement of litigation risk and difficulty', senior associate Lara Bennett provides a pragmatic and 'very clear-sighted assessment of the likely outcome', ensuring that claimants are well very effectively represented in often complex cases involving, inter alia, birth injuries, anaesthetic injury, nerve damage, oncology and gynaecology. Other key practitioners include the 'exceptional' Kelly Lloyd-Davies and Megan Cavanagh, who has 'sound commercial sense and never loses sight of the bigger picture'. 

Combining ‘excellent technical knowledge with deep experience and litigation know-how’, Thompsons Solicitors LLP ensures ‘that the best outcomes are secured for their clients’ across a wide array of matters, from the relatively modest to the most catastrophic. With a broader trade union ethos and social justice lineage running throughout the firm’s DNA, the team is particularly highlighted for its ‘client-focused approach’ and sensitivity which regularly includes securing interim payments during the course of case to help address individual clients’ often very pressing immediate care needs. ‘Highly intelligent’ team head Matthew Jones is ‘strategically strong and very calm and personable’, ensuring that he is well-placed to assist clients secure optimal outcomes in cases of utmost severity. Lisa Osborne is ‘always well prepared’, whether helping Jones on his matters, or running her own vibrant caseload, which includes work for victims of vaginal mesh. Robert Jones is a ‘very smart and dedicated claimant lawyer’ and is also recommended.

Acting on its own as well as often in conjunction with its more well-established Bristol base, Irwin Mitchell's recently established office in Cardiff continues to gain traction in the South Wales market, where it is appreciated for its 'very responsive, thorough and detail-oriented' approach. Lauded for her 'down-to- earth and friendly' demeanour, senior associate Kate Easy has been pivotal to the growth of the team, gaining an increased volume of instructions from South Wales-based claimants, including on obstetric cases leading to cerebral palsy and those concerned with a delay in diagnosis leading to catastrophic spinal or brain damage. Team head Julie Lewis splits her time between Cardiff and Bristol with a specialism in birth and neonatal injury and other brain injury cases.

The 'approachable' team at St Asaph-based firm Mackenzie Jones Solicitors 'provides clear advice' to North Walian clients as claimants across a range of matters, where it can take instructions and advise in Welsh if necessary. Anna Mills Morgan, who co-heads the team alongside Richard Jones , 'has a very good manner when working with clients', including in relation to injuries brought about as a result of a delay in diagnosis.

Based out of Newport, the 'small but experienced' team at Watkins & Gunn Limited is able to draw upon a good range of seniority enabling it to match the correct fee-earner with the most appropriate mandate. Displaying a 'down-to-earth manner' that endears him to clients, including members among the firm's roster of trade unions, team head Jonathan Wellington is 'able to run a claim from start to finish' and has an excellent understanding of medical issues in complex multi-track matters.