Described as an "impressive and prestigious firm," Alexander Harris have been recommended for providing claimant clinical negligence, personal injury and product liability in the North West, London and the West Midlands by two renowned, independent and objective legal directories. Chambers and Partners, a comprehensive legal directory who use full-time researchers throughout the year to investigate the reputations of leading lawyers throughout the world and The Legal 500, the definitive guide to the legal market in over 70 countries, have yet again recommended Alexander Harris as the leading claimant health law firm for 2003 - 2004.
The directories cover in-depth independent editorial and recommendations of law firms and lawyers. Use the links below to read the comments made about Alexander Harris following their extensive research.
Clinical Negligence - North West
The Legal 500 2003 - 2004
"At niche firm Alexander Harris, founding partner Ann Alexander has built a department with a national reputation for its claimant work. 'Focused, bright and experienced' partners Lesley Herbertson and Nicola Castle are supported by a team of five nurses. In addition to high-value court wins, the firm can point to a string of complex settled cases.
Chambers and Partners 2003 - 2004
The head office of this "impressive and prestigious firm" is in Altrincham. The group of four partners continues its involvement with the Shipman inquiry, and has settled cases for damages in excess of £14 million in the past year. Lesley Herbertson heads the department. Peers heralded her as "an extremely competent solicitor." She succeeded in obtaining early settlement in the highly publicised case of Kelly v Queen Mary Sidcup NHS Trust where a baby was found in the laundry at a hospital. Nicola Castle impressed clients and lawyers alike. She mainly handles cerebral palsy and brain injury work as well as birth injury cases. In the case of GMC v Subramanian, she successfully represented the family of a five-year-old girl who died from meningitis after her GP dismissed the possibility of her having the disease. As a "hugely experienced figurehead," Ann Alexander now primarily acts in a management role. She has, however, been involved in a number of inquiries, including that of Shipman and the Richard Neale inquiry.
Clinical Negligence - London
The Legal 500 2003 - 2004
The niche health law firm Alexander Harris continues to thrive, settling cases for damages in excess of £14m in the last 12 months. Among the many experienced practitioners, department head Lesley Herbertson has been involved in the highly publicised case of a baby found in laundry (Kelly v Queen Mary Sidcup NHS Trust). Grainne Barton advised on a number of private hospital cases including Peet v Mid Kent Health Care NHS Trust, a birth injury claim that settled for £3.5m.
Chambers and Partners 2003 - 2004
Despite having its flagship office in the North West, this niche health practice is regarded by competitors as being "a clinical negligence powerhouse on a national basis." The London office was set up approximately four years ago and the department is presided over by Grainne Barton. She has conducted over £10 million worth of cerebral palsy claims over the past year. Researchers were informed of her "excellent knowledge, great empathy with clients and supreme people skills." In addition, she has instructed on a number of private hospital cases, including the representation of the family of Tracey Sampson at an inquest following her death at the Portland Hospital.
Clinical Negligence - Midlands
Chambers and Partners 2003 - 2004
A firm with its roots in Altrincham, the Solihull office has benefited from the arrival of "hugely talented and experienced" Richard Follis who joined from Irwin Mitchell a year or two ago. He has been handling several key group actions including the representation of: children who were allegedly misdiagnosed with epilepsy; a group of more than 20 who believe their relatives to have been killed in suspicious circumstances at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital; and patients who received faulty DePuy 'Hylamer' polyethylene hips.
Personal Injury - North West
The Legal 500 2003 - 2004
Alexander Harris personal injury team is smaller than its clinical negligence department, but mirrors the latter's reputation for excellence. The firm has a particular reputation for handling high-value brain and spinal injury cases and can point to successes representing £8m in one two-month period.
Personal Injury - London
The Legal 500 2003 - 2004
At niche claimant health law firm Alexander Harris has settled the UK cases arising from the Samina Greek ferry disaster and represented the family in a high-profile case involving a girl who died after a fit in a nightclub. The practice, which is attracting increasing volumes of catastrophic injury cases, gained spinal injury expert Warren Collins from Russell Jones and Walker in 2002.
Chambers and partners 2003 - 2004
Established in London five years ago, this group has continued the firm-wide reputation for high-quality PI and clinical negligence advice. Team members work on diverse cases ranging from multiparty matters (arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh; Hatfield rail crash; Samina Express Greek ferry disaster) to representing individuals in maximum severity cases. Warren Collins has joined the group from Russell Jones & Walker. He specialises in brain and spinal injuries, and represents individuals injured whilst abroad.
Product Liability and Multi Party Actions - National
The legal 500 2003 - 2004
David Harris' team at Alexander Harris was boosted by the arrival of Rosie Houghton from Houghton & Co. Besides the firm's continual involvement in the MMR case and a group action into over-treatment claims against a Manchester orthodontist, it has also been acting for patients who received faulty hips and a group of workers in Kent exposed to the drug Imuran.
Chambers and Partners 2003 - 2004
Market commentators respect this first class claimant firm for its capacity to "devote a huge amount of resources and lawyers to a case." The practice is respected for its expertise in pharmaceutical and medical litigation. David Harris was singled out by peers as "tenacious and committed." He is thought to bring a "thick skin and a commercial approach" to his cases. Although the MMR litigation continues to dominate the team's workload, it is also investigating claims from veterans and civilians who took part in, or were witness to, Britain's nuclear testing program in the 1950s and 1960s.
Education: Individuals - London
The Legal 500 2003 - 2004
At Alexander Harris education head and Levenes alumnus Douglas Silas is 'a good litigator, who knows the education field'. Silas is building a creditable claimant-based practice, focused on special educational needs, admissions, and exclusions.
Chambers and Partners 2003 - 2004
Other notable practitioners
Douglas Silas continues to make excellent progress at Alexander Harris, where he has established a nationwide practice advising individuals on all contentious issues, in particular special educational needs.
We both send you our deepest gratitude and wish to say that we believe no other solicitor could have treated us with more courtesy and politeness. It has been a pleasure dealing with you: Mrs Nicholls, Sharston
