Clinical Negligence
Alex acts for Claimants, the NHSR and the defence unions. His cases are the most complex or of the highest value. Most are worth more than £20m and several more than £40m. As well as catastrophic injuries or death, he is experienced in dealing with multiple causes of injury, several parties and large numbers of experts. He regularly brings to clinical negligence cases his expertise in group litigation and in product liability. He is a highly successful trial advocate but has a reputation for achieving satisfactory resolutions of cases where the issues between the parties have appeared incapable of compromise. He is retained to advise and act in complex appeals.
He has dealt with most areas of clinical practice, including obstetrics, gynaecology, cardiology, accident and emergency medicine, neurosurgery, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, colorectal surgery, ophthalmology, ENT surgery, the contraction of MRSA, the conduct of GPs and the treatment of epilepsy.
Alex is ranked as a first-tier silk in clinical negligence in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. He was nominated in 2021 as Clinical Negligence ‘Silk of the Year’ by Chambers and Partners and as Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence ‘Silk of the Year’ by Legal 500 in 2017, 2022 and 2024.
Selected Cases
- Papworth Hospital (current) – Alex acts for the Defendant trust in claims in respect of multiple claims arising from waterborne infections contracted at a newly built hospital.
- Lucy Letby (current) – Alex is retained by the NHS in relation to issues arising from the Lucy Letby matters.
- Sodium Valproate cases (current) – Alex is retained by the NHS in several cases where injuries are alleged to have been sustained as a result of a mother taking sodium valproate during pregnancy.
- Transplant cases (current) – Alex is retained in relation to various cases involving organ transplants.
- Rectal mesh (2023) – Alex acted for a surgeon who faced multiple claims about colorectal surgery and the use of rectal mesh.
- Cardiac implants (2022) – Alex advised the Defendant hospital in relation to a claim made in respect of a failed cardiac implant.
- Hewes v West Hertfordshire Hospitals and others (2020) – Alex successfully appeared in the Court of Appeal for the GP defendant where the Claimant suffered permanent injuries because of cauda equina syndrome.
- MMM v Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Trust (2020) – Alex acted for the Claimant in this catastrophic birth injury case. Alex succeeded in obtaining an interim payment of just under £1m to allow a suitable property to be purchased. The case was ultimately resolved with a negotiated settlement.
- Marshall v Schembri (2020) – Alex represented the GP Defendant in the Court of Appeal. It was alleged that failure to recognise a pulmonary embolism led to the death of the Claimant’s wife. The case reviewed the use of statistics and inferences in clinical negligence cases.
- Daniels v Dr Williamson (2019) – Alex acted for the Defendant in which the Claimant developed an infection and required quadruple limb amputations to save her. It was alleged that her GP did not recognise the infection timeously. Causation was particularly complex. The matter was settled.
- Yates v Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (2016) – Alex acted for the Defendant. The Claimant suffered from a congenital heart problem and developed infective endocarditis. He suffered a stroke. He blamed the Trust’s clinicians for failing to recommend surgery earlier and for providing antibiotic treatment for too long. At trial, at the conclusion of the cross examination of the Claimant’s experts, the case was abandoned.
- X (a child) v Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (2016) – Alex successfully defended a claim for an alleged failure to identify and treat meningitis. The case was based on flawed expert analysis and this was demonstrated at trial.
- Rallison v North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (2015) – Alex acted in this key authority on proportionality and interim payments on account of costs.
- Baker v Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (2015) – Alex acted for the Defendant in a case involving allegations regarding the approach to a lower limb amputation. The claim was dismissed at trial.
- Crofton v NHSLA – Alex was led by John Grace KC in this leading Court of Appeal authority on the public funding of care and its relevance to personal injury actions.
Awards
News
- Crown Office Chambers feature in three of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2025
- Crown Office Chambers shortlisted in 17 categories at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024
Articles
Qualifications
- MA (Oxon)
Memberships
- COMBAR
- LCLCBA
- PIBA
- PNBA
Recommendations
“Alex’s attention to detail and forensic analysis of the issues is first-class.”…”The quality of his written advice is exceptional and he is easy to work with.”…”Alex is insightful and provides really astute and valuable advice on the most complex matters.”
Chambers & Partners, 2025
“Alex is a leading authority on all things product liability. His advice is excellent. He’s forceful and his submissions carry weight.” … “Very bright, quick mind, hard-working, a great team player, very good to work with and a fantastic advocate.”
Legal 500, 2025
“Alexander is highly sophisticated, extremely easy to work with and exceptionally thorough in his analysis”…. “Alexander is incredibly efficient. He brings an energy to cases which others don’t, and he is results-driven.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Alex Antelme is brilliant – elegant and not a word wasted”…. “He has excellent control of the evidence.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Super responsive, utterly charming to work with, a sentiment shared by the clients. He is incisive, a font of wisdom and a great strategist. He is absolutely the counsel you want on any case, the tougher the case – the greater the need for his involvement.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Alexander is a master of detail. He is very charming and easy to work with on high-value claims.” “He is very strong on technical issues whilst at the same time being able to explain the legal issues in a clear and concise fashion, which makes him very strong on his feet and in conference.” “Alexander is an excellent barrister. He is very commercial and takes a very client-friendly approach.”
Chambers & Partners, 2023
‘Super responsive, utterly charming to work with, a sentiment shared by the clients ‘ ‘An extremely skillful, powerful and impressive advocate. Goes above and beyond to get to grips with complexities of a case.’ ‘Alex has impressive advocacy skills and is extremely talented. He is very clever and makes a complex issue sound very simple.’ ‘Real attention-to-detail, excellent pleadings and written advice. A polished advocate with an ample charm which hides a tough negotiator.’
Legal 500, 2023
“A fantastic advocate – he is really amazing, very slick, sharp and has the ear of the court.” “He has an absolute eye for detail, is extremely no-nonsense and gets very good results. His opinion is very much respected.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“A living legend of product liability practice; extremely sharp, sees bigger picture, speaks with authority and technical brilliance.”
Legal 500, 2022
“A very affable silk with a rapier-like intelligence and the willingness to fight points other KCs might not want to take on.”
Legal 500, 2021
“A very measured, sensible and effective advocate who inspires confidence.”; “A very persuasive advocate with great tactical acumen.”; “His cross-examination of experts is very good indeed.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
