Health & Safety
Christopher Kennedy KC took silk in 2010 and his practice concentrates on the fields of personal injury and health and safety work. He also addresses issues concerning policy and indemnity. Chris is therefore able to offer advice and assistance in relation to all three areas when they are found together.
Chris is particularly aware of the issues which can arise when individuals find themselves confronted by a prosecution against either their business or them personally. He works well with clients in these situations.
Recently, Chris has undertaken a number of cases involving fatal or catastrophic injury sustained following trespass and a number of cases involving fatal injuries on construction sites.
He has significant experience of the following:
- Representing interested parties at inquests;
- Issues surrounding interviews, abuse of process and disclosure;
- Responding to the prosecution case;
- Negotiating bases of plea;
- The preparation and deployment of lay and expert evidence;
- Trial preparation;
- Trial.
Chris is a member of the Bar Council and its Courts and Legal Services sub-committee and is on the executive committee of P.I.B.A. He sits as a Recorder in the Crown Court.
Selected Cases
- Representing a company (criminal prosecution) and its insurer (catastrophic injury) in relation to the collapse of a platform during the course of the construction of a football stadium.
- Representing a railway operator in relation to fatalities/injuries sustained following trespasses onto its land. Representing a second railway operator following a fatal accident at work.
- Representing a householder following the death of an independent contractor at his property.
- Representing an organisation following the death by chemical burns at its site of an independent contractor.
News
- Christopher Kennedy KC appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge
- Paxton Jones v Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Articles
Qualifications
- BA (Hons), Cambridge University
- Recorder of the Crown Court
Memberships
- Health & Safety Lawyer’s Association
- Personal Injury Bar Association
- Professional Negligence Bar Association
Recommendations
“He is fantastic on liability issues and has assisted in some incredibly complex cases.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
‘Christopher is first-class with clients. His preparation is meticulous and he provides tactically astute advice. A brilliant advocate.’
Legal 500, 2024
“Absolutely fantastic – he is one of the greatest leaders in his field. He is very tenacious and an excellent advocate.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“Very well respected across the board.”
Legal 500, 2022
“He has forensic attention to detail.” “Very intelligent and has excellent commercial awareness.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
“He is excellent on high-value and complex personal injury claims. He’s always extremely well prepared and approachable, and is a fantastic negotiator.” “He’s very good with clients and is able to present complex issues in a straightforward way.” “He has a lovely manner and is able to drill down into complex evidence without flustering witnesses and experts.”
Chambers & Partners, 2020
“Principally represents defendants, often on significantly high-value claims, though he also undertakes claimant work. His caseload encompasses catastrophic brain injury, RTAs and industrial disease claims, among others. “Detail-driven and an effective negotiator.” “An incisive thinker with an approachable and emphatic manner with clients. He is superb at breaking down the complex components of policy issues and his attention to detail in catastrophic personal injury claims is outstanding.”
Chambers & Partners, 2017
“An incisive thinker with an approachable and emphatic manner with clients. He is superb at breaking down the complex components of policy issues and his attention to detail in catastrophic personal injury claims is outstanding.”
Chambers & Partners, 2017
“He is very good on his feet: calm and considered, and absolutely on the point when cross-examining the witness” ; “he is excellent in conference and always meticulously well prepared” ; “he is nicely commercial and pragmatic. He doesn’t just give you a legal opinion – he also gives you a business opinion” ; “very easy to deal with, he goes the extra mile and is always approachable.”
Chambers & Partners, 2015
“Is especially highly regarded for his high-value defendant practice, acting in a large number of catastrophic brain injury and amputation cases. He’s detail-driven, and an effective negotiator.”
Chambers & Partners, 2014
“He tackles a broad range of claims, including those concerning employer’s liability, public liability, industrial disease and serious road traffic accidents.”
Chambers & Partners, 2013
“The ‘astute and unstuffy’ Christopher Kennedy KC is ‘courteous yet tough’, and ‘keeps his opponents on their toes’. His ‘written advice is concise and well thought-out’, say clients, and he is sought on the trickier catastrophic injury and quantum issues.”
Chambers & Partners, 2012
