Colleen Cumbers

Clinical Negligence

As part of her LLM Master of Laws, Colleen studied Medical Law as a specialist subject and was awarded a Distinction grade. She also completed a dissertation on the Supreme Court case of Paul v Wolverhampton as part of her LLM and a legal research project on the Bolam test as part of her MA Law (Conversion). She was awarded high Distinction grades in both. Her academic background makes her well-placed to advise on issues such as scope of duty and breach of duty.

Colleen accepts instructions on behalf of claimants and defendants.

Her recent work in this area includes:

• Advising the family of a patient who died following a late diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Issues included whether it was possible to establish breach of duty and causation, as well as practical issues such as the need for further expert evidence.
• Advising a claimant as to prospects of success in a proposed claim against an NHS dentist and NHS trust. The Claimant alleged that the dentist’s negligent assessment and NHS trust’s wrongful refusal to provide alternative treatment led to him incurring the costs of private dental treatment.
• Advising an NHS Trust in relation to the value of a claim arising from the death of a patient following a missed diagnosis of aortic dissection, liability having been admitted, and settling the Counter-Schedule of Loss to the claim which was pleaded at well over £1 million (during pupillage).

Colleen also has experience of appearing at CCMCs. She has appeared in the High Court in such hearings and has been successful against more senior counsel. Colleen recently attended a workshop by the Senior Master of the King’s Bench Division on newly-released guidance on costs budgeting hearings in PI/ClinNeg cases. Colleen looks forward to putting this valuable guidance into practice in upcoming costs budgeting hearings / CCMCs.

Colleen attended the PNBA’s Clinical Negligence Conference 2024 as a delegate. She has also benefited from membership of PIBA, especially a recent conference session covering the substantial case law developments on fundamental dishonesty over the past year. The session enhanced Colleen’s capacity to handle PI/ClinNeg cases involving fundamental dishonesty.

Selected Cases

Awards

• Dean’s Award for Best Academic Performance in MA Law (Conversion)
• Inner Temple Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award
• Inner Temple Major Scholarship
• Inner Temple Exhibition Scholarship
• Winner of the Aqeel H. Noorali Moot Cup
• Winner of the Oxford Bar Society Non-Law Moot
• Winner of the 2 Hare Court Mock Trial
• Various Collections Prizes from Oriel College, University of Oxford

Events

• Crown Office Chambers at The National Pupillage Fair 2024

Blogs

• How Can a Party Enforce a Foreign Arbitration Award in the Courts of England and Wales?

News

• Crown Office Chambers welcomes two new tenants

Qualifications

• BA French and German (First Class), University of Oxford
• MA Law (Conversion) (Distinction), University of Law
• LLM Master of Laws (Distinction), University of Law

Memberships

• Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)
• Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR)
• The Society of Construction Law (SCL)
• Professional Negligence Bar Association (PNBA)
• London Common Law & Commercial Bar Association (LCLCBA)
• Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG)
• Personal Injury Bar Association (PIBA)