Clinical Negligence
Harry acts for Claimants, the NHSR and the medical defence organisations. He has a heavyweight clinical negligence practice encompassing claims in, inter alia, the fields of neurosurgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, orthopaedics and cardiology.
He has experience of complex areas of clinical negligence such as birth cases/Erb’s Palsy, areas which require a considerable degree of sub-specialism.
Harry prides himself on a sophisticated understanding of paediatric issues and has done a number of such cases. For example, he was junior counsel in Glassenbury v Short, a highly complex case of perinatal hypoxia materially contributing to postnatal periventricular leucomalacia (led by Robin Oppenheim KC). Similarly K was a multi-million pound cerebral palsy claim involving complex issues over care/accommodation (led by Robin Oppenheim KC).
In 2022, Harry was asked by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to provide inquest training to NHS doctors.
He is often instructed on his own against a silk and in high value or complex clinical negligence litigation such as those listed below.
Amputations and other Serious/Catastrophic PI
Harry has particular interest and expertise in amputation cases and is familiar with the highly specialised issues to which such claims give rise. This is a practical, fast-moving sub-speciality of PI area where having the right counsel can make all the difference. Harry combines knowledge of the latest prosthetics, with a “problem solving” attitude and a rigorous legal analysis.
By way of example, in the case of M Harry acted for the Claimant in a case involving 7 expert disciplines, which settled minutes before Harry’s opening speech, when the Defendant accepted his old Part 36 offer. Harry had conduct throughout, had attended two RTMs, rejecting two high offers before the Defendant eventually “blinked first”.
Harry has acted in upper limb and lower limb cases, acting for both claimants and defendants.
Harry also has considerable experience of serious/catastrophic PI. He prides himself on fusing attention to detail, which is often the key in such cases, with a user-friendly presentation. He takes pride in producing detailed, persuasive Schedules and Counter Schedules
One such case settled following novel arguments on the nature if general damages in Jersey and the cost of investment advice (instructed by Stewarts, led by David Platt KC).
Harry has conducted conferences with leading figures in the world of serious/catastrophic PI i.e. Chris Daykin and Victoria Wass.
Selected Cases
- F: Conducting a 4 day trial in an oncological case against a leading KC. The trial judge remarked that the parties were represented by “one silk, and one potential silk”.
- J: Harry acted as sole counsel against a KC in this case involving an alleged failure to diagnose a stroke, pleased at c. £5M.
- W: Harry acts alone against a silk in this liability and quantum matter against a “band 1” silk and “star individual”
- R: Harry acts as sole counsel against a KC in this quantum-only matter pleaded at around £4M.
- L: This case concerns the failure of a state-of-the-art “custom” knee replacement. Harry acted for one of the foremost knee surgeons in custom knee implants in the country. It is a good example of the interaction between his product liability practice and clinical negligence practice. After drafting a robust and technical 35 page defence, all allegations relating to surgical technique were promptly withdrawn.
- R: Acting for the NHS without a leader, Harry settled this highly complex paediatric claim with a full pleaded value of circa £5M.
- A: Case discontinued “at the door of court” following a robust defence and probing RFI.
Articles
News
Qualifications
- MA, Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge
- LLB, College of Law, Bloomsbury
Memberships
- Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers
Recommendations
“Harry is a first-rate and eloquent barrister with a fine mind.”… “He thinks quickly on his feet and is able to understand and break down even the most complex of cases.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Harry is a very intelligent and engaging barrister, able to familiarise himself with complex issues of fact and law at speed and produce a very high standard of written advocacy and pleadings. Harry also has good client care skills.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Good attention to detail and excellent advocacy – he is persuasive, tough, and gets his points across firmly.”
Legal 500, 2024
“Harry provides timely and detailed advice that is always well thought-through.”
Legal 500, 2024
“He is extremely sharp and tactical.”
Chambers & Partners, 2022
“An excellent barrister. Harry is able to rapidly identify the key issues in complex cases. He is also a highly effective cross-examiner.”
Legal 500, 2022
“Very bright and capable of presenting and dealing with the most complicated issues and cases.”
Legal 500, 2021
“Very hard-working, reliable and efficient. He’s passionate and completes work enthusiastically and to a very high standard.”; “He’s very diligent and a very good advocate.”
Chambers & Partners, 2021
“Impresses with his intelligence, enthusiasm, diligence and manner.”
Legal 500, 2021
“He has been excellent in a number of cases. His drive and general enthusiasm is infectious.”
Chambers & Partners, 2020
“Harry fights his corner hard.” “He is at his best when handling cases with complex and novel legal issues.”
Chambers & Partners, 2018
“His depth of PI knowledge is exceptional and he is especially helpful on quantum… A thorough, hard-working barrister”
Legal 500, 2018
