Personal Injury
Harry is recognised in the directories as a leading practitioner, with the Legal 500 describing him in the following terms:
‘His depth of PI knowledge is exceptional and he is especially helpful on quantum.’
He is on the Consulting Editorial Board and “Meet the Experts” panel on LexisNexis for Personal Injury and a chapter contributor to APIL’s personal injury law, practice and precedents.
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.
“General” PI
Harry acts for both Claimants and Defendants across in cases of the utmost value and across all areas of personal injury including workplace accidents, public liability and RTAs.
Harry robustly defends cases both on paper and in court. Recent examples include a case discontinuing after Harry’s strike out application on Duty of Care; winning an Employer’s Liability trial notwithstanding the admitted absence of a risk assessment; and succeeding on both limitation and breach following a 2 day NIHL trial. In a recent multi-track HAVS trial, Harry’s client retained no documents but he nevertheless successfully defended the claim on the issue of medical diagnosis (CTS vs. HAVS) after rigorous cross examination of the Claimant’s expert. Harry recently acted in a highly confidential multi-million pound claim involving the death of a high profile individual.
Personal Injury & Human Rights
Harry is also one of the leading juniors at the Bar when it comes to the crossover between personal injury
and human rights and human trafficking. Arguably the two leading cases on trafficking, Galdikas [2016] EWHC 1376 (QB) and Antuzis [2019] EWHC 843 (QB), are both “his” cases.
In the latter Harry conducted the trial without a leader and secured 100% of the “as pleaded” figures for lost earnings for all eleven claimants.
Harry also acted in another high profile trafficking/forced labour matter (which cannot be named because an anonymity order is in place). Harry drafted all of the pleadings and then, before Mr Justice Jay, successfully obtained a freezing injunction leading to settlement. Harry is at home advising on corporate liability/supply chains.
Harry was also a part of a group of specialist trafficking lawyers which convened and provided written advice to the Lords on the introduction of the Modern Slavery Bill (now Modern Slavery Act 2015).
He is currently instructed in the civil claim arising out of Operation Fort, the largest ever anti-slavery prosecution.
In the field of human rights, Harry was instructed in the case of Kamoka v Security Services (see e.g. [2019] EWHC 290 (QB)). The case concerned Libyans seeking damages for their detention between pending deportation to Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya under the deportation with assurances programme (DWA) and on the basis of documents showing the UK security services were at the time involved in unlawful rendition.
Harry was the sole personal injury practitioner for the Claimants in circumstances where the other side had instructed a number of counsel including a KC. He carried out a similar role, being brought in as the personal injury expert in a human rights context, in the case of alleged rendition/torture case of Ali v MOD & FCO (see e.g. [2019] EWHC 3172 (QB)). He also appeared for the Defendant, News Group Newspapers, in a team of counsel in the matter of Various Claimants v News Group Newspapers Ltd EWHC 2692 (Ch) an authority in this context dealing with the interplay between admissions and disclosure, as well as aggravated damages. Mutua v FCO (the “Mau Mau” litigation”) and Guerrero v Montericco &
Another (the “Peruvian Miners” litigation) are two further cases in which he was instructed. Many of these cases also have an international element, with which Harry is familiar.
Jurisdiction, Travel and International Law (including Jersey)
Harry is familiar with the Brussels Recast regulations and has advised on issues of jurisdiction, choice of law or forum involving numerous European countries i.e. Spain, Holland and Germany. Many of his cases also involve foreign manufacturers, clients or other corporations such as those based in USA, China or Denmark. On more than one occasion, Harry has acted in cases abroad.
Harry acts in a number of personal injury cases instructed by Jersey-based solicitors, and has advised on matters of Jersey law. For example one of his current catastrophic injury cases is approaching trial and involves contested issues on the interplay between cost of living and general damages as well as the cost of investment advice in Jersey (instructed by Stewarts, led by David Platt KC).
He has also been involved in numerous Human Rights cases with an international element, some of which involved the application of foreign law. In 2011 Harry successfully took a case on the interplay between personal injury and state immunity to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (Nigeria v Ogbonna [2012] 1 W.L.R. 139).
Harry also has experience of acting in domestic ‘travel/holiday’ cases, where he brings to bear his expertise in personal injury.
He is a member of the Pan European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers (PEOPIL) and the British Institute of International Comparative Law (BIICL).
Selected Cases
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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
