Property Damage
Harry has a particular interest in cases concerning white goods and was involved in the Shepherd’s Bush Fire litigation as well as a high profile inquest against Whirlpool arising out of two deaths in 2014. Both these cases were cited in the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee published report entitled The Safety of Electrical Goods in the UK.
Harry’s property damage cases including those involving inter alia fires, floods and explosions. As a recent example Harry acted for a gas network distributor, one of whose pipes had exploded, causing both significant personal injury and property damage. Harry’s client was absolved of all blame and the claim dismissed, following a contested High Court trial. Harry acted alone against a leading silk (and deputy head of chambers) and was victorious on all live issues in dispute.
With his background and reputation in product liability, Harry brings particular expertise in matters brought or defended under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. This also makes him particularly adept at dealing with complex causation cases such as those involving concurrent, competing or cumulative causes.
Selected Cases
As well as those cases mentioned above Harry has acted in the following cases:
- A flood caused by a faulty pressure-reducing valve. This case involved complex questions of causation and issues under the Companies Act 2006.
- A restaurant destroyed by a fire caused by tortiously accumulated grease deposits. This case raised issues concerning the proper scope of the Berni’s Inns principle.
- A fire in a block of flats allegedly caused by a defective DVD player.
- Property damage and consequential losses arising out of defective industrial scale paper.
- A fascinating case in which Harry acts for a professional footballer whose dietary supplement was contaminated, leading him to be banned from professional football.
- A subrogated claim on behalf of an insurer against Apple Incorporated, in relation to an iPad allegedly causing a house fire.
- Harry acted for one of the Defendants in this multi-party action for contractual damages/indemnity arising out of the inadvertent destruction of industrial moulds due to negligence somewhere along the contractual chain.
- Subrogated claim for contractual indemnity after the re-sale of contaminated silage led to multiple cattle deaths upon third party farms.
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
