Personal Injury and Inquests
Sophie’s personal injury practice spans RTAs, Employers’ Liability and Public Liability claims. She is often instructed in claims where fraud and/or fundamental dishonesty is in issue. Sophie’s recent work includes:
- Successfully defending the owner of a children’s play area in an Occupiers Liability Act case.
- Setting aside judgment in default and resisting a costs order in a case brought by a claimant who had alleged an injury against her employer.
- Representing a well known hotel after a visitor sustained bed bug bites.
- Representing a school in relation to a teacher bringing a Covid-19 related claim against her employer.
- Advising and drafting defences for local authorities in claims arising from alleged hazards on the road or pavement.
- Successfully representing a school in relation to a claim brought by an employee who sustained an injury in the workplace.
Sophie benefits from pupillage seats with Jack Macaulay, David Myhill and Helen Pagett. For example, she assisted Jack Macaulay as a pupil with Compton v TDR Groundworks and others: a 4 day trial in a HAVS case securing a finding of fundamental dishonesty.
Whilst working as a judicial assistant Sophie worked on Paramount Shopfitting Company Ltd v Rix [2021] EWCA Civ 1172, a mesothelioma claim which assessed a widow’s dependency where the deceased had built up a substantial family business.
Inquests
Sophie acted as sole counsel in a three-week jury inquest. The inquest concerned the death of a 24-year old man on the same day he was released from police custody. Sophie acted for a healthcare professional. At the conclusion of the inquest the Coroner ruled that it would not be safe for the jury to find that the acts or omissions of police officers or healthcare professionals had probably caused or contributed to the death and withdrew the issue from the jury. The healthcare professional was not criticised during the inquest and no Regulation 28 report was issued. The case received national press coverage:
Sophie has also acted for care homes in relation to the deaths of residents.
Selected Cases
View full profile »News
- Sophie Ashford appointed to the Sports Resolutions’ Pro Bono Service
- Crown Office Chambers welcomes three new tenants
Qualifications
- BA in History – First Class, Jesus College, University of Cambridge
- GDL (Distinction), LPC (Distinction) and Bar Transfer Test, BPP University
Memberships
- COMBAR
- TECBAR
- LCLCBA
- Sport Resolutions Pro Bono Service
