A market-leading set on the Western Circuit, St John’s Chambers is well regarded for its formidable personal injury offering.”

Chambers UK 2024, Personal Injury

With two KCs and over twenty barristers, we are one of the largest and most established personal injury teams in the South West. Our barristers conduct cases at every level – from the most straightforward cases of trauma to catastrophic or life-changing injuries – ensuring high-quality advice which is clear and practical.

Our barristers regularly act for and advise both claimant and defendant clients, including numerous key insurance companies, on high-value catastrophic injury and fatal accidents claims, from brain and spinal cord injury to mesothelioma.

Our team also understand the importance and implications of an inquest finding on a potential fatal accident claim, and can provide in-depth knowledge and expertise in this field.

We have a strong track record in areas such as occupiers’ liability, RTAs, industrial disease and accident-at-work claims. We have also developed particular expertise in the handling of cases involving allegations of dishonesty and fraud as well as cases involving psychiatric damage, amputations and chronic pain syndromes.

We can provide specialist advice in claims arising out of historical sexual abuse, injury caused by animals, and travel accidents abroad.

We are instructed by a broad range of bodies, from insurance companies to trades unions and local authorities, as well as by individuals both directly and through their solicitors. We are panel or preferred Chambers for several major insurers.

Many of our barristers are members of the Personal Injury Bar Association (PIBA) and are regularly published in print and online.

WINNER - TEAM OF THE YEAROur Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Clerking team won ‘Team of the Year 2023’ by Bristol Law Society.

Our Clerking team enjoy a national reputation for the reliable, helpful and efficient service they provide to clients, always going that extra mile. The  clerks headed up by Adam Marston and Hugh Maguire and their team, Lara Hanney and Jordan Yandell, are consistently praised for their high standard client service in Chambers UK and The Legal 500.

We are committed to providing training to the wider legal and medical communities, and we design and deliver many seminars and workshops; we are always happy to provide bespoke training to meet your team’s individual needs. Please contact the clerks  to discuss our extensive portfolio of workshops and bespoke seminars that we offer clients.

Areas of expertise:

  • Catastrophic injury, including spinal and brain injury, and ensuing payment structures
  • Chronic pain conditions in all their forms including fibromyalgia, chronic widespread pain, chronic pain syndrome, somatic disorders, and complex regional pain syndrome
  • Claims arising out of historical sexual abuse
  • Costs
  • Employers’ liability including stress at work
  • Equine and other animal accidents
  • Fatal accidents
  • Highways claims
  • Industrial disease including NIHL, VWF and asbestosis/mesothelioma
  • Inquests including Article 2 hearings
  • Insurance issues/indemnity
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Occupiers’ and public liability
  • Personal injury fraud
  • Product liability
  • Road traffic accidents
  • Travel – accidents abroad, maritime accidents

Conditional Fee Agreement

Members undertake work on a Conditional Fee basis. Upon acceptance of the instructions, a Conditional Fee Agreement will be drawn up. This agreement incorporates the standard terms agreed between APIL and PIBA which are available here.

Personal Injury Team

Christopher Sharp QC

Christopher Sharp KC

  • Call: 1975
  • Silk: 1999

Christopher is one of the leading personal injury and clinical negligence silks. He acts for both claimants and defendants, and the majority of his work involves multi-million-pound catastrophic brain and spinal injuries cases that very often contain complex...

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Matthew Phillips QC

Matthew Phillips KC

  • Call: 1993
  • Silk: 2017

In the field of personal injury Matthew specialises in asbestos related disease claims and catastrophic head and spinal injuries. In the field of sports law Matthew has extensive experience of personal injury claims and regulatory work involving anti-doping...

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Richard Stead

  • Call: 1979

Richard is one of the leading practitioners on the Western circuit handling claims of catastrophic injury. He is highly regarded for his expertise in a wide array of complex and specialist liability claims including agriculture, animals, trees and...

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Andrew McLaughlin

Andrew McLaughlin

  • Call: 1993

Andrew’s key fields of expertise lie in fundamental dishonesty, brain and spinal injury and alleged chronic pain, employers’ liability for accidents at work and industrial disease, road traffic accidents, bullying and stress at work, sexual abuse, occupier’s and...

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Matthew White

Matthew White

  • Call: 1997

Matthew routinely deals with all aspects of personal injury litigation for both claimants and defendants. He aims for a roughly equal split between claimant and defendant work, taking the view that it makes for a more rounded and...

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Julian Horne

Julian Horne

  • Call: 1998

Julian works in all aspects of personal injury law including employers’ and public liability, industrial disease, road traffic accidents (including fraud work), product liability, fatal accidents including inquests, and costs. He is more commonly instructed by defendants and...

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Justin Valentine

  • Call: 1999

Justin undertakes all aspects of personal injury work acting predominantly for claimants.  He has a particular interest in workplace claims (especially where liability expert evidence is required) and claims involving vulnerable road users (children, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists).  His...

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Rachel Russell

Rachel Russell

  • Call: 2001

Rachel is Head of our Personal Injury team, and has over 20 years’ experience in dealing with personal injury cases, acting for both claimants and defendants with extensive expertise in claims concerning catastrophic injuries of the utmost severity. She...

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Darren Lewis

Darren Lewis

  • Call: 2004

Darren has over 17 years’ experience specialising in personal injury matters, and is a leading junior on civil fraud, fundamental dishonesty, S57 defences as well as committal for contempt of court. He has extensive expertise in strategy, tactics...

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Louise Asprey

Louise Asprey

  • Call: 2007

Louise has many years of experience representing both claimants and defendants in personal injury and clinical negligence matters. She regularly deals with claims arising out of road traffic accidents and is experienced in dealing with claims brought under...

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Patrick West website

Patrick West

  • Call: 2007

Patrick has a national practice, specialises in all areas of personal injury law including: Employers’ liability Occupiers’ and public liability Highways Act cases Holiday claims Road traffic Animals Act Product liability and consumer protection Sport accidents Credit hire...

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Jimmy Barber

  • Call: 2008

Jimmy accepts instructions in all aspects of personal injury law, primarily acting for insurance companies and local authorities and public bodies. He is willing to accept instructions from claimants on a CFA basis in appropriate cases. He is...

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James Marwick

James Marwick

  • Call: 2008

James has been recognised as a leading junior in personal injury work for a number of years. He specialises in high-value claims and undertakes work for claimants and defendants involving serious injury. James accepts instructions in all areas...

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Ben Handy

Ben Handy

  • Call: 2008

Ben is a specialist personal injury barrister widely recognised for his work representing claimants and defendants in serious injury claims. He also spends some of his time sitting as a Crown Court judge, having been appointed to the office of...

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James Hughes

  • Call: 2011

James is a specialist personal injury practitioner. The core of his practice covers: public and employer’s liability; fraud; industrial disease; injuries suffered while abroad; and costs. Examples of his experience of such work can be seen by clicking the links...

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Rachel Segal

Rachel Segal

  • Call: 2013

Rachel advises and represents parties in a range of multi-track RTA, Highways Act, employers’ liability and public liability matters. Her most recent personal injury instructions have included: Advising a 48-year-old pedestrian who suffered internal and orthopaedic injuries, a...

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Sophie Howard

  • Call: 2016

Sophie is a member of the Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, and Inquest teams. She joined Chambers in May 2022 after completing a specialist third six pupillage under the supervision of Jimmy Barber. Having successfully completed a common law...

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Jonathan Lindfield

Jonathan Lindfield

  • Call: 2017

Jonathan specialises all areas of personal injury litigation, including RTAs, occupiers’/public/employers’ liability, Highways Act, defective premises, product liability, claims brought under the Animals Act, and many others. He is regularly involved in claims where there are complex issues...

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Rhodri Jones

Rhodri Jones

  • Call: 2017

Rhodri specialises in clinical negligence, acting for both claimants and defendants. Before retraining as a barrister, Rhodri practiced as a medical doctor for 18 years, principally in A&E and general practice. His wealth of knowledge and clinical experience...

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Lauren Karmel

  • Call: 2017

Lauren is ranked as a leading junior (Tier 2) in The Legal 500 2024 guide. She accepts instructions in all areas of clinical negligence and inquest work, and is developing a strong paper-based practice in all areas of...

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David Forster

  • Call: 2018

David is a specialist Personal Injury barrister who has a balanced practice acting for both Claimants and Defendants. His practice encompasses all aspects of Personal Injury and he is regularly instructed to advise on claims relating to RTAs,...

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Beatrice Baskett

Beatrice Baskett

  • Call: 2021

Beatrice joined our Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence and Inquests teams in October 2023 following the successful completion of her pupillage under the supervision Robert Mills and Benjamin Handy. Beatrice is instructed regularly in fast-track trials, interlocutory applications and...

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Derek O'Sullivan KC

  • Call: 1990
  • Silk: 2006

Derek O’Sullivan KC’s practice concentrates on personal injury and he has significant experience in: catastrophic injury claims, employer’s liability claims, occupier’s liability claims, fatal accident claims and road traffic accidents. Derek is also regularly instructed in health and...

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Anna Symington-114

Anna Symington

  • Call: 2002

Anna acts for both claimants and defendants in most personal injury matters. Her areas of expertise are principally: Catastrophic injuries (with emphasis on amputation claims) CRPS Psychiatric and chronic pain cases Fraudulent and exaggerated claims Employers’ liability issues. Motor...

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Directory Quotes

A market-leading set on the Western Circuit, St John’s Chambers is well regarded for its formidable personal injury offering.”

Chambers UK 2024, Personal Injury

St John’s Chambers is ‘an impressive set with a number of high-quality barristers’, praised by some as ‘the strongest set in the South West for claimant personal injury litigation’.

The Legal 500 2024, Personal Injury

St John’s Chambers has a wide breadth of expertise and experience.’ ‘ They are always able to offer available counsel at the right level on any case.’ “

Legal 500 2023, Personal Injury

The clerks of St John’s are outstanding and deserve a special mention.”

Legal 500 2023, Personal Injury (Client Service)

The clerks are very responsive and friendly.”

Chambers UK 2023, Personal Injury (Client Service)

A market-leading set, well regarded for its formidable personal injury offering. Its barristers regularly act for and advise both claimant and defendant clients, including numerous key insurance companies, in high-value catastrophic and fatal injury claims.”

Chambers UK 2023, Personal Injury

A market-leading set on the Western Circuit, St John’s Chambers is well regarded for its formidable personal injury offering. ‘The quality of advice provided by the barristers is exceptional.’ “

Chambers UK 2022, Personal Injury

The clerking is amazing, and everyone is so accommodating and helpful. Their thoroughness and ability to get straight to the nub of things is so impressive.”

Chambers UK 2022, Personal Injury (Client Service)

St John’s Chambers houses a comprehensive set of barristers in its personal injury team, which is praised by clients for its strength in depth.”

Legal 500 2022, Personal Injury

“A market-leading set on the Western Circuit, St John’s Chambers is well regarded for its formidable personal injury offering.”

Chambers UK 2021, Personal Injury

The clerks are efficient, friendly and take a can-do approach. ‘The clerking service is consistently first rate.’ ‘The clerks are very organised and efficient. I appreciate the speed with which they deal with things.’ ‘They respond quickly and deal with any issues promptly.’ “

Chambers UK 2021, Personal Injury (Client Service)

Client Quotes

“St John’s Chambers is the go-to set in the South West for personal injury. They have invested a lot in building up a strong base of quality juniors and senior juniors who bring London quality advice to the Western Circuit on our doorstep.”

Legal 500 client feedback

Seminars & Events

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