Rachel has an unrivalled attention to detail, excellent response times, and is a thoughtful and concise advocate.’

The Legal 500 2024, Personal Injury

Rachel is a personal injury barrister frequently instructed to advise and represent claimants and defendants in public liability matters arising from accidents on the highways and on public and private premises.  She is instructed at all stages of litigation (including in conference, case and costs management, interim application hearings and trials).

Recent work includes:

  • Advising on liability and causation in a claim involving a large DIY chain and a claimant injured in an explosion
  • Advising on quantum and settlement strategy and drafting pleadings in claims involving a child injured on defective playground equipment and another injured while tripping in a public park.
  • Advising on liability and causation where a runner was injured by unsecured hoardings outside a public house.
  • Advising on liability, causation and quantum and drafting pleadings in a case involving a slipping incident and multiple fractures in a claimant with complex co-morbidities.
  • Advising and drafting pleadings for an individual injured in a tripping incident on a large construction site.
  • Advising a child injured in a tripping incident at a holiday park.
  • Advising a County Council on a claim involving a road traffic collision at a public park.

Directory Quotes

She has impeccable attention to detail, and is able to give quick and firm advice on difficult questions.”

The Legal 500 2023, Personal Injury
  • Qualifications & awards:

    • BPTC (Nottingham Law School) – very competent (top in year in commercial litigation and employment litigation)
    • Grad LLB (Nottingham Law School) – first class
    • GDL (University of Plymouth) – distinction
    • PhD (Newcastle University)
    • PGCertHE (Open University)
    • MA by research (University of Leeds)
    • BA (Hons) in Music with English Literature (University of Leeds)
  • Professional memberships:

    • Personal Injury Bar Association
    • Employment Law Bar Association
    • Women Lawyers’ Division
    • Member of the Western Circuit
    • Member of the Western Circuit’s Women’s Forum
  • Additional information:

    Before training for the Bar, Rachel was a full-time academic for many years, lecturing in musicology and specialising in Golden Era Hollywood film scoring and latterly working in Higher Education Policy Research. She is a recognised expert on the composer Franz Waxman (a particular focus of her PhD) on whom she has contributed a range of publications, including a Composer of the Week series for BBC Radio 3. She was until recently a professional classical cellist and singer.

  • Rachel Segal is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please read here.