Speaker biographies 6 November 2012

Transcription

1 Michael Barraclough, Senior Risk Manager, QBE Mike joined QBE in 1998 as a Claims Inspector before joining the Risk Management team in He has over 25 year s insurance industry experience. Mike holds the Nebosh National Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health, is a Graduate Member of IOSH and a Member of International Institute of Risk & Safety Management. Stephen Campbell, Barrister, No5 Chambers Stephen undertakes work in the areas of personal injury and clinical negligence for both claimants and defendants. Recent experience includes cases of brain damage; paralysis; limb amputation and industrial disease; obstetric accidents and claims against the manufacturers of benzodiazepine drugs and their prescribing doctors. Stephen also has substantial experience in commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution including contractual disputes; sale of goods; restraint of trade; civil fraud construction and professional negligence. In Chambers UK Guide 2008 Stephen is described as someone you can trust completely. He stands out for many as one of this sets leading juniors. Richard Clarke, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Leeds Richard specialises in defending high value or serious injury claims in addition to advising clients in respect of HSE, police and local authority investigations and prosecutions. He also provides representation at coroner s inquests. He leads a team of lawyers dedicated to handling employers and public liability claims for insurers and insureds. He has wide ranging advocacy experience gained over many years from acting in the Magistrates Court during the earlier part of his career and which has proved highly relevant for his health and safety practice. Notable cases include the Court of Appeal decision in John Lough v Intruder Detection and Surveillance Fire and Security Ltd and Fulton [2008] EWCA Civ 1009, which provided confirmation that a duty of care is not extinguished simply because it can be demonstrated that another party also owes a duty of care. Current cases include handling regulatory litigation and civil claims arising in relation to several incidents involving workplace fatalities and serious traumatic injuries, with close involvement by Richard in respect of HSE investigations and PACE interviews. Mock Trial Bios_FINAL Page 1 of 5

2 Martin Devaney, RMS Practice Leader- Liability, QBE Martin joined QBE in 2012 and has over 20 years experience in the risk management and insurance arena. Martin started his career in Local Government where he was a Risk and Insurance Manager for a number of large Public Entities. He has also worked as a risk consultant for a global risk and insurance consultancy and more recently as a senior risk manager for an international insurance company. Martin holds a first class honours and Masters degree in safety, health and environment risk management and a Masters Degree in Law. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Risk Management, a Chartered Member of the Institution of Safety and Health and a Member of the Business Continuity Institute. Martin specialises in claims defensibility and helping businesses reduce their overall cost of risk. David Evans, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Liverpool David is the senior partner and head of personal injury in BLM s Liverpool office. Together with Matthew Harrington he is responsible for BLM s relationship with QBE. He qualified in October 1981 and has been with BLM since January During that time he sat as a deputy district judge for a number of years. He has over 30 years experience, and defends high value personal injury claims involving brain and spinal injury, fatalities, bullying, chemical poisoning and stress on behalf of insurers, corporate businesses and public sector clients. Recent work includes handling multi-million pound injury claims involving head injuries suffered by railway workers after collisions with trains, a nightclub customer rendered tetraplegic after an assault by another customer and an airline crew staff member who allegedly suffered brain damage in an in-flight accident. David is regularly instructed to defend large corporate policyholders in respect of regulatory investigations and prosecutions, including attendance at coroner s inquests. He also has a strong interest in defending fraudulent claims and is currently taking contempt of court proceedings to trial against a claimant who was found to have been claiming a level of disability at odds with video surveillance evidence. Clare Garnett, Associate, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Southampton Clare joined BLM Southampton in March 2009 having previously worked for six years in private practice in the home counties. Clare was made an associate in April She has a mixture of high value EL and PL cases and particularly specialises in equestrian matters involving riding schools, racing stables and livery yards. She has successfully defended many Animals Act claims and has recently been part of a team delivering specific Animals Act and dog bite training to QBE Leeds. Mock Trial Bios_FINAL Page 2 of 5

3 Matthew Harrington, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Bristol and Cardiff Matthew is the senior partner of BLM's Cardiff and Bristol offices. He was the head of litigation at local Cardiff firm Cartwright Black for several years before joining and setting up BLM Cardiff in November Matthew has more than 20 years experience acting on behalf of clients in the manufacturing sector upon a range of issues including high value trauma cases, occupational disease and health and safety. He has been consulted by clients in connection with crisis management policies and has assisted and advised in relation to a number of investigations concerning serious work-related accidents. Matthew regularly handles fatal accident cases on behalf of clients and the defence of health and safety prosecutions. James Harvey, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Birmingham James joined the BLM Birmingham office in 1999 and was made a partner in He works for a range of insurance and corporate risk clients handling a variety of mutitracker EL, PL and RTA claims. James works with a number of leisure, retail, manufacturing and engineering corporate risk clients. His cases range from significant orthopaedic injuries, brain injuries and chronic pain. James is a member of BLM's leisure and retail groups. James had conduct of Farrell & Short v Birmingham City Council in the Court of Appeal. Arion Jones, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Leeds Arion joined the BLM Leeds office in 2003 and was made partner in He specialises in handling employers and public liability claims including large loss and fatal accidents. His case history includes handling claims for most business sectors, but he has particular experience in dealing with claims arising from the engineering, construction, manufacturing, mining and leisure industries. Mock Trial Bios_FINAL Page 3 of 5

4 Chris Wiggin, Partner, Berrymans Lace Mawer, Birmingham Chris is the senior partner of BLM's Birmingham office and specialises in handling claims of the utmost severity including EL, PL and product liability claims. He acts for a variety of insurance and corporate clients in relation to health and safety matters. He has acted for insurers in claims involving catastrophic injury and mass destruction caused by fire damage. He also regularly defends fraudulent claims. He works closely with brokers in developing claims solutions for large corporate clients and uses his in-depth knowledge of liability issues and the regulatory framework to review a client s health and safety regimes with a focus on preventing accidents and potential regulatory enforcement action. Henry Pitchers, Barrister, No5 Chambers Henry joined Chambers in January 2003, having previously practised for six years in the Chambers of Benet Hytner QC, 22 Old Buildings, Lincoln's Inn. Much of Henry's work is now of substantial value, in which he acts from the earliest stages, through to round table meetings and trial. He is currently acting for the lead Claimants in the ongoing Linkwise group litigation, which arises from the dermatological injuries of thousands of claimants exposed to leather furniture contaminated by the mould inhibitor, DMF. His practice covers all areas of personal injury work including: employers liability (accidents at work, industrial disease and stress claims) fatal accidents (claims on behalf of the estate and dependants) injuries of the utmost severity criminal injuries proceedings in the Coroner's Court product liability and consumer protection road traffic accidents claims involving allegations of fraud (such as staged accidents, bogus vehicular passenger claims and low velocity impact arguments) public liability (including tripping and slipping claims, highways claims and occupiers' liability) Henry is also instructed in solicitor's negligence matters, particularly those arising out of personal injury claims. Henry is a contributing editor to Butterworths Personal Injury Litigation Service. Mock Trial Bios_FINAL Page 4 of 5

5 Robert Smallwood, Barrister, No5 Chambers Robert practices exclusively in the fields of Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence, acting for Claimants and Defendants on an approximate equal basis. Robert s caseload over the past 12 months has included: Fraud; Accidents in the workplace; Industrial disease and noise claims; Serious brain injury; Injuries of the utmost severity; Limb paralysis; Limb amputation; Fatal Accident claims with complex dependency issues; Cases involving complex quantum issues and/or the need for forensic accountancy evidence; Cases involving loss of chance; Clinical Negligence; Work related upper limb disorders; Sports Law; Road traffic accidents Serious injury claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and Criminal Injuries Compensation Board Appeals Panel. Robert also lectures to solicitors and insurance clients on all aspects of personal injury litigation and recent developments. Recent lectures include: Agency workers Vicarious Liability Limitation 6th Edition Ogden Tables Maximising and minimising damages CRR and legal updates Industrial deafness Holiday Claims. Melanie Sturgeon, Risk Manager, QBE Melanie joined QBE in 2006 bringing over 5 years of management and health and safety consultancy experience, predominantly in the facility management and construction sectors. Melanie holds the Nebosh National Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health, is a Graduate Member of IOSH and a Member of the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management. Mock Trial Bios_FINAL Page 5 of 5