Question 1

Paul Rumley - Chair

Accepted Answer

Paul is the lead partner for business development in RWK Goodman's clinical negligence department. He has been a clinical negligence specialist for over 23 years and is a longstanding member of the Law Society’s clinical negligence panel. Paul has been a member of SCIL’s Public Affairs Group, and so helping with the work upon FRC, since 2016, a member of the executive committee since 2018 and has been Chairman of SCIL since 2020.   Paul was awarded the Bristol Law Society’s outstanding achievement award for his work on fighting the Legal Aid cuts and was also shortlisted for Private Practice Solicitor of the Year by the national Law Society for the same work. Paul deals with high-value clinical negligence claims of the utmost complexity, and his top-ranking legal directory entries confirm: 
"He is absolutely stupendous and at the top of his game." "His attention to detail is legendary. He's an extremely impressive advocate for his clients." (Chambers 2022)   "Highly intelligent, passionate for his clients and the master of all detail’." (Legal 500 2019).

Question 2

Sharon Allison - Vice Chair

Accepted Answer

Sharon Allison is Head of Medical Injury at Ashtons Legal and has extensive experience in all claims arising from medical injury events but specialises in catastrophic birth injury, brain injury and spinal injury claims. 
Sharon is a Fellow of APIL and a panel member of AvMA.  
Sharon spent a significant part of her early career building expertise in inquest representation, which is now a large part of her team's medical practice. She developed particular expertise in mental health and patient safety.   She still spends time with national/regional stakeholders to collaboratively work together on streamlining the litigation process and putting grieving families at the heart of the process.

Question 3

Rankeshwar Batta - Treasurer

Accepted Answer

Rankeshwar Batta, Head of Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury at Anthony Collins, specialises in complex claims which usually have a catastrophic injury element. 
He is recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners UK directories and is described as an “elite” lawyer. 
He has been involved in extremely high-value complex claims which have resulted in multi-million-pound settlements or awards ranging from brain/spinal injury to orthopaedic injuries.   He has been involved in cases that have proceeded to the Court of Appeal and therefore tested legal principles and applications. 
He is on the Law Society Personal Injury Panel, the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and the AvMA Clinical Negligence Panel.

Question 4

Louise Tyler - Secretary

Accepted Answer

Louise is the Head of the Clinical Negligence Team and has specialised in this area of law for over 25 years.   She is a member of both the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and the AvMA (Action Against Medical Accidents) Panel and has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Society of Clinical Injury Lawyers (SCIL). Her membership of the specialist panels recognises her experience and confirms her expertise in representing clients with clinical negligence claims. ​ Louise’s team deal with all clinical negligence claims from low to extremely high value. Wilson Browne has a legal aid franchise to undertake birth injury claims. ​ As a specialist in clinical negligence, Louise has represented many children and young adults with birth injury claims, where she has recovered significant amounts of compensation, which will assist them and their families in securing appropriate support for the rest of their lives. ​ Louise also has significant experience representing clients at Inquests and one high profile case, was when she represented the family of Jack Adcock deceased in Leicester.   Louise is passionate about her work and strives to get the best outcome possible for her clients.

Question 5

Alan Mendham

Accepted Answer

Alan Mendham has been a member of SCIL’s Public Affairs Group since 2015 and joined the SCIL Executive since 2016. He has represented SCIL in meetings with Government and officials from the Department of Health and NHS Resolution, as well as representing SCIL in the Civil Justice Council’s working party on fixed recoverable costs.  Alan is a solicitor and has specialised in medical negligence since 2004. He undertook his training contract at Pattinson and Brewer, later joining Gadsby Wicks, where he is now a Partner. Alan has worked on high-profile and complex cases, including birth injury, surgical errors and claims involving misdiagnosis.  By combining his extensive knowledge in law and medicine, Alan has unfaltering commitment to improving the lives of those whose worlds have been turned upside down by medical negligence.

Question 6

Natalie Cosgrove - Media

Accepted Answer

Natalie is a Director at Switalskis in Yorkshire. Natalie specialises in birth injury cases and was involved in the landmark cases: Manna v Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, JR v. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Natalie is known for her work in baby loss and her work with the baby loss community.
  As a professional dedicated to supporting local causes, Natalie commits much of her spare time to work with a range of South Yorkshire-based charities and not-for-profit organisations. Current voluntary roles include Chair of Trustees for Sheffield Mencap and Gateway, and committee member of the Access to Justice Foundation, Yorkshire. She is also the President of the Yorkshire Union of Law Societies.
  She is recommended in the Legal 500, "Associate Natalie Cosgrove is phenomenal. A force of nature. I have encountered few people who can litigate a case as well as she can. Her clients absolutely love her. She has a real dedication to making life better for people with disabilities. I have never met anyone who worked so hard to understand the types of problems faced by people with disabilities. Most lawyers see their role as being to value a claim and organise the evidence. Natalie sets out to gain a better understanding of her client's life and apply that to the legal problems that they face. If everybody did this the legal profession would be better for it."

Question 7

Joseph Norton

Accepted Answer

Joseph qualified in 2010 and specialises in Clinical Negligence. He deals with a wide range of cases, including claims involving birthing injuries, delays in diagnosis and incorrect treatment. He has also dealt with claims involving group litigation, playing a role in group actions against the former Breast Surgeon Mr Ian Paterson and in respect of the use of surgical mesh in the repair of prolapses. Outside of work, Joseph likes spending time with his family and friends, reading, and going to the gym.

Question 8

Lisa Jordon

Accepted Answer

Lisa is Regional Managing Partner for Birmingham and Head of the National Medical Negligence team at Irwin Mitchell LLP which is the largest team of specialist medical lawyers in the country.  She is based at IM’s Birmingham office. 
She is a member of SCIL, a Law Society Clinical Negligence panel member and specialises in birth injury cases with 24 years of experience working as a Claimant Clinical Negligence lawyer.

Question 9

Matthew Olner

Accepted Answer

Matthew joined Nelsons in 2000 and qualified as a solicitor in 2007. His areas of expertise include medical negligence claims (all types) and medical inquests. ​ Matthew has nursing experience in most areas of acute hospital care and is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme and the Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel.

Question 10

Jodi Newton

Accepted Answer

Jodi Newton qualified in 2001 and is an Associate in the Clinical Negligence Department at Osbornes Law. She specialises in birth injury, brain injury, misdiagnosis, and inquests.    Jodi is a panel member of AvMA and is accredited under the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence scheme.
  Jodi is dedicated to supporting campaigns for improvements to maternity services and for parity in access to healthcare services for adults with Cerebral Palsy. ​ Jodi was recognised in the Legal 500 2021 and in Chambers 2021 as an “Associate to Watch” and recommended for "Her persistence, perspicacity, determination and efficiency are simply outstanding, as are her legal, analytical and negotiating skills."

Question 11

Emma Wray

Accepted Answer

Emma Wray, partner in the Clinical Negligence team at Hodge Jones and Allen, is a former nurse who specialised in coronary/intensive care. After completing a law degree and masters in Medical Law and Ethics she qualified as a solicitor in 2009.   Emma works exclusively in clinical negligence and has experience in all areas of this speciality, including high-value complex catastrophic brain and spinal injury. She is committed to providing access to justice and is equally dedicated to her clients with more modest claims which are often just as complex to investigate.   She is on the Law Society clinical negligence panel and has been a member of SCIL since its inauguration, and has followed and supported its work closely.