Stephen was described in the 2016 Chambers Directory as “one of the top silks at the Personal Injury Bar”.
His work involves very high value catastrophic injury claims principally for insurers
He also has a particular specialism in motor insurance law for which he is considered to be one of the UK’s pre-eminent lawyers.
Stephen has worked for MIB for many years and is now one of their principal advisers on technical insurance issues.
He works for all the major insurance companies and Defendant personal injury firms
He has been a Recorder since 2002 and he is a Bencher of Gray’s Inn
His areas of expertise include
- Severe brain injury
- Quadraplegia and Paraplegia
- Serious psychiatric injury
- Fatal accidents involving high earners
He has specialist knowledge of Periodical Payments and the impact of statutory funding
He also lectures regularly on personal injury issues to solicitors and insurers
Stephen has been involved in a number of cases involving accidents abroad and is regularly instructed by MIB in cases concerning accidents in the EU
Motor insurance is Stephen’s particular speciality. He is the “go to” person in relation to motor indemnity issues for most of the UK motor insurers and is highly experienced in obtaining Road Traffic Act declarations
MA (Cantab) Trinity College, Cambridge (2:1)
Atkin Prize : Gray’s Inn (1976)
Recorder : 2002 – Present
Chairman of the Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council: 2011 – 2015
Director of Bar Mutual: 2005 – 2009
Committee Member of the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association: 2003 – 2005
Personal Injuries Bar Association
Professional Negligence Bar Association
Stephen has been recommended by the legal directories for many years.
Most recently:
Chambers 2016: Band 1 : “His knowledge of MIB cases is first class, he is meticulously prepared and he is very commercially minded”………….”One of the top silks at the PI Bar”
Legal 500: Tier 2: “He has a very considerable intellect and top technical nous”
McCracken v Smith & MIB [2013] EWHC 3620 (QB) – ex turpi causa
Wilkinson v Fitzgerald [2013] 1 WLR 1776 – the construction of section 151 (8) of the Road Traffic Act 1988
Carswell v Secretary of State for Transport & MIB [2010] EWHC 3230 (QB) – the construction of the Untraced Drivers Agreement
Phillips v Rafiq [2007] PIQR P304 – the meaning of “claimant” in the Uninsured Drivers Agreement
Watson v British Boxing Board of Control [2001] QB 1134 – the duty of care owed to a boxer by the regulatory body
Heil v Rankin [2001] QB 272 – the proper method of calculation of general damages for personal injury
Blue Circle v Ministry of Defence [1998] 3 All ER 385 – the calculation of damages resulting from nuclear pollution