Our speakers will focus on the female experience, from the impact of gender on psychiatric injury to pregnancy and maternity discrimination.
Medical Devices: a system that fails women
Aliyah Akram and Cressida Mawdesley-Thomas will be joined by Sonia Macleod, senior researcher on the Cumberlege review. They will be discussing systemic failures to regulate medical devices for women and routes of redress.
Aliyah Akram
Aliyah Akram is acknowledged as a leading junior in personal injury and industrial disease litigation. She is renowned for her expertise and experience in group litigation in all of the core areas in which she practices. Many of her cases have an international aspect and give rise to both jurisdictional issues and conflicts of laws.
Aliyah is a robust and persuasive trial advocate. She prides herself on working closely as a team with instructing solicitors, not just in group litigation, but in every case in which she is involved. Her focus is always on maximising the client’s prospects of success. She is able to cut through the background noise and gets straight to the issues.
She is a contributing author of Asbestos: Law & Litigation (Sweet & Maxwell, 2nd edition, 2022).
She is ranked by the legal directories as a leading junior in Personal Injury, Industrial Disease and Travel: International Personal Injury.
View full profileCressida Mawdesley-Thomas
Cressida specialises in all aspects of Personal Injury law. She has a thorough and collaborative approach and is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Rising Star who “has already amassed an extremely impressive caseload, far beyond that of many barristers much more senior”.
In disease litigation Cressida acts for Claimants suffering from mesothelioma, lung cancer, diffuse pleural thickening and asbestosis. She is also experienced in VWF/ HAVS claims. She regularly appears in the Masters’ corridor and is well versed in limitation arguments and complex issues of causation. As second junior in Mather v MOD she helped obtain a settlement of over £3 million for a former RAF painter & finisher who developed MS following exposure to organic solvents in breach of the COSHH Regulations.
Cressida has particular interest in equine claims brought under The Animals Act 1971. She is currently junior counsel in a high value, complex CRPS claim following a military riding accident. Cressida is adept at drafting schedules of loss in cases involving the loss of a military career.
In clinical negligence Cressida has experience in a range of different cases, including delayed diagnosis, as well as unnecessary and negligent surgery. This compliments her coronial practice where she is instructed in inquests involving multiple expert jurisdictions. She successfully obtained a regulation 28 prevention of future death report in a case arising out of the police’s treatment of head injuries and questioned experts in pathology, neuropathology, and toxicology.
Cressida is adept at handling complex motor insurance indemnity points. She successfully acted as Junior Counsel for the Second Defendant in Covea Insurance Plc v Greenaway [2021] 3 WLUK 379, considering the meaning of the ‘stolen or unlawfully taken’ exception under s. 151 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Greenaway was the first case to practically consider how the domestic court is to interpret retained EU law under section 6(3) of the EU Withdrawal Act 2018. Unled she successfully acted for the Second Defendant in Kelec v (1) Kotwal (2) Nelson Insurance (HHJ Dight CBE, central London County Court, 18 August 2022). The case concerned the limits of a direct action under The European Communities (Rights against Insurers) Regulations 2002 (‘the 2002 Regulations’).
Cressida acts and advises in costs litigation, including detailed assessment hearings, where she is an effective advocate. She co-edits 12 King’s Bench Walk’s Costs blog with Deputy Costs Judge Andrew Roy.
Prior to coming to the Bar Cressida worked at a top American investment bank. She is highly numerate and drafts living and fatal schedules of loss beyond her year of call.
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Surrogacy, fertility and the future of XX v Whittington
A short webinar dealing with the practical ramifications of the judgement in XX v Whittington Hospital NHS Trust [2020] UKSC 14, including the ratio, surrogacy pleadings, evidence, general damages and how the law may have changed.
Emily Read
Emily focuses on civil litigation involving damage to people and to property as well as proprietary interests, insurance, recovery and costs.
Emily has a diverse professional and legal background; her first degree was an MA in Economics. Emily worked for a property developer, then one of the leading global insurance and risk legal specialists doing professional negligence work involving property investment fraud as well as working for one of the largest global insurance companies, also dealing with professional risks at a senior level.
During her second six Emily did a mix of criminal and civil work, prosecuting and defending at both magistrates and crown court level and this provided her with not only the knowledge to deal with criminal aspects of the law, but also an excellent ability to quickly read and digest large quantities of paperwork with an eye for relevant detail, something she is regularly praised for by clients and Judges.
View full profileVanessa Cashman
Vanessa specialises in clinical negligence. She acts predominantly for claimants and her practice encompasses a huge range of medical specialties. She has particular expertise in birth and obstetric injuries, spinal injury and brain injury.
Vanessa is ranked for clinical negligence in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. She is known for her warmth and sensitivity and her extensive medical knowledge.
She also has considerable experience in personal injury, inquests and costs.
View full profileCharley Turton
Charley specialises in clinical negligence, abuse, and injury claims with an international element.
Her broader personal injury practice encompasses interests in sports law, motor insurance and military claims. She is also keen to grow her practise in inquests and inquiries.
Charley has been led by William Audland KC, Harry Steinberg KC, Patrick Vincent KC and Andrew Roy KC of 12KBW and regularly does work for other members of chambers in high value cases.
In addition to a busy paperwork practice, Charley is regularly in court for trials, PTRs, CCMCs, interim applications and approval hearings.
As a member of Advocate (formerly the Bar Pro Bono Unit), Charley is willing to act in a pro bono capacity, where appropriate.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Charley studied English Literature at Merton College, Oxford, and was awarded a Blue for football.
When she is not in chambers Charley plays for Camden Town Football Club and is a loyal participant in the annual Blenheim Palace Triathlon.
Charley is clerked by George Boggis (boggis@12kbw.co.uk) and Daniella Evans (evans@12kbw.co.uk).
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Women and Asbestos
Kate Boakes and Megan Griffiths are joined by Dr Stephanie Ejegi-Memeh, to discuss the GEMS study and features of asbestos litigation that more commonly involves female claimants.
Megan Griffiths
Megan specialises in claims for psychiatric injury arising from abuse, personal injury more widely and clinical negligence. She is happy to consider instructions on a CFA or publicly funded basis where appropriate.
Megan’s abuse practice sees her regularly advising on limitation, liability, causation and quantum in six figure claims for psychiatric injuries and consequential losses. She appreciates the sensitivities involved in this work and always reflects that in her approach. In recent months she has worked on claims arising from abuse within the cadets, healthcare settings, the workplace and at home. She takes instructions in claims involving both adult and child survivors and both institution and abuser-in-person defendants.
Megan’s wider personal injury practice includes claims arising from road traffic accidents, highways claims, public liability claims and employer’s liability claims. Her busy court practice, which sees her in court most weeks, informs her approach to her written and advisory work in this area including on allegations of fraud where appropriate. She also advises on tactical and procedural issues including offers and costs. She recently completed a short secondment with a defendant insurer city law firm which included work on written HSE submissions.
In her clinical negligence practice Megan works on a wide variety of cases. Recent subjects include ophthalmic treatment, negligent management of medication leading to hospitalisation and delayed diagnoses. She is particularly keen to build her practice in women’s health and apply her experience in traumatic and sensitive cases to this area.
Megan is also instructed to assist leading counsel in high value claims and group actions. She has recently assisted in an amputation and brain injury claim which settled for millions and a group action arising from gender-based discrimination sexual harassment in the workplace, contrary to workers’ human rights.
She has been praised by her instructing solicitors for her communicative and thorough approach to case preparation in both her court work and paper practice.
Megan is a member of the Government’s Junior Juniors Scheme and of the Metropolitan Police Panel of Counsel. She regularly contributes to chambers’ various blogs and has been published by AvMA, Law in Sport and LexisPSL.
Before joining chambers Megan worked as a paralegal in a London law firm’s clinical negligence department. She therefore appreciates the importance of working closely with solicitors to achieve the best results for commercial and lay clients.
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Women and Employment Law
A look at Equal pay and secrecy clauses, pregnancy, maternity and family leave claims.
Martina Murphy
Martina Murphy specialises in complex employment litigation, including whistleblowing and discrimination. She also has cross-over expertise in Professional Discipline. She regularly appears unled in the appellate courts including the EAT and the Court of Appeal; often instructed directly on appeals without having appeared below. Martina has been appointed as a member of the editorial board of Harvey (lead practitioner text). She is Chair of the Employment Law Bar Association.
Martina is recognised as a Leading Junior in both Employment and Professional Discipline & Regulatory law. She has been described by the directories in the following terms:
“Martina’s advocacy is excellent, as is her ability to relate to clients and really understand their aims.’ (Legal 500, 2023).
“Martina is quick to grasp complex legal and factual issues. She is client-focused, practical and technically excellent” (Chambers, 2023).
“The quality of her written work and advocacy is impressive, she is unflappable.” (Chambers, 2022).
She “possesses expertise in whistle-blowing matters, including those arising in the medical profession.” (Chambers, 2021).
“Technically excellent, well prepared, detailed, and great with clients. She inspires confidence in clients with clear pragmatic advice. She is also liked by employment judges because she moves the hearing along, especially in cross-examination.” (Legal 500, 2021).
“Successfully defended the respondent in Khan v The WKCIC Group, against all claims of unfair dismissal, unauthorised deduction from wages, victimisation and discrimination because of sex, race, disability, age and religion.” (Chambers, 2021).
View full profileLaura Robinson
Laura Robinson is an employment specialist who represents large corporations, SME’s, public and government bodies, local authorities and private individuals. Laura can advise on all aspects of employment law, but has a strong reputation in discrimination, whistleblowing, unfair dismissal, TUPE and breach of contract claims. Laura appears in Tribunals and Courts at all levels. Laura is a member of the Attorney General's A Panel of Counsel.
"Laura is extremely well prepared and completely on top of her papers on any given case. She explains matters clearly to lay clients and puts witnesses at their ease in conferences. She is an excellent advocate, arguing her case persuasively and exercising really good judgement in terms of the points to take in cross-examination. She gets to the nub of the issues and reads tribunals well." - Legal 500, 2023
View full profileHollie Patterson
Hollie’s principal areas of practice are employment and discrimination. She has been instructed in various high value, high profile and complex trials, and is in demand not only for her ability to obtain excellent outcomes, but also for her approachable and reassuring manner with clients.
Hollie is also an experienced CEDR accredited mediator. The focus of her mediation practice is employment and workplace disputes.
Hollie acts for both employers and employees. She has worked with a range of clients from national corporations and NHS trusts to small businesses and private individuals. She has specialist experience in claims involving public sector organisations and is well aware of the challenges, both legal and practical, such claims pose.
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