Our team
David is one of the founding partners of Barratt Goff & Tomlinson.
I am David Tomlinson, one of the founding partners of Barratts Solicitors.
I have been handling personal injury claims for over 30 years, particularly those claims involving very serious injuries including spinal cord injury, brain injury and amputations. I am a Fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and am also a Deputy for some of my clients who lack capacity to manage their affairs.
I am recognised by the Chambers guide to the legal profession and the Legal 500 as being a leading individual in personal injury work. Past editions of this guide noted “David Tomlinson is praised for his experience in personal injury claims, particularly in complex spinal cord cases. An interviewee highlights that he is “super sharp” and “on top of the law in cases,” while another source adds: “He was incredibly supportive, informative, knowledgeable and reassuring.”
I am also recommended in Legal 500 which describes the firm as “one of the best in the country”. I am the former Secretary of the Spinal Cord Injury Special Interest Group of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
In addition to obtaining well over £50 million compensation for my clients I have also taken a very active part in the rehabilitation process and by working closely with case managers, occupational therapists, medical practitioners, architects etc I have helped maximise my clients prospects for recovery and helped to improve the quality of their lives and environment following their serious injuries. In the early stages following an accident taking active steps to help with rehabilitation, discharge from hospital and specialist medical treatment is far more important than the pure compensation (although there is no getting away from the fact that maximising the amount of compensation obtainable is going to make a significant difference to long-term quality of life for my clients).
I am very fortunate to be assisted by my colleague, Lee Wraight, who has worked with me for over 20 years.
I live in Rutland with my wife and three children.
Accreditations
Alison is a Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel member and Honorary AvMA Panel Member. With over 30 years experience handling medical claims, she is a recognised leader in her field.
I am privileged to have acted for clients as their clinical negligence solicitor for over 30 years and am proud to be one of the 1st solicitors who specialised in medical claims. My expertise was recognised by the charity, Action Against Medical Accidents (“AvMA”) in December 2016. I was proud to be awarded honorary membership of their specialist clinical negligence panel. The award was given for my “work on behalf of injured patients and their families” and “longstanding contribution in the fields of clinical negligence and patient safety”.
Chambers and Legal 500, independent legal guides, regard me as a notable practitioner. The latest edition notes that I have vast experience in a range of clinical negligence cases and I attract particular praise for my “personal approach.” I have “noteworthy expertise in cerebral palsy matters.” Previous quotes include “excellent client care skills” and “high standards”. Sources also described me as a “hardworking and tenacious advocate” who is celebrated for her “good judgment and thorough approach to a case”.
I am also recommended by Legal 500 which describes the firm as “one of the best in the country”.
I was one of the first members of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel. I was one of the first to agree guaranteed annual payments by the NHS to a client with cerebral palsy. My work has given me a unique insight into the lives of families living with disability and loss as a result of negligent medical care. I am always amazed at their strength and determination to find answers. My involvement at Inquests is another opportunity to highlight failings in patient safety and seek improvements. I have also acted for seriously injured clients in personal injury claims and criminal compensation. Through my work as a Deputy for clients I have witnessed the importance of getting the right compensation to look after clients for their lifetime.
Compensation sadly is not able to change clients’ disabilities or loss but my work can help prevent accidents happening to other patients. I juggle the skills of a lawyer, social worker, counsellor and negotiator with a lay person’s forensic analysis of medical records. Most importantly I am a listening ear for my clients who put their trust and faith in me. I cannot think of any other area of the law that is so rewarding.
Last but not least, for many years I have been involved with pro bono work for charities in London and Nottingham. I am Vice-Chair of Trustees of FootprintsCEC, a Nottingham charity which uses conductive education to helping children with neurological conditions and Downs Syndrome. I am past Secretary of Headway Northwest London and the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) and am former Governor of a Scope school. I have been interviewed by the media and spoken at conferences both in the UK and Australia.
The challenge of securing compensation for clinical negligence clients means that every day is different. I am fortunate to also be a partner in a firm which prides itself on being run as a family style business, only employing a small specialist team of experienced senior lawyers. I could not ask for a better team of lawyers and assistants who help to ensure that I achieve the very best for my clients.
Accreditations
Emma specialises in Clinical Negligence claims. She is a Member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and is recognised by Apil as a Specialist Clinical Negligence Practitioner.
I joined Barratts Solicitors in 2001 and qualified as a solicitor in 2005; I became a Partner in 2013. I chose to specialise in Clinical Negligence which I find both challenging and rewarding. I am recognised in the Chambers Legal Directory for my expertise in Clinical Negligence and I am accredited by APIL (the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) as a Specialist Clinical Negligence Practitioner.
I represent Claimants who have suffered severe injuries and relatives who have lost a loved one as a result of negligent medical treatment. My work also involves helping those who have suffered an injury at birth for example a brain injury resulting in cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy (shoulder injury) or hip dysplasia. I am also a deputy for clients who lack capacity to manage their own affairs.
I help clients who have suffered severe spinal injury due to a delay in diagnosis of spinal infection or cauda equina. I also represent families who have lost a loved one due to negligence. My experience covers all aspects of medical care and I have succeeded at trial in claims against the NHS and GPs, including 2 successful trials in 2016.
Clients often come to me, not because they want compensation but because they want answers and most importantly an apology. It is all too often the case that clients have pursued the complaints process only to find they still have not been given an open and honest explanation. They want to understand what has happened, either to them or a loved one. They feel that they have no other way of getting the answers they need without pursuing litigation I am very mindful of the fact that clients often feel ‘let down’ at the point that they come to me and need expert advice they can trust.
Suffering an injury due to negligent treatment can be devastating and life changing, not only for the person who has suffered the injury but also for their families. I aim to provide clients with the best service and to reduce the burden and stress of pursuing a claim wherever possible. I am there not only to advise but also to support them.
Sadly, many Claimants instruct me following the loss of a loved one. In these circumstances an Inquest may be required and clients often instruct me to assist them with the Inquest process as well as to pursue a compensation claim.
Some Claimants are unable to manage their own affairs as a result of the injuries sustained (usually because of brain injury). In those circumstances the Court of Protection require a Deputy to be appointed to represent those vulnerable client. I have been appointed as Deputy for clients in these circumstances.
It is important to me that my clients feel they are fully supported and can trust me to do the best I can when acting on their behalf. This is possible because our specialist firm only employs lawyers with experience who have time to listen to their clients. Although no amount of compensation can repair the loss or injury it can help to provide a better quality of life for clients and security for their future. I am often amazed and humbled by the determination and drive of my clients to continue to live their lives as independently as possible, even in the toughest of situations.
I am recommended in Chambers, a legal guide which only names the top UK firms. This says Emma “has good feedback and an impressive caseload, which includes fatalities.” Sources observe that I have “both a clear idea of where she is going in the cases and a very good grasp of the detail.” I have a broad practice as well as recent court experience. I am also recommended by Legal 500, another independent legal guide. My latest case has achieved a settlement in excess of £12 million.
Accreditations
Julie specialises in clinical negligence claims and is a member of the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
I have dealt with clinical negligence cases on behalf of Claimants since qualifying as a solicitor in 1995. Prior to joining Barratts Solicitors I worked for over 20 years at Freeth Cartwright Solicitors where I headed the Nottingham Clinical Negligence Team. I was delighted to join Barratts in April 2014. I have long admired the ethos of Barratts and the commitment shown to clinical negligence and personal injury work.
I enjoy working for a niche firm where everyone devotes their time working to obtain settlements for people who have been injured. I work closely with our Court of Protection department which means I also get to see the long term benefits of having compensation to buy housing, care and therapy for clients.
I specialise in claims concerning brain injuries suffered by babies at birth. I also deal with many claims concerning surgical errors. I enjoy the interesting and challenging work that I do and the opportunity to help people rebuild their lives after what are often devastating injuries. My work has also included supporting families at Inquests.
Litigation is stressful so I am delighted that clients tell me that I helped them by giving “absolutely perfect” advice. This meant they could “take the right decision at the right time, without the expected stress and trauma of going to court.” Other clients say that I do “an absolutely fantastic job” and “we’ve loved having your support through this”. Making this type of difference is so important to me.
I am a Member of the Law Society’s Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel, a Member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (“APIL”) and am a specialist solicitor on the Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) Clinical Negligence panel. I am accredited as a clinical negligence expert by APIL.
I am recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in Chambers & Partners, with an “excellent reputation” and “long track record in the clinical negligence arena”. This independent legal guide relies on the recommendations of clients and professionals; in 2017 I was commended for my “amazing empathy”, as well as a “very good grasp of cases”, achieving “very good results”. Chambers places me in Band 1 as a leading individual and has previously noted “my extensive experience” and “amazing skills in client care”.
I am also recognised by Legal 500, another legal guide which only recommends the top UK firms. This described Julie Hardy as ‘intelligent, tactically astute and hardworking’ and praised me as a ‘model solicitor’,
I am supported by my assistant Angela, who has worked for Barratts for over 25 years, so she has a real depth of experience to support and assist my clients.
Accreditations
Lesley specialises in complex personal injury claims including cross-border cases and is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.
I am really proud to say that I have acted for injured Claimants since I qualified as a solicitor in 1999 and I am passionate about helping clients rebuild their lives after suffering devastating accidents.
I have dealt with a broad range of personal injury claims including clients who have suffered traumatic brain injury and/or spinal cord injury. I have been instructed by families who have been bereaved and I have represented them at inquests and supported them in bringing claims on behalf of their loved ones.
At times like these, having suffered a life changing event, what clients really need is clear and practical advice and a lawyer that they can trust to get things done. It means a lot to me that my clients have chosen me to represent them and I see acting for them as a privilege. I really enjoy looking after my clients and forging great relationships, I want them to feel that they have someone on their side. When clients have trusted me with their claim, it is key that they feel I am both approachable and considerate of their needs.
As well as acting for clients injured here in England and Wales I also act for clients who have been seriously injured abroad whilst on holiday or employed abroad. I am also an experienced transport lawyer and have dealt with numerous aviation matters in my career.
Cross border cases can be particularly challenging because they often involve suing a foreign insurer using the laws of the country where the accident happened. This means that they can take longer to resolve than domestic cases and there are more obstacles to overcome. However, because I have years of experience of this type of work, I can predict the issues that we will face and have plenty of strategies to overcome them. It can be frightening if you are seriously injured in a foreign country but I can offer practical advice and support because of my expertise handling claims abroad
I have been instructed in some ground breaking cases through my cross border work. I acted for the Claimant in Wigley-Foster v The Motor Insurers Bureau [Court of Appeal 2016]. In this case the Court of Appeal ordered the Motor Insurers Bureau to pay my client’s damages, in circumstances where the Greek insurer of the driver that had injured her had become insolvent. The decision clarified the law for other Claimants in similar positions and is still the leading authority on this issue.
I have been described by the Legal 500 as a “superb attorney” but the most important thing for me is to make a difference to my clients’ lives; I take pride in being able to offer them legal and moral support throughout the life of their personal injury claim and beyond.
I am delighted to have joined the team here at Barratts, as a co-director and owner of the business, with Alison Brooks, Senior Partner. I cannot think of another firm that has been consistently ranked number one in the specialist areas of personal injury and clinical negligence litigation since being established, over 30 years ago.
After some time away from the law developing my business skills, the offer to join this stand out firm, as Managing Partner, was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Barratts occupies a unique position in the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence field, being a specialist firm that provides a truly personal service to its clients.
My background is in Clinical Negligence litigation, having qualified as a Solicitor in 1999. I was honoured to be a specialist Claimant clinical negligence panel solicitor with Action Against Medical Accidents (“AvMA”), a charity dedicated to patient safety and helping those affected by medical accidents. Most of my career has been spent at a ‘Top 100’ London law firm, where I became a senior equity partner and headed up the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence team. I have also worked as a locum at Barratts before joining the firm full time in October 2021.
During my long career I have handled cases across the clinical spectrum resulting in serious physical and mental injury. These have included failure to diagnose cauda equina and DVT or pulmonary embolism ; I have also acted for clients in obstetric claims involving still birth and maternal death, and hypoxic injury during birth leading to cerebral palsy and orthopaedic claims involving loss of limbs due to mismanaged infections.
I have spent time working as a Defendant Clinical Negligence solicitor in a ‘Top 100’ NHS Panel law firm, which has given me a unique insight into how Hospital Trusts, NHS Resolution, and Defendants approach clinical negligence claims.
Barratt’s ethos is centred around the work it does to support the lives of seriously injured Claimants, whether that injury occurs in the hospital / medical setting, on the roads, at work, or because of a criminal assault. Achieving justice for injured Claimants, so that they can live their life to the fullest, is at the heart of what the firm does and at the heart of what I want to achieve for my clients.
I am dedicated to fighting for patient safety in the clinical setting and I look forward to renewing my involvement with AvMA to help improve patient safety. I have also spent time helping bereaved families at inquests and was proud to be asked to represented The Patients Association, as one of the interested parties, at The Mid-Staffordshire Public Inquiry – this was set up to investigate the systemic failings in patient safety that occurred at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust. Sadly, we continue to see reports of other Trusts with systemic failings and I hope my experience will support these organisations to ensure lessons are learned for the future.
It is exciting to be back in the claimant world helping injured Claimants achieve the results they deserve. It is a privilege to join Barratts and to work with such an exceptional, senior team. I am extremely excited to be building on Barratts reputation to develop the firm and continue to support injured clients.
I am delighted to be working in the Court of Protection team at Barratts, helping clients who lack capacity to manage their financial affairs. The clients have nearly all been involved in litigation claims handled by Barratts and therefore beenfit from continuity of care and support during and after the litigation ends.
I worked in the Office of Public Guardian before I joined Barratts in 2019. This experience has been a great help as I used to oversee Deputies and know first hand what support clients need from their Deputy. I have known many clients now for a number of year and it is extremely satisfying helping a client to secure much needed care, therapy and accommodation to maximise their quality of life. My background in Defendant litigation has also been useful because I am familiar with how compensation claims are quantified and the allocation of damages for different needs during a client’s lifetime.
I qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and have worked in a variety of roles; this includes litigation, working as an advocate for vulnerable people and at the Citizens Advice Bureau. I took time away to raise my family before returning to the law in 2009.
Working at Barratts is a team effort and I am pleased to be supported by Alison Brooks (our Head of Department and Senior Partner at Barratts), Mandy Godbold and Sue Banks.
I have extensive experience of personal injury law, having exclusively represented Claimants in a variety of personal injury matters for over two decades. I pride myself on building excellent client relationships through a pragmatic approach to litigation. It is always my aim to provide clear and practical advice and to put my client and their needs at the heart of the process.
I was delighted to have joined Barratts in May 2022, a firm which embodies my own approach to client service. Working at Barratts has enabled me to provide the highest standards of client service in a niche practice and with a much smaller caseload than I previously handled at larger firms; this means that I can truly give a personal service for clients. I also enjoy the sharing of knowledge and support from working in a team of very senior litigators, with everyone putting the client’s interests first.
Every personal injury claim is different, and I strive to offer my clients an individual service, tailored to their rehabilitation goals. I work hard at building good relationships with the Defendant insurer on my cases to ensure a collaborative approach.
Notable work:
- Acted for victims of The Croydon Tram Crash
- Recovered £125,000.00 in damages for a claimant injured in a road traffic accident where the defendant insurer denied liability
- Acted for the family of a victim of a fatal road traffic accident, pursuing the matter to trial to secure private schooling for the victim’s children
- Assisted in a spinal injury case of the utmost severity where damages, if capitalised, exceeded £20million
Many of my clients seek my advice at a time of great difficulty, trauma and shock and the prospect of speaking to a lawyer can be overwhelming. I am committed to doing all I can to help my clients through this process and resolve their claims as efficiently as possible.
