Clinical Negligence: Mainly Claimant: The South

Interviewees have a "huge amount of respect" for this Portsmouth and Southampton-based outfit. The six-lawyer team has acted in a range of clinical negligence cases over the last year including alleged negligent GP advice, wrong diagnoses, fatalities and spinal injuries. It is also active in representing the families of deceased patients at inquests.

Client Service "Clients love Alison McClure's ability to look after a family long after the case has concluded."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Alison McClure is described as a "very effective force" and is commended for her client-handling skills. She has expertise in representing children in birth-related brain injury claims and has an interest in neurological injury. Head of the team and qualified doctor John White has "excellent client-handling skills and his medical background means great technical capability - he keeps a case on the rails."

This three-partner team based in Brighton punches above its weight in clinical negligence. It offers two medically qualified nurses and expertise in a range of clinical injury cases. Lawyers notably handle a large number of brain injury cases. Recent work has included spinal injury and surgery-related claims, and also inquest representations.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of department Melanie Minter has an "excellent understanding of the issues," thanks in part to her nursing background. A high proportion of her work involves catastrophic injury cases. Robert Bell, who has recently been promoted to partner, recently acted in a neonatal death inquest and subsequent successful claim settlement.

"The Penningtons team is formidable. It has real strength and is one of the best clinical negligence firms outside London." It is also continuing to grow and has made further appointments over the last year. The group has particular expertise in birth injury, neurosurgery and cosmetic surgery cases, and recently pursued successful claims for incorrect care following a hip operation and negligent surgery for a football player.

KEY INDIVIDUALS The "superb" Alison Appelboam Meadows has impressed sources with her expert knowledge. She is based in Basingstoke, alongside the "absolutely brilliant" Tim Palmer, who heads the team in this office. Palmer focuses upon GP, A&E and child brain injury-related cases. Alison Johnson handles gynaecology, orthopaedics, oncology and GP negligence claims, while Justine Spencer specialises in cerebral palsy claims. Philippa Luscombe leads the Godalming-based team. Her expertise lies in brain injury, orthopaedic and delayed diagnosis claims, and she splits her time equally between personal injury and clinical negligence cases. Also based in this office, leading practitioner Grainne Barton has a "great reputation" among peers and an interest in obstetrics.

Thomson Snell & Passmore has an "informative and personable" clinical negligence team. Respondents report a "very professional service" from lawyers who "always answer queries fully and satisfactorily." The team of 11 has been involved in a range of cases over the past year including brain injury, cerebral palsy, surgery and erroneous treatment claims.

Client Service "The service I have received has been very professional with sufficient response time."

KEY INDIVIDUALS The "thorough and approachable" Patricia Fearnley has an interest in inquests and cerebral palsy claims. Fiona Mills recently reached a £1.9 million settlement in a brain injury case, and sources agree: "She knows the right experts to instruct and is very good at client care."

This team is split between Southampton and Salisbury and offers a flexible service to clients. The team has a strong reputation for success in complex spinal injury, cerebral palsy and birth-related claims. It has undertaken a range of other clinical negligence cases over the year, including an amputation and a delayed diagnosis of cancer. Sources praise the team's "professionalism and attention to detail."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Chris Whiteley deals with complex head and spinal injury cases, and has been busy lately with a delayed-birth cerebral palsy claim. Team head Clare Carter has an interest in birth injury-related cases and recently acted on a challenging spinal injury case.

This team has a solid reputation in the clinical negligence area. It is currently focused on developing key young talent. Lawyers work on a variety of claims involving catastrophic injury, brain injury and fatal accidents, and handle cases involving both adults and children.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Douglas Miller is a key contact.

This Southampton-based firm has achieved a good standing in the South. It specialises in personal injury and related areas and commands a wealth of experience and expertise. The two-partner team has been involved in obstetrics, brain injury, fatal injury and missed diagnosis of asthma claims over the past year.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Head of department Timothy Spring has over 20 years' experience in the field. He handles fatality-related claims and cases involving serious neurological injury and obstetric mismanagement. Anne Cassidy was a practising hospital doctor before moving into the legal profession. Her practice includes high-value complex medical and surgical claims.