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Ian Sprakes
Partner
Ian is Head of the Medical Negligence Department and is internationally recognised for his expertise in this area of law.
Ian has 30 years’ experience in dealing with a multitude of very high value claims including multi million pound Cerebral Palsy claims, birth injury, Cauda Equina Syndrome, breast cancer misdiagnosis and hip replacement surgery claims.
Ian qualified as a Solicitor in 1991 and is an APIL accredited Senior Litigator and a member of the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel since 1999. In addition, Ian was appointed as Assistant Coroner for the City of Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire in 2018
Stephen Lambert
Partner
Stephen is a medical negligence specialist overseeing a broad range of cases including orthopaedic, ophthalmic, general surgery, cancer treatment and GP negligence. He also handles a number of very high value cases involving birth trauma, brain injury, spinal injury and other maximum severity claims.
Stephen has practised exclusively as a medical negligence lawyer for at least 25 years and is accredited by APIL as a Senior Litigator and is a member of its personal injury panel.
Lorraine Taylor
Partner
Lorraine is a Partner and Head of Department and has specialised in medical negligence claims for over 20 years. Lorraine covers all areas of medical negligence but is well known for her specialist areas including multi million pound Cerebral Palsy claims, other birth related injuries, Cauda Equina Syndrome, claims relating to the development of pressure sores, cancer related claims (particularly gynaecological cancer cases) and representing families at inquests.
Lorraine qualified as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 2008 and then went on to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in York, being admitted as a Solicitor in January 2013.
Danielle Barney
Partner
Danielle is a Partner and an accredited member of the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel, managing a variety of serious medical negligence claims for children and adults, involving brain and spinal injuries, birth injuries, orthopaedic, cosmetic surgery and general surgery.
Danielle completed her Graduate Diploma in Law and then her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in York qualifying as a Solicitor in 2013. Danielle is recognised as a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer and by Chambers and Partners for her expertise in medical negligence cases.
Nicola Evans
Senior Solicitor
Nicola supervises our Lincoln team. She qualified as a Solicitor in January 2012, having worked in legal practice since 1997.
Nicola has a wide range of experience in claims such as surgical error, delay in identifying signs of sepsis, orthopaedic, delayed diagnosis of cancer and obstetric/gynaecological claims.
She specialises in advising and supporting bereaved families, with a particular interest in advising on claims involving the delayed diagnosis of cancer which has sadly resulted in the unnecessary loss of life. She has also gained expertise in managing claims for parents of children with brain injuries resulting from birth trauma.
Nicola has supported families in inquests involving aspects of Human Rights law and enjoys the challenge of a complex claim, involving difficult causation and/or valuation arguments, and has acted on a number of successful litigated claims.
Nicola prides herself on her client focused approach and determination to seek answers on their behalf.
Stephanie Capindale
Assiciate Solicitor
Stephanie works in the Medical Negligence Department. She has experience in dealing with a multitude of high value cases from knee replacement surgery, Cauda Equina Syndrome and brain injury cases and she specialises in transgender cases.
Stephanie completed her Law Degree at Sheffield Hallam University and obtained a 2:1 honours classification in 2008. Following this she completed her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in York in June 2009 with a commendation and was awarded the Legal 500 Approved Lawyer in 2019.
Lynsey Furley
Associate Solicitor
Experienced in medical negligence claims, Lynsey works with our Grimsby team. She deals mainly with delay in diagnosis and surgical error cases, providing friendly and efficient advice.
Lynsey studied Law at the University of Hull and following on from this completed the Legal Practice Course at The College of Law. She has 12 years experience and has been with the firm since 2012.
Chris Gresswell-Green
Senior Solicitor
Chris has over 10 years’ experience working on a range of high value cases against hospital trusts and also GP surgeries, dental practices and clinicians practising in the private sector. He has a particular interest in representing families at inquests.
Chris completed his Law Degree at Sheffield Hallam University in 2007 and obtained a 2.1 honours classification. He completed the Legal Practice Course at BPP Law School, Leeds in June 2011 with a Distinction, qualifying as a Solicitor in 2012. He is also a member of the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel.
Rachel Abba
Chartered Legal Executive
Rachel works in the Medical Negligence Department. Within her caseload she deals with claims ranging from minor injuries to psychological injuries, fatal cases, amputation claims, Hospital Acquired Infection claims such as MRSA and C-Diff and Erbs Palsy claims as well as catastrophic birth injury claims.
Having completed her training with the Institute of Legal Executives in March 2013, Rachel is now a Chartered Legal Executive.
Staci Liversedge
Chartered Legal Executive
Staci has over 10 years’ experience working on complex clinical negligence cases including injuries sustained during or around birth, brain injuries and severe orthopaedic injuries in Hull and surrounding areas.
Staci enjoys helping clients who have sustained life changing and serious injuries as she likes helping improve their quality of life as part of the litigation process, for example putting into place specialist rehabilitation and helping arrange appropriate accommodation. She also enjoys helping families with disabled children, such as children with cerebral palsy.
Emma Shuttleworth
Chartered Legal Executive
Emma works at our Lincoln office running various claims against hospital trusts, dentists, GPs and private clinicians. Emma advises clients on all aspects of clinical negligence and cases vary in value and complexity, including a wide range of medical issues, such as birth injury, Cauda Equina syndrome, orthopaedic, hand injuries, dental, oncology, nursing, general surgery, psychiatry and fatal injuries. Emma also supports families at inquests.
Emma is professional, yet approachable and enjoys building relationships with clients during the often lengthy claims process. She also offers support where required to those who encounter difficulties after suffering life changing injuries.
Emma graduated in 2009 with LLB (Hons) Law Degree from the University of Sheffield. She has 10 years’ experience working solely in this field, having joined the Clinical Negligence Department of Bridge McFarland LLP in 2010. She completed her training with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2018.
Abbie Cadwallender
Trainee Legal Executive
Abbie specialises in assisting clients with a variety of medical negligence claims in Hull, including handling pressure sores, orthopaedic and nerve injury claims and assisting Lorraine Taylor with more complex claims including gynaecological injuries and brain injuries.
Abbie supports her clients by building good relationships with them from the word go. Clinical negligence claims are sensitive in nature and it is important for her clients to feel that she is approachable and trustworthy, yet professional. Abbie takes pride in knowing that the work she does will contribute towards improving the lives of clients who have suffered life-changing injuries at the hands of others.
Lisa Clark
Trainee Legal Executive
Lisa handles medical negligence cases for people who have been injured as a result of poor care either from a GP or hospital, to include private clinicians. This includes all areas of clinical and medical negligence including Erbs Palsy birth injury claims, surgical error, GP negligence, cosmetic surgery gone wrong and misdiagnosis.
The cases vary in complexity and value.
Jack Fox
Solicitor
Following summer placements with Bridge McFarland LLP in 2016 and 2017 and some additional work experience with the Firm, Jack obtained a training contract in September 2017 and was admitted as a Solicitor in September 2019. He qualified into the Medical Negligence Department, initially based at the Grimsby Compensation Centre before transferring to Hull.
Jack is part of the Hull Young Professionals Group, East Yorkshire Young Professionals Group and also the Hull & East Yorkshire Junior Lawyers Division. He also enjoys doing his bit for charity and is a part-time carer for his younger brother Charlie who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
Jack is a regular contributor to our cerebral palsy information website cerebralpalsy.org.uk which acts as a central hub, signposting those affected by cerebral palsy to the services most useful to them.
Kerry Smales
Solicitor
Kerry commenced her legal career in 2012 after completing her Law Degree, Masters in Law and post-graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2015.
Based at the Hull office and part of the Clinical Negligence team since 2019, Kerry specialises in clinical negligence work and has extensive experience of dealing with a broad spectrum of claims, particularly those concerning birth injuries, catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries, delay in diagnosing cancer and injuries resulting from general and orthopaedic surgery.
Having previously worked for a leading NHS Resolution panel firm in Leeds, Kerry has invaluable experience representing claimants and defendants in clinical negligence claims. Her experience in handling claims on both sides enables her to work tactically and efficiently, with the aim of obtaining the maximum compensation for her clients.
Kerry is passionate about helping people who have suffered injury through clinical negligence. She has established links with a neurophysiotherapy company and attends the monthly meetings of a spinal cord injury charity.
Nikki Cusworth
Trainee Legal Executive
Nikki Cusworth is a Legal Assistant to Lorraine Taylor in the Clinical Negligence department based in Hull.
Nikki has worked for Bridge McFarland LLP since January 2016 and has experience of dealing with Cauda Equina Syndrome cases. Before she joined Bridge McFarland LLP, Nikki worked at Stamp Jackson & Procter LLP from February 2008.
As well as specialising in complex clinical negligence cases, Nikki has experience dealing with gynaecological injuries, injuries sustained during birth, and brain injuries.
Due to the sensitive nature of the majority of claims, Nikki believes it is very important to be friendly and approachable, yet professional. She takes pride in playing a part in improving clients’ lives following such devastating injuries.
Penelope Byers
Associate Solicitor
Penelope qualified as a Solicitor in June 2009 and currently works in our Lincoln team.
Penelope covers all areas of medical and dental negligence work but has particular strengths and interest in birth injury claims and obstetric and gynaecological care claims.
She has experience in cases involving fatalities, surgical error, delayed cancer diagnosis, periodontal claims, GP errors, as well as cases relating to pressure sores and general failings in nursing care