Challinors strengthens clinical negligence team

CHALLINORS has strengthened its Clinical Negligence team in Birmingham with the appointment of solicitor Pamela Katsionis, who moves from Davies & Partners.

Ms Katsionis has extensive experience of nerve damage, orthopaedic and delay in diagnosis clinical negligence cases. She completed her training at Birmingham Law School, qualifying at Davies & Partners in 2005.

Richard Bannister, partner and head of the Challinors Clinical Negligence team, said: “We have seen our case load increase over the last 12 months and have added to the team with three hires in the last few months.

“The team now has an excellent balance of expertise and skills and the right resource for our growing volume of instructions. We continue to be focused on providing exemplary legal advice and support to our clients, whilst maintaining our position and reputation as a highly expert clinical negligence team.

“We have recently successfully settled several multi-million pound claims for brain injuries resulting from clinical negligence, and a number of six-figure settlements involving serious injuries and fatal accidents.”

FBC Manby Bowdler partner secures top agricultural award

A PARTNER at the Telford office of FBC Manby Bowdler has become only the second solicitor working in Shropshire and Staffordshire to secure a top award from a leading rural legal business organisation.

Paul Horton has become a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association (ALA), the highest specialist qualification which the organisation can grant.

He follows in the footsteps of his colleague and partner at FBC Manby Bowdler, Steven Corfield, who was appointed a fellow of the ALA in 2009.

A specialist in litigation and head of the firm’s Shropshire litigation team, Mr Horton, left, is a member of FBC Manby Bowdler’s Agricultural and Rural Services Team, a group of nine lawyers, led by Mr Corfield, which works for a large number of farming clients and landed estates, including the Crown Estate.

As part of the Agricultural and Rural Services Team, Mr Horton advises on litigation matters on agricultural holdings, farm tenancies and trusts and he has been recognised by The Legal 500 as “a leader in his field” for his work on agricultural and rural matters.

“I am delighted to have been able to follow in Steven’s footsteps and become not just the second lawyer working in Shropshire and Staffordshire, but the second from FBC Manby Bowdler to receive this highly sought after qualification,” said Mr Horton.

With 33 partners, FBC Manby Bowdler has offices in Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Telford, Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth.

Browne Jacobson re-appointed to Welsh legal panel

BROWNE JACOBSON has been re-appointed to a legal panel advising the Welsh Government on environmental issues.

The four-year panel appointment also involves acting as adviser to a number of Welsh Government sponsored bodies including the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales.

In addition to acting for corporate clients, Browne Jacobson has been advising the Countryside Council for Wales for 12 years, Natural England for more than 20 years and have more recently been appointed to advise the Environment Agency.  
Over the past year the firm has advised and represented clients on several high profile environmental matters including a first judicial review on behalf of the newly established Marine Management Organisation as well as a series of high profile judicial reviews for Natural England.

Richard Barlow, who heads the team and is chair of the Green Nottingham Partnership, said: “We are delighted to continue to work for the Welsh Government and their sponsored bodies.  Our re-appointment is testament to the quality of service we have provided since first being appointed in 2008. It reinforces our credentials as one of the leading environmental law practices in England and Wales.”