Halliwells boosts Sheffield healthcare team

THE healthcare team at the Sheffield office of law firm Halliwells is gearing up for 2009 having welcomed three new lawyers to its ranks.

James Newman, Richard Bateman and Bridie Mahoney have been drafted in to support the existing team, which was formed last February when partner Andrew Peel, a former medical practitioner, joined Halliwells from DLA Piper.

Newman joins the team from Corries Solicitors in York, and is experienced in both clinical negligence and product liability cases. He has dealt with issues ranging from catastrophic birth defects to dental negligence and hospital-acquired infections as well as actions involving medical prostheses.

Bateman’s arrival from Manchester brings his insurance litigation expertise to bear on the team’s growing case load. His role is to streamline the various strands of work needed to manage document-heavy cases, and he is proving a cost-effective solution to the team’s various clients.

Already a Halliwells employee, Mahoney has transferred from the firm’s real estate team to support the growing healthcare department’s expanding portfolio of work.

The team specialises in all aspects of healthcare law, ranging from the day-to-day management of compensation claims to the provision of advice about public policy and statutory change.

Welcoming the new recruits, Andrew Peel said: “We’re delighted to welcome three new lawyers to the team, particularly in the current economic climate when a lot of other practices are struggling.

“Halliwells is committed to developing a market-leading presence in the UK healthcare market, and we are confident of continued growth in 2009.”