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Claire Watson

CALLED TO THE BAR 2001

Junior Counsel


Clinical Negligence & Healthcare Profile

Background

 

2002  Tenant at 3 Serjeants’ Inn
2001  Called to the Bar
2000-2001 Inns of Court School of Law, BVC
1996-1999 St. Hugh’s College, Oxford University, BA Hons Jurisprudence
1989 – 1996  St. Michael’s Catholic Grammar School, London

 

Email:                       cwatson@3serjeantsinn.com

 



General Information

 


Directory Comments

 


Nature of Practice

 

Clinical negligence

Claire practises in all aspects of clinical negligence (medical and dental), acting for both claimants and defendants. She has acted in a wide variety of cases in the High Court and county courts and regularly settles pleadings, drafts letters of claim and response and advises in writing and in conference. Cases in which Claire has acted include a high value cerebral palsy claim on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.  Claire has also appeared against litigants in person in a number of cases and has experience of round table settlement negotiations. She has also specifically dealt with costs applications in both clinical negligence and personal injury cases. 

 

Professional discipline

Claire represents doctors and dentists before the Interim Orders and Fitness to Practice Panels at the General Medical Council and the Interim Orders and Professional Conduct Committees of the General Dental Council. Recently she represented noted gender expert Dr. Russell Reid, led by Adrian Hopkins QC, in a high profile case at the GMC. She also represented Dr. Gbinigie in a long running performance-related disciplinary case, led by Malcolm Fortune. 

 

Claire also represents both doctors and dentists faced with performance related inquiries at local healthcare Trust level and at hearings before the Family Heath Services Appeals Authority. 

 

Coroner’s inquests

Claire regularly acts on behalf of doctors, NHS Trusts and families in inquests where death has occurred in the context of medical treatment. She also has experience representing police forces and FMEs at inquests involving deaths in custody.

 

Disclosure

Claire represents NHS Trusts and other bodies in applications for disclosure of patients` confidential records in criminal proceedings in the Crown Court and proceedings in the Family Division of the High Court, where it is necessary to assert confidentiality and/or manage disclosure.

 

Personal injury

Claire represents claimants and defendants in personal injury trials in the High Court and county courts and attends interlocutory hearings and applications on behalf of both parties. She also has extensive experience advising and drafting statements of case on behalf of both claimants and defendants.



Specialist Information

 


Reported and other cases of Interest

 

Bishara v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust [2007] EWCA Civ 353 Claire acted for the Trust in this clinical negligence claim against summary judgment awarded to the trust in a lower court

GMC v Gbinigie [2007] Led by Malcolm Fortune, Claire acted for Dr. Gbinigie in a long running performance-related disciplinary case

GMC v Reid [2006] Led by Adrian Hopkins QC Claire represented noted gender expert Dr. Russell Reid at the GMC



Clients

 


Publications

 


Lectures and Seminars

 

Claire has presented a number of seminars on current topics including:

-          the effect of Fairchild in clinical negligence claims

-          special damages and schedules of loss

-          periodical payments



Related Professional Activities

 

Member of:

-          PNBA

-          LCLCBA

-       ARDL



Other Information