Recent news
John Beggs QC, Bridget Dolan QC and James Berry instructed in Salisbury Poisoning Inquest
On 30 March 2021 Baroness Heather Hallett DBE held the first Pre-Inquest Review in the Inquest into the death of Dawn Sturgess, the victim of the Salisbury Novichok poisoning.
Matters discussed at the hearing included whether the Inquest should consider the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal on 4 March 2018 and whether the Inquest should be converted into a Public Inquiry.
Bridget is representing the South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Conviction in fraud trial of former Major General
Sarah Clarke QC and Matt Chidley, instructed by the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA), secured the conviction of a former Major General following a four week trial at Bulford military court.
Major General Nicholas Welch, the most senior Army officer to have faced court martial in over two hundred years, faced a single count of fraud arising out of dishonestly claiming Continuity of Education Allowance (‘CEA’), totalling nearly £50,000, to pay for his children’s boarding school fees. In order to receive the allowance, General Welch represented that he was living with his family at his Army quarter in London when, in fact, his wife was spending the majority of her time living at their family property in Dorset.
The case generated significant media attention, links here and here and here
Michael Mylonas QC acted for the hospital and George Thomas for the family in this tragic case which highlights lack of funding for families in these cases of the utmost sensitivity and importance
Michael Mylonas QC and George Thomas act in The NHS Trust v The Parents & S [2021] EWHC 594 (Fam) – Michael for the Hospital Trust, instructed by Kiran Bhogal and Emma Pollard of Hill Dickinson and George for the family, instructed by Advocate. Read the judgment here.
Two weeks before the final hearing the legal team acting for the hospital realised the parents were unrepresented. The Judge was equally concerned. It was advised that the family contact Advocate.
The morning that the hearing was due to start the family still had no representation. Michael Mylonas QC contacted the Court of Protection team in Chambers.
George Thomas was in another hearing which adjourned at 09.45am. He accepted the instructions and prepared for the case that day. The Judge was advised, and the case was put back so that it started the following morning.
Mrs Justice Judd had the following comments:
“Upon hearing of their plight through counsel for the Hospital Trust, Mr. Mylonas QC, Mr. Thomas, counsel from Serjeants Inn Chambers stepped in to help and represent them for free. He has represented them with the greatest of skill and care, ensuring that their case was properly put before the court and taking the burden from them of having to do it all by themselves. I am extremely grateful to him, and wish to commend him for what he has done. Parents whose children are the subject of an application by the local authority to take them into care receive full non means and non-merits tested public funding but parents who face an application for the withdrawal of treatment from their child do not, despite the enormous significance of the decision to be made. Not only are these cases medically complex, but emotionally they are as hard as is possible to imagine for the parents.”
Please contact our Clerking Team, on 0207 427 5000 if you need any further information about our Court of Protection work or would like to discuss how we might assist you.
Our Court of Protection team provides a 24 hour service, 365 days a year to arrange for urgent advice and representation on applications including declarations.
Michael Walsh speaks to the Brain Injury Group
Michael Walsh provides a clinical negligence legal update to the Brain Injury Group today. This essential legal update will look at recent cases and developments affecting clinical negligence claims.
The NICE guideline on safeguarding in care homes published
The NICE guideline on safeguarding in care homes was published last week and can be found here. Nageena Khalique QC chaired the committee for this two year project.
COVID-19 and the operation of Chambers: important information for our clients and contacts
During the Covid-19 pandemic, we are taking various steps – to reduce risks to our clients, contacts, barristers and staff while ensuring the efficient operation of Chambers – as follows:
- Since 20.03.20 all barristers and staff are working from home.
- We will have full access to our system and emails will be dealt with as usual. Calls to Chambers will be forwarded to the relevant mobiles, but if – wherever possible – you could email rather than telephone us, it would greatly help us in maintaining the swift and effective service we would always want to give you.
- We understand that you may well want to have a conversation but if you email us first – if possible with brief details of your enquiry – we will call you back promptly. If you do not have the email address of the person you wish to communicate with, please use clerks@serjeantsinn.com.
- We will be liaising as necessary to arrange for conferences to be conducted by either telephone or video.
- We are also asking that material is provided digitally rather than in hard copy format. If you have to provide papers in hard copy please email us and we will be in touch to discuss a solution.
- Please bear in mind that due to mobile network issues, the phone may ring for a little longer than usual before it is answered, but we have a team of clerks ready to deal with your call. If you have any difficulties at all in contacting us please do call Catherine Calder, our joint CEO, on 07515 868 616. She will be happy to assist.
Members of Chambers have produced a number of blog posts and articles on issues arising from Coronavirus in our practice areas: these are available here.
In these unprecedented times our barristers are available as usual for remote access hearings, mediations, RTMs and meetings. As a result of the many emergency medical treatment applications which we have conducted by telephone with out-of-hours judges over numerous years, we are well placed to advise as to whether any particular hearing or other process should be conducted remotely, bearing in mind the interests of the client as well as other relevant factors in each case.
Our team have significant expertise with remote working by Skype, Skype for Business, Zoom, MS Teams, and Blue Jeans, and we would also be happy to discuss the practicalities and set up.
If you have any questions or concerns please do let us know by emailing our Joint Chief Executives, Martin Dyke and Catherine Calder, at ChiefExecutives@serjeantsinn.com
Full contact details are available on our website here.
We look forward to continuing our effective working relationship with you during the pandemic and wish you well in these testing times.
Chambers blogs
Social Responsibility
Serjeants’ Inn is committed to pro bono work and provides financial and practical support to Friends in Law and First 100 Years: read more
Specialisms
Serjeants’ Inn specialises in important, high profile medical, police, regulatory, criminal and public law cases, often involving political, ethical or social issues: read more
24 Hour Assistance
Serjeants’ Inn frequently deals with urgent applications including injunctions and declarations and provides a 24 hour service for matters requiring immediate assistance: read more
Awards
Clinical Negligence Set of the Year
WINNER
Clinical Negligence Silk of the Year
Christopher Johnston QC
Outstanding Contribution to Diversity & Inclusion Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Professional Discipline Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Gerry Boyle QC
Professional Discipline Silk of the Year
SHORTLISTED
David Morris
Professional Discipline Junior of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Elliot Gold
Leader of the future, Diversity & Inclusion
SHORTLISTED
Professional Discipline Silk of the Year
John Beggs QC
Chambers Innovation
WINNER
Chambers of the Year
WINNER
Award for Customer Focus
WINNER
Chambers of the Year
WINNER
Katie Gollop QC
Barrister of the Year
WINNER
Client Care Initiative of the Year
HIGHLY ACCLAIMED
Certificate of Recognition for Excellence in Well-being
HIGHLY ACCLAIMED
Michael Mylonas QC
Clinical Negligence Silk of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Angus Moon QC
Clinical Negligence Silk of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Professional Discipline Junior of the Year
ANTHONY HAYCROFT
Clinical Negligence Set of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Angus Moon QC
Clinical Negligence Silk of the Year
SHORTLISTED
Client Management Innovation
FINALIST
Chambers of the Year
WINNER
Litigation Team of the Year
FINALIST
Set of the Year
WINNER
Clinical Negligence Set of the Year
WINNER
Bridget Dolan
WINNER
Set of the Year
WINNER
2015
Set of the Year
WINNER
The Lawyer Awards 2015
Bronze place
GERRY BOYLE
2015
Client Service
HIGHLY ACCLAIMED
Bronze place
SET OF THE YEAR
2016
JOHN BEGGS QC
2016
Set of the Year
HIGHLY ACCLAIMED
2016
Rising Star
CECILY WHITE
Professional Discipline Junior of the Year
ANDREW HOCKTON
Best Strategic Resource
2015
FINALIST
Professional Discipline Finalist
ANTHONY HAYCROFT
Best Service Innovation
FINALIST
2016
BRIDGET DOLAN QC
Professional Discipline Set of the Year
WINNER
Finalist
JOHN BEGGS QC