I am the Chief Operations Officer for Civil at Watson Woodhouse. Sitting on the senior leadership team, I help manage a third of the firm’s operations. My role includes overseeing multiple departments, including:

• Personal injury
• Clinical negligence
• Inquests/public inquiries
• Housing
• Family law
• Mental health
• Court of protection
• Public law
• Prison law
• Judicial review
• Human rights
• Actions against public authorities.

With over 17 years at the firm, I have been instrumental in expanding our services nationwide, ensuring that our clients receive comprehensive and effective legal support across the country.

My role involves the strategic and day-to-day management of civil litigation, and I also personally advise on a number of complex matters, covering inquests, judicial reviews, and prison law.

I am a Legal Aid Supervisor and have completed a level 3 apprenticeship in Management and Supervision.

I have played a crucial role in tendering; securing and managing a range of legal aid contracts, including those for housing, public law and actions against public authorities, making us one of the few firms with such a diverse offering in these areas. This work reflects our commitment to removing barriers to justice by providing access and funding where possible and finding innovative legal solutions. I am often called in to advise on complex matters across various departments, helping to craft strategies that achieve the best outcome for each client.

In addition to my management responsibilities, I head up business development for the civil law departments. I work on expanding our national reach and ensure that our firm continues to grow, while maintaining our reputation for client-focused legal solutions. Under my leadership, our departments reputation has continued to grow, helping more clients across the country.

Mentorship is a key aspect of my role. I am committed to developing the next generation of legal talent, overseeing apprentices and trainees and guiding them towards success. I am proud that many of those I have mentored have achieved recognition and won awards at prestigious events like the Northern Law Awards (NLA).

Awards; Accolades and Social Interests:

In 2024, I won Lawyer of the Year at the NLA along as winning the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team.

Beyond my professional duties, I have work closely with a range of charities and organisations, including INQUEST, Headlight, and Headway. I am also a member of the Inquest Lawyers Group (ILG) and the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG), which helps inform my work in challenging cases involving state organisations.

I am also regularly featured in the media, commenting on legal issues and have been instructed in several high profile and well publicised cases. Further information can be found in my notable cases below.

Outside of work, I remain committed to charitable activities, supporting organisations that align with my values. Having been born in Middlesbrough, I am also proud to support local organisations, and I am currently planning a series of charity events to further support these causes.

For those interested in joining our firm, I welcome confidential discussions. We are always looking to expand our team with dedicated professionals who share our commitment to justice.

List of notable cases and campaigns:

TEWV Prosecution and Public Inquiry

I have been heavily involved in legal proceedings concerning Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust following multiple failures in patient care that has led to countless preventable deaths. The Trust faced prosecution in relation to Christie Harnett and Patient X and were fined £200,000 by the Care Quality Commission.

My work includes representing families in inquest proceedings and supporting a call for a Statutory Public Inquiry into TEWV to ensure accountability, transparency, and reform within mental health services.

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Ben Stamp Inquest

I represented the family of Ben Stamp, a 25-year-old postgraduate student who tragically died after being hit by a van on the A19 near York. Ben, who was suffering from a suspected psychotic disorder, had exhibited increasingly erratic and distressed behaviour in the days leading up to his death. Despite his mother’s desperate attempts to seek help from mental health workers on the morning of his death, Ben was not taken to a place of safety.

During the inquest, it was revealed that Ben had undergone mental health assessments prior to the incident, but doctors had concluded that he “had capacity” and did not meet the criteria for detention under the Mental Health Act. The coroner delivered a narrative conclusion, stating that he was not satisfied Ben had intended to take his own life and that it was reasonable for Ben’s care not to have been escalated given the information available at the time. The coroner also noted that other patients required attention that morning and expressed doubt that a different outcome would have occurred even if Ben’s care had been escalated.

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Yousef Makki Inquest

I represented the family of Yousef Makki in the inquest of his death. Yousef Makki was killed in 2019 by a stab wound inflicted by his friend, Joshua Molnar, who was dubbed as a ‘rich kid’. Molnar was later charged with the murder and manslaughter of Makki after his recollection of events was questioned by police. Molnar was acquitted of murder and manslaughter, having relied upon an argument of self-defence.

After an inquest in 2021 found Makki died from “complications from a stab wound the precise circumstances of which cannot, on the balance of probabilities, be ascertained”, Yousef’s family pressed on asking for the decision to be judicially reviewed in high court. Resulting in the conclusion of the first inquest was quashed and a new inquest to take place before a different Coroner.

In 2023, the second inquest into the death of Yousef Makki found that he was unlawfully killed, rejecting the claim of self-defence made by Joshua Molnar. This ruling acknowledged that Molnar’s actions were unnecessary, disproportionate, and unreasonable. Yousef’s family received justice for Yousef.

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Jake Anderson Inquest

I represented the family of Jake Anderson, a 24-year-old man with schizophrenia, who tragically died in police custody at Peterlee Police Station in June 2020. Jake was held for over 12 hours, during which time his mental health deteriorated, leading to his death from alcoholic ketoacidosis. An inquest found that three police officers failed to properly monitor Jake, with critical lapses in care identified by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Despite these findings, the inquest concluded that Jake’s death was alcohol-related and that different police actions might not have saved his life. The officers involved received written warnings and formal management advice following misconduct hearings.

Jake’s family strongly believes that the police failed to provide the care he needed, resulting in his preventable death.

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Mark Jackson & Kenneth Grange – Claim against Cleveland Police

I successfully represented Mark Jackson and Kenneth Grange in a five-year legal battle against Cleveland Police, resulting in a significant victory for my clients. The court ruled that Mark Jackson’s arrest during a Middlesbrough vs. Sunderland football match in January 2009 was unlawful, leading to his entitlement to compensation for assault, unlawful detention, and malicious prosecution.

The jury concluded that the police failed to inform Mark that he was under arrest, making the subsequent use of force against him improper and amounting to assault. Kenneth Grange, who was also involved in the incident, was also awarded compensation for malicious prosecution related to his involvement during Mark’s unlawful arrest.

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Diane Coats – Claim against Cleveland Police

Diane Coats was celebrating her son’s 21^st birthday in Middlesbrough town centre when she was knocked to the ground by a sprinting police officer responding to an incident. Diane suffered a shattered humerus bone and damaged tendons.

I successfully represented Diane in a claim against Cleveland Police. Cleveland Police tried to claim Diane had fallen over drunk until CCTV proved otherwise. Diane has received a significant five-figure sum in damages.

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Same Roof Rule

I was apart of the Civil Litigation team that challenged the “Same Roof Rule” on behalf of a lady, TJ. Due to the “Same Roof Rule” she was not entitled to compensation for the abuse she suffered from her stepfather when she was a child.

We successfully challenged the rule with the Court of Appeal case of JT-v-First Tier Tribunal, and it was found that the rule unlawfully discriminated against our client. Subsequently, Parliament decided to take out this unfair and discriminatory rule out of the Scheme completely. The Same Roof Rule was overturned. This allowed previous victims of abuse to be able to claim compensation which they could not previously apply for.

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