Practice Overview
“Extremely efficient and pragmatic”, Martin is a leading personal injury specialist with particular experience of clinical negligence, industrial disease, brain damage, psychiatric injury and all sports-related litigation (particularly involving cycling). He is described by Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a leading personal injury and clinical negligence barrister.
Martin also has considerable experience of professional negligence (especially of solicitors and surveyors), insurance work and public law/human rights
Martin broadcasts and writes frequently, including for BBC’s Law in Action, The Times Law Section, New Law Journal, All England Opinion and BBC radio. He has been a member of the Western Circuit since 1987 and appears regularly on all circuits.
Martin was elected as Head of Chambers in July 2019.
Martin regularly appears in complex clinical negligence actions, most frequently for the defendant. He is recommended by Legal 500 as a leading clinical negligence Silk with the comment that he is “a regular fixture” in the appellate courts, and by Chambers UK as bright and adaptable in defending negligent surgery claims.
Martin also has extensive experience of appearing before the GMC Professional Conduct Committee and advising doctors and dentists facing disciplinary proceedings. He has been appointed a Legal Assessor by the GMC.
A leading personal injury silk with particular experience of high value brain damage cases and industrial disease. With his professional performance noted by the directories for over 20 years, Martin was, for example, complimented on his “amazing capacity to absorb huge amounts of background information”. He has a particular interest in cycling and other sports-related claims.
Martin has extensive exposure of product liability work particularly in relation to bicycles or other mechanical equipment and also medical devices often with a cross border aspect.
Public law and Judicial Review with particular interest in the liability of public bodies when exercising their statutory functions with expert experience in all cycling and recreational related public law matters with particular experience challenging Public Spaces Protection Orders.
Martin has broad experience of sport-related personal injury claims. He also has specialised knowledge of sports regulation in relation to cycling and in the application of statute law relating to cycling accidents, in particular, the wearing of helmets, liability and contributory negligence
In the last two years he has acted for national sporting bodies, sports clubs, individuals organising sports events and people injured whilst playing or participating.
Martin himself competed regularly in cycling road races for many years.