2tg
Christopher Russell
Call: 1982
Expertise
Clinical Negligence Health & Safety Personal Injury Professional Negligence
Qualifications
LLB University of Exeter
Appointments
Vice chair Grays Inn Continuing Education Committee
Chair Grays Inn Continuing Professional Development Sub-Committee
Grays Inn Benchers' Education Committee
Advocacy Training Council Examiner
Grays Inn advocacy trainer - "A" list
London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association Committee
Practice Profile
Christopher Russell is the head of the Common Law team at 2 Temple Gardens which specialises in Personal Injury, Property Damage and Health & Safety.
Recognised by Legal 500 (2008) as being “knowledgeable and effective”, and given credit for his expertise in health and safety and occupational stress claims in Chambers UK 2009, he is an advocate of more than 20 years experience and now concentrates on cases breaking new ground or of high value.
He is sought after in cases attracting publicity and where very sensitive handling is required, in particular Health & Safety cases and high profile inquests such as those following the Hillsborough disaster.
He is frequently instructed in cases against leading counsel. He has been admitted to the Bar of the Cayman Islands and has appeared in the Court of Appeal and the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. He has considerable experience of mediations.
He has been an approved advocacy trainer since 1994 and is now on the Grays Inn “A” list.
Notable cases include:
Brickwood v Lincoln Clinic and Centre for Pyschotherapy [2006 onwards]
Ambit of professional duty of the providers of education in pyschotherapy towards its students
Instructed by Berrymans
Farrell v Avon NHS Trust [2004]
Nature and extent of duty by Trust to relatives of patients (F incorrectly advised son had died and given wrong deceased baby to hold)
Instructed by Bevan Ashford
BBL v Eagle Star [1993]
Valuer's negligence.
Instructed by Kennedys
Notable cases include:
RV v VGC and others [2007 - 2009] (Stafford Crown Court)
Double fatality on railway (one deceased being VGC's Controller of Site Safety); defence of reasonable practicability to charge under S2 HSAWA after 8 week trial
Instructed by Denton Wilde Sapte
HSE v Keen Construction [2008 - 2009] (Reading Crown Court):
Severe injuries from fragile roof accident; Work at Height Regulations.
Instructed by Beachcrofts
HSE v LB Barnet and others [2005 - 2007] (Central Criminal Court)
Double fatality of two boys in HendoN Police College swimming pool while engaged in police/community youth bonding programme; S3 HSAWA.
Instructed by Watmores
HSE v Morrison Construction Ltd [2004 - 2006] (Stafford Crown Court)
Fatality on worksite; compliance with approved code of practice as a defence to charges under Lifting Regulations
Instructed by Eversheds
Other cases include:
R v. Arena Productions:
Collapse of spectator stand at Pink Floyd concert at Earls Court
R v. Staward Engineering:
Large explosion in block of flats, central London
R v GATX Terminals:
Fire and explosion at petroleum termial
R v. Eagle Star:
Breach by Insurance company engineer in inspection of plant insured by it
HSE v Northbrian Education Trust:
Loss of radio-active materials by a leading independent school
HSE v Alfred McAlpine Pipeline Services:
Pollution of environmentally sensitve area of Portsmouth Harbour
R v Haden Drysys International:
Fatality following immersion in large chemical tank on Transit van production line
HSE v Jenkins:
Severe scalding of cerebral palsy patient by staff of a residential nursing home
HSE / R v Balfour Beatty/Amec:
Many cases following fatalities and serious injury on the Jubilee Line extension project
Christopher's particular strengths lie in claims for brain and spinal injury, occupational disease and claims for psychiatric damage, especially stress, bullying and harassment.
Particular recent notable and illustrative cases include:
Jones v BBC and others [2006 - 2009] (Queens Bench Division, Cardiff)
Paraplegic injury sustained by sound recordist while working for BBC. £4.5M claim. Represented one of 4 Defendants, the cameraman attached to Claimant. 10 day liabilty trial (instructed by Weightmans). In quantum proceedings, represented all 3 liable Defendants (instructed by Beachcrofts, Manchester).
Harkins v Lee and another [2007 - 2008] (Queens Bench Division, Oxford)
£1.8M claim made by young solicitor following RTA in which modest whiplash sustained. Represented both Defendants. Complexity in case due to psychiatric quotient of pain and evaluation of loss of a chance in maximising career prospects at magic circle solicitors' firm.
Instructed by Halliwells, Manchester.
Frost v Frost [2006 - 2008] (Mediated before issue)
Claim by son against father arising out of farm accident. Represented father. Father and son were partners in the farm business. Complicated by vested interest that father had in maximising son's claim to benefit farm as a whole and identifying what was the farm's loss and what was the son's loss.
Instructed by Morgan Cole.
Mason v Satelcom & others [2006 - ongoing] (Queens Bench Division and Court of Appeal)
Claim for serious back injury sustained by field engineer who fell off a ladder made against employer, occupier and employer's customer. Represented employer. Important Court of Appeal decision about ambit of statutory duty upon non-employers under Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations and of "control" in those and other regulations under the Framework Directive.
Instructed by Bond Pearce, Bristol
Collins v Nat West Bank PLC [2007 - 2008] (Norwich County Court)
Stress claim brought by bank cashier against employer. Represented employer throughout case and at liability trial (when claim failed). Difficulty in case arose from reliance by Claimant on stress illness suffered by other employees doing equivalent job.
Instructed by Plexus Law
Piccolo v Larkstock and others [2006 - 2008] (Queens Bench Divison, London)
Claim by incomplete paraplegic for injury sustained slipping on a petal on concourse of Marylebone Station. Considerable media interest. Represented Station owner which was acquitted of liability. £2M claim complicated by allegations of clinical negligence in treatment of injuries.
Instructed by Berrymans
Notable Cases
Other recent notable cases include:
Arden v Malcom [2009] (QBD, Cambridge):
Acted for motor cyclist blinded and brain damaged in RTA - issues of local authority care duplicating insurer's liabilities. Instructed by David Gist
Maclean v Bradford [2007] (QBD, Exeter):
Acted for brain damaged walker attacked by horse - no witnesses - Animals Act. Instructed by Gill Akaster
Re: Christopher Brown (Deceased) [2006] Swansea Coroners Court:
Inquest - Acted for Catholic charity reponsible for care of severely disabled child killed during a pilgrimage to Lourdes.
Gregory v Newsquest [2006] Worcester County Court:
Stress, victimisation, bullying - foreseeability - breach - causation. Instructed by Morgan Cole
Wilson v Clements [2005] (Court of Appeal):
RTA - Assessment of damages - causation - somatoform disorder. Instructed by Halliwells.
Boreham v O2 [2005] (Keith J, Sir Michael Turner, QBD):
Public liability - duty of managing agents of shopping centre - severe brain damage. Instructed by Beachcrofts, Winchester
Nicholls v Anderson Firmin [2005] (QBD):
Employer's liability - asbestos exposure - living mesothelioma case - causation. Instructed by Plexus Law.
Gray v Thames Trains Ltd [2005] (QBD):
Public liability - Paddington rail crash - Claim for psychiatric injury attributed to the disaster leading to road rage killing and loss consequent imprisonment for manslaughter. Instructed by Halliwells.
Hyam v Havering NHS Trust [2004} (QBD):
Bullying, harassment, victimisation - foreseeability - breach - causation. Instructed by Watmores.
Additional Information
Associations
- London Commercial & Common Law (LCLCBA)
- Personal Injury (PIBA)
- Professional Negligence (PNBA)]
