Source: http://devereuxchambers.co.uk/barristers/profile/peter-edwards
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 09:51:33+00:00

Document:
Practises in the areas of personal Injury (including sexual abuse), employment and industrial relations/trade unions. In a position to take full advantage of the increasing overlap between the fields of personal injury and employment law (for example, the cross-examination of medical experts, production of detailed Schedules and the use of the statutory definition of “disability” in the Ogden Tables A to D) and is able to provide a comprehensive service to employees and employers bringing or defending claims in the Tribunal and in the High Court. Has a detailed knowledge of, and practice in, Human Rights matters which assists his work in his other core areas.
Mainly High Court practice with particular specialism in catastrophic injury (spinal injuries, multiple injuries and head/brain injuries), disease litigation and psychiatric injury arising from bullying/harassment at work.
Has a thriving practice in sexual abuse cases, including abuse perpetrated in schools, religious institutions, care facilities and sports clubs. Represented high-profile victims of such abuse, recovering up to seven-figure awards. Has an empathy and rapport with the Claimants that puts them at ease during the stressful litigation process. Excellent working relationship with many of the leading Consultant Psychiatrists and Psychologists in the field of sexual abuse (including Peter Higson OBE, Professor Gournay, Dr Maden and Dr Oscar Daly). Has an expertise in Human Rights law that has proved exceptionally useful in pursuing the abuse claims.
In an almost unique position to take advantage of the increasing overlap between the fields of personal injury and employment law (in which he is already ranked in Chambers & Partners). Regularly instructed by top-ranked firms including Irwin Mitchell (London and Birmingham offices); Thompsons; Mishcon de Reya; Russell Jones & Walker and Slater and Gordon.
Expertise in occupational illness and disease litigation, including stress at work, dermatitis, asthma, asbestos exposure, vibration white finger and deafness.
Author of the occupational illness/disease sections (deafness and asbestos exposure) in the recently launched online reference work, Lexis PSL, Personal Injury Service which was the winner of the Online Product of the Year at the Legal Technology Awards. Member of the LexisAsk Panel for both Employment Law and Personal Injury.
Regularly conducts lectures/seminars on a diverse range of personal injury and health and safety topics for professional associations, solicitors and commercial training providers. Recent seminars include res ipsa loquitur, novus actus, case-law developments on limitation (particularly in the context of sexual abuse cases), contributory negligence, Part 36 Payments, Periodical Payments, Asbestos Exposure Cases, Ice and Snow Cases, Stress at Work Claims, Bullying and Harassment Claims and Maximising Schedules of Special Damages.
Forrester v. Workman  2 FLR 76 (CA) - Appeared in the Court of Appeal representing the family of a wife murdered by her husband, thereby avoiding payment of financial relief in divorce proceedings. First reported recovery of a damages award – in excess of £1.5 million – in those circumstances. Consideration of applicable principles of Judgment in default of an award of damages for breach of the terms of a Freezing Order.
Begley v. Chief Constable of Greater Manchester/IPCC  Inquest LR 302 – Represented the family of a teenager who was tasered and assaulted by Officers of Greater Manchester Police at a 5-week Inquest. First narrative verdict of a Jury which has partly attributed a death to the use of a taser. Subsequently recovered civil damages in a High Court claim on behalf of the family. The Jury’s verdict resulted in a Judicial Review claim against the IPCC in respect of the flawed investigation that had led to the exoneration of the Officers responsible for Mr Begley’s death. The IPCC’s Report was set aside and the disciplinary investigation was re-opened.
Zarrabi v. National Crime Agency  HC/01CL648 – Recovered substantial damages for a Solicitor who was falsely imprisoned by Officers working for the National Crime Agency. Finding by the Court that 2 serving Police Officers had lied under oath about the circumstances of the Police raid and what the said to the Claimant, who was not suspected of any offences (including the statement that she could be handcuffed to the chair if she attempted to leave). Disciplinary proceedings are now pending directly attributable to the Court’s findings.
Schwartz v. Pennine Care NHS Trust  – Claim on behalf of an Orthodox Jewish Claimant who was suffered psychiatric injury and physical self-harm as a result of being placed on a mixed hospital ward and subjected to abuse relating to his religious beliefs. Claims of clinical negligence, religious discrimination and pursuant to the Human Rights Act.
Bankole v. Arnal/Allen  - Representing the infant Claimant who suffered catastrophic spinal and traumatic brain injuries as a result of a road traffic accident. The claim is likely to result in the highest ever personal injury settlement/award given the Claimant’s ongoing and permanent care needs (double up, 24-hour waking care) and her pre-accident earning potential.
X & Y v. Tameside MBC  – Claim against a Local Authority, pursuant to the Data Protection Act and Human Rights Act, in respect of the unlawful disclosure of details relating to the sexual abuse suffered by the Claimants in childhood. First reported case in which damages for psychiatric injury have been recovered for a breach of the DPA.
Cloutt v. Katsianis  – Successfully represented the Claimant family at the Inquest and, subsequently, in a Fatal Accidents Act claim brought following the death of a husband/father killed in a motorcycle accident. Court Approval of the liability and quantum settlement was granted in 2017.
Wilson v. Southgate/RSA  B90BM075 – Multi-million pound claim by an adult Claimant who suffered from Mosaic Down’s Syndrome, whose mother and carer was killed in a road traffic accident. Novel claims were successfully pursued for Court of Protection costs. Court Approval of the agreed settlement sum was granted in 2017.
James Kennedy v. Father Cole – Successfully represented the Claimant who suffered catastrophic spinal and brain injuries when he was struck by a moped driven by a Catholic Priest in Rome. The Priest had been drinking Whisky and was substantially in excess of the drink-drive limit. Unusually, recovered damages for the installation of a hydrotherapy pool at home. Multi-million pound settlement.
Junior Counsel of choice for employment law/industrial relations work for Unite the Union. Regularly instructed by large public sector employers, particularly the Metropolitan Police, and leading, ranked City firms: BDBF, DLA, Weightmans, Mischcon de Reya, Magrath & Co, Beachcrofts, Archon etc. Exceptionally strong client feedback and unusually high level of appellate work, having appeared in the Supreme Court (twice) and regularly in the Court of Appeal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and, almost uniquely for English Counsel, once in the Court of Session. Delivered Equality Act training to the Bar Council’s Disciplinary Tribunals (including many Q.C.s and Judges). Regular appearances against QC’s. Strong publishing profile: contributor to Tottel: Discrimination law; Jordans: Employment Law and Tottel’s Employment Law Precedents. Member of the LexisAsk Panel for Employment Law.
Expert on all aspects of employment law, including all types of discrimination, restrictive covenants, injunctions, wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal, equal pay, TUPE, trade disputes, trade unions and commercial agents.
Particular expertise in disability discrimination (using his knowledge in the Personal Injury field and his experience in cross-examining medical experts), whistleblowing, age discrimination and Working Time Regulation cases and in bullying/harassment and stress-at-work cases.
Successfully represented employees in the offshore sector in a 25 day case in the Aberdeen ET involving claims for paid leave pursuant to the Working Time Regulations, 1998. The case subsequently proceeded to the EAT, Court of Session and Supreme Court (see below).
Represented the Claimants in the seminal case of Autoclenz v. Belcher, which was appealed to the Supreme Court and resulted in the revolutionary decision that ‘sham’ clauses could be excised from an ‘employment’ contract if the clauses did not reflect the true reality of the relationship between the parties.
Martin Christie v. Bar Standards Board  LTL 21/03/2016 – Regulatory proceedings in which Mr Christie was subject to a sanction of disbarment. Application of Rule 202 of the Disciplinary Tribunal Rules, 2014. Review Application in the High Court.
Brown & Others v. Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis  – Represented the Commissioner on a complex case involving the assault of members of the public by serving Officers. For the first time ever, the Commissioner made the decision to join the serving Officers as Third Party Defendants. Application of principles of issue estoppel in the Employment Tribunal proceedings issued by the Officers.
Juneja v. BGC International  – High Court stress-at-work/bullying claim by a Senior Trader. The Defendant was represented by Caspar Glynn Q.C. Resulted in a substantial (confidential) settlement just prior to the Trial.
Re: The liquidation of Comet PLC  – Successfully represented the 3,000 + employees who were made redundant following the liquidation of the High Street electrical giant. Comet was represented by David Read Q.C. Recovered protective awards on behalf of all employees. The total award amounted to tens of millions of pounds.
Rolls Royce plc v. Unite  IRLR 49 (HC) – Legitimacy of redundancy selection criterion based on length of service. See entry for Court of Appeal above.
Junior Counsel of choice for industrial relations work for Unite the Union. Advises and represents both large employers (including Coca Cola, Royal Mail and London Underground) and Trade Unions (including Unite, Unison and the FBU) on all aspects of industrial relations law and practice. Conducted and defended a number of multi-party actions up to EAT/Court of Appeal level on industrial relations issues.
Advising the Prison Officers Association on the Rules relating to whether the former General Secretary, who stood as a Labour-party candidate in the last General Election, could return and stand for re-election. Case listed for Hearing before the Certification Officer in March 2018.
BALPA v. Jet2.Com  IRLR 543 (Court of Appeal) – First case involving the construction of collective bargaining rights imposed by the CAC.
Peter has substantial experience in Public Law and Judicial Review cases, particularly those arising from Trade Union/industrial relations matters and Human Rights Act breaches leading to death or personal injury (i.e. arising from the core areas of his practice). He is a specialist on the Human Rights Act, frequently litigating cases involving alleged breaches of Article 2 (right to life), Article 3 (inhuman or degrading treatment), Article 8 (right to private and family life) and Article 11 (freedom of association – giving rise to the right to strike).
Angela Zarrabi v. (1) National Crime Agency; (2) Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police – A false imprisonment claim on behalf of the Claimant. Peter’s cross-examination resulted in the evidence of 2 senior Police Officers being disbelieved by the Judge on the key issue of whether the Claimant was detained. Both Officers were subsequently referred for Disciplinary action for perjury.
Skyshare the Union v. Netjets  IRLR 986 – Judicial Review Application claiming collective bargaining recognition for Skyshare the Union. Appeared against John Bowers Q.C. Issues of territorial jurisdiction given that Netjets pilots (Skyshare members) were based all over Europe. Application of the Supreme Court decision in Lawson v. Serco. Engagement of the Article 11 right to freedom of association.
Jordan Begley (Deceased); Dorothy Begley v. Independent Police Complaints Commission  Inquest L.R. 302 – Peter represented the Begley family at a 5-week Article 2 Inquest into the circumstances of the death of Jordan Begley, who died after being tasered and restrained by Officers of the Greater Manchester Police. Following the Jury’s Narrative Verdict (the first in which the use of a Taser was linked to a death), a Judicial Review Application was successfully made to set aside the IPCC’s Investigation Report, which was wholly inadequate and which had exonerated all Officers involved. This is thought to be the only occasion on which an IPCC Report has been set aside in that way.
The International Bar Association – Issues arising from the Eyewitness to Atrocities App. Whether the information contained in the App constituted a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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