Christian Beadell

I’m a Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence – also overseeing our Group Actions team. I’ve specialised in medical negligence claims for over 25 years, and I’ve dealt with a wide variety of claim types. I’ve also managed some of the biggest clinical negligence Group Action claims in the UK, supported by a wider team of specialists.

I have a particular interest in Group Action. Between 2010 and 2015, I focused on gynaecological and urogynaecological claims and represented several hundred people in the George Rowland Litigation against the Liverpool Women’s and Aintree Hospitals. This Group Action was part of an investigation into treatment given to women in the Merseyside area over several decades, and in particular focused on the introduction of mesh in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. I recovered hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for the people I supported through this Group Action.

I also believe in working together with the NHS to resolve claims as quickly and smoothly as possible, helping to reduce stress for clients. I’ve played a role in developing practical ways to settle cases more efficiently, particularly where groups of people have been affected.

I’m passionate about making sure everyone has access to support and guidance, regardless of the size of their claim. Every client deserves a high standard of care, and I focus on making the process as straightforward and supportive as possible throughout.

As a young lawyer I found the technical challenges of clinical negligence work vastly more interesting than other areas. I was inspired by a lecturer at university who was one of the leading authors of tort law principles in clinical claims and in particular the balance between ethical considerations around providing treatment to individuals and encouraging innovative approaches to medicine against the risks of doing so. At the time I qualified, clinical negligence work was relatively unusual and has become increasingly more specialised over the years, however the sheer variety and that is seen on a daily basis , always keeps me on my toes.

I’m a strong advocate of working collaboratively, both with the people I support and also with the other side – often the NHS. This is important in being able to resolve claims swiftly and cost effectively. I firmly believe in getting access to justice for all clinical negligence claims, and I believe it’s important to make sure all lower value cases are given the level of care they deserve throughout the process.

I work alongside a team of genuine experts who are hugely passionate about supporting the people who come to us. Each member of the team brings their own skills, and together we are a strong unit.

I enjoy working at Fletchers because it gives me the opportunity to drive meaningful improvements across our legal teams, ensuring we deliver the best possible service for our clients. Being involved in innovation and the use of new technology makes the role both exciting and rewarding.

I have seen the business grow and develop over the years as we have built out our expertise and reputation. Fletchers’ offers me amazing opportunities to grow and develop as a lawyer and works on a ‘can do’ basis. The business encourages innovative approaches and constantly strives to improve, change and deliver which i really enjoy.

Family is very important to me but i have a special soft spot for my dog, old cars and building bikes.