Global law firm Clyde & Co has today announced the hire of two partners to its national healthcare practice, further enhancing the firm's clinical negligence, inquest and regulatory expertise.
Vanessa Splaine joins the firm's Manchester office from Weightmans in early August and Joanna Bower has joined in London from Capsticks. The team is bolstered further with two senior associates and three associates hires across the offices.
Vanessa specialises in clinical negligence, handling an extensive and diverse caseload of maximum severity claims, including neurological injuries sustained at birth and neonatally, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries in adults and children. As a nominated partner for NHS Resolution, she has handled many of the most complicated and sensitive clinical negligence claims and is known for her work on group claims and very high quantum cases.
Joanna has nearly 20 years' experience of working with GPs and private consultants and their medical defence organisations and insurers in medical malpractice claims, regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, and has experience of handling multi-layered proceedings also involving inquests and criminal prosecutions. Alongside her medical negligence work, Joanna will strengthen the firm's regulatory practice focusing on healthcare professionals.
Peter Hirst, Senior Partner at Clyde & Co, says: "We're delighted to further enhance our healthcare practice with these hires. Joanna and Vanessa are both leaders in their fields and much respected by their clients who, more than ever, need trusted advice and counsel during these trying times for healthcare providers and professionals."
Claire Petts, partner and Head of the Global Healthcare practice at Clyde & Co, comments: "The hire of two partners of the calibre of Vanessa and Joanna will further enhance our ability to serve our healthcare clients nationwide and across the scope of their needs. We are seeing the UK's healthcare system and its professionals come under unprecedented strain and the normal way of delivering healthcare changing dramatically. There will be a huge need to advise and support those professionals and institutions who are seeking to deliver high standards of patient care under high pressure."
Vanessa Splaine comments: "I am really excited to joining up with Claire and her team and working with clients at what is an extraordinary time for the NHS. I see this as a real opportunity to work across a range of clients, producing high quality work within a team and firm that has a leading reputation in this area."
Joanna Bower comments: "At Clyde & Co I believe I can develop my practice further in a supportive and ambitious environment focussed on delivering a high quality product to healthcare clients. These clients are facing different and unfamiliar challenges in light of the pandemic, and I feel the team here are uniquely well-placed to respond to their needs."
Clyde & Co's healthcare team advises on medical malpractice and product liability claims, judicial reviews and criminal prosecutions. In addition, it advises on a broad range of issues including inquests, mental capacity/best interest cases, treatment decisions, governance, complaints, data protection/information sharing, Freedom of Information requests and regulatory matters.
