Robert Dickason

Year of Call:
2007
Direct Access:
Yes

Robert Dickason specialises in clinical negligence and has particular experience in group litigation, Governmental and military healthcare, product liability and health and safety.

Appointed to the Attorney General’s B Panel in 2020 (C Panel 2015-2020), Robert regularly represents Government departments in the fields of clinical negligence, product liability, inquests, human rights and national security. Current cases include:

  • The Contaminated Blood Products Group Litigation, acting on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care;
  • The Covid 19 Inquiry where he is instructed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities;
  • The Grenfell Tower Litigation where he is instructed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea;
  • The Hormone Pregnancy Test Litigation (concerning foetal abnormalities and miscarriage allegedly caused by hormonal pregnancy tests taken in the 1960s and 1970s) where he acts for the Department of Health and Social Care;
  • The Q Fever Litigation (Helmand fever suffered by soldiers on deployment to Southern Afghanistan) where he represents the Ministry of Defence.

 

Robert has been consistently ranked as a Leading Junior in Clinical Negligence since 2016. He acts for patients, Trusts, private providers and individual clinicians alike in civil claims and at inquests. His practice spans the full clinical spectrum. He is instructed in the most complex liability and quantum disputes. He is good with clients and can be relied upon to turn papers around promptly. He has particular expertise on matters of causation (APIL Clinical Negligence textbook, APIL Personal Injury loose-leaf) and in clinical negligence cases involving members of the Armed Forces or public law aspects.

Robert also has an established health and safety practice, having appeared in several high profile and complex cases (Grenfell Tower, Lakanal House, Sterecycle manslaughter, Warwickshire Fire). He undertakes the full range of contentious and advisory work, representing public authorities, large conglomerates, small and medium businesses, and individual directors and employees.

Notable Cases:

Expertise

Robert is consistently ranked as a leading junior in clinical negligence (Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, 2016+)

He acts for patients, Trusts, private providers and individual clinicians alike in civil claims and at inquests. His practice spans the full clinical spectrum. He is instructed in the most complex liability and quantum disputes. He is good with clients and can be relied upon to turn papers around promptly. He has particular expertise on matters of causation and in clinical negligence cases involving members of the Armed Forces or public law aspects.

Reported clinical negligence cases include:

Notable Clinical Negligence cases


Bass v Ministry of Defence [2020] EWHC 36 (QB)

Defence of MoD against claims of inadequate chemoprophylaxis during deployment to Afghanistan.

Raggett v Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & Ors [2016] EWHC 1604 (QB)

Avoidable lower limb amputation.

A v East Kent University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2015] EWHC 1038 (QB)

Wrongful birth complicated by chromosomal abnormality.

Robert is a member of the Attorney-General’s B Panel (C Panel, 2015-2020). He represents a range of Government departments in a variety of public and private law challenges, primarily in the healthcare field.

Current instructions include:

Notable Governmental Healthcare cases


The Contaminated Blood Products Group Litigation

Acting on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Covid 19 Inquiry

Where he is instructed by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The Hormone Pregnancy Test Litigation

(concerning foetal abnormalities and miscarriage allegedly caused by hormonal pregnancy tests taken in the 1960s and 1970s) where he is instructed by the Department of Health and Social Care as the medical regulator at the time.

The Q Fever Litigation

Where he successfully defended the Ministry of Defence in relation to claims brough by soldiers deployed to Southern Afghanistan in relation to alleged failures of risk assessment and medical chemoprophylaxis (see e.g. Bass v MOD [2020] EWHC 36 (QB)).

Gulf War Illness

Representing the Ministry of Defence in relation to allegations of illness sustained as a result of Gulf deployment in the 1990s.

Robert has extensive experience of group litigation, and especially in the healthcare and product liability fields. He is ranked for Product Liability in Legal 500. His current cases include:

Notable Group Litigation cases


The Grenfell Tower Litigation

Where he is instructed on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in relation to >1000 claims brought on behalf of survivors of the fire, bereaved families and members of the emergency services.

The Hormone Pregnancy Test Litigation

(concerning foetal abnormalities and miscarriage allegedly caused by hormonal pregnancy tests taken in the 1960s and 1970s) where he is instructed by the Department of Health and Social Care as the medical regulator at the time.

The Q Fever Litigation

Where he successfully defended the Ministry of Defence in relation to claims brough by soldiers deployed to Southern Afghanistan in relation to alleged failures of risk assessment and medical chemoprophylaxis (see e.g. Bass v MOD [2020] EWHC 36 (QB).

Robert has an established health and safety practice, having appeared in several high profile and complex cases (Grenfell Tower, Lakanal House, Sterecycle manslaughter, Warwickshire Fire). He undertakes the full range of contentious and advisory work, representing public authorities, large conglomerates, small and medium businesses, and individual directors and employees. For example:

Notable Health & Safety cases


Grenfell Tower Fire

Instructed on behalf of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in relation to large-scale civil litigation.

Exercise Unified Response (Howell, deceased) (2019)

Representation at inquest of power station owners following death of paramedic during 2016 disaster simulation exercise conducted by pan-European emergency services at Littlebrook Power Station.

R v C&R Construction (2018)

Representation of construction company at inquest and in criminal proceedings following fatal fall from height.

R v Sterecycle (Rotherham) Ltd & ors (2014)

Defending employee manager in manslaughter prosecution following fatal explosion at waste processing facility.

R v Wilson [2013] EWCA Crim 1780; [2014] 1 Cr. App. R. 10

Representing director of hotel in appeal against conviction based on defective indictment.

Lakanal House (2013)

London tower block fire causing significant loss of life; represented company responsible for window installation at ‘super-inquest’ into fatalities.

Warwickshire Fire (2012)

Defence of Fire and Rescue Service in prosecution for manslaughter following death of firefighters in warehouse blaze.

Related updates

Robert Dickason is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.

"He was professional and considerate … I always felt that we had the upper hand with Robert on our side."

Client Testimonial, 2024

"Robert is really thorough, really hard-working and also has very reliable judgement."; "Robert is charming and incisive. He is great in a pinch and great on a team."; "Robert Dickason is very independent, knows just what is needed and has an ability to deal with clients."

Group Litigation, Chambers & Partners 2024

"Rob is very bright and quickly gets to grips with the complexities of a case. He is a brilliant negotiator and advocate."; "He takes a proactive and commercial outlook for the clients where appropriate and provides useful tactical insight."; "He is well liked by clients, quick to come to grips with complex cases and commercially pragmatic."

Clinical Negligence, Chambers & Partners 2024

‘Rob is as smooth as a freshly ironed shirt: he is easy to work with, fantastic with clients, and persuasive on his feet.'

Group Litigation, Legal 500, 2024

‘Rob brings his serious clinical negligence experience to bear on products cases. He really has a detailed understanding of the technical side of these cases.'

Product Liability, Legal 500, 2024

‘Rob is extremely efficient and soundly astute, quick to get to the issues and great with witnesses.'

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500, 2024

“Robert is a brilliant negotiator and advocate. He brings a fresh perspective and vision to the most difficult cases.”

Clinical Negligence, Chambers and Partners 2023

“He is very driven and results-focused.”

Clinical Negligence, Chambers and Partners 2023

“Robert is very bright, responsive and approachable.”

Clinical Negligence, Chambers and Partners 2023

"Robert is the Swiss army knife of barristers, he is across everything."

Group Litigation, Legal 500 2023

"Very clever, sees the wood for the trees, good analytical skills, excellent written advocacy."

Product Liability, Legal 500 2023

"Rob is very impressive with both his speed and ability to respond to instructions. His advice is always spot on."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2023

"Robert is hugely hardworking, which combined with his legal brilliance and very easy manner make him a hugely impressive barrister. He has a ready wit and advocacy style which works extremely well."

Product liability, Legal 500 2022

"He is a really good all-rounder who responds quickly to provide decisive and pragmatic advice."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2022

"A very sharp and incisive questioner who always has a full measure of the complexities of the medicine at hand."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2021

"He is decisive, focused, efficient and excellent with complex cases."

Product Liability, Legal 500 2021

"Especially good with clients."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2019

"Very personable, calm and thorough. He is confident and very genuine with the clients."

Health & Safety, Chambers and Partners 2018

"A bright, thorough and very competent junior."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2017

"Professional and very thorough," he's "very intelligent, down to earth and easy to work with."

Health & Safety, Chambers and Partners 2017

"He is very thorough and leaves no stone unturned."

Clinical Negligence, Legal 500 2016

"A reassuring manner with sensitive clients."

Professional Discipline & Regulatory Law, Legal 500 2015

To find out more, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)20 7427 4709 or Ben Fitzgerald on +44 (0)203 758 4759 for a confidential discussion.

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  • Attorney General’s B Panel (2020-2025)
  • Attorney General’s C Panel (2015-2020)
  • Judicial Assistant to Lord Judge LCJ and Lord Carnwath CVO (2010)
  • Law Commission, Criminal Law Team (2008)
  • Membership: HSLA, PNBA, PIBA

  • APIL Clinical Negligence textbook (causation chapter)
  • APIL Personal Injury loose-leaf (causation chapter)

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