News & Events
News & Events
There are growing concerns about the environmental and health risks posed by PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. Harry Lambert and Danielle Watts explore the possibility of future litigation. In this article, Harry and Danielle explore the potential legal avenues available for bringing PFAS-related claims and the legal hurdles that prospective litigants might face. What are PFAS? PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of synthetic fluorinated chemicals. These man-made substances have unique characteristics which make them useful in a variety of industries: they can be exceptionally strong, heat resistant and repellent to water and oil. The production of PFAS boomed in the 1940s, following the discovery of Teflon in 1938. Today PFAS are used in a variety of…
Legal Blogs 4 Jun, 2026
After a hotly contested trial, Harry Lambert has won damages for his client, Ms Dakin, after South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was found in breach of duty which lead to her suffering a stroke. Harry Lambert acted for the claimant in Dakin v South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a complex hearing 3-day hearing in April heard by HHJ Robinson, BEM. Ms Dakin suffered a stroke on 21 July 2016, caused by atrial fibrillation (“AF”). Earlier that year, she had been seen by Dr Quinn at Friarage Hospital with symptoms including palpitations and episodes described as panic attacks. The Trust admitted that Dr Quinn should have arranged a 24-hour ECG monitor, and that failing to do so was…
News 12 May, 2026
We are delighted to share that thirteen of Outer Temple’s barristers have been included in the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition list for volunteering their time (25 hours or more) to provide free legal assistance to individuals, charities and community groups. Now in its third year, the List, published annually, recognises solicitors, barristers, chartered legal executives, trade mark attorneys, patent attorneys and registered foreign/European lawyers who provided 25 hours or more pro bono legal assistance over the last year. The initiative is supported by the Law Society, the Bar Council, CILEX and all the major pro bono organisations under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee. Pro Bono Recognition List 2026 The following members have been recognised in the…
News 21 Apr, 2026
Harry Lambert’s article analyses AI-Associated Delusions, the Attachment Economy, and the Limits of Liability. This article, a must read for Product Liability practitioners, reflects on ‘Product Liability In the Digital Age.’ In recent months, the darkest consequences of AI companionship have breached the mainstream consciousness. What began as warnings from unheeded academics or outlier psychologists has tragically materialized in high-profile US litigation, where bereaved parents are suing developers over chatbots that allegedly aided and encouraged teen suicides. These catastrophic edge cases have rightly dominated the headlines. But while trans-Atlantic litigation focuses on the extreme, a quieter, statistically monumental crisis is unfolding largely unchecked—one that threatens a much broader swath of society. As Dr. Zak Stein and a growing chorus of…
News 26 Mar, 2026
Rachel Vickers KC and Harry Lambert will be speaking at AvMA’s 36th Annual Clinical Negligence Conference (ACNC) taking place on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March 2026 at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. The 36th Annual Clinical Negligence Conference (ACNC) will focus on Neurology and Neurosurgery, whilst also covering many other key medico-legal topics. The conference will bring together the very best medical and legal experts who will give an update on all the key issues, developments and policies in clinical negligence and medical law. Rachel and Harry will be speaking on Thursday 19th March on ‘Neurotechnology – A New Frontier in Rehab?’ at 4:05pm as part of the Parallel Lectures: E-H. The duo will cover: What is Neurotechnology? Why should…
News 11 Mar, 2026
Harry Lambert joined a panel of experts at the 1st CINET Neurotechnology Conference that took place on 16th and 17th February 2026 in Madrid. The CINET Neurotechnology Conference focused on ‘Shaping Common Ground in Neurotech Regulation and Governance’. The objective of the conference was to bring together leading academics, members of the neurotechnology industry, and representatives of international organisations to share their experiences and perspectives, highlight pending challenges and gaps, and define the next steps in the ongoing effort to establish a robust regulatory and governance framework for neurotechnology. Harry Lambert joined a panel discussion on the first day of the conference. Harry discussed ‘Intrusions into the Mind: The Rights to Mental Privacy and Mental Integrity’ alongside Jennifer Chandler of…
News 17 Feb, 2026
Harry Lambert and Elliott Courcha acted in the Court of Appeal in Taha v Capsugel, an international dispute between two heavyweight pharmaceutical companies. Harry and Elliott acted on behalf of Taha Pharmaceuticals in this high-value product liability claim concerning alleged breach of contract, conspiracy and deceit within the pharmaceutical supply chain. The case was pleaded at over £10M in value. Prior to Harry and Elliott’s instruction, Taha’s claim had been struck out for failure to comply with an unless order requiring them to put down security for costs. Taha then applied for relief from sanctions and subsequently appealed on the basis that payment of the security had been impossible owing to regulatory constraints imposed by the Ministry of Finance in Tunisia. The permission to appeal hearing turned on whether…
News 2 Feb, 2026
Harry Lambert has co-authored an article alongside Dr Michelle Sharpe in the New Law Journal’s latest feature, titled ‘Neurotechnology & The Law: Contract Law’. Consumer neurotech devices that read and respond to brain and nerve activity are commercially available. A brain–computer interface (BCI) can be used to make purchases, confirm in-app transactions, and interact with online marketplaces. This has the potential to radically reshape how contracts are formed and enforced in the digital marketplace. In this article, Harry and Dr Michelle set out how neurotech presents new ways to evidence contractual consent, and new ways to erode it. The article highlights the following: How neurotechnology may inform consent; How neurotechnology may subvert consent Regulatory frameworks & industry standards ‘Neurotechnology & The…
External Publications, News 22 Jan, 2026
In this topical blog, Harry Lambert examines the legal implications of ChatGPT’s latest release. With the launch of ChatGPT Health last week, AI has crossed a Rubicon—but has the law kept pace? Harry explores whether our current product liability statutes are fit for purpose, or if the solution lies in the common law. With the launch of ChatGPT Health last week, the integration of Artificial Intelligence into our daily lives has crossed a Rubicon. No longer just a tool for drafting emails or debugging code, ChatGPT is now positioned as a personalised health companion, capable of integrating with medical records and wearables to offer guidance on everything from lab results to fitness plans. While OpenAI is careful to label this as an…
Legal Blogs, News 13 Jan, 2026
Following the release of Part 1 and Part 2 earlier this year, Harry Lambert is featured in The New Law Journal with Part 3 of his article; ‘Is social media a defective product?’ In the third part of this series, Harry explores the question of ‘Could tortious liability be the only tool to make Big Tech pay for the psychological harms stemming from social media use?’ These include addiction, depression, sexploitation and body dysmorphia. In Part 1, the article considered whether it was possible to sue social media companies at all, or whether they are protected by statutory or contractual immunity. In Part 2, Harry Lambert tackled some key questions including: is social media a ‘product’ at all, and how might claims be brought against its…
External Publications, News 19 Nov, 2025
Barrister at Outer Temple Chambers and founder of the Centre for Neurotechnology & Law, Harry Lambert, has been published in New Law Journal’s latest article, where he explores the impact of Neurotechnology on inquests. This is the first consideration of neurotech and inquests ever, worldwide. The growing ubiquity of wearable technology and the rapidly advancing field of neurotechnology are generating an unprecedented flood of neural data, which could have profound implications for coronial law. Advances in neurotechnology could soon allow coroners to analyse brain activity to determine intent, cause, and sequence of death—redefining how inquests are conducted. Harry Lambert reports, “As neurotechnology increasingly embeds itself in everyday life, the coroner’s court faces a new frontier—where neural data could illuminate the mysteries of…
External Publications, News 13 Nov, 2025
Harry Lambert was invited to speak at APIL’s Special Interest Group (SIG) Product Liability meeting on Thursday 17th July 2025 on ‘Product Liability in the Digital Age’. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) is a not-for-profit campaign group which has been committed to helping injured people for more than 30 years. The Product Liability SIG meeting took place on Thursday 17th July 2025 from 4pm to 5:30pm. Harry Lambert discussed ‘Product Liability in the Digital Age’, alongside Sarah Moore of Leigh Day and Natalie Truman of Irwin Mitchell. This SIG Product Liability talk covered two parts: Part One – What’s different about digital technology, including the existing law and the future Part Two – Specific Applications: AI, Social Media,…
News 18 Jul, 2025
