News & Events
News & Events
“Corporate Crime analysis: What should potential defendant NHS Trusts take from the ruling in R v Cornish and another? James Leonard of Outer Temple Chambers, who represented Dr Cornish, considers this first prosecution of a health service body following the introduction of the offence under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (CMCHA 2007).” James’ reputation is for prompt assistance to all professional clients in all disciplines; detailed preparation, calm, reasoned and practical advice for all lay clients as well as robust advocacy, fearless cross examination and sound tactical sense in Court. In medical tribunals, James represents clients up to Consultant level in relation to health and misconduct issues with a particular emphasis on serious clinical incompetence, dishonesty, fraud…
News 6 Jun, 2016
James Leonard, led by Ian Stern QC (2 Bedford Row), represented Dr Errol Cornish in a landmark corporate manslaughter case, against an anaesthetist and NHS trust. The trial collapsed in the third week of the hearing at Inner London Crown Court. The Jury were instructed by Mr Justice Coulson, to acquit both defendants on Thursday, having ruled the day before that they had no case to answer. It was the first time a health service body had been prosecuted, following the introduction of the offence. There will be no appeal. James Leonard was instructed by Richard Privett and Sam Flew of Radcliffes Le Brasseur.
News 29 Jan, 2016
Tim Green and James Leonard today addressed 50 members of the Health & Safety Lawyers Association (HSLA) in the third successive collaboration between the HSLA and Outer Temple Chambers since February 2015. Tim discussed how defence lawyers might be best prepared to take advantage of a significant rise in the number of private prosecutions whilst James reviewed the law, procedural rules, case law and best practice in costs awards. As with previous OTC/HSLA seminars in Bristol and Manchester, both seminars were well received and followed by drinks generously provided by DAC Beachcroft. Outer Temple Chambers has been consistently ranked as one of England’s leading sets of chambers for Health & Safety work and is committed to spreading best practice in health and safety law and procedure.
News 7 Oct, 2015
Outer Temple is delighted to announce that James Leonard has won the accolade of ‘Professional Discipline Junior of the Year 2014’, at the Chambers Bar Awards. Ben Compton QC was nominated as a ‘Silk of The Year’ and Stephen Climie was shortlisted as a ‘Health & Safety Junior of the Year’ . On Wednesday 1st October, Outer Temple was shortlisted as a candidate for the Legal 500 Awards in the category ‘Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence Set of the Year’, a category it won in 2013.
News 2 Oct, 2014
They were invited to speak to over 150 Health & Safety Lawyers and Professionals on the emerging trends in Corporate Manslaughter prosecutions and sentencing. The lecture focused primarily on the prosecution of the Princess Sporting Club and also considered the recent costs order made against the HSE in the Binnings case. Ben is Head of Outer Temple Chambers Health & Safety Team and is recognised as a leading expert on Corporate Manslaughter prosecutions and investigations. James was retained as Counsel for the Princes Sporting Club. Download the Lecture Pack here.
News 15 May, 2014
Recent case law has confirmed the level of difficulty encountered when attempting to persuade the courts to intervene at an early stage in trust disciplinary proceedings. That the courts may intervene where it is deemed appropriate was clearly stated in Edwards v Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust [2011] UKSC 58, in which Lord Dyson said that where an employer starts a disciplinary process in breach of an express term of the employment contract ‘it is open to the employee to seek an injunction to stop the process and/or to seek an appropriate declaration’. Read the full article, by Michael Uberoi and James Leonard, in The Lawyer Magazine.
News 26 Jun, 2013
Three members of the Outer Temple Health & Safety team are currently engaged in the three month inquest arising out of the July 2009 tower block fire at Lakanal House, Camberwell, South London, in which six residents tragically died. Ben Compton QC and James Leonard, leading Robert Dickason, represent two of the construction companies involved.
News 13 Feb, 2013
