Insights / News
Insights / News
Outer Temple Chambers and Irwin Mitchell hosted a joint webinar to discuss the issue of sports related concussion and liability on Tuesday 16th February 2021. We were delighted to be joined by two external speakers for this event to explore the issue from all angles; Dr Michael Turner, a medical expert in this field, and David Denton, an ex-professional rugby player who was forced into early retirement due to a head injury.
Louis Weston, Barrister
Louis specialises in Sports Law and has a successful practice in sports regulation, governance, disciplinary cases, safeguarding and anti-doping. He also acts for sports governing bodies, athletes and their representatives in commercial and personal injury disputes.
He is a member of the ICC’s Independent Oversight Group of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, the FA’s Judicial Panel and Sports Resolutions’ and Sport Disputes Ireland’s arbitral panel and its pro-bono group. He is also a member of Lawinsport’s editorial board.
“Razor-sharp and genuinely specialises in this area of practice. The go-to practitioner, without a doubt, in the area of sports integrity and regulation.” Chambers UK 2020, Sport – Band 1
Dr Michael Turner, Medical Expert
Michael is Medical Director and CEO of The International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation (ICHIRF) and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at University College London (UCL). His former substantive posts include; Chief Medical Adviser (CMA) to the Lawn Tennis Association, CMA to British Horseracing, CMA to the British Ski and Snowboard Federation and membership of the Medical Committees of FIS, the ITF and European Horseracing. He was a member of the WADA TUE Expert Group, Deputy Director and Director of Medical Services at the British Olympic Association and Team GB Medical Officer at the Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympic Games.
He is co-author of the Concussion in Sport Consensus Statements from Zurich 2012 and Berlin 2016, and on the expert panel for Paris 2021. His main areas of interest include safety in high-risk sports, protective equipment in sport, concussion and anti-doping.
David Denton, ex-professional Rugby player.
David played professional rugby for Edinburgh, Bath, Worcester, Leicester and Scotland, winning 32 Scotland caps in total. He retired in 2019 following the advice of doctors after a concussion injury and is now a freelance consultant. He has previously spoken in the media about the dangers of head injury in professional rugby.
Matthew Phillips QC, Barrister
Matthew’s practice covers personal injury, sports injuries and clinical negligence. He has extensive experience of sports related personal injury claims and regulatory work involving anti-doping regulations. He has an academic interest in all aspects of sports law and practice.
Matthew sits as a Legally Qualified Chair on the British Equine Federation’s Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Hearing Body.
He has been recommended in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 in personal injury since 2006.
Ian Christian, Partner
Ian is a medical negligence partner at Irwin Mitchell dealing with a wide variety of claims for individuals who have received substandard medical treatment. He also deals with fatal claims and catastrophic spinal injury cases.
Ian also specialises in treatment provided by medical staff following a sports injury. He is a panel member for the Rugby Players Association and represents a number of elite sports people. Ian sits on Irwin Mitchell’s national medical negligence executive as well as heading up the London personal injury department.
Ian has co-authored the 1st and 2nd editions of the APIL Clinical Negligence guide and has been published on the issues of concussion and doping. He regularly lectures to the legal and medical profession both in the UK and abroad.
Webinars & Recordings 26 Feb, 2021