“7 Bedford Row’s Simon King is ‘a superb leader, hugely respected by his peers’ ” [Legal 500, 2011 edition]
Simon practises in clinical negligence, personal injury (including product liability) and civil litigation in tort and contract disputes, and in specialist criminal and regulatory work in related fields (eg Health and Safety prosecutions, professional disciplinary and regulatory tribunals). He has also acted in Coroner's Inquests and Inquiries, including in relation to the fatal shooting in 2005 of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station, and a number of other Article 2 inquests in the context of the armed forces and of clinical treatment. His practice is based in London but is not restricted by location.
His early practice at the Bar was in the criminal courts, providing him with forensic advocacy experience much valued by subsequent clients. Since 2003 he has sat as a Recorder and is now authorised as such to deal with cases in the criminal, civil and family jurisdictions of the Crown and County Courts.
In practice he acts for both claimants and defendants and is cited annually in the principal professional directories (Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500) as a leading junior at the London Bar in the areas of Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence (see 2011 editorial comment from Legal 500 in the field of Personal Injury, above).
Examples of recent key cases
- Wilson & Woolaghan v Next plc: successfully acting for defendant in product liability trial (2011) concerning allegations of defectiveness/ dangerousness in relation to baby clothing
- Bird v Brownlow: successfully acting for claimant in liability settlement (2011) of maximum severity road traffic claim
- Armstrong v Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and others: successfully acting for claimant in liability settlement of a very complex clinical negligence claim involving blindness caused by neurosurgical negligence (2010)
- West v Sam Ostle & Sons Ltd: acting for claimant in relation to advantageous settlement (2009) of a complex claim for damages brought by a solicitor who suffered very serious injury in a road traffic accident
- De Menezes Inquest: acting for the IPCC in the inquest in 2008 into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell in 2005
- Re: Heather Bell: for the family in the inquest into the death of Heather Bell in Lincolnshire in 2004 (2-week hearing under Article 2 of the Human Rights Convention, involvement of low-flying RAF Chinook helicopter)
- Bogle & Ors v McDonald's Restaurants Ltd [2002] EWHC 490 (QB): Field J, product liability group action in respect of hot coffee/tea and the manner of their packaging for consumer
Contact Simon King
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk