Education
- BCL (Law with French Law Undergraduate degree): University College Dublin: 1:1
- Diploma in French Law, Diploma in French Legal Language: Paris II (Pantheon- Assas) University, Paris, France
- BCL (Masters): Oxford
- BVC: ISCL
Prizes & Scholarships
- The Cholmeley Studentship (Lincoln’s Inn, 2008)
- Lord Denning Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn, 2006)
- Hardwicke Entrance Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn, 2006)
- Freshfields Scholarship (Oxford, 2004)
- Prendergast Bequest (Oxford, 2004)
- Edmund Burke Bursury (UCD, 1999 – 2003)
Recent Practice:
Patricia is regularly instructed in County Courts and the High Court. Recently, Patricia successfully represented (as sole counsel) four Claimants in a 7 day complex multi-track trial and has been led in the Court of Appeal in one of the UK’s biggest group action litigation.
CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE AND PERSONAL INJURY:
Patricia has developed significant expertise in clinical negligence and personal injury work and has been instructed by both insurers and claimants on a number of fast track and multi-track cases. She has particular experience of the following areas:
- Historical sexual and physical abuse
- Credit hire
- Liability and quantum in fatal accidents
- ‘Slip and trip’ claims
- Employers and occupiers liability
- Local authority claims
- Inquests
- Prison law
Patricia is also regularly instructed to advise on and appear in Judicial Review proceedings and has been instructed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Patricia is happy to consider instructions on a CFA basis.
Key cases:
- Various Claimants, Catholic Child Welfare Society & ORS v Institute of The Brothers of The Christian Schools & ORS [2010] EWCA Civ 1106
- Harris, Lewis, MacDonald, Osborne v Newport City Council (2011)
Patricia acted as junior counsel to Rosalind Coe, for the Claimants in one of the largest group actions in the UK. Known as the ‘St William’s litigation’, it was a group action by former pupils who resided at St William’s, a boy’s school, claiming in relation to physical and sexual abuse that took place at the school between 1960 and 1992. The case looked to increase the scope of vicarious liability in non-employment related cases.
Articles:
“Appeal court verdict could open the door for vicarious liability claimants”: The Guardian,
‘Assessing the landscape of vicarious liability’: The Lawyer, 6 December 2010
“PI Slalom’ - a run through of the four crucial stages of the court process”
“Credit Hire – an update”
EMPLOYMENT:
Patricia practices in all areas of employment law and has acted for both employers and employees in issues ranging from unfair & wrongful dismissal, discrimination and redundancy claims.
Patricia also undertakes advisory work and has particular experience of advising on restrictive convenants, disciplinary matters and employment contracts.
Articles:
"Pay secrecy policies and the Equality Act 2010“: Human Resources Magazine, 22 July 2010.
Seminars:
‘Unfair and Wrongful Dismissal’
‘Redundancy and Discrimination’
COMMERCIAL:
Patricia has considerable commercial litigation experience, having acted as a consultant barrister for 9 months to a leading firm of Guernsey Advocates who specialise in commercial litigation with an international slant. She has been involved in high value disputes and is regularly instructed in High Court applications, acting on issues ranging from contractual disputes to professional negligence.
In the field of professional negligence Patricia has developed a particular experience in the property sector, advising on and acting in a number of negligent valuations and faulty construction work.
She also has experience of Trust law and had advised on many areas of contentious trusts such as TOLATA claims. She has also advised on complex fraud litigation, financial services and regulatory matters.
In addition to her practical expertise, Patricia’s academic experience - in Commercial Law, International Commercial Law, Droit du Commerce International, Global
Comparative Financial Law and European Comparative Contract Law - is invaluable in this area of work.
She also has knowledge of the jurisprudence and systems of multiple jurisdictions:
England, Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and France.
Seminar:
“Enforcement – Show me the money”
Contact Patricia Leonard
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk