Lawrence West KC
"An imposing and dynamic advocate with a commercial approach."
Legal 500 2019
- Call
- 1979
- Silk
- 2003
- Tel:
- +44 (0)20 7583 9020
- Email:
- clerks@hendersonchambers.co.uk
Lawrence West KC is a highly experienced, effective and dynamic advocate. He has achieved recognition from independent legal directories such as Legal 500, Chambers UK and Legal Business.
He is prominent in such fields as product liability, environmental law and clinical negligence. He is widely experienced in commercial, regulatory, environmental and general common law matters.
He regularly advises and represents local and other public authorities, utilities, industrial concerns and insurers. In doing so, he combines sound legal knowledge and judgment with sensitivity to the practical, political and economic realities affecting his clients.
What Does Lawrence West Bring to Your Case?
- A keen legal mind
- A broad range of real experience
- An open, approachable, relaxed and friendly manner creating an easy working relationship and impressing your clients with your acumen
- A client-friendly approach which puts your client and witnesses at their ease so as to permit them to react effectively to the demands of litigation
- A sensitivity to the practical, personal, economic and political needs and wants of your clients
- An ability quickly to come to grasp with complicated factual matters, including scientific and medical matters so as to get to the heart of your case
A real talent in deploying his detailed knowledge of your case to engage your opponents with devastating cross-examination
For more information about the way barristers at Henderson Chambers work, including our terms of engagement, fee transparency statement and our complaints process, please click here. Barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board.
Please click here for a copy of Lawrence West’s privacy policy.
Expertise
Commercial
Lawrence regularly advises private businesses, local governments and insurers on matters of contract and business regulation. Lately he has been engaged in advising utilities and businesses in such matters as licensing rights, contractual liabilities, commercial strategy, including PFI contracts.
Representative cases
grid list-
Re a Yorkshire Water Company
Advising in respect of financial liabilities for licensing rights.
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Palms Resort Ltd v PPC Privy Council (2010)
Liability for commercial electricity rates.
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Providenciales Airport Co v YVR Airport Co
Advising on contractual liabilities.
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Islandcom v PPC
Advising in respect of telecommunications licensing and interference with mobile telephone services.
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Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation
Large scale action regarding the liability of Employers Liability Insurers for mesothelioma claims.
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Combustion Engineering Inc 524(g) Asbestos PI Trust
Advising American Attorneys, Stutzman Bromberg Esserman & Plifka, in respect of the administration of the trust providing for compensation to asbestos suffers resulting from exposure to Combustion Engineering products sold world-wide.
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United Utilities v Environment Agency (2007)
Claim for declaratory relief that sewage treatment plants are not subject to Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations permit system.
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In re The Sunrise Agency 2006 (PC)
Retrospective effect of legislation.
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Bond et al v Vernalis Plc
Shareholders’ fraud action.
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Joint Replacement Instrumentation Ltd v Ceramtec AG [2001] All ER (D) 194
Jurisdiction of the English Courts; Contract.
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Legal & General Assurance Society v Drake Insurance Co Ltd [1989] 3 All ER 923
Insurance – Contribution between liability insurers of the same risk.
Health & Safety, Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Lawrence has developed a substantial practice including the defence of heavier personal injury claims, especially those in which a degree of fraud is suspected and those in which difficult technical scientific or medical issues are raised, including pure clinical medical negligence claims and asbestos claims. He has recent experience in guiding a team through a number of medical claims involving injuries to children and adults resulting in catastrophic disabilities, in bringing to book a plastic surgeon who overreached his abilities securing a judgment exceeding £6 million and in representing 10 local authorities in the Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation.
Representative cases
grid list-
Wembridge,Wicker & Othrs & ESFRS & Alpha Fireworks
Personal injury claims – judgment is an important analysis of the health and safety duties of a public employer.
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Johnson v Fourie
Clinical negligence claim for nerve damage occasioned by negligent plastic surgery.
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KHR v Dartford & Gravesham NHS
Brain damage to child.
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Page v Barnet and Chase Farm NHS
Infant brain injury due to midwifery negligence.
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French v Mayday Healthcare NHS
Clinical negligence.
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Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation
Large scale action regarding the liability of Employers Liability Insurers for mesothelioma claims
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Bampton et al v Powertrain
Defence of a large series of claims of respiratory illness allegedly caused by exposure to oil mists.
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Warrilow v Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Trust (2006)
Liability for bladder damage during childbirth
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Hone v Mitchells & Butler CA (2005)
Liability for stress at work.
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Lewis v Mitchells & Butler CA (2005)
Liability in respect of a fall from a hotel window.
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Shand v Wallace Arnold (2005)
Liability in respect of Legionnaires disease.
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HSE v Cleanaway Ltd
Defence of H&S prosecutions arising out industrial fatalities.
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Booth v Phillips et al [2004] EWHC 1497
Jurisdiction in respect of a fatal accident occurring on board ship in Egypt.
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Coates v Jaguar Cars [2004] All ER (D) 87 (CA)
Employer’s liability.
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Donoghue v Folkestone Properties Limited [2003] QB 1008
Occupier’s liability to trespassers.
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Afzal v Chubb Guarding Services [2002] All ER (D) 369
Defence against fraudulent personal injury claim.
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Gates v McKenna
Defence of celebrity stage hypnotist.
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Howarth v Green [2001] All ER (D)
Personal injury – negligent stage hypnotist.
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Joint Replacement Instrumentation Ltd v Ceramtec AG [2001] All ER (D) 194
Jurisdiction of the English Courts; Contract.
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Chappell v Imperial Design Ltd [2000] All ER (D) 1619
Contributory negligence of an infant.
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Mellery v Wainwright [1997 CA]
Liability of motorist to infant pedestrian.
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Stubbings v Webb [1993] AC 498
Limitation of action – personal injuries – power to override time limit.
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Ramsden v Lee [1992] 2 All ER 204
Limitation of actions.
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Dominion Mosaics and Tile Co v Trafalger Trucking [1990] 2 All ER 246
Measure of damages – fire claim – replacement of business premises.
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Thake v Maurice [1986] 2 QB 644 [1985] 2 WLR 215
Medical practitioner – contract – operation – public policy – damages – birth of child following vasectomy.
Environment
Lawrence regularly advises water undertakers, other utilities, industrial concerns and others on environmental matters including asbestosis, and has extensive experience of product liability cases including those involving food products; agrochemicals; petrochemicals; pharmaceuticals and other medical products; electrical equipment; and exposure to contaminants. He was recently engaged in the very significant Mesothelioma Trigger Litigation in which he represented the interests of all local authorities in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Representative cases
grid list-
Bampton et al v Powertrain
Defence of a large series of claims of respiratory illness allegedly caused by exposure to oil mists.
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Hazelwood v Teignbridge District Council
Defence of flooding claims.
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Environment Agency v Hutchison 3G
Defence of Environment Act prosecution.
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HSE v Cleanaway Ltd
Defence of H&S prosecutions arising out industrial fatalities.
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Merchant Retail Group Plc v Northumberland County Council (Bell J 13th April 2000 - All England Official Transcript 2000)
Local authority’s liability for flooding.
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Cambridge Water Co v Eastern Counties Leather Plc [1994] 2 AC 264
Rylands v Fletcher – chemical solvent – pollution of underground water supply.
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Scott-Whitehead v NCB [1987] 2 EGLR 227: Liability for contamination of salt minewater of river used for agricultural irrigation.
Liability for contamination of salt minewater of river used for agricultural irrigation.
Product Liability
Lawrence has extensive experience of product liability cases including those involving food products; agrochemicals; petrochemicals; pharmaceuticals and other medical products; electrical equipment; and exposure to contaminants. He has been instructed in the PIP Breast Implants group litigation, the Sudan Red litigation, the Skania 4 Series Group Action (defective lorry designs), Powertrain Group Action (exposure to defective metal working fluids), UPVC pinking claims, litigation in respect of defective UV lamps, flooding claims arising out of defectively manufactured radiators installed in large commercial premises, defective hip prosthesis, heart defibrillators and defective food and food packaging claims.
What the directories say
"Has extensive experience of product liability cases."
Legal 500 2019
"Lawrence West offers 'robust, precise advice' and 'is great on his feet'."
"A strong player in water and sewerage matters."
Legal 500 2020
News and articles
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ECJ judgment in Boston Scientific case
Marlie Farm Firework Fire Litigation
Members of Henderson Chambers ranked in 16...
Instructing Lawrence West KC
If you require help or advice please contact our clerking team
Call +44 (0)20 7583 9020
or email
- Recorder (2000)
- King’s Counsel (QC 2003)
- Accredited Mediator
- MCIArb
- Bar European Groud
- London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association
- PEBA
- Personal Injuries Bar Association
- BA University of Toronto (1967)
- LLB University of Toronto (1970)
- LLM London (LSE) (1971)
All members of Chambers are registered with the Bar Standards Board of England and Wales. For our standard contractual terms click here.
For more information about the way barristers at Henderson Chambers work, including our fee transparency statement and our complaints process, please click here.
Bar Council Number: 18584
VAT Registration Number: 245778817
Legal Status: King’s Counsel
Professional Insurance: All members of Chambers have professional liability insurance provided by the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund Ltd. Territorial coverage is world-wide and subject to the term of the Bar Mutual. Click here for details.
Regulated by the Bar Standards Board.
