Alex Taylor

Alex was called to the bar in 2003 and has varied practice. His client-focussed style, reliability and attention to detail make him first choice counsel for many solicitors who value his collaborative approach and his commitment to providing a first-class service to clients.

Personal Injury

Alex is ranked in Legal 500 as tier 1 counsel for personal injury and has extensive experience of complex personal injury claims acting for both claimants and defendants. He undertakes exclusively multitrack work. He has a substantial claimant practice acting for clients with serious injuries and is also in demand amongst major insurers and local authorities who value his forensic and incisive style, which is highly effective at exposing dishonesty and exaggeration. His ability to inspire confidence in clients, his realistic, practical advice and his willingness to go the extra mile are particularly valued by his instructing solicitors. 

Clinical negligence

Alex undertakes clinical negligence which is an ideal blend of his professional liability work and his personal injury practice. He has a particular interest in medical issues and is very effective at testing expert evidence whether in conference at or at trial and at presenting highly technical material in an accessible but persuasive way.

Professional liability

Alex’s professional liability practice covers all areas of professional liability but has always had a particular emphasis on solicitor negligence, including negligently handled litigation and negligence in non-contentious work. His CV includes successes in claims of up to multi-million-pound value.

Insurance disputes

Alex specialises in insurance indemnity issues. He advises road traffic insurers on policy indemnity issues and acts for the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. He has acted in arbitration proceedings for insurers challenging decisions of the MIB technical committee or by appealing an arbitrator’s decision, on each occasion relating to catastrophic injuries. He also provides specialist insurance advice in a private and commercial context.

Contract, commercial and private rights 

Alex has a wide and varied common law practice which includes breach of contract claims in a commercial and private context, construction disputes, land ownership and boundary disputes, nuisance, restraint of trade, injunctions and interim remedies.

Discrimination

Alex acts in the civil courts in claims concerning the Equality Act 2010. 

Alex’s recent or current interesting cases include:

Personal injury

Incomplete tetraplegia (junior counsel)

Catastrophic burn injuries with life changing psychological sequelae

Chronic pain and disproportionate response to minor trauma

Fatal accident representing young mother with 7 children following death of father

Adolescent brain injury following motorcycle accident

Traumatic limb amputation requiring robotic prosthesis

Clinical negligence

Negligent prescription by GP

Failure to diagnose / manage DVT

Adverse outcome following liposuction

Informed consent: 

Injury following attempted natural delivery of LGA baby

Complications following TPPO surgery for stress urinary incontinence involving use of mesh tape.

Professional liability

Solicitors’ negligence:

Negligent mishandling of personal injury claim by solicitors – brain injury – settlement achieved at £3.3m

White v Jones claims due to negligent drafting of a will

Conveyancing negligence

Construction dispute / builder’s negligence

Insurance disputes

Arbitration challenging decision of the technical committee of the MIB as to construction and application of S 145 of the RTA 1988

Appeal against arbitrator’s award following a decision of the technical committee of the MIB relating to catastrophic injury claim 

Insurer’s right to repudiate in response to breach of the duty of utmost good faith in claim against building insurance policy following fire

Fraudulent claims against motor gap insurers

Contract, commercial and private rights

Commercial fraud associated with alleged auto-renewing contracts

An appeal against an injunction restraining a litigant from harassing solicitors acting for the other side in litigation

Discrimination

A claim arising from systemic failure by a university to accommodate gender transition

A claim challenging the operation of a local authority ‘blue badge’ parking scheme

A disability discrimination claim relating to serviced premises

Notable reported cases

Pollock v Cahill & Anor [2015] EWHC 2260

Occupiers’ Liability. Disabled visitor. Catastrophic injury