Going through a legal dispute is a journey that can be tough to navigate and the ongoing pandemic continues to add extra bumps in the road.
We’re here, just like we’ve always been, to remind families whose lives get turned upside down by a serious injury or illness, that nothing’s more important to us than protecting what matters most to you.
Lisa Jordan is Regional Managing Partner for our Birmingham office, and head of our National Medical Negligence team, the largest specialist team for this field in the UK. She’s worked exclusively in this field for the last 26 years, now working solely on cases for children with cerebral palsy, which she finds very rewarding.
We found time in Lisa’s busy schedule to chat virtually about her path to law, the clients she supports and why by going the extra mile, there can be brighter days ahead.
Lisa, how would you describe the clients you and your team look after?
Our clients seek us out at what’s usually the most challenging time of their lives. They’re often in total shock after what’s happened to them or their loved ones. They struggle to come to terms with events that will impact both their lives and the lives of their families for years to come, which is of course, completely understandable.
Some clients, at first, find it hard to trust. We have to work very hard, very quickly to establish this and forge a relationship with them so we and the other professionals they need can support them.
What issues do your clients face when they come to you?
Our clients almost always have suffered a severe injury, or the tragic death of a loved one. The consequences of that are rarely only physical; they’re also emotional and financial, affecting both them and their families.
How do you and your team support people when they’re facing legal disputes?
Once we’ve established a relationship of trust, we focus on understanding what our clients’ needs are, and how we can best support them – as no two clients are ever the same. That support often involves not just us as their legal team, but our client liaison managers who are clinical specialists. They can provide support for our clients for health and social issues.
We aim to keep things simple and approach all our claims in stages, explaining each stage as it occurs and ensuring our client and their loved ones are reassured at every turn.
Many clients are fearful of giving evidence at trial, but in reality many, if not most, cases don’t reach trial as many of them settle before reaching the court.
What makes you proud to be a litigator here at Irwin Mitchell?
I couldn’t be more proud to work with such talented colleagues who all care about their clients, and strive daily to deliver the very best service.
We offer a truly holistic service for our seriously injured and vulnerable clients. From the moment they choose us, we’re able to offer a seamless, wraparound service, with the support of skilled lawyers in our Court of Protection and Public Law teams. Our multi-team approach allows us to deal with other issues such as education challenges for a seriously injured child.
We also have skilled benefits advisors and expert financial advice and support from our Asset Management team. None of our competitors can offer such an expert and comprehensive service to clients, and also provide that service across the entire country.
What inspired you to get into law?
Nobody in my family went into law before I did. My dad was a Trade Union leader and was (and still is) always very keen to tell anyone who would listen about rights and freedoms. Although my sisters and I did our very best not to listen, something clearly impacted me and prompted me to choose a career in law.
I tried several types of law before deciding that medical law was all I ever wanted to do – almost certainly because the other topic of conversation at home was medicine; my mum was a sister in one of the busiest A&E units in the UK, and my two sisters became midwives.
I worked very early on in my legal career with an inspirational personal injury lawyer, Stuart Henderson, who taught me (amongst other things) that I should never accept a mediocre outcome for my clients, and to always deliver the very best service possible.
Over the past decade, you’ve focused on cases involving children with cerebral palsy – why is that?
The shock of a traumatic birth is one of life’s greatest challenges and when people come to us for support I feel privileged to be able to give families the support they need and provide security for their child’s future.
We can’t change the past, but we can learn from it and help our clients protect what matters most.
Here for you
If you’ve experienced medical negligence, we can help you. We’re the leading clinical and medical negligence law firm in the UK – so we know how to make a positive difference to your life.
Our solicitors have decades of experience handling medical negligence cases, and will take the time to understand what you’re going through, and how we can help you get the answers and compensation you deserve.
To read more about the services we offer, visit our medical negligence web page.
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