This week’s episode is a chance for our audience to get to know Alan, a regular host of HJ Talks About Abuse, and one of the best known and most experienced solicitors in the field of child abuse litigation. He discusses his career in detail, including the high profile and complex cases he’s worked on including the Jimmy Savile and Haut de la Garenne abuse scandals.
Alan exclusively started doing abuse work 12 years ago after doing defence and prosecution work in the field of criminal law.
Alan joined Hugh James as a partner in December 2014 and leads a team of specialist abuse solicitors. He qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and later became a solicitor-advocate allowing him to act for his clients in the higher courts in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. He has considerable experience of both criminal and civil litigation. Alan is also a qualified mediator.
Alan has represented interested parties before public inquiries including the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, and IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse). He was the advocate to the People’s Tribunal which presented its report on sexual abuse to the UK Parliament (in 2016).
Internationally, Alan works in Australia, Southeast Asia, Uganda, Kenya, and California representing clients in high profile sexual abuse cases.
Alan is a regular speaker at conferences on legal issues including: APIL; La Trobe University; National Crime Agency; University of Wales; Law Society of Scotland; Strathclyde University; and Dyfed-Powys Police.
Alan is a fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and a director for the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL). ACAL is a support group set up by solicitors and other professionals involved in the field of obtaining compensation for victims of abuse.
