Class action litigation
Who we are
The UK’s leading class action law firm
Hugh James is without doubt the most experienced group action firm in the UK. We have dealt with more cases where a group litigation order has been granted than any other firm. List of group litigation orders. We are a full service, top 100 UK law firm offering specialist legal and financial advice. With over 50 years’ experience, and six hundred staff members, we have the expertise to provide you a service you can trust.
Fighting for justice for over 30 years
Our experienced lawyers have handled some of the largest group action cases in UK legal history and we have specialists who are able to fight cases across various sectors including financial mis-selling, investment scams, shareholder disputes, solicitor negligence, product liability, industrial illness, and data breach cases.
Strength in numbers
We support you all the way. We help our clients and campaign groups at all stages from the initial assessment of the merits of a case and securing financial backing right through to trial.
Digital-first
We are at the forefront of technical innovation and invest in the latest technology, systems, and training to help ensure the efficient and smooth running of collective actions.
A firm you can trust – We are ranked as for our group litigation work in Chambers and Partners Guide to the legal profession.
Hugh James is known for its expertise in product liability, personal injury and environmental litigation. It has notable experience handling group claims relating to these areas, including collective actions concerning faulty medical devices and industrial disease.
The team at Hugh James is very capable, knowledgeable and quick to respond to any queries.
We are also active members of the Collective Redress Lawyers Association (‘CORLA’) which is dedicated to safeguarding and enhancing access to justice for claimants who have been harmed by wrongful conduct and who are seeking to vindicate their rights on a collective basis.
Our specialist lawyers
Neil Stockdale
Partner
Expertise:
- Class Action Litigation
- Defined Benefit Pension Transfer
- Energy Mis-Selling Claims
- Environmental Compensation
- Environmental Nuisance
- Land Compensation Act
- Mis-Sold Annuity Claims
- Mis-Sold Investment & Financial Claims
- Mis-Sold Pensions
- Personal Injury Compensation
- Property Investment Scams
- Road Development & Expansion
- Runway Development & Expansion
Neil is head of the firm’s group actions and financial mis-selling teams, specialising in handling claims for financial mis-selling relating to energy contracts, pensions, investments and timeshares.
James Coleman
Associate
Expertise:
He is currently a member of the Financial Mis-Selling team where he specialises in recovering compensation relating to property investment scams, pensions, mortgages and other financial products.
Mark Harvey
Partner
Head of Specialist Personal Injury
Expertise:
Mark Harvey is a Partner in the claimant division. He has obtained compensation for many individual victims of common but defective consumer products as well as victims of accidents overseas and arising out of travel generally.
Mark is the court appointed lead solicitor coordinating over 1,000 claimants in a group litigation order (GLO) arising out of the recall and health alert relating to the French manufacturer’s PIP silicone breast implants.
Stephanie Eedy
Partner
Expertise:
Stephanie Eedy specialises in group actions on behalf of communities and residents across England and Wales affected by various forms of environmental pollution such as odour, noise and dust emanating from factories, landfill sites and other similar commercial entities. She has successfully concluded a number of environmental group actions in locations within the UK and has secured compensation and an end to the nuisance on behalf of a large number of individuals.
Rebecca Andrews
Associate
Rebecca Andrews is an Associate in the Group Actions team specialising in environmental matters.
Rebecca acts for communities across England and Wales who are affected by various forms of environmental nuisance and homeowners of blighted properties, devalued by road or airport expansions, who wish to take action under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973.
Kathryn Singh
Partner
Expertise:
- Asbestos Related Lung Cancer Claims
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Claims
- Class Action Litigation
- Coke Oven Workers Compensation
- Coventry Homefire Claims
- Hearing Loss & Industrial Deafness Claims
- Occupational Asthma Claims
- Phurnacite
- Skin Cancer Claims
- Vibration White Finger Claims
- Workplace Disease & Illness Claims
Kathryn is a partner and head of the Workplace Disease and Illness department which is ranked as a top tier firm for the work carried out. Kathryn leads a team of industrial disease specialists with an emphasis upon delivering a high level of specialist advice in multiple high value disease illness claims and complex group litigation.
Gwen Morgan-Evans
Partner
Head of Environmental Claims
Gwen is head of environmental claims and one of the UK’s leading environmental lawyers. She has 11 years’ experience specialising in group actions on behalf of communities affected by various forms of environmental pollution.
Gwen has successfully concluded a number of large environmental group actions in locations throughout the UK. She has represented many thousands of individuals securing compensation, and more importantly to the claimants, an end to the nuisance.
Your questions answered
In a class or group action, a group of claims with similar issues of fact and law are typically tried through a selection of “lead” or “test” cases. The Court will appoint lead solicitors to represent the group. The purpose of group litigation is that it reduces the overall cost of pursuing litigation for both parties and reduces delay by avoiding the need for each case to be determined individually or in multiple courts.
Usually, an application is made to the Court on behalf of existing claimants for a group litigation order (GLO) which provides for the cases to be tried as a group. In some cases, the Court may make a GLO of its own volition. Once a GLO is made, the Court will typically set a deadline for any additional claimants to join the group litigation.
It is difficult to predict how long a case will take. The timescale as to when the case will be concluded will be dependent to a large extent on the directions of the court, the conduct of the defendants, court listings and directions. Group action cases tend to take longer than a single case. It is not unusual for a group action to be concluded within three to four years, but a group action is beneficial in the long run as multiple issues can be determined by the same judge relating to all the cases within the same group, whilst at the same time keeping costs to a minimum. We will keep you updated throughout as to the progress of your claim.
You should contact the lead solicitors representing the claimants in a group action as soon as possible so that they may ascertain whether you have a claim. Time limits may apply.
Claims are often stronger when brought as part of a group. Please contact us so that we may discuss your potential claim with you. Time limits may apply.
Next steps
We’re here to get things moving. Drop a message to one of our experts and we’ll get straight back to you.
Call us: 033 3016 2222
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