Alan Collins

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Partner

Expertise:

Abuse in Children Homes Abuse in Hospital & Healthcare Abuse in Religious Organisations Abuse in Schools by Teachers Abuse in Scouts or Cadets Abuse in Sport Child Migrants to Australia Jesus Army Redress Les Chenes Redress Military Sexual Abuse Claims Northern Ireland Redress Scotland Redress Sexual Abuse Claims

Alan Collins is one of the best known and most experienced solicitors in the field of child abuse litigation and has acted in many high-profile cases, including the Jimmy Savile and Haut de la Garenne abuse scandals.

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 also spoke at the Third Regional Workshop on Justice for Children in East Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok hosted by UNICEF and HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law).

He also specialises in serious personal injury cases including head and spinal injury claims.

Due to Alan’s expertise and experience he is sought after by individuals for high profile and complex cases. These include seeking compensation for child migrants from the UK sent to Australia and Southern Rhodesia in the 1950’s and 60’s, representing the former residents of Les Chenes secure school for teenagers in Jersey in seeking redress for the abuse they suffered whilst in the school’s care, and representing and advising those affected by the widely reported and high profile Windrush scandal.

Work History

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 is a regular media contributor on serious personal injury and child abuse issues. He has regularly appeared on BBC and ITN news, ABC, CNN, NBC, and Sky News programmes, also BBC Radio 4’s “Today”, and “PM”; Radio 5; BBC and ITV regional television and radio, Australian radio, and US, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Danish television.

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.

Thank you so much for fighting so hard for my family and me. We were truly broken when we first met you. The injustice that we had suffered was indescribable. When we thought the answer was no, you did not give up. You taught us all to stand up, fight and take back our self-respect. Words can never describe how grateful I am.

Client

I hope that my testimonial helps to encourage other silent victim’s to come forward because I know there must be many who aren’t aware there is help/advice. Hugh James can help them prepare any details they can remember of the abuse they suffered then present their case to the NIHIA who will make their judgement. This could result in compensation being awarded which is rightfully theirs, but most importantly they would not need to stand up in a court of law to face their abuser’s. Thank you all at Hugh James for everything you did for me.

Robert Whiteside

For anybody that has gone through what I went through, and if they are worried about speaking to solicitors, Alan and the team are the ones to go to.
I had the choice of a male or female solicitor to talk to and they approached everything the right way.
Alan was very private and had to be very careful how he contacted me. Even my family was unaware. I couldn’t receive an email or a telephone call unless I knew it was coming. Together Alan and I came up with a plan and he stuck to it.

Robert Whiteside

From the word ‘go’ Alan was the perfect type of solicitor to handle my case. The team at Hugh James was really professional whilst at the same time really easy to talk to.
Alan kept me updated all the time. I honestly believe if I had got the wrong solicitor I might not have gone through with it, because I had never spoken to anyone about it. Alan just knew how to put me at ease. He knew what he was talking about and that helps a lot.

Robert Whiteside

Alan Collins is a star – he has the expertise, ferocity and sensitivity that is particularly required for sex abuse claims.

The Legal 500