Dr Michael Powers KC is the leader of the Clinical Negligence Group at Clerksroom and acts on behalf of both claimants and defendants.
He has had 40 years of experience at the bar in all areas of medico-legal practice focusing on medical, scientific and legal causation. He has published, lectured and broadcast widely on medical negligence. As a strong supporter of the NHS, Dr Powers advocates constant attention to standards of practice and an open system of accountability when things go wrong. For many years, he campaigned for “Robbie’s Law” – a legal duty of candour in the NHS.
His other main interests as a medical negligence QC relate to the investigation of deaths (coroners and other inquiries). He has represented the Fire & Rescue Service at inquests, the pharmaceutical industry with regard to product liability and licensing and all types of cases (civil and criminal) where scientific principles are involved. He lives up to his Chambers & Partners recognised reputation as being “first-rate on technical evidence.”
As a trained and accredited mediator, he mediates principally in professional negligence matters, though he has experience mediating in marine and aviation cases. As an arbitrator, he has recently concluded a 2-year international commercial arbitration which involved a substantial dispute on technical matters.
Education in medicine and the law is vitally important to Dr Powers. He remains a Registered Medical Practitioner and is a lead examiner for the Primary Membership of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians. For many years, he has been a grade A advocacy trainer/tutor trainer, and he seeks to improve the skills of advocacy of young barristers in England, Wales and abroad.
Areas of law
Medical Negligence
Major medical negligence actions for both claimants and defendants, including:
Pharmaceutical Litigation
Examples cases include:
Dr Powers acts in cases relating to general product liability, licensing and judicial review.
Other Areas of Practice
Appointments
Memberships
Education
Personal Interests
Lecturing, broadcasting and reading on specialist topics, shooting, flying (holder of PPL(H) and has held ratings on R22, R44 and EC120 helicopters), piano playing and photography.
A long interest in wine led Dr Powers to being intronisé vigneron d’honneur by la Jurade de Saint-Emilion in September 2012, which ensures regular visits to the Bordeaux region.
I have written many articles on medico-legal subjects. My first publication, as a young co-Author of a biochemistry paper was "Hydroxylations of aromatic amino acids mediated by a tetrahydropterin" Biochimica et biophysica acta {Biochim-Biophys-Acta} 1970 Dec 29, VOL: 222 (3), P: 606-10, ISSN: 0006-3002.
The more prominent other publications are:
Co-Author of "Thurston's Coronership: The Law and Practice on Coroners" (1985) Longman Law, Tax and Finance
Specialist Editor: Coroner's Law in the Justice of the Peace Reports (1985-1990)
Chapter in "Consciousness Awareness and Pain in General Anaesthesia" Butterworths (1987)
Co-Author of "Casebook on Coroners" Barry Rose Publications (1989)
Chapter in "General Anaesthesia" Butterworths 5th edn (1989)
General Editor of "Powers & Harris: Medical Negligence" Butterworths (1990)
Record Keeping in Anaesthesia: what the law requires Br. J. Anaesth. 1994:73:22-24
The Coroner's Inquest: Br. J. Anaesth. 1994; 73; 78-82
Introduction to Medical Negligence Law Clinical Risk (1995) 1, 37-39
Foreseeability and Remoteness Clinical Risk (1996) 2, 85-87
Chapter in "Rehabilitation of the Physically Disabled Adult" Stanley Thornes (1997)
Chapter in "General Anaesthesia" Butterworths 6th edn (1997)
Chapter in "Emergency Anaesthesia" Arnold (1997)
Chapter in "Drug Induced Automatism in Medicine, Medical Devices and The Law" Greenwich Medical Media Limited (1999)
Co-Author of "Sources of Coroners Law" (1999) Barry Rose Law Publishers Ltd
General Editor of "Powers & Harris: Clinical Negligence" Butterworths (1990 - 2005)
Chapter in "Risk Management and Litigation in Obstetrics and Gynaecology" Royal Society of Medicine (2001)
Chapter in "Acquired Damage to the Developing Brain" Arnold (2002)
Communicating risk in the United Kingdom. BMJ 2003 Sep 27 327(7417) 735-6
Past Consulting Editor: Clinical Risk published by Churchill Livingstone
Opinion on the Crash of Chinook ZD 576 on Mull of Kintyre 2nd June 1994
Please click link for full list of Case Law.
Co-Editor in Chief: "Rix's Expert Psychiatric Evidence 2nd Edn 2021" published by Cambridge University Press