Mr. Philip Hodder (2005) LL.b (Hons) - CSIA

Membership Status: Barrister - Full Member

General Information

General Information

Philip is a civil Barrister (Bargyfreithiwr) and mediator (cyfryngwr) who was called to the Bar in 2005 and was previously a solicitor in South Wales.  He was a member of the Law Society Personal Injury panel from 1998 until 2005 on his transfer to the Bar.  He is based near Abergavenny in South Wales, but has a nationwide practice.  Philip is a former Law Society appointed monitor of training contracts and has a keen interest in the practical training of all professionals.

Philip has a proactive and reasoned approach to cases, communicates in plain language, is commercially astute and advances sensible solutions to complex issues.  Throughout his career he has advised and represented clients in Personal Injury, Clinical and Professional Negligence cases and assisted clients in difficult emotional cases involving children in public and private law proceedings and bereaved clients at Inquests.

Philip says : “The secret to being a successful advocate is being well-prepared, a good listener and to keep going, even when things look impossible to resolve.  I am confident in working with people of all ages and backgrounds, from different cultures and religions, and feel able to communicate clearly what may sometimes be complex issues and ideas in a non-legal, jargon-free language.

Areas of expertise and practice include:

Costs:

Philip is regularly instructed in High Value Costs cases for both paying and receiving parties, from attending Detailed Assessments and Preliminary Issue hearings to Oral hearings and appeals.  He appears regularly before Regional Costs Judges and before Masters in the Senior Court Costs Office.

Notable case: Malone -v- Birmingham Community NHS Trust 2015/16.  Barr v Frimley NHS Foundation Trust 2016

Inquests:
I have appeared before coroners sitting alone and with a jury.  Ranging from fatal RTA’s; Death in a care home; Fatal accidents in outdoor activities; Fatalities in the work place/construction sites; Fatalities in hospital/treatment/ and suicides from Mental health Issues.

Personal Injury:

• Road Traffic / Motor claims with fraud and contrived accidents (inc motorcycle claims)
• Employer’s liability / health and safety
• Highways Act matters
• Fast & Multi Track trials in the above areas

Credit Hire (Defendant only):

Professional and Clinical Negligence:

• Professional negligence in property transactions
• Personal injury actions for failure to issue within the limitation  period and the undervalue of the claim
• Matrimonial ancillary relief cases
• Clinical negligence pursuing actions against GPs, surgeons and NHS trusts for negligent diagnosis, prognosis of conditions and negligent surgery

Qualifications and Experience:

Philip obtained 2.1 LL.B (Hons) and passed his professional exams before completing his training contract at Granville-West Solicitors Pontypool in 1995. He joined Atkinsons solicitors of Newport in 1998 and became a partner in January 2000. Throughout his career he has advised and represented clients in Personal Injury, Clinical and Professional Negligence cases and assisted clients in difficult emotional cases involving children in public and private law proceedings and acrimonious financial issues.  He is able to communicate complex issues into understandable layman’s language.

Personal:

Married with three daughters, Philip is an avid skier (Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) Level 1 Alpine Instructor; UKCP level 1 Ski Coach (Licenced); Certified Salomon Binding Technician) and assists in coaching with his local ski race club and is a former junior and senior county squash player and a Welsh Squash Rackets Federation qualified coach and referee.  He is a Former Chair of Governors of a Welsh Medium School.

Please email hodder@clerksroom.com or call 01823 247247

Feedback

CPD

Road Traffic Accident Litigation Skills. 1 Hour CPD. Free.

CPR Update Talk. 1 Hour CPD. Free.

Drafting Witness Statements. 3.5 - 4 Hours CPD. Free.

Publications

 Barr -v- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

This involved a clinical negligence claim, where a ‘never event’ occurred during surgery. The Claimant’s solicitors entered into a CFA and incepted an ATE policy to cover liability and causation experts reports, with a view that the costs of the ATE policy premium would be recoverable under SI 2013 No.739. Defendant’s counsel, Philip Hodder, raised issues at the oral assessment that it was unreasonable for the Claimant to enter into such an ATE policy at the stage it was incepted and therefore the Defendant paying party should not be burdened with the costs of the ATE. DJ Phillips found in favour of the paying party. Philip Hodder was instructed by Acumension Ltd for the Defendant.

Malone -v- Birmingham Community NHS Trust

Philip Hodder was responsible for the original claim before DJ Marshall Phillips when Claimant's costs were struck out. The attached ruling relates to a second Appeal which was also struck out. He was again instructed by Acumension Ltd.

phone01823 247 247

hodder@clerksroom.com

Qualified in 2005