John Hardcastle General Information John joined Clerksroom in February 2019 as a civil practitioner with experience in the field of personal injury, credit hire (claimant and defendant) and commercial and consumer contract law. He is also regularly instructed in property law matters (cohabitation, trusts of land and residential and commercial leases) and has an interest and some past experience in the field of employment law. John regularly appears in the County Court and is able to assist with the drafting of documents and the provision of written advice at any stage in proceedings. He is prepared to consider instructions on a CFA basis in the right case and is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public. He is further authorised to conduct litigation. Prior to practising as a barrister, John was employed for 16 years as a full-time operational firefighter at busy city centre fire stations dealing with all manner of emergencies. It was whilst serving as a firefighter that John embarked upon a part-time law degree, qualifying as a barrister in 2011. After qualifying as a barrister and before starting in practice, John taught law at undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Sheffield Hallam University (teaching Equity and Trusts, Land Law and Intellectual Property Law) before accepting a prestigious fixed-term position as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal to Lord Dyson, then Master of the Rolls, in 2012/13. He has recently returned to teaching law at Sheffield Hallam University as an associate lecturer (October 2021). Areas of law Personal Injury Credit Hire (Claimant & Defendant) Contract Law (Commercial & Consumer) Property Law Employment Law Education Called to the Bar, Inner Temple (October 2011) BPTC – Very Competent, Nottingham Law School (2011) LLB (Hons) 1st Class, Sheffield Hallam University (2010) Awards Inner Temple Exhibition Award and Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Scholarship (2010) Sweet and Maxwell Law Prize, Sheffield Hallam University (Student achieving the highest marks on the LLB) (2010) Russell, Jones & Walker Tort Law Prize, Sheffield Hallam University (Best student on the Tort Law Module) (2008) Oxford University Press Award for Law, Sheffield Hallam University (Best 1st Year student on division’s law degrees) (2007) Chief Fire Officer’s Commendation, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (Rescue of a man from a 150-foot tower crane) (2001) Recruit Instructors’ Award, Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue (1993) Personal Interests When not practising or teaching law, John’s interests are mainly in sport and fitness. With a particular interest in triathlon, he regularly competes in events around the country and overseas.