Peter Wade

Peter is a specialist clinical negligence counsel, with more than 14 years of experience in clinical negligence as a solicitor and solicitor-advocate. Called to the bar in 2018, Peter is public access accredited and authorised to conduct litigation.

During his career, Peter has successfully recovered millions of pounds in damages for claimants in clinical negligence matters. He has also been instructed on behalf of large NHS Foundation Trusts and private GPs, consultants and dentists to defend complex clinical claims. 

Peter's defendant experience has included time on secondment with the NHS Litigation Authority and as Legal Services Manager at a local NHS Trust. He has provided talks and seminars on medical law and clinical negligence to nursing and medical students, GPs, senior clinicians and managers at local NHS Trusts. With a particular interest in inquests and coronial law, Peter has represented both claimant and defendant clients at complex medical inquests in Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough and Carlisle Coroners' Courts.

Before qualifying as a lawyer, Peter worked as a paramedic. He has delivered babies and has experience of providing advanced adult and paediatric life support in the most diverse of scenarios, including multi-vehicle road traffic accidents, industrial accidents and even murder and attempted murder scenes. Whilst working for the North East Ambulance Service, Peter received formal recognition from both doctors and Trust management for saving life.

With in-depth experience in both the claimant and defendant medical malpractice legal sector, Peter understands the needs of litigants on both sides, the importance of achieving the best commercial outcomes for clients, as well as the expectations of solicitors instructing counsel.

Areas of law

• Clinical Negligence
• lnquests
• Personal Injury
• Occupiers/Public Liability
• Credit Hire (Claimant & Defendant)
• RTA (With/Without Personal Injury)

Clinical Negligence & Inquests

• Accident and emergency
• Anaesthetics/anaesthetic awareness
• Bariatric surgery  
• Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery
• Cosmetic surgery
• Cerebral palsy
• Dental
• Delayed diagnosis
• Fatal accident claims
• General practice and primary care
• Intensive care medicine
• Inquests
• General medicine
• Neurology
• Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Oncology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthoapedics
• Paediatrics
• Psychiatry
• Sepsis
• Spinal and neuro surgery
• Urological surgery

Peter is able to advise on paper or in conference. He has experience of and can attend:

• Interim hearings
• Costs and case management conferences (CCMC)
• Pre-trial reviews
• Coroner's Court inquests 
• Infant settlement approval hearings
• Adult stage 3 hearings

Peter is also able to assist in the drafting of:

• Particulars of claim and defences
• General and pre-action disclosure applications
• Case summaries
• Draft directions (clinical negligence/multi-track)
• Schedules of loss and counter-schedules

He can offer advice on:

• Liability/breach of duty and causation
• Quantum
• Merits and/or strategy

Personal Injury

• Stage 3 hearings
• Disposal hearings
• Interlocutory hearings and applications
• Small claims and fast-track trials

Memberships

• Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
• The Law Society
• The North of England Medico-Legal Society
• Senior Associate, Royal Society of Medicine
• Inquest Lawyers Group (ILG)

Education

• BPP Law School (Higher Rights, Civil)
• Legal Practice Course (LPC), Commendation, Northumbria University, Newcastle
• LLB (Hons), Northumbria University, Newcastle
• Bachelor of Health Science (BHSc), Charles Sturt University, Australia

Personal Interests

Peter is married with two teenage children. A lifelong Newcastle United fan, and registered F.A. Football Coach, Peter has, over the years, enjoyed playing, coaching and now watching his favourite sport. Peter enjoys spending time with his family, playing the guitar and trying to keep fit, with occasional gym visits, running and regular trips out along the nearby beautiful Northumberland Coastline.

FEES:

Details regarding our approach to fees can be found at the following link:  http://www.clerksroom.com/content-html?cid=514

SERVICES:

Please see “profile” tab for a description of the legal services provided by this barrister.

We aim to complete and return all paperwork within 14 days (2 weeks) of receipt if no specific deadline is provided. We can work to much faster timescales if requested or we can agree a specific target date for each individual circumstance. We will always advise at the outset if counsel is unable to meet any deadline.

Each barrister has a standard hourly rate for their work. The individual hourly rate can be agreed when instructions are acknowledged if preferred. We welcome early discussion as to the suitability of a specific barrister for a specific case. The right barrister will have the relevant expertise to deal with the case but will not be too junior, or too senior depending on the complexities.

We aim to allocate all cases to the correct level of experience & seniority which we believe will prove most to be the most cost-effective solution for our clients.

If, due to urgency, we allocate paperwork to a more senior member of Clerksroom, we will charge the appropriate hourly rate for the work, not for the barrister. We welcome early discussion to ensure the correct fee is applied to the case at the outset.

REDRESS:

All our barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and hold a current practising certificate, details can be found at the following link Barristers’ Register

Complaints information

If you are not satisfied with the service provided, you can make a complaint to Chambers. Information on the chambers’ complaints procedure is available at the following link: http://www.clerksroom.com/content-html?cid=416

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from my chambers, you can make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. You must contact the Legal Ombudsman either within 6 months following the conclusion of our handling your complaint, within 6 years from the date of the act/omission, or 3 years from the date that you should reasonably have known there were grounds for complaint (if the act/omission took place before the 6 October 2010 or was more than six years ago).

The Legal Ombudsman’s details are as follows:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ
Tel: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Web: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

1.              This is a privacy notice that describes how, why and for how long I will process or keep your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’).

2.              The GDPR governs how an individual’s personal data is used, and your rights in relation to that data.

3.              I, Peter Wade, have been instructed by you or your litigation friend (usually a parent), through your solicitor or agent, or via the Bar Pro Bono Unit.

4.              It is necessary for me to process your personal data in order for me to provide you with legal services, for example:

·   Advise on the prospects of litigation;

·   Advise on the value of your claim;

·   Representation at a court hearing;

·   Representation at trial;

·   Advise, review or comment on legal issues or evidence.

5.              Processing means anything done to data such as: recording, organising, adapting, altering, copying, consulting, transmitting, combining, erasing or storing it.

6.              The processing for the purposes listed above will take place in accordance with either Article 6(1)(a) GDPR or Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, depending on how you instructed me.

7.              If you have instructed me on a direct access basis, or engaged a solicitor (or legal agent), to assist you in bringing or defending a claim then the processing is necessary to perform a contract to which you are a party (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR). To give effect to that contract (i.e. to bring a claim) it is necessary for me to process your personal data for litigation purposes.

8.              If I am assisting you on a pro bono basis, it will be necessary for me to seek your consent to be able to represent you (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). In this scenario, you will be sent a consent form.

Recipients of your data

9.              I may also be required to share your data with others, depending on the nature of your case. This may include:

(i)                  Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;

(ii)                Your solicitors, or agent representing you, through whom I have been instructed;

(iii)               Potential witnesses, experts and other persons involved in the case;

(iv)               Solicitors, barristers, or other legal representatives;

(v)                Ombudsman and regulatory authorities;

(vi)               Education and examining bodies; and

(vii)             Current, past or prospective employers.

Special Categories of Data

10.          In some cases I will have been given your personal data that is within the ‘special categories’ of data described in GDPR Article 9(1). For example, personal data that reveals your race, ethnicity, sexual preferences, political or religious beliefs, trade union membership or health. There are also restrictions for processing information regarding criminal convictions.

11.          This type of personal data will only be processed where it is necessary in order to represent you in your legal claim, or advise on the prospects of a legal claim.

Retention

12.          I will retain your personal data for no longer than is necessary, and where it is possible, I will anonymise your data.

13.          How long your personal data is kept will depend on a number of factors. The retention period will be reviewed when the service I am providing you with is complete. However in general, I am obliged by the Bar Code of Conduct to retain records of my cases, and by HM Revenue and Customs to retain records for 6 years.

14.          Once your case has concluded and fees have been paid, I shall retain only the personal data necessary for the following purposes:

(i)                  The legal and professional obligation to retain information relating to my cases;

(ii)                To check for any potential conflict of interests that may arise in the future when I am instructed on other cases;

(iii)               For use in the defence of potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes;

(iv)               To refer back to in future cases which raise similar legal, factual, or procedural issues.

15.          The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14 (ii), (iii), and (iv) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. That is, for the purposes of legitimate interests that are not outweighed by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.

16.          The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14(i) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(c) GDPR. That is, the processing is necessary for me to comply with a legal obligation. 

Your Rights

17.          Where processing of your personal data was based on your consent (see paragraphs 6 and 8) you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of the processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

18.          Withdrawal of your consent to process such data will most likely mean that I am no longer able to provide you with the legal services you seek.

19.          You may request confirmation that your personal data is being processed by me and details about the personal data, the source, the processing, the purposes of the processing, the recipients and the retention period.

20.          You may request a copy of your personal data that is being processed by me. You may also request rectification (i.e. correction) where there are inaccuracies in the personal data.

21.          You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time, to processing of your personal data in paragraph 14 of this privacy notice. Should you object, the processing will only continue where there are compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests. 

22.          Where the processing or retention of your data is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, it will not be possible to object. 

23.          You have the right to request that your personal data is erased where any of the following apply:

(i)                  The personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed;

(ii)                You withdraw your consent where the basis of processing was based on consent and where there is no other ground for the processing;

(iii)               Where your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests override the legitimate interests of processing in paragraph 14;

(iv)               The personal data has been unlawfully processed; or

(v)                The personal data have to be erased to comply with a legal obligation.

24.          You have the right to request that your personal data is restricted from processing, so that it is simply stored, for the following reasons: as an alternative to deletion; so that it can be corrected; for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; to verify if a legitimate ground exists (paragraph 14).

25.          Where it is necessary to correct your personal data, or you have requested the restriction or erasure of your personal data, I shall endeavour to contact the recipients of the personal data, unless this involves disproportionate effort. 

Security

26.          I take appropriate physical and technical procedures to safeguard your personal data to prevent it from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way. The I.T. systems used by Clerksroom are ISO27001 compliant.

Complaints or Queries

27.          If you have any questions regarding this privacy notice, or how I use your personal data please email me: Peter.Wade@clerksroom.com, or my clerks: mail@clerksroom telephone 01823 247 247.

28.          I shall aim to respond as soon as possible, and within 30 days.

29.          You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe I have not handled your request in an appropriate manner. For information on contacting the ICO please go to: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/