David Rivers

David’s main area of practice is personal injury work with the majority of his instructions being on behalf of claimants. He has a particular focus on employer’s liability claims and complex quantum work. He is the author of the current chapter on employer’s liability insurance in the Fifteenth Edition of Munkman on Employers Liability (2009).

 

Over the last six years he has acted for several thousand claimants but tends to be particularly popular in cases where an issue of law arises or there are particular sensitivies surrounding the case which requires careful and considered client care. He also has significant experience of public liability and road traffic claims being regularly instructed on behalf of the countries largest supplier of credit hire vehicles.

 

His highest settlement to date is £262,000 and his highest judgment £226,000 for a middle aged prison officer whom the court found would never work again. Recent clients have included a deputy high court judge and retired head of chambers at a well known set; a professional footballer and a very senior police officer. He also acted for a well know Eastenders actor in his claim for injuries suffered whilst shopping in Selfridges.

 

He has acted in a number of high profile inquests, which include appearing for the family in the inquest into the death of Amelia Flight which returned a neglect finding against her local GP’s out of ours service; and being led by Barry Cotter QC on behalf of the Prison Officers in the inquest into the death of Harold Shipman, in which they were exonerated of wrong doing and praised for their swift response in difficult circumstances.

 

David has established a niche practice area in cost litigation predominantly on behalf of the receiving party, as a result of a number of successes in the litigation surrounding the challenges to enforceability of CFA retainers. He regularly appears before the SCCO in detailed assessment hearings.

 

David also accepts instructions on behalf of defendants particularly in cases requiring robust cross examination. He recently succeeded by a majority in the Court of Appeal on behalf of the Defendant in the case of Iqbal v Home Office [2009] EWCA Civ 1310 during which he was led by Michael Beloff QC.

 

He graduated with a single first from Jesus College Cambridge in 2001. Whilst at Cambridge he was awarded the ECS Wade Prize for the top first in Administrative Law, a college scholarship for examination performance, the Lovells Prize for the top first in the college and was elected to a Squire scholarship from the university based on academic performance. He then obtained an LLM in public law, public international law, restitution and commercial litigation. Grays Inn awarded him its top (Bedingfield) scholarship for the BVC which he passed graded very competent. He received a further award from Grays during pupillage and accepted an invitation to join chambers in 2004.