Philip Simms

Philip undertook pupillage at Cobden House Chambers in 2016 and accepted tenancy in 2017. He has a civil practice.

Philip represents claimants and defendants at all stages of litigation. In addition to representing parties at trial, interim hearings, and joint settlement meetings, Philip also accepts instructions to draft statements of case and advise.

He has developed expertise in all aspects of personal injury litigation including:

• Employers’ liability;

• Public liability;

• Highways Act claims;

• Occupiers’ liability;

• Holiday sickness;

• Animals Act claims;

• Sporting injuries;

• Road traffic accidents;

• Catastrophic injury;

• Low velocity impact claims; and

• Fraud and fundamental dishonesty. 

He regularly deals with claims involving credit hire.

Philip has an extensive clinical negligence practice and has represented parties at trial with contested live expert evidence. He is adept at dealing with complex expert evidence in multiple disciplines on breach of duty, causation, and quantum.

He is happy to undertake appropriate cases on a conditional fee basis.

Philip also accepts instructions in coronial proceedings from all properly interested persons. He has experience of deaths in a medical setting, in custody, deaths by unlawful killing, deaths contributed to by neglect, and suspected suicides. His experience includes inquests where the Article 2 right to life is or is arguably engaged. Philip can be instructed for a standalone inquest or with a view to pending civil litigation.

Prior to joining chambers, Philip worked as a county court advocate and volunteered at Action against Medical Accidents, a legal charity assisting those who have suffered injuries arising out of medical negligence.

In his spare time Philip enjoys rugby union and scuba diving.

The Attorney General of St Helena v Thomas & Others (2017) – Instructed to represent one of the parties in an action concerning the legal recognition of same sex marriage in St Helena (led by Marc Willems QC). The action was compromised prior to the hearing after legislation was introduced to legalise same sex marriage.

Fitton v Ageas [2018] 11 WLUK 703 – Represented the successful defendant on an appeal concerning the applicability of the common law doctrine of mistake to the pre-action protocol for low value personal injury claims.

The Inquest touching upon the death of Jack Barnes (2021) – Instructed by HM’s Senior Coroner for Manchester Mr Nigel Meadows as junior counsel to the inquest. Mr Barnes was pursued from Manchester Victoria Station by contractors working for the Manchester Metrolink to Spinningfields where he was restrained for approximately ten minutes before suffering a cardiac arrest. He later died in hospital. The inquest resulted in a conclusion of unlawful killing.

Morrison v National Farmers Union (2021) – Represented the successful defendant at trial before HHJ Beech. The defendant accepted that there had been a low velocity impact but denied that the claimant could have sustained injury. The claimant was found to be fundamentally dishonest and ordered to pay the defendant’s costs of £9,500.

The Inquest touching upon the death of Harry Sykes (2022) – Instructed by HM’s Senior Coroner for West Yorkshire Mr Martin Fleming as counsel to the inquest. Mr Sykes died whilst on a rugby tour in France when he was inadequately supervised.

Carr v The Ship Inn (2023) – Represented the successful claimant at trial before HHJ Petts. The claimant suffered injury after falling down poorly lit steps in a public house. 

2013 – 2014  GDL, City Law School, Commendation

2014 – 2015  BPTC, City Law School, Outstanding
2015  Sir Thomas More Bursary, Lincoln’s Inn

2015  Buchanan Prize, Lincoln’s Inn