Hudgell Solicitors’ continued growth and success has seen it again named as one of the ‘Best 200 Law Firms’ in England and Wales by The Times newspaper.
It is the second year in succession that Hudgells has been included, with the newspaper saying owner Neil Hudgell and chief executive Rachel Di Clemente have ‘lived up to a promise of righting wrongs for clients in landmark victories over the past year.’
Commended for its work in personal injury and clinical negligence claims, the Times says the ‘highlight’ of the past 12 months came in clearing the names of dozens of former subpostmasters across England and Wales who were victims of the Post Office-Horizon scandal, which has been labelled the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK legal history.
It also highlights the work of the firm’s civil liberties department in representing families of victims of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017. Lawyers from Hudgells have represented families at the long-running inquiry into the atrocity, which remains ongoing.
Work to secure a royal pardon for the prisoner Steven Gallant – one of those who confronted and stopped the London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan in 2019 – is also referenced.
The firm’s increasing focus on inquest representation also draws praise, with cases including representing the family of a man shot dead by armed police, the widow of a man killed on one of the UK’s controversial “smart motorways” and the family of a man who died after being detained by security who used “excessive force” mentioned by The Times.
In each of those inquests, verdicts of ‘unlawful killing’ were made after representations by the Hudgell legal team.
The Times listing is the latest accolade in a standout year for Hudgell Solicitors, and in particular for executive chairman Mr Hudgell, who was last month named both Legal Personality of the Year at the national Law Society Awards and Yorkshire Lawyer of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards. He was also named a ‘leading individual’ in the 2022 Legal 500 Guide.
The firm’s clinical negligence department is also a shortlisted finalist in the national Personal Injury Awards, to be staged later this month.
Firm representing families at national inquests and inquiries
Mr Hudgell, who founded the firm in Hull in 1997, said: “We are delighted to have been included in this prestigious listing of leading law firms again. It was a major milestone for us to be included last year, and the pleasing thing for me is that over the past 12 months I feel we have really strengthened our position as one of the UK’s leading legal practices in the work we have done.
“We have been involved in some hugely important cases over the past 12 months, from overturning the Post Office Horizon convictions at the Court of Appeal to representing families who lost loved ones in the Manchester Arena attack at the Public Inquiry.
“More important work lays ahead for us over the next 12 months given our ongoing work representing the families of victims of serial killer Stephen Port at inquest, the forthcoming Post Office Public Inquiry, and also in representing survivors of the Manchester Arena bombing, who are of course not part of the ongoing inquiry.
“We are using our expertise to ensure we represent people who truly need us the most, and that is very rewarding.”
Chief executive Rachel Di Clemente said: “It has been an outstanding year for the firm in which we have again demonstrated our ability to lead on major national inquests and inquiries, whilst continuing to grow and strengthen our personal injury and clinical negligence teams, particularly in the north-west where we now have a highly-experienced team working out of our Manchester operational hub.
“Whereas last year Hudgell Solicitors was perhaps a name included in the Times Best 200 Law Firms list which surprised people, I am sure this year it was a name people expected to be there, and I feel that says a lot about the growth of the firm, and our achievements.
“If we continue to ensure our focus remains on righting wrongs and making justice accessible to all, as we have over the past year, I am sure our team will continue to grow and enjoy success, and our clients will continue to benefit from great results.”
Hudgell Solicitors was again recently hailed for its work by the leading Legal 500 guide. The quality of work in civil liberties and human rights cases, as well as personal injury and medical negligence claims, was highlighted in the 2022 guide.
Heads of departments Chris Moore, Vince Shore and Jane Woodcock were specifically named in recognition for their experience and expertise, alongside Mr Hudgell as a ‘leading individual’.