Personal injury
Kim Harrison wins Claimant Lawyer of the Year 2021
Slater and Gordon’s principal lawyer, Kim Harrison, wins Claimant Lawyer of the Year at the Claims Media Personal Injury Awards 2021.
24 November 2021
Slater and Gordon is delighted to announce that principal lawyer and head of operations for abuse law, human rights and public inquiries, Kim Harrison, has won the Claimant Lawyer of the Year Award at the Claims Media Personal Injury Awards 2021.
The awards celebrate the excellence of individuals from across the country working in personal injury, and seeks to recognise the highest levels of practice and professional excellence.
Across her almost 20-year career, Kim has specialised in the representation of victims and survivors of abuse and public inquiries, as well as human rights cases. Appointed Chair of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers’ (APIL) Diversity Working Group, Kim is well-recognised as one of the leading abuse lawyers in the country.
Kim was presented the award for her recent involvement in a number of cases in which she dedicated herself to achieving justice for her clients and their families, whilst driving visibility for, and strengthening the reputation of, the personal injury practice.
Advocate for changes in law
Kim represented clients across 14 weeks of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in 2020, which were live streamed online, as well as providing opening and closing statements for our clients in inquiries and investigations which attracted media attention.
This included representing the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) in the Accountability and Reparations Investigation, in which she advocated for the law on limitation to be changed in England and Wales to support victims and survivors of historical abuse. Kim advocated for the law to mirror Scottish law where limitation has effectively been abolished in abuse cases, subject to various defences that can be raised.
Representing football abuse survivors
Kim has represented over 40 football abuse survivors, including claimants pursuing civil claims and scheme claims against various football clubs. The cases that Kim has supported have involved multiple perpetrators of abuse, including Barry Bennell.
Upon the publication of the Clive Sheldon/FA report into abuse in football in March 2021, Kim gave numerous media interviews, including MailOnline, Manchester Evening News, Sky News, talk RADIO, LBC Radio and BBC Radio 5 Live, responding on behalf of her clients to the report, and crucially arguing for mandatory reporting to further protect children from abuse in sport and other areas.
Due to her significant work with football abuse survivors, and her recognition as a specialist in this area, Kim was approached by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) to provide legal advice to footballers who’ve suffered abuse.
Manchester Arena bombing enquiry
This year Kim has been appointed the Designated Legal Representative for 11 bereaved families represented by Slater and Gordon in the Manchester Arena Bombing Inquiry. This is a high profile and legally complex public inquiry arising out of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena in May 2017.
In addition to Kim’s success, Slater and Gordon was also a finalist in the following categories: Catastrophic Injury Team of the Year, Clinical Negligence Team of the Year, Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year (Madeline Seibert). We're extremely proud of all colleagues who played their part in these achievements.
If you wish to speak to one of our specialist lawyers, please contact us today.