Partners
Clive Garner
Chambers & Partners 2011/12:
Clive Garner heads the department and is widely respected among peers. He is said to be "stratospherically amazing" and offers long-standing expertise in all manner of travel litigation.
Legal 500 Directory 2011 described Clive Garner as "extremely capable and intelligent, with great forensic skills."
Clive has been head of our award winning International Travel Litigation Group since 1997 and for several years he has been recognised as a leader in his field. Clive has successfully acted in more than 150 group actions claims involving thousands of English citizens injured in incidents worldwide.
In several instances these cases have established legal precedents and resulting in record awards for clients. Clive has acted for a large number of clients winning substantial damages after coach crash claims in Spain, Gran Canaria, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Turkey, Morocco and Namibia, as well as the Delhi coach hijack. He has also acted in numerous group action claims involving popular UK Tour Operators which established liability for Legionnaires disease, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Shigella, Giardia, E-coli and other illnesses contracted abroad. Clive has successfully acted in several group action claims relating to maritime and aviation disasters and for Claimants of the September 11th tragedy and other terrorist incidents.
Clive has authored several articles and regularly contributes to text books on Personal Injury Claims arising from incidents in the UK and aboard. Clive also lectures nationally and internationally in relation to serious injury claims and group action issues.
Chambers & Partners 2010/11 described Clive Garner as "the godfather of claimant travel personal injury."
Legal 500 Directory 2010 - Clive Garner heads a large team at Irwin Mitchell LLP. The international travel litigation group has an enviable reputation; areas of growth include serious injury and fatal claims arising from road traffic, coach and aviation crashes and group action illness claims. He advised on the Bulgarian coach crash case, in which liability was established against TUI UK at trial on behalf of 24 claimants.
Chambers & Partners 2009/10 praised Clive for his "cutting-edge strategies, proven trial techniques and compassionate nature."
Chambers & Partners 2008/09 called Clive "one of the most experienced lawyers in this field and an incredibly formidable opponent"
Chambers & Partners 2007/08 said "Head of practice Clive Garner is championed by sources as a lawyer “at the very top of his game,” and whose involvement on behalf of [claimants] is seen as the “kiss of death for defendants.” Garner has acted on securing millions of pounds in damages for illnesses and injuries suffered abroad in 90 mass class actions over the past year."
Chambers & Partners 2006/07 described Clive as "highly regarded".
Demetrius Danas
Chambers & Partners 2011/12: The "professional and accessible" Demetrius Danas is "an extremely competent lawyer who gets on with people" and is an "expert in his field." He is particularly experienced in representing clients who have suffered severe injuries abroad and whilst travelling.
Joined us in April 2003 from a niche travel litigation practice where he was a Partner. Since joining IM, he has played a key role in establishing and developing the International Travel Litigation Group (ITLG) in the London office. Demetrius has great experience in acting on behalf of people who sustain injuries whilst abroad and has pursued claims in over 30 jurisdictions worldwide. He also advises Travel Insurers on the wording of their policies and the viability of their client's potential personal injury claims.
Chambers & Partners 2010/11 mention Demetrius Danas landmark case 'Thwaites v Aviva, which established that a claimant could bring a claim in the English courts against a French insurer following an accident in France.'
Chambers & Partners 2009/10 described Demetrius Danas as having "extremely successful negotiating style and sound appreciation of travel clients' business."
Jose de Lorenzo
Jose is a member of the Barcelona Bar, qualified in law at the University of Granada in 1979. He is also a qualified English Solicitor.
Jose has been representing English victims of accidents abroad since 1985.
In 1991 he merged his practice with a firm of English solicitors, Liddell Zurbrugg, which became Lorenzo Zurbrugg of which he was a Partner until 1 August 2003, when the firm merged with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, of which he is now a Partner.
Jose is a regular contributor to many legal publications dedicated to Personal Injury and lectures on a regular basis within the UK and abroad on Personal Injury Claims in Spain and European Law.
Michael Zurbrugg
Chambers & Partners Directory 2011/12: Michael Zurbrugg "knows his stuff and is a super guy," according to admiring sources. Clients applaud his language skills and appreciate that he is "aware of his clients' requirements."
Partner in the international travel litigation group. Undertakes claimant and defendant personal injury work in the UK and abroad on behalf of UK nationals, insurers and foreign nationals and insurers.
Special interest in issues involving jurisdiction and conflict of laws. Cases include Edmunds v Simmonds (first reported case under Private International law (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 1995).
Chambers & Partners Directory 2010/11: "Michael Zurbrugg has over 25 years' experience acting on both claimant and defendant personal injury claims in a multitude of international jurisdictions."
Chambers & Partners Directory 2009/10: Michael Zurbrugg is described as having "empathic nature and considerable experience."
Chambers & Partners Directory 2008/09: Michael Zurbrugg is "known for his work in French jurisdictions, and for the work he does to widen the scope of foreign claims that can be brought in England."
Philip Banks
Chambers & Partners Directory 2011/12:
Philip Banks wins praise as a "charismatic and very talented" individual. He focuses on injuries abroad, as well as acting for groups of clients who sustain illnesses whilst on holiday.
Phil acts both on behalf of individuals who suffer injury in foreign accidents as well as for groups of clients who suffer illness in hotels or on cruise ships abroad.
His team has handled one of the largest group claims of its kind against a large UK based Tour Operator, involving almost 1,000 Claimants and involving a total settlement of over £3 million. Phil's team has also acted for a young girl who faces devastating future consequences, including loss of kidney, following the contraction of e-coli 0157 abroad. This claim settled for a record level of damages for a case of this type.
The team acts for a number of individuals who have contracted serious injuries in accidents abroad, whilst on holiday or at work. These claims involve, for example, clients who have had road traffic accidents, accidents at a hotel, aircraft accidents, coach crashes or accidents at sea. Some of these claims are worth over £1 million.
This is a complex and challenging area of law and, to successfully pursue such claims, an in depth knowledge of the issues that are raised in such claims is required. Phil’s team works closely with foreign lawyers to often push the boundaries of law in what are often hard fought claims.
These cases have attracted local and national press interest and Phil has been interviewed on radio and TV and quoted in the press on several occasions in connection with claims that his team handles.
Chambers & Partners Directory 2010/11: Philip Banks is a recognised name in the field of international personal injury and acted with Garner on the coach crash matter mentioned above. Phil acts both on behalf of individuals who suffer injury in foreign accidents as well as for groups of clients who suffer illness in hotels or on cruise ships abroad.
Chambers & Partners Directory 2009: Philip Banks is a "measured and thoughtful individual who really knows how to deal with people".
Suki Chhokar
Chambers & Partners 2009/10 says Suki is "incredibly sensible and switched on".
Suki primarily deals with group actions against U.K. based tour operators, or single party actions against defendants in foreign countries (often working with foreign agent lawyers).
His team currently handles in excess of 2000 clients and handle range of different cases against major U.K. tour operators. Some of the cases where large numbers of people have fallen ill on holiday are the largest of their kind ever pursued in the U.K. and have resulted in multi-million pound settlements. A current example is a group action of over 1000 clients who had fallen ill at the Bahia Principe Hotel in 2007.
These cases attract local and national press, radio and T.V. interest, and Suki has been interviewed and/or quoted in the national press and media on a number of occasions. Suki also regularly presents training and lecture programmes, and gives advice and support to clients affected by illness or an accident abroad by way of a group presentation.
These claims have a generic element which requires a high degree of proficiency and understanding on a range of tactical and logistical levels. The claims are based in negligence, breach of contract, misrepresentation and breach of statutory duty. A key understanding of all of these areas is essential to the successful prosecution of claims on behalf of the client.
This is litigation of the most challenging nature and regularly involves making new law or pushing the boundaries of existing law in order to make sure that the Courts recognise the extent of the effects upon the Client. Most recently this can be seen in the light of challenges on costs capping and damages relating to Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity.
Chambers and Partners UK 2008: Suki Chhokar's forth right manner has won him a reputation as a "true litigator" who "pushes claims to the maximum." He has made his name on claims relating to large food poisoning incidents on board cruise liners.
Jim Morris
Jim is an international aviation disaster litigation expert with our International Travel Litigation Group, and also a qualified pilot, which means his practice at Irwin Mitchell Aviation Law benefits. These two roles means that he brings over 20 years of experience in aviation and litigation, which gives his clients a distinct advantage in this very complicated area of technology and law.
Jim joined the Royal Air Force in 1990 and qualified on a number of military aircraft. As well as this, Jim also received specialist training in aviation accident analysis and crew resource management, to become a Squadron Flight Safety Officer.
In 2002 Jim transferred to the RAF Legal Branch and qualified as a barrister. In 2008 Jim retired from the RAF in order to specialise in representing the victims of aviation disasters. He has represented hundreds of passengers/ families in many aviation disasters worldwide, involving light aircraft, business jets, helicopters and airliners. In many cases Jim was able to identify a product defect as one of the causes, which resulted in US product liability litigation.
As a barrister, Jim also represents the families of aviation disasters at inquests.