Irwin Mitchell sweeps up Challinors' medical team

regionalrival Challinors Lyon Clark.The seven-strong team, which includes partners

Richard Follis and LisaJordan, joins the clinical negligence unit at Irwin Mitchell's

Birminghamoffice to more than double its size.The move makes Irwin Mitchell the leading

medical negligence practice inthe Midlands, and with 10 partners working in the field

nationally, itbecomes one of the most significant firms.The move is a blow to Challinors

Lyon Clark. Rated the leading medicalnegligence firm in the Midlands, it is now left

with just one partner andtwo associates operating in that practice area.Follis hit the

headlines earlier this month when he won u2.6m for a braindamaged child in a case

settled before trial. The award was one of thehighest ever given for brain damage at

birth."We are delighted to join forces with Irwin Mitchell," he says. "Bycombining, we

can offer specialist representation to claimants who findthemselves pitted against a

small number of highly specialist NHS panelfirms."The team's clients have been given the

opportunity to follow, and asignificant number of cases will be moving with the

partners.Irwin Mitchell has been involved in several high-profile cases includingCJD

actions and the on-going BSE inquiry. The firm now has a team of 10partners, 12

solicitors and eight medical research staff spread over itsoffices in London, Leeds,

Sheffield and Birmingham.John Pickering, national head of personal injury at the firm,