Christopher Kennedy KC

Christopher Kennedy KC is Head of Chambers at 9 St John Street.

Most of Chris' instructions come from insurers and he usually represents Defendants in cases where the Claimant has suffered very severe injury or where there is a point of more general importance to be decided. However, he enjoys representing Claimants and is happy to receive instructions to do so.

Chris' recent cases include those of,

• a young trainee Imam who was rendered tetraplegic in a motorcycle accident and whose case involved detailed consideration of the merits and demerits of the provision of an exoskeleton;
• a firefighter who was paralysed whilst lifting weights in a gym;
• a cyclist in a low-awareness state following a road traffic accident where the key dispute is as to the suitability of a residential or community placement;
• a child whose expectation of life has been drastically shortened as a result of being hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing;
• a case considering the issues generated by a Defendant's wish to rely on assertions made on a without prejudice basis in support of an allegation of fundamental dishonesty.

Chris has also represented the Defendant insurer in two cases where their insured driver has deliberately used a vehicle to cause harm to a number of members of the general public.

In addition to the 'standard' matters which are to be expected in cases of severe injury, Chris' current/recent caseload has meant that he is particularly familiar with the issues raised by:

• negotiating the way forward in cases where damages will not be assessed for some time. He is used to dealing with these cases both where the parties are working towards a trial and those where they are not;
• the availability of public funding; having to assess the merits and demerits of community and residential models for Claimants in low-awareness states or with significant behavioural challenges;
• having to disentangle the effects of intercurrent medical conditions from the consequences of an accident;
• emerging technology in the fields of prosthetics and spinal injury; subtle brain injury;
• individuals with pain; higher earning Claimants; accidents abroad and foreign Claimants injured in this country;
• deploying liability expert evidence in 'non-standard' cases.

Chris' other area of specialist expertise is in the field of Health and Safety and he has advised and represented the same Defendants in both the criminal and civil jurisdictions.

Prescribed Information

Christopher Kennedy KC is a practising barrister, who is regulated by the Bar Standards Board. Details of information held by the BSB about Christopher Kennedy KC can be found here.

Christopher Kennedy KC’s clerks will happily provide no obligation quotations for all legal services that he provides. Their contact details can be found here. It is most common for Christopher Kennedy KC to undertake Court, Tribunal and Mediation services for a brief fee plus additional refresher days. For advisory work, drafting and conferences it is most commonly charged at an hourly rate. Conditional Fee Agreements and Damages Based Agreements will be considered in cases with favourable prospects of success. Christopher Kennedy KC will typically return paperwork within 21 days, however professional commitments, complexity and volume of documentation can affect these approximate timescales.