Phil Hesketh

Solicitor till 2008, Commercial Mediator

Career History

Professional Mediator accredited by ADR Group in 2006 with 19 years-experience as a civil litigation solicitor. Highly motivated with an energetic, empathetic and creative style.

Became a full-time mediator in 2008. Acted as Lead Mediator in a range of cases including personal injury, partnership disputes, employment, professional negligence, landlord and tenant, commercial contract claims, boundary disputes and probate claims.

Writes extensively on mediation for the Hesket Law Society, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, The Costs Lawyer Magazine, Butterworths and The Local Government Lawyer. Regular contributor to on-line magazine PI Brief Update Law Journal. Provides in-house training on mediation to law firms and other mediation users and observation opportunities for newly qualified mediators.

Senior solicitor & mediator Clarkson Hirst Solicitors, Lancaster – 2003-2008

Senior solicitor in the litigation department. Varied caseload of personal injury and general litigation matters, including fatal accidents, employers’ liability, road traffic accidents, public liability claims, contractual disputes and employment matters. Advocacy included interlocutory hearings and CICA final appeal hearings.

Responsibility for development and marketing of the personal injury department and meeting quality standards and for the training and development of staff. Developed commercial mediation business. 

Senior solicitor Russell Jones and Walker, Manchester – 2000-2003

Managing solicitor of the personal injury fast track claims department. Responsible for management of the fee earner team and support staff. Handled own caseload of Multi Track personal injury claims, predominantly employers’ liability, stress related illness and road traffic accident. Developed and supervised the specialist CICA team. Responsible for marketing to institutional clients.

Developed fee tracking software database and implemented it firm wide, designing and delivering the associated training nationally. Responsible for staff development and Continuing Professional Development training in the office, writing and delivering training seminars. Recruited and trained new fee earning staff. Member of the senior office management team.

Assistant solicitor Thompsons Solicitors, Liverpool & Manchester – 1990-1993 & 1995-2000

Completed training and qualified as a solicitor. Handled personal injury claims, predominantly employers’ liability and industrial disease cases. Assisted with multi-party litigation including Hillsborough Disaster and “welders’ lung” test cases. Acted for successful claimant in House of Lords case of Knowles v Liverpool City Council [1993].

Responsible for office Legal Aid compliance. Introduced cost recovery scheme for funded disbursements. Latterly also head of Criminal Litigation (related to employment) in the Manchester office. Assisted with preparation and delivery of in-house training seminars.

Teacher of English as a foreign language Madrid – 1993-1995

Self-employed teacher of English as a foreign language.

Trainee solicitor Parkers Solicitors, St. Helens 1989-1990

Trainee solicitor in general practice.

Education & qualifications

  • University of Leicester – Law Degree class II(i) Hons, 1988
  • College of Law, Chester – Solicitors’ Final Examination, 1989
  • Metropolitan University of Leeds – Certificate in TEFL, 1992
  • Admitted as a solicitor November 1991
  • Accredited as a Commercial Mediator 2006

Membership organisations & mediation panels

  • Association of Northern Mediators
  • Trust Mediation
  • Mediation panel member of Effective Dispute Solutions Limited

Voluntary Work

  • Pro Bono mediator for LawWorks
  • School Governor
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