Leila Benyounes

Barrister, Assistant Coroner, Recorder in Crime North Eastern Circuit

Leila is ranked as a leading barrister in Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for Inquests and Inquiries and Clinical Negligence. She represents both Claimants and Defendants which include private clients, public authorities and government departments. Leila has a special interest in coronial law and regularly acts for interested persons in high profile, media sensitive Article 2 jury inquests. She is Head of the Inquests and Inquiries Team at Parklane Plowden Chambers.

Leila is appointed as an Assistant Coroner and as a Recorder in Crime and sits on a part-time basis in these roles alongside her practice as a barrister.  She has been appointed to the Attorney General’s Treasury Counsel Panel A since 2010. Leila was the President of the Leeds and District Medico-Legal Society from 2015-16 and 2018-20 and remains on the Society’s Committee. She is a lecturer on the Medical Ethics and Law Module at Leeds Institute of Medical Education at the University of Leeds.

www.parklaneplowden.co.uk/barristers/leila-benyounes

Simon Britten

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Leeds

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals since 2002, having completed surgical training in Bath and Bristol and following fellowship training in the Ilizarov method at the Ilizarov Scientific Centre in Kurgan, Russia.

Mr Britten’s clinical practice includes the treatment of severe lower limb fractures and post-traumatic limb reconstruction including non-union, mal-union and deformity, limb length inequality, bone loss and amputation.

Current President of the British Limb Reconstruction Society and Chair of the British Orthopaedic Association Medico-legal Committee.

In 2018 Mr Britten was awarded the taught degree of Master of Laws with Distinction in medical law and ethics by De Montfort University Leicester.

His other interests include Nottingham Forest FC, Leeds Rhinos RLFC, modern languages, old Gothic Hammer Horror films, Formula One racing and the castles of Northumberland.

Heidi Mounsey

Medico-legal Consultant, Medical Protection Society

Heidi Mounsey is a medicolegal consultant and provides advice and support with a variety of medicolegal matters, including clinical negligence claims, inquests, complaints, disciplinaries, and regulatory proceedings. She joined Medical Protection in 2016 and has previously worked in anaesthesia and also in palliative medicine.

Since joining Medical Protection she has written a variety of articles and case studies, and is the co-author of a number of Learning from Cases publications, looking at common themes and issues arising in cases and claims. She is also the co-editor in chief of Practice Matters UK, focusing on advice and information for the general practice team, and has given a number of presentations to a range of audiences covering common medicolegal problems and concerns.  

Abeezar Sarela

Consultant in Upper GI and Bariatric Surgery, Leeds

Mr Abeezar I Sarela is a consultant surgeon in The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, based at St James’s University Hospital. He was appointed in 2003. His practice encompasses surgery for cancer of the oesophagus and stomach, bariatric surgery, and surgery for benign disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. He is passionate about medical law. He was awarded a PhD degree from the School of Law, University of Leeds in March 2021. His research focuses on theories of justice for medical treatment and case law on medical negligence, particularly in respect of informed consent.

Sameer Singh

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon/ Expert Witness, Bedfordshire Hospital Trust

Mr. Sameer Singh qualified from Guys ad St Thomas Medical School and completed his Orthopaedic Training in London, Liverpool, New Zealand, and Australia. Clinical practice includes all aspects of upper Limb disorders and Trauma. He has been working as an expert witness since 2018 and completes 200 reports per year, Mr. Singh is keen to educate and mentor the future generation of expert witnesses in producing high-quality reports.