Speakers
Leila Benyounes
Simon Britten
Shyam Kumar
Bertie Leigh
Nikhil Shah
Sameer Singh
BOA Session
An Introduction to Coronial Law and Mock Coroner's Inquest
Chairs: Sameer Singh & Simon Britten
Many orthopaedic surgeons will find themselves making an appearance in Coroner's court at some point during their careers. This session sets out to provide some background information as to the role of the Coroner, the nature of proceedings in Coroner's court, dos and don'ts in giving evidence, culminating in a mock Coroner's inquest to observe first hand how the court runs. The aim is to demystify the process and give orthopaedic surgeons some prior understanding and confidence, in case they ever have to attend such proceedings to give evidence.
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
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.
Bertie Leigh is a consultant solicitor at Hempsons. He has a very extensive experience in medical negligence and in the law related to professional regulation. He has been described as the top dog in defence medical negligence. He has had numerous senior rolls in the legal world, but also has had a close relationship with surgery and orthopaedics. He was the chairman of NCEPOD for 6 years and is a non executive director of the RNOH at Stanmore. There are few, if any other, lawyers, who understand the issues that orthopaedic surgeons face on a day to day basis any better.
He is particularly interested in issues related to consent and the effects that Covid 19 has on what we need to think about and discuss with our patients.
Mr Nikhil Shah is a fellowship-trained consultant and works at Wrightington hospital with an interest in complex primary and revision hip and knee replacement surgery, periprosthetic fractures, pelvic discontinuity and custom acetabular reconstructions. His specialist trauma practice includes the management of pelvic-acetabular injuries. He completed his fellowships at Wrightington and the Holland institute (Sunnybrook and Women’s, Toronto). He has won several awards. Mr Shah teaches on various courses nationally and abroad. His research interests have revolved around his clinical work. His medicolegal practice deals with personal injury and clinical negligence in areas relevant to his routine and specialist practice.
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.
I am a Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma and Spinal surgeon since October 2007 at the Royal United Hospital Bath. I graduated from the University of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape , South Africa. I completed my Higher Surgical Training on the Severn Rotation followed by a complex AO spine fellowship in Brisbane Australia. I have an active practice in all aspects of medicolegal practice and have recently joined the BOA medical-legal committee to contribute to this forum which plays a vital role in member education.
