James Thompson

Solicitor - Director & Head of Clinical Negligence

SRA ID: 386568

James is the head of the clinical negligence team at Ison Harrison Solicitors. He trained and qualified at Ison Harrison Solicitors in 2007 before doing a tour of 2 national firms in Leeds before returning in 2016. James always considered Ison Harrison Solicitors to be the best firm he had ever worked for and he considers himself as extremely fortunate to have been able to return when the opportunity presented itself. He became a Director in January 2022 when the firm became an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). He is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme and is an accredited Senior Litigator with the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). His accreditations means that we are one of the few specialists able to undertake legal aid work for those who qualify and wish to choose this funding option. James deals with all types of clinical negligence, but specialises in acting for patients with life changing catastrophic injuries including Erb’s & Cerebral Palsy. He also supervises the senior lawyers in the team, manages the department and is a member of the firm’s Senior Management Team. James gets job satisfaction from helping people. He always wanted to be a lawyer and was interested in medicine from a young age. He likes solving complex problems. Being a clinical negligence lawyer was the perfect fit for him as it allows him to use his eye for detail, analytical skills, ability to communicate complex issues clearly, effectively and construct persuasive arguments so as to help others in their time of need. He fights hard and smart for his clients and delivers a high standard of care. It is really difficult for James to pick a case which means the most to him as he has been fortunate to have successfully represented so many lovely clients and their families over the years. However, since he became a father he has to confess that he finds working for children and their parents close to his heart. He understands the need to know what happened and why, to have lessons be learnt and avoid it happening to others. He does not underestimate the importance for a parent to know that their child will be safe and secure if anything happens to them in the future. He is also keen to ensure that as part of understanding what happened and why, parents learn to accept that it was not their fault and they must leave any guilt they carry. James and his team are the only Erb’s Palsy Group (EPG) recommended solicitors in the North of England, http://www.erbspalsygroup.co.uk He is also a Director/Trustee for the charity Little Hiccups. Little Hiccups is a Leeds based support group for families with children with special needs: http://www.littlehiccups.co.uk Outside of work, James is kept busy with his two children and German Wire Haired Pointers.