Luke Berry
Barrister (Senior Associate)
Exeter
luke.berry@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 2418
Luke leads the Exeter barristers team, and his work primarily focuses on providing robust advocacy and pragmatic advice on all things health related: from personal injury and clinical negligence, to mental health, inquests and family disputes involving medical evidence. He acts for some of the firm’s biggest clients on procedural hearings through to substantive, multi-day trials and inquests, and is seen as a ‘go-to’ in the South West for practical legal advice delivered with emotional intelligence.
As an advocate, Luke provides his clients with a voice and is often called on when technical ‘black letter’ law does not provide an answer. Luke represents clients in civil, criminal, family and coronial proceedings, and any other jurisdiction where a professional may be called to defend their actions. He has a particular interest in solicitors’ negligence where his broad training and experience is required to advise regarding a wide range of underlying retainers.
Understanding the importance of a timely and accurate response to paperwork, Luke’s approach to his written advocacy has received praise from the judiciary and he can usually turn around papers within 2 weeks (although sometimes shorter with notice).
Luke has an interest in developing junior advocates through advocacy training and is both an advocacy trainer for the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple and the Western Circuit, as well as a pupil supervisor for the firm. He is authorised by the Bar Standards Board to conduct litigation.
Expertise
Featured experience
Nottingham University Hospital
Luke acted for Nottingham University Hospital in an application to re-open findings of non-accidental injury made some 5-years previously.
Public judgment
Following conclusion of the finding of fact hearing in which Luke was instructed, the court considered the naming of professionals in a public judgment.
Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Luke acted for Sheffield Children’s Hospital in a 13-week finding of fact hearing arising from allegations of fabricated and induced illness. This was the first case heard under the Transparency Pilot.
Devon Partnership Trust
Luke acted for Devon Partnership Trust at the inquest of a gentleman suffering from paranoid schizophrenia who died after he stopped taking his medication. No criticisms were found by the jury as to the mental health care.
Testimonials
“Luke’s advice is brilliant. He is as good as any decent silk I have come across in drilling down on the technicalities and keeping it straightforward.”
"I am left in no doubt that had you not represented the Trust, the conclusion, from an organisational perspective, would have been far graver. And, indeed, the family and their Advocate would have been far less able to participate given the assistance you gave to them also."
"I wanted to pass on our appreciation of your support at the inquest last week. Whilst the conclusion was unexpected, the feedback from the witnesses attested to the support they received."
"Nursing and medical staff praise and thank Luke for his sound knowledge of our policies, procedures, awareness and understanding of each case, and of his support and assistance at inquests which are described as one of the worst times in their careers’ but made considerably more bearable by Luke’s involvement."
