"A tough competitor willing to fight his client's corner. Meticulous in his preparation, and highly responsive. A joy to work with."
LEGAL 500 2022
Julian works exclusively on complex and/or high value claimant and defendant work, typically involving brain injuries, catastrophic limb injuries (and amputations), chronic pain syndromes and disorders, and psychiatric injuries frequently against leading counsel.
Julian is a co-organiser, speaker and co-chair of the annual Peterhouse Medico-Legal Conference in Cambridge.
Organiser of the highly regarded Guildhall Chambers Personal Injury seminars for over a decade.
In recent years he had addressed the Royal Society of Medicine (pain division) and the biannual conference of the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ("BOFAS")
In 2012 Julian wrote "A Barrister's Guide to Your Personal Injury Claim", a not-for-profit book aiming to explain the content and procedure of personal injury litigation in an entirely neutral manner, to increase understanding among claimants and thereby reduce costs and promote settlements.
The book, which is available free from Julian’s website (www.abarristersguide.org.uk), or Amazon, is also recommended by Headway UK, where 1,000 copies were downloaded in its first three months.
In 2014 Julian has co-authored of a series of articles, downloadable free of charge below, with three distinguished clinicians involved in the field of chronic pain. Similar to Julian’s book, the articles provide neutral information to individuals involved in litigation involving chronic pain. They are peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Observational Pain Medicine
The book, which is available free from Julian’s website (www.abarristersguide.org.uk), or Amazon, is also recommended by Headway UK, where 1,000 copies were downloaded in its first three months.
Julian is prominent in the commendations in the independent directories, and by solicitors and clients alike. Chambers UK describes him in its most recent editions as:
"Well known for the breadth and depth of his expertise in complex and high-value matters, including extremely severe high-value catastrophic injuries, complex pain and fatal claims. He draws particular praise for his sensitivity and understanding when dealing with clients..."
"A barrister who gives you confidence as you know he is prepared to take on complex issues...an excellent advocate"
"A "superbly tactical brain...he is not afraid to go where others fear to tread and clients love his have-a-go approach"
...and he "impresses with his "ability to come up with a novel angle or an extra argument.""
The Legal 500 also considers him "highly rated for complex PI matters...very able and willing to pull out all the stops when required...and very user friendly."
Solicitors and clients also recommend Julian highly: http://www.abarristersguide.org.uk/about-julian-benson/recommendations-from-solicitors/
Achieving acceptance by a former police officer of a greatly reduced Part 36 offer, including consequential costs orders.
Successful settlement on the eve of trial of a claim by a Prison Officer against the HO for injuries and reduced earnings.
Settlement for senior MOD intelligence officer following road rage attack.
Achieving compromise of liability with 40% Contributory negligence following raising of FD in respect of liability assertions in Particulars of Claim.
£1m+ settlement in brachial plexus and chronic pain claim.
Mediated settlement close to £1m for a Protected Party with complex Dissociative Disorder.
Mediated settlement of £840,000 in a claim for a Protected Party, psychiatrically injured at 2 years, and suffering continued symptoms into early adulthood.
Personal Injury
‘A tough competitor willing to fight his client's corner. Meticulous in his preparation, and highly responsive. A joy to work with.’
Ranked: Tier 1
Personal Injury
Band 1
Highly esteemed junior adept at handling catastrophic injury claims. He has significant experience in chronic pain cases and is a frequent contributor to academic literature on the subject.
Strengths: "Excellent with clients."
Personal Injury
‘His preparation is very careful and his attention to the detail of the expert evidence is very close. He is quite a fighter for his corner. As an advocate he is balanced and sensible.’
Personal Injury
Highly esteemed junior adept at handling catastrophic injury claims. He has significant experience in chronic pain cases and is a frequent contributor to academic literature on the subject.
Strengths: "Approachable and has excellent knowledge of legal issues." Recent work: Instructed in a case concerning a middle-aged accountant who suffered complex psychiatric causational issues leading to chronic pain following a modest RTA.
Personal Injury
"He has a good rapport with both the solicitor and the lay client."
Personal Injury
Band 1 Leading Junior
Highly esteemed junior adept at handling catastrophic injury claims. He has significant experience in chronic pain cases and is a frequent contributor to academic literature on the subject.
"He's fantastic with clients, very easy to deal with, and his turnaround time is exceedingly fast. He's at the top of his game." "He's very astute technically and has an excellent manner with clients."
Recent work: Acted in a case concerning a mild RTA which caused the claimant to suffer severe chronic pain. The case involved complex psychiatric causational issues.
Personal Injury & Clin Neg
‘Outstandingly bright and tactically brilliant; clients like his no-nonsense approach.’
Personal Injury
Leading Junior - Band 1
Highly esteemed junior adept at handling catastrophic injury claims. He has significant experience in chronic pain cases and is a frequent contributor to academic literature on the subject.
Strengths: "An exceptional senior junior who gets to grips with instructions exceedingly quickly and turns papers around promptly. He is very personable and superb with instructing solicitors, clients, opposing counsel and the court."
Recent work: Acted for the claimant in a fatal accident case that raised issues of quantum and liability.
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Leading juniors
‘He has a fabulous rapport with clients.’
Personal Injury
Leading Junior - Band 1
Highly esteemed junior adept at handling catastrophic injury claims. He has significant experience in chronic pain cases and is repeatedly praised for his client skills.
Strengths: "Extremely hard-working, dynamic and has an excellent manner with clients." "An excellent court advocate. He can be trusted to take on complicated matters and to consistently achieve the best outcomes for clients."
Recent work: Acted for the claimant in a fatal accident claim raising issues relating to both quantum and liability.
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Leading juniors
'He provides and excellent strategic overview.'
Personal Injury
Leading Junior - Band 1
He represents claimants in catastrophic and high-value personal injury cases.
Strengths: "He's very quick at getting to grips with the case. He's very good with the clients. He's got a very sharp mind and he really helps the solicitor by actually assisting with the case in a very active way. He's particularly good for higher value complex cases including complex injuries and tricky points of law."
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Leading Juniors
'He is very good with clients, and proactive in his approach'.
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Leading Junior - Band 1
Noted for his experience in high-value personal injury work, ranging from brain and limb injuries to fatal accidents. He is praised by market sources for his representation of claimants.
Expertise: "He is a very dynamic and very skilled litigator. He works 25 hours a day, seven days a week."
Recent work: Acted for the claimant in Curtis v NIG, a four-day liability trial concerning an amputation following an RTA.
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
Leading juniors
'An expert in high-value personal injury work'.
Personal Injury
Well known for the breadth and depth of his expertise in complex and high-value matters, including extremely severe high-value catastrophic injuries, complex regional pain disorder and fatal claims. He draws particular praise for his sensitivity and understanding when dealing with clients.
Expertise: "He's very good with clients - he puts them at ease. He's also very keen to work in a team setting and makes himself available for conferences at late notice."
Recent work: He acted for a claimant who suffered devastating orthopaedic and ocular injuries in an RTA. The case was complicated by the claimant's pre-existing osteogenesis imperfecta.
Julian Benson is 'extremely user friendly'
Personal Injury - Band 1
Julian Benson is highly regarded by instructing solicitors, who enjoy working with "a barrister who gives you confidence as you know he is prepared to take on complex issues." He is "an excellent advocate" who focuses his practice on high-value catastrophic injury claims.
Personal Injury
Julian Benson is ‘very able and willing to pull out all the stops when required’.
Personal Injury - Band 1
'Julian Benson is another junior here credited with a "superbly tactical brain."
"He is not afraid to go where others fear to tread and clients love his have-a-go approach."
'He has recently been handling two brain injury cases valued at more than £1 million, as well as a number of complex chronic pain cases.'
Personal Injury
'Highly rated for complex PI matters.'
Personal Injury
"Takes an extremely pragmatic approach"
'Impresses with his "ability to come up with a novel angle or an extra argument."
'He was recently instructed by Aviva alongside Adrian Palmer QC in a Consumer Protection Act claim. In addition, he regularly acts on the claimant side, recently handling a High Court case that settled for £3.5 million.'
Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
Julian Benson 'gives full commitment and immerses himself in cases'.
For further information and enquiries please contact:
Personal Injury: Caroline Evans or Olive Kavanagh or Emily Webb