James Donnelly

James represents health and care, blue light and emergency service organisations and NHS Trusts at Inquests in the Coroner’s Court.

He has specialist knowledge relating to ambulance service medico-legal issues and has extensive experience of Article 2, Jury and multi-agency Inquests, including with the police, fire & rescue service, prison service, local authorities, public/private health and care providers and general practitioners.

Many of James’ inquest instructions also involve associated employment and regulatory matters, including overlapping HCPC, GMC and NMC proceedings.

James also acts for healthcare organisations who are subject to a criminal police investigation. He has dealt with a number of cases where NHS organisations are faced with gross negligence/corporate manslaughter investigations, which have subsequently resulted in no further criminal action and have been referred to the Coroner for Inquest.

James is additionally instructed by clients in connection with their participation in public inquiries. He undertakes clinical negligence defence work on behalf of NHS Trusts and also acts for NHS and healthcare clients in the Court of Protection, including serious medical treatment and health & welfare proceedings, as well as cases involving deprivations of liberty.

James provides ad hoc advice to clients in relation to health and care legal issues on a day-to-day basis and also as part of Ward Hadaway’s Healthcare Urgent Response Team out of hours. This includes the provision of advice in respect of Court of Protection jurisdiction, issues of capacity/refusal of treatment, cases involving vulnerable patients, safeguarding, consent and human rights.

He supports clients with wider risk management reviews and incident learning.

He has undertaken secondments in the legal departments of client NHS Trusts and also regularly delivers training workshops and seminars to clients on various aspects of health and care law, including Inquests and associated patient safety investigations, medical manslaughter, clinical negligence claims, Duty of Candour and Court of Protection proceedings.

James graduated from the University of Northumbria, Newcastle in 2011 with a first class honours degree in Law prior to commencing his training contract with Ward Hadaway.