Robert Skyner
Head of the Civil Team
Robert is an experienced Civil Practitioner with an emphasis on all types of personal injury work. He undertakes all aspects of contentious and non-contentious work and has extensive experience of trial advocacy on both the Fast Track and Multi Track. Robert is also considered as an expert in providing advices on quantum and liability, and in drafting complex statements of case. Robert acts in equal measure for Claimants and Defendants and is particularly sought after in claims involving allegations of fraud and fundamental dishonesty.
Experienced in providing lectures and training seminars on a wide range of topics, Robert is accredited with the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board to provide CPD training.
Robert is public access qualified and accepts work on this basis in the fields of crime personal injury regulatory and family.
Robert specialises in personal injury litigation and he has extensive experience in all areas of personal injury practice and procedure. He is instructed in equal measure by both Claimants and Defendants.
Robert is regularly called upon to act in complex and high value claims but is also available for standard trials, disposal hearings and interlocutory matters. He is currently instructed in a number of fatal accident cases and has represented both insurers and the family of the recently deceased following fatal road traffic collisions and fatal accidents at work.
Regular instructions are received for claims in the following fields:
- Food Poisoning and Holiday Illness
- Road Traffic Accidents
- Low-Velocity Impact cases
- Credit Hire
- Fraud/Fundamental Dishonesty
- Public Liability
- Employers Liability
- Industrial Disease Claims
Robert is regularly instructed to appear at inquests and disciplinary and tribunal hearings.
Robert is experienced at providing legal advice and representation to any family, individual or organisation who have any degree of involvement or interest in an inquest in the Coroner’s Court. He regularly appears at inquests, representing:
- Bereaved families
- Individuals or companies who may have caused or contributed to a death
- Employers, government departments and local authorities or other organisations whose conduct is under scrutiny
- Insurers, and other interested parties
Robert is able to provide practical and expert legal advice with compassion, sensitivity, and respect, recognising that inquests can be very emotive proceedings. Nevertheless, Robert is committed to robust and fearless representation of his clients, even where the cause might seem unpopular or difficult. Robert can provide expert advice and representation in a wide variety of cases, including:
- Deaths arising from road traffic accidents
- Breaches of health and safety legislation
- Hospital or care home
- Medical error or neglect
- Unlawful killings
- Deaths in police and prison custody
- Suicide
Robert receives regular instructions from a number of leading Legal 500 Firms to act for both Claimants and Defendants. He is highly regarded for his ability and experience in this field of law and is considered to be thorough, effective and robust in his assessment of the evidence and subsequent trial advocacy. Robert is regularly instructed to draft comprehensive and detailed Particulars of Claim, Defences, Schedules and Counter-Schedules.
Robert is also instructed as an in-house advisor to a number of leading medical agencies, providing training, advice and guidance to medical experts on their Part 35 obligations.
Robert frequently receives instructions to undertake private prosecutions on behalf of a number of organisations. He accepts Defence instructions on a privately paid basis and he is also called upon to act in matters [for both Prosecution and Defence] which may have a concurrent civil liability where he is expected to conduct the subsequent civil trial.
He also represents insurers or the family of the deceased in Inquests.