Michael Gray

I’m a Lead Partner and Head of the Neuro-Trauma Unit, combining Fletchers’ Spinal and Brain Injury Units. I provide technical support and oversee approximately 30 lawyers who focus on cases involving catastrophic spinal and brain injuries across the Liverpool, Southport and Manchester offices.

As well as leading the Neuro-Trauma Unit, I also have my own caseload, focusing on those cases of the utmost severity (many exceeding £10million in estimated value). My cases predominantly involve spinal cord injuries such as those which result from cauda equina syndrome, arteriovenous fistulas, spinal epidural abscesses, and brain injury cases including stroke. However, I also work on cases involving amputation and cases of particular sensitivity, or those with complex causation matters.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with nationally recognised leading and junior counsel, with whom I’ve formed strong and mutually respectful relationships. I’ve been described as an “understated forensic lawyer” with the ability to shepherd even the trickiest cases through to settlement for my clients.

As a Clinical Negligence lawyer, I know that medical professionals don’t set out to make mistakes or cause harm to their patients. Many of my family have worked in the NHS and I’m passionate about the organisation and the amazing things that happen every day. As somebody whose life has quite literally been saved in the NHS, I know more than most what good care looks like. But when resources are stripped back, when staff are overworked, then people who have every reason to trust and believe that they are in safe hands, get hurt. Sometimes, unfortunate things can just happen, but when injury was avoidable, I’m passionate about making sure those people, and their families are helped back onto their life path insofar as money is able.

I would say that I’m a forensic lawyer who likes to take the time to really understand the cases that I’m asked to deal with. I listen to my clients, to their stories about what has happened to them, what they loved, what motivated them and where they were heading in life. I love to meet them in their home environments with their family and really get a feel for what life was like, and how life has changed after injury. I think it’s important to begin every relationship with an understanding of what a client wants to achieve with their case. As much as the news might lead us to believe, it’s not always the largest sum of money possible!

As catastrophic injury lawyers, we have to deal with ups, downs and lots of challenges but maintaining a sense of positivity, with an eye on our destination gets us all through together. It’s a true collaborative approach, whether that means practical things like flexibility, or arranging evening or weekend conferences or, less obvious support like picking up the phone for a chat when you feel that a client is having a difficult day. Each of the team brings compassion in bucketloads.

Understanding the kind of life that damages can help secure after an injury for my client and their family is incredibly important to me – and it’s my job to help make that future possible.

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Life changing brain injury case for a young client with a family and a career that was derailed. Settlement £14.82m capitalised.

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A client suffered a life changing stroke leading to profound disability because, of negligent cessation of Warfarin before an angiogram. Settlement £4.3m capitalised.

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Client developed Cauda Equina Syndrome after a physiotherapist failed refer to a spinal surgeon. Settlement of £900,000.

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Client developed Cauda Equina Syndrome as a result of a failure to swab for MRSA and further failings on the part of GPs. Settlement of £1,850,000.

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Client developed Cauda Equina Syndrome following a failure to manage him accordingly resulting in a delay in treatment. Settlement of £1,250,000.

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We supported a client who sustained a spinal cord injury due to a delayed referral for investigations. The case involved multiple defendants, and liability was denied for several years. There were factual disputes between the parties as well as medical evidence disputes. Joint statements were completed. Settlement was achieved at an RTM for £1.4m, 3 months before trial, without any formal admission of liability.

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We represented a child through her mother in a neonatal hypoglycaemia case, which resulted in profound disability. It was an incredibly complex case, and our client believed wholeheartedly that the medical records did not reflect a particular home visit by the community midwife. Although liability was strongly denied, and resolution at an RTM failed, with the defendant making quite clear that the case was for Trial, we were able to secure a seven-figure settlement close to trial. The family were incredibly grateful and although imperfect, we managed to change a life for the better and give the parents the comfort of knowing that in the future, when they are no longer around, their child will have the security of a home that meets her needs.

For my team and I, client care is about that extra mile. It’s about thinking of a client when driving past a for sale sign on the road or knowing when a case manager is a perfect fit. We see our clients as being much more than the work that we turn up to do, but the people we come to work to help. I’m lucky to work with a fantastic, caring team who are committed to ensuring that we leave our clients in much better circumstances than we met them.

I’ve been part of Fletchers for 10 years now. Things have changed, but the core sense of ‘client first’ remains. There’s been lots of expansion but with every new team of colleagues who join us that same sense of purpose is always there!

I really enjoy working on behalf of catastrophically injured clients. The work is always complex and only seems to be getting more complicated as lawyers battle with NHS delays, resourcing issues – all of which seem to add an extra layer of difficulty to progressing cases. The job is hard but enjoyable. Surrounding yourself with the right people, the right support and knowing unquestionably that you can count on others is an unalterable truth at Fletchers.

For me, flexible working means the ability to work in any of the Fletchers offices across the country or from home. It means I can work alongside various members of the team. Face-to-face time with the team is important. Every week can be different for me, whether it be team collaboration days, client visits, conferences or court, I find it important to be out meeting my clients and meeting my network, and Fletchers supports that way of working.

Family is very important to me. I’m a proud dad to two fantastic girls – my unofficial job description includes mastering the art of plaiting hair and perfecting dance-class buns several times a week.

I enjoy the outdoors, whether it be walking up a mountain, cycling or something more adventurous.

Side note: Trying to learn to play golf.