Legal Matters Q&A: Susan Trigg, senior associate at Bevan Brittan

A mainstay of my practice is clinical negligence; and the Jackson reforms which came into effect on 1 April 2013 have certainly made an impact on my day to day practice. Some of the changes were welcome - an end to eye-watering success fees and insurance premiums - but the quid pro quo of this change, the introduction of Qualified One-way Costs Shifting (QOCS) has had a detrimental impact in terms of removing a very effective disincentive to claimants to issue proceedings in haste.

What law would you like to see changed?

I would change the law on deprivation of liberty authorisations. This has created such an unnecessary burden on local authorities and healthcare organisations who find themselves forced into expensive court proceedings which they cannot escape from.

What is the most exciting work you’ve ever done?

I represented a doctor who faced serious allegations of dishonesty, misconduct and deficient performance, but in the context of significant personal difficulties and an undiagnosed illness. I assisted the doctor through a police investigation, local disciplinary proceedings, a full GMC fitness to practise investigation and hearing, and then further local performance proceedings. After nearly six years of striving to atone for mistakes, rebuild his personal and family life and rescue his career, I was delighted to see my client return to unrestricted medical practice last year.

Who in the legal world do you most admire?

I’m always hugely impressed by senior members of the judiciary who can assimilate information, grasp complex legal principles, cut straight to the heart of a case.

What advice would you give someone starting out in the profession?

Make sure that you select an area of law to qualify into that you genuinely enjoy and find interesting.