Simon Taylor KC specialises in medico-legal, personal injury and related work. He is a medical doctor as well as a barrister.

Simon is motivated by helping injured clients to get the means to live good quality lives. In 2017 he acted for claimants in clinical negligence and personal injury cases in which settlements and awards totalled £80 million. In an earlier case he obtained what was for many years the biggest ever lump sum award in a PI case of £10.7 million.

His present caseload includes a very substantial proportion of cases of maximum or near-maximum severity, including birth injury, cerebral palsy and other brain injuries; spinal injuries; cases involving multiple amputations following delay in diagnosis of meningococcal septicaemia; severe psychiatric injury cases; and many other cases in which his exceptional expertise in dealing with complex medical evidence is critical.

Simon's experience also includes the whole gamut of medico-legal work, including consent to treatment cases, inquests & inquiries, disciplinary work, mental health tribunals and judicial review and libel in medical-related cases.

In addition he has been involved with cases and campaigns with constitutional and political implications, including the Chagos Islanders' litigation, and the No More Page 3 campaign.

Simon is also a priest in the Church of England and vicar of St Andrew's in Stapleford, just south of Cambridge.

Chambers & Partners 2025: (Clinical Negligence) "Simon is a top-notch silk who is a pleasure to work with." "Simon is excellent at getting to grips with complex liability issues and driving through the detail to the important points." "He is incredibly thorough and always very well-prepared." "Simon is an excellent silk who is a great team player."

Chambers & Partners 2023: "Simon has significant experience in the field of clinical negligence and draws on this experience to be able to cut through to the most significant issues in a claim very quickly." "He is an excellent barrister."

Legal 500 2023: "He has an excellent understanding of complex medical issues and an ability not to be distracted by irrelevant detail, but to get to the root of the issues quickly in negotiations."

Chambers & Partners 2022: "Extremely experienced and exceptional in his knowledge of quantum." "He is sensitive with clients and strives for the best results." "He has an invaluable insight into medical issues."

Legal 500 2022: "Simon has an excellent understanding of technical medical issues. His insight is invaluable."

Chambers & Partners 2021: "His first-class reputation is well deserved - he's an absolute pleasure to work with and brings a focus and clarity to his cases that is second to none." "He has a good grasp of technical medical issues and quantum issues relating to catastrophic injury cases, which serves him well during complex negotiations." "He quickly gets to the crux of the issue in the case."

Legal 500 2021: “Displays a peerless mastery of birth injury claims.”

Chambers & Partners 2020: "A very experienced clinical negligence silk who combines great attention to detail and grasp of the facts with a relaxed style which makes clients feel comfortable." "He is an excellent advocate and has very sound instincts."

Legal 500 2020: "Excellent in technical cases, in which his medical training comes to the fore."

Chambers & Partners 2019: "A dual-qualified medical doctor and barrister. He is well versed in all manner of clinical negligence cases and has particular expertise in those involving incredibly complex legal issues. He is commended for having secured a series of high-profile, high-value wins."

"An excellent advocate." "A great strategist who is brilliant with clients." "A very experienced clinical negligence silk who combines great attention to detail and grasp of the facts with a relaxed style, which makes it easy to work with him."

Chambers & Partners 2018: "A dual-qualified medical doctor and barrister. He is well versed in all manners of clinical negligence cases and has particular expertise in those involving incredibly complex legal issues. He is commended for having secured a series of high-profile, high-value wins." "His medical knowledge is excellent. He really knows what he's doing." "Friendly, approachable and a good negotiator. He adopts a very thorough approach and has an excellent rapport with clients."

Legal 500 2018: "A leading figure in this type of work and who is great to deal with."

Legal 500 2017: "A good negotiator, who is always abreast of developments in the field".

Legal 500 2016: "A superb all-rounder and brilliant on quantum."

Chambers & Partners 2015: "A qualified doctor who brings his former professional experience to bear when handling claims involving particularly medically complex challenges. He's a very impressive counsel who deals well with birth injury cases and the most complex claims. A very strong negotiator he is a formidable opponent who's very bright, persuasive and quite passionate."

Chambers & Partners 2014: "A market leader, who draws extensive positive feedback for his clinical negligence prowess, especially on quantum negotiations. He has a broad caseload of multi-million pound claims, many of which have challenging medical issues relating to cerebral palsy and other brain injuries. His knowledge of medicine is bolstered by his experience as a qualified doctor. He's absolutely brilliant. He's team-oriented, appreciates other people's input on all the issues and wraps his head around the technical aspects of a case such as breach of duty, causation and quantum. Furthermore, he has a good bedside manner with clients. He gets the job done."

Legal 500 2014: "an example of how barristers should work."

Legal 500 2013: "Invaluable in negotiating quantum"

Chambers & Partners 2012: "The 'very calm and authoritative' Simon Taylor QC is a qualified medical doctor as well as a barrister, and predominantly acts for the victims of the most complex and severe injuries. According to instructing solicitors, 'his ability to read medical records and biochemical results is invaluable. He has a formidable intellect and is an outstanding advocate.'"

Legal 500 2012: "A fantastic negotiator, a real team player and excellent in complex medical cases."

Chambers & Partners 2011: "A 'heavy-hitting leading counsel.' Clients value his approach which is characterised by his 'readiness to engage with the client directly.'" "'Kind and compassionate,' he further proves 'fantastic in negotiation' and 'highly innovative in his arguments' once in court."

Legal 500 2011: "an impressive 'leader' who 'operates at the highest level'".

Chambers & Partners 2010: "This well-known claimants' set boasts numerous clinical negligence tenants including several of the most sought-after advocates in the field. Simon Taylor is 'a dynamic, modern QC, at the forefront of this area of litigation.' Sources note that 'he is not afraid to go to trial and he has had some cracking results recently.'"

Legal 500 2010: "'Outstanding' Simon Taylor has a 'great analytical mind', 'a detailed knowledge of medicine', and a 'great bedside manner'."

Chambers & Partners 2009: "Highly rated for his medical background and cross-examination skills, he has a "detailed and incisive approach to medical issues." His exceptional track record on top-end brain damage and personal injury cases has included matters such as Iqbal v Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust, a case involving compensation for the 'lost years' of a life shortened by negligence."

Chambers & Partners 2008: "continues to win new clients and to act in some of the most high-profile work in the field (he recently handled the landmark case, Crofton v NHS LA), and his clients admire his 'meticulous preparation' and say 'he leaves nothing to chance.'"

Chambers & Partners 2007: "Sustains a heavy caseload of maximum severity matters and is recognised by solicitors as someone who 'can get to the root of any problem.'"

Chambers & Partners 2006: says that in clinical negligence cases his "vast experience shows".

Chambers & Partners 2005: "An extremely good manner with clients."

Appointments:

Recorder (2002)

QC (2003)

Vicar of St Andrew's Church, Stapleford (2015)

Trustee of Feoffees Charity, Stapleford (2015)

Trustee of Youth Inc South Cambridgeshire (2018)

Registered with the General Medical Council

Memberships:

Professional Negligence Bar Association

Personal Injury Bar Association

British Academy of Forensic Sciences

Ecclesiastical Society

Prayer Book Society

Society of the Apothecaries

Society of Doctors in Law

MA (Cantab), MB BChir

2009-2012 South East Institute for Theological Education: Foundation degree in Theology for Christian Ministry, with distinction, and formational training for ministry

1984-1987: London Hospital Medical College: MB BChir

1983-1984: Inns of Court School of Law: Barrister

1980-1983: Trinity College, Cambridge: BA (Hons), studying medical sciences and law

MA (Cantab), MB BChir

2009-2012 South East Institute for Theological Education: Foundation degree in Theology for Christian Ministry, with distinction, and formational training for ministry

1984-987: London Hospital Medical College: MB BChir

1983-1984: Inns of Court School of Law: Barrister

1980-1983: Trinity College, Cambridge: BA (Hons), studying medical sciences and law

Court of Appeal

Connor v Surrey County Council – head teacher made ill by bullying governing body – interface of public and private law

Henry v Thames Valley Police – police running down dismounting motorcyclist

Crofton v NHSLA – social services payments in PI cases

Iqbal v Whipps Cross NHS Trust – lost years payments for children

Peet v Mid-Kent Healthcare NHS Trust – managing joint experts

R (Touche) v HM Coroner for Inner North London District – definition of death by natural causes

Re A (Children) (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation) - "Rosie and Gracie"

Temple v South Manchester HA – causation in absence of scientific proof

Zair v. Eastern Health and Social Services Board - jurisdiction

Hooper v Young – res ipsa loquitur

First Instance

A v Powys Local Health Board – for many years the biggest lump sum PI award in cerebral palsy quantum case: £10.7 million

Salamanca v Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust – cerebral palsy quantum - £6.5 million

Hemingway v Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA – birth injury following placental abruption and failure to deliver

Aitken v Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust – Downs Syndrome twins

McDonnell v Holwerda - meningitis

Iqbal v Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust – cerebral palsy quantum - £4.6 million

Booth v Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust – cerebral palsy quantum - £4.85 million

Crofton v NHSLA – social services payments in PI cases

Peet v Mid-Kent Healthcare NHS Trust – managing joint experts

R (Touche) v HM Coroner for Inner North London District – definition of death by natural causes

Re A (Children) (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation) - "Rosie and Gracie"