The BBK Free Speech Podcast

In this episode of the BBK Free Speech Podcast, we chat about the launch of our third Manifesto for Injured People. 

Manging Partner, Jonathan Wheeler, Head of Public Affairs, Sonita Hayward and Senior Policy and Public Affairs Executive Lucy Wakeley, discuss:

• Why a new manifesto is needed now
• The progress made since the publication of our last manifesto
• How the policy and political landscape has evolved in the past year 

We reflect on the campaigns, achievements and challenges that have shaped our work so far and outline the priorities that will shape the year ahead. 

In this episode of the BBK Free Speech Podcast, Caroline Klage, Head of the Brain Injury Division at Bolt Burdon Kemp, is joined by Anna Bird, CEO of Contact, a charity that supports families with disabled children.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of BBK supporting Contact’s By Your Side project, which provides support to families when they need it most. To mark the milestone, Caroline and Anna discuss:

• The important work of the project
• The support it offers
• The positive impact it has had on families

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Hope Kent, Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner to discuss her groundbreaking research into the experiences of women in the criminal justice system. Dr Kent's work uses administrative data to examine why people with neurodisabilities, including acquired brain injuries, are disproportionately represented within the criminal justice system, and how public health approaches can help prevent this.

The conversation explores two recent publications:

• “Complex Lives”, which examines the vulnerabilities associated with care experience among women involved in the criminal justice system.
• “Acquired Brain Injury: An invisible consequence of domestic abuse for women in the justice system”, highlighting how it can be an often invisible consequence of domestic abuse and a significant yet overlooked factor affecting women in the justice system.

In this episode, Hannah Travis, Senior Associate in our Women’s Health team, sits down with Claudia Hillemand, Partner and Head of the Child Brain Injury team, to discuss their initial reactions to the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Report, published by Baroness Amos.

Together, they explore:

• The key themes emerging from the newly released report
• How today’s findings compare with the expectations discussed in earlier episodes
• Why the report represents a significant moment for maternity and neonatal safety
• Their early reflections on what the recommendations may mean for families, clinicians and the wider healthcare system

Listeners may remember that previous episodes covered the announcement of the investigation, its scope, and what our teams hoped the review would address. With the report now published, Hannah and Claudia share their first impressions and highlight the issues that stand out most urgently.

In this episode, Caroline Klage, Head of our Brain Injury Division, sits down with specialist paediatric neuro occupational therapists Annamarie Wagner and Ansu Pienaar of Wagner Therapies. Together, they explore how nature can be used as a powerful therapeutic tool for children with brain injuries and neurodivergent conditions.

Annamarie and Ansu share how the natural world can support regulation, confidence and emotional wellbeing, and explain the ways they incorporate animals, trees and outdoor environments into their work. They discuss the benefits they see in children with complex needs and how nature-based approaches can help them flourish.

This conversation offers valuable insight into innovative therapy methods and the importance of creating supportive, sensory rich environments for children and families navigating life after brain injury.

In this episode, Rebecca Sheriff, Partner and Trustee of the BBK Charity, speaks with Ian Hosking, Director of the Wheelchair Rugby Experience and a successful BBK Charity grant recipient. They discuss how the charity’s funding has supported Ian’s mission, the real‑world impact on participants, and why accessible sport matters.

The BBK Charity was founded by the partners of Bolt Burdon Kemp LLP in 2025 with a clear purpose - to give back. The charity supports a wide range of causes, with a particular focus on helping injured people and their families across the UK, supporting charitable projects around our office in the city of London, improving access to the legal profession for people from diverse backgrounds, and championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the legal sector. Grants range from £100 to £10,000.

You’ll hear more about:

• How BBK Charity funding has strengthened the project
• The importance of inclusive sport for injured people
• Real examples of lives changed through the programme
• Why community‑focused grants make a difference

Case management is something most people never come across until they’re navigating a legal claim. In this episode, Ipek Tugcu, Partner in our Adult Brain Injury team, sits down with Case Manager Kathryn Howard to demystify what case management actually is and how it transforms the lives of brain injury survivors.

They discuss the vital role case managers play, how they work alongside your legal team to support rehabilitation and what life can look like once a case has settled. 

In this episode of the BBK Free Speech Podcast, Caroline Klage, Head of Brain Injury, and Emily White, Solicitor, are joined by Jennifer Mellor, Education Consultant at Care to Educate, for an open conversation about what it really means to navigate higher education without adequate support.

Drawing on lived experience and professional insight, the discussion explores:

• How brain injuries can manifest in academic settings and the challenges this creates 

• The gaps and inconsistencies within the current university support systems 

• What meaningful, practical change could look like for students who need it most

Together, the group examines the cultural shifts, policy improvements and on‑the‑ground actions required to build a fairer, more accessible higher education landscape for students with brain injuries - and why levelling the playing field is long overdue.

In part two of this BBK Free Speech Podcast, Jennifer Ellis, Senior Solicitor in our Military Claims team, continues her discussion with Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers – a charity supporting children and young people who have lost a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

This episode explores key issues affecting bereaved Armed Forces families, including:

• the repatriation process following a military death and its emotional and practical impact on families
• service inquiries, and how charities like Scotty’s Little Soldiers support families through these investigations
• the proposed Hillsborough Law, and the potential impact it could have on military families

The second part of this conversation provides valuable insight into the realities faced by families after the death of a serving parent, the importance of specialist military bereavement support, and how legal reform could improve outcomes for Armed Forces families.

Do listen to the first part here if you haven’t already.

In this episode of the BBK Free Speech Podcast, Jennifer Ellis, Senior Solicitor in our Military Claims team, sits down with Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers - a charity that supports children and young people who have lost a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

This powerful first instalment of a two‑part series dives into the deeply personal story that inspired Nikki to create the charity that became a nationwide support network for bereaved military families.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Nikki’s own journey through grief and how she navigated the early days after the loss of her husband
• How Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports bereaved military children, from emotional support to community connection
• The impact of Prince Harry becoming the charity’s Global Ambassador, and how his involvement has raised awareness for military families