The Case Files

Back by popular demand, Kate spends this week exploring the evolution of the legal sector and discovering what life is really like behind all the Latin and jargon. Joined by John Hyde, deputy news editor for the Law Society Gazette, and Slater and Gordon experts, Martyn Beauchamp and Alicia Alinia, Kate gets the bottom of legal aid, the truth behind the compensation culture and whether tech has finally caught up with the law.

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In this week’s episode we tackle some of the biggest questions you have about your rights within the workplace. Can my boss cancel my holiday? What is a workplace grievance? What is a Whistleblower and how are they protected? What does sexual harassment really look like? These are just some of the hot topics that Slater and Gordon lawyers, Juliette Franklin and William Gubbins, will break down into bite size chunks, arming you with all the information you need to tackle workplace discrimination, harassment or unlawful treatment.

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Keith Chapman was crossing Westminster Bridge like any other day at work, when he was mowed down by a white van. The van, travelling around 76mph was driven by terrorist, Khalid Masood, who went on to kill five people, and injure over 50 during one of the worst terrorist attacks to happen in Britain.

In this episode Londoner Keith, shares the harrowing aftermath of being a victim of terror, alongside his wife Linda, who recounts her battle to support her husband through PTSD.

We will also hear from Amber Braybrooke, one of the personal injury lawyers who acted for Keith in his civil case and Zac Idun, one of the Met’s most experienced family liaison officers, who was awarded an OBE for his work during numerous terrorist attacks.

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Catrin Pugh was 19 years old when a coach crash almost claimed her life, leaving her with burns so severe that she was given just a one in 1,000 chance of survival.

She spent months in hospital confined to bed and endured hundreds of painful operations, but that was only the start of her rehabilitation which was so tough at times that she says she wanted to die.

In this episode, Catrin speaks to Kate about her vivid memories of the crash, her remarkable road to recovery and life now in what she describes as the "new normal".

We also hear from Nicola Rostron, one of a team of lawyers who acted for Catrin in a civil case, and Catherine Deakin, director of fundraising and communications at the charity Changing Faces, which supports people with visible differences.

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Chetham’s School of Music, in Manchester, was once known as a prestigious private music school for gifted young musicians. But that reputation was left in tatters after a number of former pupils came forward with allegations of appalling sexual and emotional abuse by people working at the elite institution – including violin teacher, Christopher Ling.

Ling would kill himself without ever facing his accusers in court.

For the first time, two of his victims – who use the names Laura and Catherine to protect their identity – speak openly about the abuse they suffered and tell of the lasting impact it has had on their lives.

We speak to Laura’s mum about the devastating moment she realised what had been going on. We also hear from lawyer Richard Scorer, who acted for the women during the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Namita Prakash from Trust House Reading, speaking on behalf of The Survivors Trust, and Anne Campbell who is chief executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime.

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Chetham’s School of Music, in Manchester, was once known as a prestigious private music school for gifted young musicians. But that reputation was left in tatters after a number of former pupils came forward with allegations of appalling sexual and emotional abuse by people working at the elite institution – including violin teacher, Christopher Ling.

Ling would kill himself without ever facing his accusers in court.

For the first time, two of his victims – who use the names Laura and Catherine to protect their identity – speak openly about the abuse they suffered and tell of the lasting impact it has had on their lives.

In Part 1, we speak to Laura’s mum about the devastating moment she realised what had been going on. We also hear from lawyer Richard Scorer, who acted for the women during the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Namita Prakash from Trust House Reading, speaking on behalf of The Survivors Trust, and Anne Campbell who is chief executive of Embrace Child Victims of Crime.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year thousands of women are penalised at work, simply for getting pregnant.

We hear from a woman who was forced to quit her job after months of prejudice from her manager and from another mother who tirelessly campaigns to stamp out the motherhood penalty.

Kate speaks to Pregnant Than Screwed founder, Joeli Brearley and employment lawyer, Remziye Ozcan from Slater and Gordon, to find out how this widespread problem is leaving many women facing the choice of seeking justice, or, protecting their baby.

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Disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson is at the centre of one of the most shocking clinical scandals in British history.

For more than 14 years, he exaggerated or invented the risks of cancer for perfectly healthy people to convince them to go under the knife or performed dangerous techniques which meant patients with cancer were much more susceptible to tumours returning.

As many as 1,000 people are thought to have been victims of Paterson, who was sentenced to 20 years after being convicted for unlawfully wounding patients in 2017.

In this episode, we speak to John Hynes, whose wife Deborah died due to Paterson’s treatment, and two women, Jade Edgington and Carole Johnson, who underwent numerous needless operations. We also speak to leading medical expert, Prof Gordon Wishart, who reviewed hundreds of the disgraced surgeon’s cases, as well as clinical negligence lawyer Emma Doughty, who represented more than 100 victims in legal action against Paterson’s employers.

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Louise Harvey-Smithwas told her toddler Reuben had tonsillitis when in fact he was fighting for his life against sepsis.

With sepsis every hour counts – how could the doctors get it so wrong?

Kate is also joined by Dr Ron Daniels, from the UK Sepsis Trust(https://sepsistrust.org/about/) and Global Sepsis Alliance as well as the family lawyer Matthew Smith from Slater and Gordon (https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/our-experts/matthew-smith/) and Lisa O’Dwyer from Action Against Medical Accidents (https://www.avma.org.uk/help-advice/ ).

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The tragic story of 18 year old Shahida Shahid. Despite explaining her allergy to dairy to restaurant staff she was killed after being served a burger that was covered in buttermilk.

Kate is joined by her brother Rasel Shahid, the family lawyer Michael Hardacre from Slater and Gordon (https://www.slatergordon.co.uk/our-experts/michael-hardacre/) and Professor Adam Fox from Guy's & St Thomas' Hospitals, London. (https://www.allergylondon.com/)

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