Potter Rees Dolan appoints three new solicitors

We are thrilled to announce that Potter Rees Dolan has recently appointed three new solicitors. The appointments come following an exciting year for the firm – in which new office space was acquired to accommodate growing staff numbers and record settlements were achieved for our seriously injured clients.

James Gratton and Naomi O’Rourke recently joined the Personal Injury team here at Potter Rees Dolan, whilst Isobel Cairns is a new addition to the firm’s dedicated Court of Protection department.

James Gratton joins from Thompsons Solicitors. James is a very experienced Claimant Personal Injury lawyer, specialising in Catastrophic Injury claims, including Brain Injury and Amputation claims. He has acted for the first claimant worldwide to have an elective amputation and osseointegration of a lower limb. James also acted for the first amputee claimant in Europe to have a LUKE arm, the only prosthetic with a powered shoulder.

Meanwhile, Naomi O’Rourke is a further addition to Potter Rees Dolan’s ever-expanding Personal Injury department, having specialised in Catastrophic Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence throughout her training contract at JMW. Naomi graduated with a first-class Law degree from Sheffield University in 2015, achieving the highest mark in her year for which she received the Vaughan Bevan Memorial Prize. Naomi then went on to study a master's in Medical Law at Manchester University, qualifying as a solicitor earlier in 2020.

Hugh Potter, Senior Partner and Head of Personal Injury, comments: 

“We are delighted to welcome James whose background fits terrifically well with the high value complex personal injury claims we specialise in and Naomi who has great potential and promise.”

Isobel Cairns joins from Royds Withy King LLP where she completed her training contract, which included a period in the Court of Protection team. She attended the University of Bath for her undergraduate degree, studying Sociology BSc with a placement year, which was spent working for the children’s charity Barnardo’s. Here, Isobel worked as a support advisor at the walk-in homeless clinic for young people in the area - supporting young mums in accessing local support groups and sure start centres. Isobel then went on to complete her Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Certificate (LPC) at the University of Central Lancashire, qualifying earlier this year.

Ruth Wright, Head of Court of Protection at Potter Rees Dolan, said of Isobel’s appointment: 

“We are pleased to welcome Isobel who is a strong addition to our specialist team. We look forward to seeing her develop her knowledge and expertise of this area of our work which provides support to people who have been catastrophically injured through no fault of their own. The Court of Protection team at Potter Rees Dolan has grown and is going from strength to strength and it is always pleasing to add to the team.”