Commercial
Napier has a broad general commercial and common law practice. He deals with all contractually based claims and has particular expertise in insurance liabilities, coverage issues, guarantees and mortgages. He has acted in commercial disputes including breach of contract, company and partnership disputes, professional negligence and misrepresentation. He also advises on contested probate matters including the interpretation and effects of wills, testamentary capacity issues and claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Napier also advises on disrepair and housing conditions as well as environmental torts such as damage to land through oil contamination and Japanese knotweed claims.
Napier welcomes instructions for drafting, advice, and advocacy at all stages of the litigation process. Napier has over 20 years’ experience of advocacy in all the forums from Court of Appeal to ADR.
Personal Injury
Napier is also a specialist personal injury practitioner and listed as a leading personal injury junior in Legal 500 (3rd tier).
With Legal 500 2018 stating, “Napier’s areas of expertise include road traffic accidents and industrial disease claims, particurlarly those involving asbestos/mesothelioma.”
His practice is equally split between claimant and defendant work. He has particular expertise in catastrophic injury cases and those involving chronic pain. He also has wide experience of clinical negligence work and particularly interest in cerebral palsy/birth injury cases. He is able to undertake direct access work. He is also trained as a mediator but does not currently practice as one. Napier has over 20 years experience of advocacy in all the forums from Court of Appeal to ADR. Napier regularly settles cases valued in excess of £1,000,000 but is also at home with smaller Multitrack cases.
Napier’s specific areas of practice include:
- Employers’ Liability: He has very wide experience acting on both sides and particularly in multiparty contraction injury cases.
- Industrial disease: Wide experience for both sides in cases involving asbestos/mesothelioma; some experience of HAVS, industrial deafness and RSI as well as more unusual cases involving carbon monoxide poisoning and Legionnaire’s Disease in the workplace.
- Transport: Napier has acted in cases involving helicopter and train crashes as well as accidents at sea.
- Road Traffic: Including multiple vehicle accidents.
- Professional Negligence: Acting for and against solicitors in claims arising out of all aspects of PI and clinical negligence matters.
