Rowan Brown

Rowan advises business and individual policyholders in disputes with professional indemnity, income protection, life cover, and private healthcare insurers. She assists where insurers decline claims, refuse to fund treatment, rely on policy exclusions, or refuse or terminate income protection payments, often on the basis that policyholders are fit to return to work. She aims to resolve disputes swiftly and without the need for court proceedings, where possible.

• Advised a chiropractic practice refused cover by their professional indemnity insurers for a high-value negligence claim.
• Advised an individual policyholder refused cover for IVF pregnancy care under her private health insurance policy.
• Advised a senior solicitor declined ongoing cover under an income protection insurance policy claim.
• Acted for a policyholder denied cover for heart surgery under his private health insurance policy.
• Advised insurers on policy wordings and both insurers and policyholders in policy coverage disputes.
• Advised individuals declined cover for health insurance claims and income protection claims.
• Acted for insurers, academic institutions, charities, and research organisations in claims made on clinical trial insurance policies.

Rowan provides specialist, practical advice and representation to those involved in high-profile public inquiries, including the long-running Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry. This includes advice on preparing statements, disclosure obligations, written and oral evidence, and involvement in hearings.

• Advised senior executives on document disclosure, preparing witness statements, and giving oral evidence at a high-profile public inquiry.
• Provided advice to a Royal College on draft reports disclosed by a public inquiry.
• Provided representation to a Royal College at public inquiry hearings.

Rowan advises private healthcare providers, businesses, families, and individuals who find themselves part of an inquest process. Her experience ranges from straightforward inquests to complex inquests involving multiple deaths, and includes liaising with the Coroner’s Court, preparing statements, submitting evidence, obtaining expert reports, representation, avoiding Prevention of Future Deaths reports, and responding to Prevention of Future Deaths reports where these are ordered.

• Advised one of the largest UK private healthcare groups on a complex inquest involving multiple deaths.
• Advised a European clinical trial operator re an inquest arising from the death of an individual during the trial.
• Advised and supported a professional concerned that he would face criticism relating to his wife’s death.
• Advised a hospital charity at an inquest following the death of a patient resulting from an overdose of medication by their staff.
• Represented a care home group at an inquest following the death of a patient, with allegations of abuse by the patient’s family.
• Advised a charity on their response to a Prevention of Future Deaths report following the death of a swimmer.
• Advised and supported a HNW individual on the inquest arising from a family member’s death.
• Provided training to a hospital charity’s staff on the inquest process and their obligations.
• Acted for a national hospital charity in numerous inquests, including those involving suggestions of medical malpractice.
• Advised and supported corporates, individuals, and families involved in inquests and associated civil claims.

Rowan advises startups and expanding businesses on compliance with UK healthcare regulation, including the need for CQC registration.

• Advised an international healthcare provider on CQC/MHRA regulation relevant to their new UK app-based services.
• Advised a healthcare provider on CQC regulation for a new radiography referral service.
• Advised an international shipping company on provision of medical services in the UK.
• Advised a private medical group providing a Covid testing service.
• Advised a private healthcare provider on a proposed direct incentives scheme.
• Advised UK and international clients on whether their provision or proposals fall within the requirements for CQC registration.
• Advised UK and international clients on UK healthcare regulation.

Rowan defends public liability and injury claims on behalf of insurers, mutuals, and uninsured corporates.

• Advised a teacher re a stress at work claim.
• Undertook forensic examination of medical records and reports for HR teams in claims and employment tribunals involving injury, including stress and mental health issues.
• Acted for insurers and corporates defending a wide range of public liability claims in the leisure sector including restaurants and adventure parks.
• Acted for an uninsured corporate in defending a public liability injury claim by a child.
• Advised an uninsured corporate on exposure to public liability claim involving paraplegia injury.
• Drafted health and safety policies for charities and small businesses.
• Represented a multinational mining company in a Court of Appeal victory on jurisdiction, preventing hundreds of silicosis claims being brought in English courts.

Rowan has vast experience in acting for private healthcare insurers and providers and for the NHS Litigation Authority (now NHR Resolution) in medical negligence and medical product liability claims.

• Acted for one of the largest private hospital groups and their insurers in group litigation resolving over 800 medical negligence claims arising from the criminal actions of a single surgeon.
• Acted for a medical device supplier and their insurers defending group litigation involving hundreds of product liability claims resulting from personal injury caused by PIP breast implants.
• Advised insurers and brokers on potential product liability claims and/or medical negligence claims arising from personal injury resulting from pelvic mesh and textured breast implants.
• Advised on personal injury and clinical negligence claims, including deaths, birth injury, and catastrophic injury for insurers, NHS Resolution, private healthcare providers, insurers, mutuals, employment agencies, and individuals.
• Acted for an employment agency drawn in to a clinical negligence claim involving staff they had placed.
• Acted for a private provider of eye care in connection with a claim by a patient alleging his sight was damaged.
• Acted for a South African law firm obtaining UK evidence for a brain damage claim.
• Advised a hearing clinic in connection with claim against an independent consultant.
• Acted for a HNW individual pursuing a claim arising from the death of her husband.
• Acted for a HNW individual in a claim resulting from a long-term mis-prescription of drugs.
• Acted for a HNW individual in a claim resulting from life-changing surgery.
• Acted for a sports personality in a claim relating to private surgical treatment affecting his performance.
• Advised a HNW family in relation to a claim arising from maternity treatment.
• Advised a Manx family in relation to cancer treatment provided in England.
• Advised a HNW individual on a claim arising from delayed diagnosis of DVT.

Rowan advises medical professionals facing regulatory scrutiny and proceedings by the GMC, HCPC and NMC.

• Acted for an educational psychologist in long-running disciplinary proceedings by HCPC.
• Advised doctors, radiographers, nurses, and psychologists facing fitness to practise/professional discipline investigations and proceedings by the GMC, NMC, and HCPC.
• Advised a doctor employed by a professional defence organisation in relation to her involvement in high-profile disciplinary proceedings against her partner.

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation 2023–2025

Recognised by The Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner for Clinical Negligence: Defendant 2020

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology 2020