Tom Walshaw

Tom Walshaw is a specialist complex liability lawyer in our London office. He specialises in the defence of public authorities in actions for damages for breach of  human and civil rights law, social services negligence claims, general assault claims, and complex employers' and public liability law. He is also a recognised expert in Inquests, including those involving care homes and the police.

Tom's experience includes:

• Acted for Thames Valley Police a series of Appeal Court cases;
  
  Daniel Taylor (a Child proceeding by his Mother and Litigation friend CM Taylor) v Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police CA 2004; Buckley and others v Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police CA 2009; Helen Ollivierre and others v Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police CA 2010
  
  which clarified the law in relation to wrongful arrest
  
  
• Acted for the Defendant local authority in the High Court cases of VL v Oxfordshire  (2010)and ABB and others v Milton Keynes Council (2012) which clarified the scope of the duty of care of social services staff
• Acted for the local authority at the Court of Appeal in Vaile v LB Havering which considered the extent of the duty of care and foreseeability in employers' liability assault claims
• Acted for Chester le Street Council in inquest after interactive art exhibit floated off, killing visitors to the event
• Acted for the Chief Constable in claim for breach of Data Protection Act and in Crook V Essex Police (2015).
• Acted for the London Local Authority in OOO and others v Commissioner of the Police for the Metropolis and others (2011, QBD), a case involving Nigerian Nationals trafficked into UK domestic slavery
• Acted for Surrey Police and Oxfordshire County Council in two reported High Court claims for stress at work
• Acted for the Defendant in High Court case of Michael Parker v Essex Police (QBD 2017)

Tom qualified in 1994 and joined DAC Beachcroft in 2017.

Clients include a range of large insurers, local authorities, Police Authorities, schools, colleges and other public bodies.

Endorsements

Tom has been listed as a band one lawyer for Police Defence litigation in Chambers and Partners for many years.

Tom's current listing notes that 'his communication skills are excellent…and is a really good advocate'. Chambers and Partners, UK Guide, Police Law: Mainly Defendant – UK-wide, 2017