Ranald Davidson

Call 1996

Ranald Davidson | Call 1996

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Overview

Ranald has an extensive clinical negligence practice which incorporates cases on behalf of claimants and defendants. He regularly appears in court in interlocutory applications, preliminary hearings and trials. He has represented both appellants and respondents in the Court of Appeal.

Clinical Negligence & Healthcare

Ranald with Michael Mylonas KC and Richard Partridge provided pro bono legal advice to the Royal College of Radiologists as they worked to create a pioneering series of new patient consent forms.

To read more about the UK’s first standardised radiotherapy consent forms please see here.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Ranald qualified and worked as a junior doctor in Scotland.

expertise & experience

Ranald’s clinical negligence workload includes many complex and high value claims, several of which have involved the assessment of damages for clients residing outside the United Kingdom.

Ranald has represented families, healthcare Trusts and individual healthcare professionals at a number of high-profile jury and non-jury inquest hearings as well as pre-inquest reviews. He has advised on the judicial review of coroners’ verdicts.

As part of the preparation for hearings Ranald regularly advises in conference and in writing. Increasingly he is involved in round table settlement meetings and in structured settlement negotiations.

Cases and work of note

  • Ellison v Eyre Brooke (February 2021/ September 2022) successful recovery of damages for claimant in clinical negligence claim for unnecessary hernia surgery resulting in chronic pain.
  • ABC v Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (May 2022) acting for claimant who suffered stroke following mismanagement of blood pressure during childbirth. Settlement achieved for capital sum in excess of £13M
  • AB v Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (December 2019 + January 2022) with Adrian Hopkins KC – successful trial of liability and subsequent settlement of cerebral palsy claim with capitalised value of £11.5M
  • Hoare v (1) SSAFA (2) Islip (November 2021) – acting for family of army officer following delay in diagnosis and treatment of cervical carcinoma. Claim involved investigation of cervical screening service provided for military personnel abroad and in UK as well as likely career pathway of deceased and widower (almost a serving officer). Successful settlement of claim on eve of trial.
  • Sheard v Tri Do [2021] EWHC 2166 – clinical negligence trial representing defendant General Practitioner facing allegations of negligent assessment of patient with spinal abscess.
  • Various v Lindsey (2020 – 2022) representing defendant colorectal surgeon in multiple claims for treatment of obstructed defaecation syndrome with laparoscopic ventral mesh repair (LVMR) procedures.
  • Various v Al Qureshi (2019- 2021) representing defendant consultant ophthalmic surgeon in multiple claims for negligent advice and insertion of IOL-IP and IOL -AMD lenses for aged related macular degeneration

Recommendations

Ranald is recommended for clinical negligence law by both the leading legal directories and is ranked as a top tier junior in the field by Chambers & Partners.

Praise for Ranald’s clinical negligence expertise includes the following:

“His medical background gives him an undeniable edge: he cuts through complex issues with ease and achieves great results.”
Chambers & Partners

“Ranald is just superb – so personable excellent with really complex medical cases and a great strategist. I don’t know where we would be without him.”
Chambers & Partners

“He’s a very good advocate who always gives clear and concise advice.”
Chambers & Partners

“Ranald is a star, an excellent advocate – superb at his job, reliable and faultless”
Chambers & Partners

“He is a fantastic barrister.”
Chambers & Partners

“Ranald is approachable and very thorough.”
Chambers & Partners

“Being a qualified doctor gives Ranald an edge and level of understanding which is invaluable – he is always on top of the intricacies of a case and handles experts and individuals alike beautifully.”
The Legal 500

“He’s very thorough, great with clients and explains everything really clearly.”
Chambers & Partners

“He is good on his feet, has a very good bedside manner with clients and has a really good tactical view.”
Chambers & Partners

“He’s brilliant as counsel and his medical training makes him so strong.”
Chambers & Partners

“Being a qualified doctor gives Ranald an edge and level of understanding which is invaluable – he is always on top of the intricacies of a case and handles experts and individuals alike beautifully.”
The Legal 500

“Very diligent and has great attention to detail.”
Chambers & Partners

“He is a meticulous and highly respected barrister. His medical background allows him to easily tackle complex cases and provide sound and focused advice.”
Chambers & Partners

“He is excellent – he combines an empathetic approach with a razor-sharp intellect.”
Chambers & Partners

‘Has an in-depth knowledge of the technicalities of medicine, which defendant doctors appreciate.’
The Legal 500

“He’s very good at quickly cutting through difficult issues and giving pragmatic advice.”
Chambers & Partners

“Has extensive medical knowledge and is so approachable and responsive. Clients love him and he has a lovely manner.”
Chambers & Partners

‘An all-round junior with excellent drafting skills.’
The Legal 500

“Greatly admired for his extensive medical knowledge and expertise in the clinical negligence field. He handles cases across the full range of value and severity. He’s medically qualified so he has the wonderful advantage of understanding both the medicine and the law.”
Chambers & Partners

“Thorough, efficient, understanding with clients and very practical.”
The Legal 500

“He’s a very good negotiator who is calm and measured.”
Chambers & Partners

“He’s methodical, knowledgeable and meticulous. Extremely good on his feet, he has a very nice manner in court, which is very reassuring for the clients. His working knowledge of the law is very, very good and his ability to grasp complex medical issues is outstanding. In terms of his advocacy, he’s very robust and confident.”
Chambers & Partners

“An excellent trial advocate who inspires absolute confidence.”
The Legal 500 

“A top choice for clinical negligence cases with complex medical issues, thanks in part to his experience as a trained doctor prior to his call to the Bar. He is especially noted by clients for the thoroughness and accuracy of his work. He’s an approachable barrister, who is down to earth, responsive and sensible. He takes a commercial view of claims, and backs his cases up with good analysis of the papers.” 
Chambers & Partners 

“He brings that bit extra to a case.”
The Legal 500

“The superb Ranald Davidson is said to be very calm in the heat of battle and understands the issues in a case extremely well. One instructing solicitor said that he has provided sterling service on a number of our cases. His recent matters include Wagstaff v Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, a case concerning the substandard dressing of a surgical wound that ultimately led to the loss of a fingertip.”
Chambers & Partners

“Ranald Davidson [is] another reliable junior with experience of running high-value trials on his own. He has a useful talent for distilling complex information and making it understandable.”
Chambers & Partners

“Ranald Davidson has an excellent grasp of medical as well as legal issues, and is excellent with clients.”
The Legal 500

“Ranald Davidson puts his thorough medical knowledge to good use, often defending doctors against negligence claims. Indefatigible in the pursuit of the client’s interest, he strains every sinew and always displays fine judgement.”
Chambers & Partners 

“…’clever’, ‘thoughtful’ and ‘level headed’…”
The Legal 500 

“Ranald Davidson is approachable and able…is noted as an academic barrister with excellent client skills, who is capable of providing extremely practical advice.”
Chambers & Partners

publications

General Editor of Medical Law Reports. Formerly Consultant Editor and Contributor to Medical Law Reports. Current role involves selecting cases for reporting, distribution to consultant editors and contributors, reviewing and revising drafts and liaising with publishers. This work helps to keep Ranald fully informed of all developments in the field of medical law.

In recent years Ranald has written reports on the following cases for the Medical Law Reports:

  • MXM v General Medical Council [2022] Med LR [2022] Med LR 255 – whether interim order of suspension appropriate and proportionate following doctor’s extra-marital affair with patient
  • Burn v Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust [2022] Med LR 13 – scope of disclosure required in course of NHS Trust investigation
  • Bux v General Medical Council [2021] Med LR 350 – expert in personal injury claim providing expert report for wife’s firm failing to fully disclose conflict of interest despite advice from defence organisation
  • R (Dutta) v General Medical Council [2020] Med LR 426 – whether GMC investigation out of time and whether MPT’s finding of fact procedurally flawed
  • General Medical Council v Zafar [2020] Med LR 252 –sufficiency of sanction against medical expert found to have been in contempt of court in civil proceedings
  • Sanderson v Guy’s and Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust [2020] Med LR 60 – interpretation of NICE guidelines in obstetric negligence claim

memberships

Ranald is a member of the Professional Negligence Bar Association.