Sarah Coles

Biography

Since qualifying as a solicitor in 1998 I have specialised in medical law, handling a vast array of cases including cerebral palsy; amputation; erbs palsy injuries; spinal and brain injuries due to delayed diagnosis; and inappropriate medical treatment and management.

I have obtained over £50 million in damages for my clients and their families, but I realise it is not just a matter of obtaining damages - most clients want answers from the doctors as to what happened, why it happened and whether there is any treatment that can help them. To many, this is far more important than awards of damages.

My clients and their objectives for pursuing cases are my primary concern.

Testimonials

"Sensible, empathetic and highly effective in all her dealings with clients and opponents alike." - Chambers & Partners, 2018 

"Very experienced" - Legal 500, 2017

"Sarah Coles was my first point of contact and has been right though until the end of the court case. I cannot thank Sarah Coles and Irwin Mitchell enough for everything they have done for our son and my family.

"Sarah is a very experienced solicitor who put me at ease and instantly gained my trust. She showed compassion and understanding to not only to our son but also to us as a family." - Danielle Gough, client (read full review)

"Sarah Coles has been our solicitor for the last 7 years and was very successful in settling our case. It had been a very difficult time for all the family throughout what was a very long and arduous time but throughout Sarah worked above and beyond, was a true professional, and always put our interests first.

"Sarah's compassion, insight and empathy were second to none and she is in herself an amazing role model to everyone around her. I would not hesitate to recommend Sarah and her team to anyone who finds themselves requiring their services." - Julie, client

"Irwin Mitchell pursued a medical negligence case for my daughter's birth and we had full support all the way from Sarah Coles and the team. I feel that the company go that extra mile to always keep you informed of progress. My family and I are more than happy with the services that were provided throughout the case - we would definitely use Irwin Mitchell again and would also recommend to others." - Stacey Keira Perkins, client

What Inspired You To Get Into Law?

From a very young age, I either wanted to be a policewoman or a lawyer - I don’t know why really, except that I wanted to help people resolve issues and make good any wrongs! I therefore chose Law as an A-Level and found studying the law so interesting that I went on to study Law at Hull University. I've never looked back.

What Is The Most Rewarding Aspect Of Your Role?

It is often difficult to prove a successful claim in the complex area of medical law and not all cases successfully recover damages. However, what is often more rewarding is finding out answers for my clients as to what happened and why, and to reassure them it wasn’t their fault.

My clients are satisfied and appreciative as we have helped them move on from often traumatic circumstances. This is what I find rewarding.

What Do You Like About Working At Irwin Mitchell?

Irwin Mitchell is a superb firm - I am very lucky to be surrounded by genuinely lovely people who all excel in their field and I have learned a great deal from being here. In addition, Irwin Mitchell is dedicated to supporting both local and national charities and I have had the pleasure to be involved with this. It makes it all worthwhile.

What Do You Do Away From The Office?

I have a number of interests including diving, skiing and the odd extreme activity such as sky-diving or bungee jumping. I recently lost my nephew as a result of depression and as such I took part in the London Marathon raising £5000 for Heads Together and Leeds MIND.

But my main love is football and I am an ardent Norwich City supporter - if only I could cook as well as Delia Smith!

I also took a year out before joining Irwin Mitchell during which time I went travelling around the world, spending several months in South Africa volunteering in the Kwa Zulu-Natal region providing HIV education and caring for orphaned children.

I'm pleased to be supporting UK Sepsis Trust in their campaign to raise awareness of Sepsis and to reduce the number of deaths caused by failing to recognise the condition promptly. I also support other amazing Charities such as KIDS, Encephalitis Society, Cerebra and disability sports teams including the fabulous Kingston Kestrels Para Ice Hockey Team and the Jorvik Warriors Power Chair Football Team.