Biography
I am a Partner in the Group Actions team, based in Sheffield. The team covers the whole of the UK and we deal with the full range of cases, from lower value and more straightforward claims to complex multi-million pound claims.
My focus is on group actions, including claims arising from medical negligence, defective products including medical devices, consumer goods and vehicles.
I helped to set up the team in 2013, and since that time have specialised in group actions with a particular emphasis on product liability.
I joined Irwin Mitchell in 2007 as part of the Medical Law and Patients’ Rights team, where I specialised in representing people who had been injured by medical negligence. I have specialised in medical law since qualification in 1998, and one of the highlights of my career was helping to represent the families of Harold Shipman's victims at the Shipman Inquiry. I am accredited by AVMA as a Clinical Negligence specialist, and by APIL as a Fatal Accidents specialist.
I have always had an interest in human rights and medical ethics, and I completed a Masters Degree in Health Care, Ethics & Law at the University of Manchester in 2006.
Testimonials
Tim is "compassionate and thorough, leaving no stone unturned to achieve results. His work in the hip cases was inspirational." He's "dedicated, hard-working to try to do everything possible to get a favourable outcome. Calm, empathetic, tenacious." - Legal 500, 2021 (Leading Individual)
Tim Annett "is one of the most experienced lawyers in the field, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with... He really cares about his clients and thinks about their needs. He is a fantastic lawyer." - Chambers & Partners, 2021 (Leading Individual Band 1)
Tim Annett is "a good communicator, empathetic and calm." – Chambers & Partners, 2020
"Tim Annett has an impressive grasp of technical issues. He provides insightful legal knowledge with a realistic appraisal of legal issues." – Legal 500, 2020
"A very knowledgeable lawyer who is brilliant on statistics" – Chambers & Partners, 2019
"Practical and thorough in his approach to cases" – Legal 500, 2018/19
"Extremely enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hard-working," "he is collaborative and easy to work with." – Chambers & Partners, 2018
Tim is an "unflappable" practitioner who is "able to see the wood for the trees in this complex field and willing to push novel points." "He is a good negotiator who is taken seriously by opponents." – Chambers & Partners, 2017
Publications
- 'Public Inquiries: an endangered species', Clinical Risk, Vol. 8, No. 5, 1 September 2002, pp. 199-202[4]
- 'Child Welfare & Best Interests', APIL PI Focus, Vol. 15, Issue 7, pp. 17 - 18
- 'Balancing competing interests over frozen embryos; the judgment of Solomon?', Medical Law Review, 14, Autumn 2006, pp. 425-433
What Inspired You To Get Into Law?
I decided early on that I was either going to be a lawyer or a doctor, on the basis that both were difficult careers to get into, so I thought they were the best jobs! I chose law as I wanted to have clients I could try to help with their problems.
What Is The Most Rewarding Aspect Of Your Role?
The law is still evolving in the field of product liability, which makes it interesting and challenging. There is also the opportunity to help shape the development of a growing area of our practice, and helping to make people aware of their rights as consumers.
What Do You Like About Working At Irwin Mitchell?
We have the resources to manage even the largest cases, but we remain focused on our clients and their individual needs. My team is relatively small but punches well above its weight, and is already established as one of the leading product liability teams in the country.
What Do You Do Away From The Office?
I spend as much time with my family as possible as I have two young children who are growing up fast!
