Page 4 - PIC-Magazine-Issue-26

What made you apply
for AvMA Accreditation?
I trained at Penningtons (now
Penningtons Manches Cooper)
and qualifi ed into the medical
negligence team in 2013. Since
then, I've built specialisms in
maternity care, sepsis claims,
and neurological injury,
particularly stroke claims,
a niche area of practice in which
I am developing a specialist sub-team.
What made you apply
for AvMA Accreditation?
Very early in my career, I started
attending AvMA events and quickly
became aware of the excellent work it
does. I applied for accreditation so I can
use the knowledge I've gained through
my practice to support more families
and to help AvMA in its work improving
patient safety.
Tell us about the
Accreditation Process?
After submitting my case reports and
application, I was interviewed by Jayne
Nicol, panel accreditation manager,
and a partner from another leading
medical negligence fi rm, to discuss my
experience, approach to cases and goals
for the future. The interview provided
an opportunity for AvMA to get to
know me and see whether our values
aligned. As a charity with an established
reputation for improving patient care, it's
important that anyone seeking advice
will be directed to a solicitor who has
demonstrated not only that they are
knowledgeable and experienced, but are
also able to deal with cases sensitively
and proactively.
How did you prepare
your Application?
I prepared detailed reports on my
most complex cases to demonstrate
the breadth of my experience, my
adaptability, and my focus on achieving
the best possible outcomes for my
clients.
How did it feel on receiving
AvMA Accreditation?
I was absolutely thrilled to receive my
accreditation! It really is an honour to
be recognised as a specialist by AvMA,
Tell us about
your career
Sarah Hibberd
Senior Associate at Penningtons Manches Cooper
which has so much experience in
the fi eld of medical negligence.
To become an accredited panel
member, alongside colleagues
I have always admired, is a real
achievement.
What aspects of
your role do you
fi nd most rewarding?
I enjoy building trust with my
clients, who have often been
through the worst experience of
their life, and have understandably
lost faith in professionals. I love
the human element of my work,
standing in my clients' corner,
working together to get answers,
and ensuring they obtain the
compensation they deserve.
Seeing clients make progress
in their rehabilitation, and
regain their quality of life after
settlement, is deeply rewarding.
What aspects of your
role do you fi nd most
challenging?
It's diffi cult when you see the
same mistakes being made,
and lessons not being learnt.
I also fi nd unnecessary delays
frustrating, so engaging
defendants early, and trying to
work collaboratively, wherever
possible, makes a huge diff erence
to progress.
If you could off er one piece
of advice to someone
considering starting out, what
would that advice be?
Choose a career you're passionate
about. We all spend a great deal
of time working, so it's important
to do something you're genuinely
invested in.
What inspires
you and why?
My clients' resilience in dealing
with adversity really inspires me.
The strength and determination
they show in carrying on with
their daily lives, whilst also
navigating the unfamiliar path
through litigation, is truly
inspirational.
What do you enjoy
doing when you are
not working?
Outside work, I enjoy adventures
with my two young boys, yoga,
and cooking. I also love anything
creative, including painting,
pottery and crafting.
If you weren’t in your
current role, what would
your dream job be?
My alternative career path
would have been medicine,
which explains why I fi nd medical
negligence so fascinating. One
of the most interesting parts of
my role is working alongside
medical experts, many of whom
are leaders in their fi eld, and
seeing how they analyse a case.
What does the future
hold for you?
I would love to be recognised
for developing niche expertise in
stroke claims. Within the stroke
sub-speciality, there's a huge
variety of claims, and these can
be very complex. As I undertake
more of this work, I'm seeing
similar problems arise, and would
love to raise awareness, with a
view to improving patient safety,
and campaigning for better
access to neuro-rehabilitation.
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