John Brown

"John is an exceptionally skilled and zealous advocate. He always shows forensic attention to the detail of every case whether that be in written advice or on his feet."

Legal 500 2024

John Brown

  • Called in 2005

John is ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ by both major legal directories. He practices mainly in the areas of personal injury (including injuries abroad), clinical negligence and property damage. He acts for both claimants and defendants in complex and high value claims and appears regularly in the High Court and County Court.

John’s personal injury practice focuses on catastrophic, spinal injuries and those involving chronic pain. He has a particular interest in claims involving brain injury.

John has considerable trial experience and is well regarded by Instructing Solicitors as a tenacious and extremely effective courtroom advocate. In all his practice areas he is regularly instructed to provide advice (often at a very early stage) on complex issues of liability, quantum, evidence and tactics as well as attending joint settlement meetings and mediations.

Personal Injury

John has experience of complex and high value claims, which a focus on catastrophic, spinal injuries and those involving chronic pain. He has a particular interest in claims involving brain injury.

 

He has experience across the range of personal injury actions including road traffic, employer’s liability, public liability, product liability, fatal and sporting accidents. However, John has significant experience in employer’s liability claims and in particular those arising out of serious accidents on constructions sites.

 

John also has significant expertise in cases where fraud or fundamental dishonesty is alleged. Acting primarily for defendants in this area, he has secured a number of findings of fundamental dishonesty for major insurer clients both after trial and following stand-alone applications. He also has experience in the use of surveillance footage, telematics and other intelligence evidence.

John also has experience of industrial disease work and occupational stress claims. He has detailed knowledge of the issues that commonly arise in such litigation.

Examples of his current or recent work include:

  • Acting for a Defendant in an employer’s liability claim involving a brain injury together with orthopaedic and facial injuries. Neurological symptoms including headaches, dizziness, impaired memory and speech problems. The Claimant has been left with behavioural, cognitive and emotional symptoms and is no longer able to work as a result. Claim currently valued at up to £1m.
  • Acting for a Defendant in a claim involving a 2 year-old boy who fell out of a first floor window whilst his family were staying in temporary accommodation provided by the local authority. Injuries include multiple skull fractures and a brain injury (subdural haematomas and contusions of the right frontal and left parietal lobes).
  • Acted for a Claimant who developed a chronic pain condition following an RTA. He was a successful businessman whose business and income suffered significantly. Claim valued at around £1.4m.
  • Acted for a Claimant who sustained multiple and life-threatening injuries and whose partner passed away following injuries sustained in a serious road traffic accident. Claim (including Fatal Accidents Act claim) pleaded in the region of £800,000.
  • Acting for a Defendant in two linked claims where both Claimants were passengers in the Defendant’s vehicle. The Defendant lost control of the vehicle whilst driving at high speed whilst drunk. The first Claimant sustained multiple serious injuries including spinal, rib and facial fractures. The claim has an estimated value of several hundred thousand pounds. The second Claimant died in the accident, leaving behind a number of dependents including a 3 year-old son. The claim (including financial and services dependency) has an estimated value of up to £1m.
  • Acted for the Defendant in a case involving a brain injury with an estimated value in the region of £3 million.
  • Acted for a 19 year-old Claimant who sustained significant and complex orthopaedic and neurological injury to his leg such that elective through knee amputation is currently being considered. Claim valued at over £1m.
  • Acted on behalf of a young female Claimant who sustained an acquired brain injury following a skull fracture in a road traffic accident. Her injuries included difficulties with cognitive and motor function as well as marked personality changes.

Clinical Negligence

John has experience of dealing with clinical negligence claims, often involving complex issues of liability, causation and quantum.

Examples of his current or recent work include:

  • Delayed treatment for complex fracture to the elbow requiring radial head replacement leading to the development of ulnar neuritis and increased risk of arthroplasty.
  • Delayed diagnosis of a child’s allergy to chemical components in his prothesis leading to the development of dermatological symptoms and significant restriction in prosthesis use.
  • Failure by an optometrist to urgently refer to hospital in circumstances where there was an unexplained significant reduction in vision over a 6 month period resulting in reduced prognosis following corrective surgery.
  • Dental negligence claims including failure to diagnose, monitor and treat periodontal disease and negligent provision of implants.

Civil Fraud

John has particular experience and expertise in cases involving allegations of fraud and/or fundamental dishonesty. Acting primarily for defendants in this area, he has secured a number of findings of fundamental dishonesty for major insurer clients both after trial and following stand-alone applications. He has experience of cases involving the use of surveillance footage, telematics and other intelligence evidence as well as cases involving fabricated or induced accidents, often requiring detailed consideration of expert engineering evidence.

Regulatory & Disciplinary

John has significant experience in the field of regulatory and professional discipline, with a particular focus on the healthcare sector. He has regularly appeared before disciplinary tribunals and in particular the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Conduct and Competence Committee in Fitness to Practice hearings. He has experience in dealing with substantial and complex cases often involving serious allegations of misconduct and lack of competence.

John also practises in the field of sports law. He has been appointed as a Judicial Panel Member for the Rugby Football Union hearing disciplinary hearings involving both on and off-field conduct at Levels 1-5 of the game.

Sports Law

As a keen sportsman himself, John has a particular interest in the crossover between sports and his other areas of work. He has a particular interest in accidents occurring in the course of both professional and amateur sports.

John’s practice also covers the regulatory aspects of sports law. He has been appointed as a Judicial Panel Member for the Rugby Football Union hearing disciplinary hearings involving both on and off-field conduct at Levels 1-5 of the game.

Travel & International Law

John has experience of cases involving personal injury in the Travel Law sphere. He acts on behalf of both claimants and defendants in cases brought under the Package Travel Regulations, Montreal and Athens conventions. Recent examples include road traffic accidents abroad, accidents in hotels (such as slips, trips and falls), food poisoning claims and accidents suffered whilst on board a plane or in transit in an airport.

Insurance

John has experience of insurance litigation including property damage, product liability and recovery claims. Recent instructions include a claim in respect of fire damage to a property allegedly originating from a defective dehumidifier.

John is also experienced in advising in respect of issues concerning disputed and/or multiple RTA insurance cover, the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1988, Article 75 and the application and operation of the MIB Untraced and Uninsured Drivers agreements.

Commercial

John has a broad experience of general civil and commercial litigation. His work has included actions involving breach of contract, negligence (including professional), misrepresentation and undue influence. He has experience in areas such as the sale of goods, supply of goods and services and personal guarantees. His experience also extends to the related areas of both corporate and individual insolvency.

John also has experience of property matters including both residential and commercial property. He has experience of landlord and tenant actions, possession claims (including trespassers), suspension of warrants, forfeiture of leases, orders for sale, charging orders and service charge disputes.

If you would like to instruct John Brown or would like help or advice in doing so, please call and talk to our excellent clerking team, led by Chief Executive/Director of Clerking, Paul Cray. Our phone number is +44 (0)20 7583 9241. Alternatively, please email us at chambers@farrarsbuilding.co.uk

For more information about our clerking team, please click here for the clerks page.

Appointments & Memberships


Rugby Football Union Judicial Panel Member

Personal Injury Bar Association

Professional Negligence Bar Association

Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers

South Eastern Circuit

Education & Qualifications


City of London University, Inns of Court School of Law, BVC
University of Bristol, LLB (Hons) Law
St Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington

Testimonials


A solid, reliable and dependable barrister. Technically adept, well researched and thorough in his approach. Plain speaking and pragmatic in his advice… a pleasure to instruct and provides a quality of work and expertise that you can have every confidence in.

Directory Quotes


John is ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ in Personal Injury by Chambers UK and Legal 500.

“He is good with opponents, straight to the point and clear in skeleton arguments.”
“He makes himself available to instructing solicitors to discuss issues and chat through tactics and approaches.”
“He works as a team with those instructing him and has a great brain.”
“John is straightforward and practical, and his advice is always succinct.” Chambers UK 2025

‘John is very approachable and has impressive advocacy skills. He is clear and realistic with his advise and tailors this to suit the needs of the client.’ Legal 500, 2025

‘John is an exceptionally skilled and zealous advocate. He always shows forensic attention to the detail of every case whether that be in written advice or on his feet.’ Legal 500, 2024

Personal Interests


Having been a keen rugby player in his younger days, John’s sporting interests developed into attempting to travel long distances very slowly by means of swimming, cycling and running which eventually culminated in him completing an Ironman. With 3 young children, and therefore when time allows, he also enjoys playing golf, padel and skiing.