David Harris - Consultant
David has practised extensively in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia in healthcare law, specialising in both high value medical negligence claims and in regulatory proceedings. He has substantial experience in both defending and prosecuting professional negligence claims and product liability actions. David has particular expertise in birth injury, neurosurgical, orthopaedic surgery and pharmaceutical/drug claims. In regulatory matters, David has successfully defended medical practitioners before the General Medical Council and before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Expertise
David has practised extensively in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia in healthcare law, specialising in both high value medical negligence claims and in regulatory proceedings. He has substantial experience in both defending and prosecuting professional negligence claims and product liability actions. David has particular expertise in birth injury, neurosurgical, orthopaedic surgery and pharmaceutical/drug claims. In regulatory matters, David has successfully defended medical practitioners before the General Medical Council and before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Experience
- Prior to joining Hayes, David was a partner in another leading Dublin firm where he practiced for 16 years in a wide variety of clinical claims including high value birth injury/cerebral palsy claims; inadequate surgical performance claims; delayed diagnosis and defective medical products claims. David also represented private clients at inquests in fatal injuries cases.
- David advised and represented public bodies in respect of the proper exercise of their statutory functions including the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (“the BAI”) and the Office of the Disabilities Appeals Officer. He also had carriage of a group of product liability claims in which the leading case progressed to the Supreme Court and established important constitutional principles.
- David has also practised for 7 years in London where he acted for the NHS Litigation Authority in respect of the defence of legal claims, particularly high value clinical negligence claims involving birth injury/cerebral palsy claims and spinal injury/paraplegia cases.
- David extensively advised and represented both private and public sector clients in a wide variety of disciplinary and regulatory proceedings and represented medical and dental practitioners before the Conduct Committees of the General Medical Council and the General Dental Council. He also successfully represented medical practitioners charged with serious criminal offences.
- Subsequently, David was seconded to work upon the establishment and operation of Australia’s first dedicated statutory body for the investigation and prosecution of health care complaints. In this role, David was involved in preparing and prosecuting complaint proceedings before quasi-judicial tribunals and in defending appeal and judicial review proceedings before the Superior Courts.
Qualifications/Education
- Bachelor of Arts (1984), University of Sydney
- Bachelor of Laws (1986), University of Sydney
- Admissions as a Solicitor:
- Supreme Court of New South Wales, 1987
- High Court of Australia, 1987
- High Court of England and Wales, 2000
- Supreme Court of Ireland, 2006
Memberships
- Law Society of Ireland
- Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
Other
- David has been published in the Medical Law Journal of Ireland
- David coauthored the Irish Law Chapter in an International Comparative Guide to Litigation and Dispute Resolution.