Marie-Joelle Theanne is an experienced Senior Solicitor in the Military Claims Department acting exclusively for service personnel, reservists, MOD civil servants, veterans, and their families. She joined BBK in 2018 and qualified as a Military Claims specialist in 2021 after completing her training contract. Her passion for this work developed early in her career, driven by a deep commitment to social justice and representing the seriously injured.
Military claims expertise
She leads a team managing a varied caseload of complex and high-value military claims, including injuries sustained during military training or on deployments abroad. Her experience includes military hearing loss and climatic injuries, such as Non-Freezing Cold Injuries. She also handles the complex cross-jurisdictional issues that can arise in military claims.
Marie-Joelle’s greatest strength lies in acting for vulnerable clients in sensitive claims arising from bullying and sexual harassment. She has experience of navigating the associated military police investigations, Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour (USB) investigations and Service Complaints, which can often cause additional stress to her clients and delay litigation. She navigates these cases without losing focus on or empathy for her clients, many of whom have suffered with severe psychological injuries. She maintains care and respect for her clients throughout the litigation process, as well as the highest professional standards.
Brain Injury claims and rehabilitation
She has a specialist interest in representing personnel who have suffered serious and catastrophic brain injuries. Her commitment to client care centres on securing lifelong financial support and rehabilitation at the earliest point. To achieve the right outcome and future provision for clients and their families, Marie-Joelle works closely with a network of specialist experts, case managers and therapists.
Group campaigning and professional engagement
Marie-Joelle understands the unique issues affecting service personnel, including those whose careers have been ended by life-changing injuries. Passionate about protecting their rights, she actively campaigns for change in response to systemic issues reported within the armed services.
She has featured on the firm’s Free Speech podcast, discussing her work in the Military Claims team and how she supports service personnel and their families.
Marie-Joelle currently serves as Joint Co-ordinator for the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) for the Military Specialist Interest Group (SIG). She is committed to sharing knowledge and seeking to stimulate conversations on important issues faced by serving personnel.
Notable Cases
Marie-Joelle regularly secures six-figure settlements for her clients, ensuring long-term financial security, alongside tailored rehabilitation and treatment.
- Secured a £750,000 settlement for a Royal Marine recruit who sustained a brain injury during a training exercise.
- Secured a six-figure settlement for a soldier who sustained a Non-Freezing Cold Injury while on exercise abroad.
- Secured a £750,000 settlement for a soldier who suffered permanent Noise Induced Hearing Loss.
- Achieved a six-figure settlement for a female soldier following a series of incidents involving harassment and sexual assault by her colleagues and members of her chain of command whilst serving in the British Army.
- Secured a six-figure settlement for a solider who sustained hearing loss and psychiatric injury following an exercise abroad.
Professional Memberships
- Joint Co-ordinator – Association of Personal Injury Lawyers’ (APIL) Military Specialist Interest Group
- The Law Society of England & Wales
