Claudia is head of the twenty-strong specialist Child Brain Injury team at Bolt Burdon Kemp. She acts exclusively for children who have sustained a brain injury as a result of medical errors or accidents.
She has experience of severe and complex claims involving children with cerebral palsy who have sustained brain injuries at birth, as well as children who have suffered from conditions including stroke, meningitis, encephalitis and cerebral abscesses.
Claudia is passionate about securing compensation for children who have suffered injury as a result of negligence and has been recognised as a key lawyer within the clinical negligence sector by the Legal 500 2024 who highlight that ‘Claudia Hillemand is an exceptional lawyer. Regardless of the demands on her time, she is always highly responsive and invested in getting the very best outcomes for her clients.’
She has a particular interest in cases relating to birth injury. Claudia has settled a number of cases involving severe brain injury. Recent examples include:
- Claudia worked with Caroline Klage, Partner to achieve one of the largest ever clinical negligence settlements for a long-running birth injury claim for a capital equivalent of just under £33.2 million.
- Successfully acting for a child who suffered a catastrophic brain injury as a result of a hospital’s failure to treat their mother’s GBS infection. Their case settled for £8 million, which will provide for their lifelong needs which include 24 hour nursing care, accommodation, equipment and therapy.
- Acting in a claim involving the birth of a premature twin who went on to suffer a bleed on the brain (intraventricular haemorrhage) because medical staff did not give their mother steroids whilst pregnant. Steroids would have strengthened our client’s lungs and also helped protect against a bleed on the brain. The settlement is worth approximately £6 million and will ensure that the child’s lifelong care needs are met. These include care, accommodation, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and equipment.
In addition to her expertise in cases involving negligence, Claudia is an IPSEA-qualified special educational needs advisor and represents children and young people with Special Educational Needs arising from or connected to brain injuries.
Claudia has successfully challenged local authorities in the First Tier Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal in relation to the contents of Education and Health Care Plans and school placements.  In several cases she has fought against the Local Authority’s proposed placement and ultimately secured a placement in the specialist setting required to meet the child or young persons’ special education needs and ensure they have the necessary support to access education and reach their potential. This plays an essential role in ensuring the child/young person is placed in a setting equipped with the resources and expertise they need to access education, meet their educational objectives and maximise their potential. Claudia delivers Special Educational Needs training to case managers, solicitors and Court of Protection deputies.
Claudia is actively involved in fundraising for a number of Bolt Burdon Kemp’s associated child brain injury charities including CBIT, the Encephalitis Society and Contact.
Claudia is of dual nationality (Irish-French) and speaks fluent French. Claudia trained as a barrister and cross-qualified as a solicitor. She holds a Masters degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Nottingham.
Media Contributions
- Claudia Hillemand quoted in Education Executive about the October 2019 Education Select Committee’s report on SEND provision discussing what has gone wrong, 6 January 2020
- Claudia Hillemand quoted in The Express discussing the complexities and benefits of home births and how this can affect both mother and baby, 24 April 2019
- Claudia Hillemand comments in The Evening Standard about the NHS paying £2m in compensation to a 5 year old girl over blunders during birth at Lewisham hospital, 29 January 2018
Professional memberships:
- The Law Society – Clinical Negligence Accreditation
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers – Senior Litigator
- Member of the AvMA specialist clinical negligence panel
- Acquired Brain Injury London member (ABIL)
- UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF)
- The Law Society of England & Wales