"His greatest asset is his ability to effectively settle complicated high-value claims."

― Legal 500 [2020]
Nicholas Baldock
Call: 1983
Direct access

Nicholas Baldock was called to the Bar in 1983 and joined Six Pump Court in April 1985. He regularly appears in the High Court, County Courts, Tribunals and also the Court of Appeal. Personal injury and property damage claims form a large part of his practice. Within those areas fall a broad range of claims. Nicholas has a substantial practice relating to nuisance and pollution claims. He also advises in commercial matters including the drafting of contracts.

Nicholas is a CEDR trained mediator and often represents parties in ADR procedures as well as acting as mediator himself. Nicholas regularly lectures to both solicitors (in both large and small groups including at seminars in person and on line) and non-lawyers including medical groups and commercial bodies.

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Personal injury & clinical negligence

Personal injury practice includes many catastrophic injury cases including brain injuries and amputations. One settlement was achieved for a Claimant which included periodical payments of almost £190,000 per annum with a seven figure lump sum. Other cases have included a traumatic double leg amputation and a paraplegia claim arising from an accident at work. He advises on a number of cases in Jersey including high value brain injury claims, in one case achieving over £1.75 million for a badly brain damaged Claimant.

Nicholas Baldock also undertakes a significant number of clinical negligence cases. He recently achieved a settlement for a patient who threw herself from the balcony of a psychiatric hospital.

Nicholas regularly appears for clients at settlement meetings.

Other work covered includes employers’ liability, local authority liability and professional negligence.  He has a particular interest in sports litigation and cases of interest include football “bad tackle” claims, gymnastics accident claims and a fatal accident claim against a speedway referee for the failure to stop a race.

He also advises insurers on recovery against third parties including in relation to indemnity clauses.

Featured cases include:

  1. Scarcliffe v Brampton Valley Group [2023] EWHC 1565(KB) personal injury, damages, expert evidence.
  2. Starks v Chief Constable of Hertfordshire [2013] EWCA Civ 782 (Contributory Negligence/Road Traffic Accident Involving Police Vehicle at Mini Roundabout).
  3. Jason Sharp (by his brother & litigation friend John Sharp) v Top Flight Scaffolding Ltd [2013] EWHC 479 (QB) (Personal Injury/Health & Safety at Work/Contributory Negligence/Scaffolder Falling from Scaffolding/Lack of Adequate Training).
  4. XVW & YZA v Gravesend Grammar School for Girls and Adventure Life Signs [2012] ELR 417 (Education/Negligence/Personal Injury).
  5. Amy Verlander v Mohammed Khalilur Rahman [2012] EWHC 1026 (QB) (Damages/Personal Injury/Brain Damage/Incapacity for Work/Future Employment Prospects).
  6. V v R [2011] EWHC 822 (QB) (Mental Health/Personal Injury/Litigation Friends/Capacity to Conduct Litigation/Civil Procedure/Road Traffic Accidents).
  7. Polestar Jowetts Ltd -v- (1) Komori UK Ltd (2) Spectral Technology Ltd [2006] 1 WLR 2472 (CA) (Health and Safety at Work).
  8. Steeds -v- Peverel Management Services Ltd (Times 16.5.01) Court of Appeal (Limitation).
  9. Steele -v- Milbrook Proving Ground Ltd (1999) Court of Appeal (Treatment of General Practitioner’s notes in Personal Injury Claims).
  10. Margaret Anne Brown (Widow and Executrix of Peter Brown) -v- (1) Drake International Ltd and (2) Southampton Container Terminals [2004] EWCA Civ 1629 (Contracts/Health and Safety at Work/Personal Injury).
  11. Binks -v- Securicor Omega Express Ltd [2003] 1 WLR 2557 (Statements of Truth).

Environment

Nicholas Baldock also deals with tortious claims for environmental damage. He acted for a farmer in a claim arising from water run off from a maize field and another in a claim relating to water run off from a pig farm.

He is also instructed by angling clubs through Fish Legal and others.

Nicholas Baldock represented the Pride of Derby Angling Association and secured a final injunction at trial to prevent the multi million pound development at Sawley Weir at which it had fishing rights. The developers wished to install a hydro turbine and were represented by Leading Counsel.

Other recent cases include representing a fishing club whose waters were polluted by a local farmer causing a catastrophic fish kill and acting for an angling club whose fishery had been polluted by Anglia Water securing a judgment and indemnity costs. The matter settled in mediation.

Other nuisance claims (for both Claimants and Defendants) include issues relating to dust, noise, unlawful dredging of rivers and cyanide pollution from former gas works. He is currently instructed on behalf of Tata Steel UK in a group action relating to dust.

Featured cases include:

  1. R -v- National Rivers Authority ex parte Moreton: [1996] ENV LR 234.
  2. Pride of Derby Angling Association -v- Canal & River Trust & Anr (2012)
  3. Cambridge Fish Preservation and Angling Society -v- Anglia Water (2020)

Civil environmental claims

Nicholas Baldock has developed a substantial practice dealing with environmental civil litigation. Many of the cases deal with water but he also deals with cases involving dust, noise and various other emissions and pollutants. Notable cases include representing the owner of a lake which was subjected to substantial silt pollution following the failure of an upstream dam, representing residential property owners in a claim from noise nuisance emanating from a large scale dairy, representing the riparian owner on a well known sea trout river in a claim against farmers who had dredged it and altered its course and representing a farmer in a claim against him for water run-off from a maize field. Nicholas is currently representing Tata Steel UK with Stephen Hockman KC in a Group Claim brought for dust nuisance by local residents in Port Talbot.

Negligence (including professional)

Nicholas deals with a range of negligence claims, including professional negligence. Claims include those against solicitors for negligent advice on an environmental search, against a local authority in relation to answers to a local search, both for and against solicitors in personal injury claims (including missed limitation limits) and against a structural engineer in relation to a listed building.

Featured cases include:

Owadally v Planology Ltd
King’s Bench Division [2023] EWHC 339 (KB) 17 Feb 2023
Subject: Abuse of process; Ex turpi causa; Illegality; Professional negligence; Striking out; Summary judgments

Mediation

Nicholas is a CEDR trained mediator which he has used both as a mediator but also when representing parties in ADR including mediations and settlement meetings. Mediation include those in a case relating to nuisance claim between a disabled person and a local authority home for young persons and in relation to a commercial dispute in relation to the provision of educational services.

Nicholas has represented parties in numerous mediations and settlement meetings ranging from personal injury and clinical negligence, seven figure commercial disputes and employment claims to environmental claims.

Nicholas regularly lectures on all aspects of mediation including costs implications.

Employment

Nicholas Baldock also undertakes employment work and has conducted claims for both employees and employers in Employment Tribunals and the EAT.

He has represented the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service and represented Kent County Council in a long running employment dispute.

He also advises on and appears in claims such as restrictive covenants in employment contracts.

In recent times Nicholas has both lectured and advised on employment issues relating to covid.

Featured cases include:

  • Abbycars -v- Ford EAT 28/5/08 (Constructive Dismissal).

Recommendations

"His greatest asset is his ability to effectively settle complicated high-value claims."

― Legal 500 [2020]

"A phenomenal practitioner and a very good mediator."

"We are always delighted by the clarity and sensibleness of the advice we receive."

― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2018]

"He is a first-class advocate, who can deal with the highest level of claims."

― Legal 500 [2017]

"Handles work for both claimants and defendants in cases involving life-changing brain injuries, amputations and chronic pain syndromes...and has a particular interest in sports accidents."

"He is very level-headed and pragmatic, measured and thoughtful."

― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2017]

"Extremely thorough and methodical, he takes a common-sense approach and is able to speak to clients almost irrespective of who they are. He's a very good advocate who is not easily riled."

― Chambers UK Bar Guide [2015]
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Awards

Hardwicke Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn

Appointments

  • Formerly a Legal Assessor to the MPTS
  • Legal Advisory Committee of Fish Legal

Languages

Working knowledge of French

Education

Magdalene College Cambridge (MA)

Latest news

2nd November 2023

Nick Baldock delivers webinar on the judgement in Scarcliffe -v- Brampton Valley Group Ltd

See below Youtube video showing Nick Baldock's webinar on the judgement in Scarcliffe -v- Brampton Valley Group Ltd and its implications for high value...

11th February 2020

Nicholas Baldock speaks at the annual Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Conference

Nicholas Baldock spoke at the 5th Annual Abdominal Wall Reconstruction (AWR) Europe 2020 organized by MA Healthcare Limited held last week at the Royal College of Physicians.

6th October 2017

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Annual Conference 2017

Kent Law Society together with Six Pump Court are hosting the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Annual Conference 2017 which will take place on 21st November in Rochester.

15th May 2017

Court of Appeal dismisses appeal by neighbours found guilty of blocking right of way and altering boundaries

Nicholas Baldock represented one of two Claimants who brought actions against neighbours who had blocked a right of way and altered boundaries. The Claimant...

7th October 2016

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Conference – 12 October

Six Pump Court and Kent Law Society present a one day Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Conference. The content will cover all the important...

25th July 2016

Nicholas Baldock secures significant damages for soldier wounded in Afghanistan

Nicholas Baldock has secured a six figure damages sum on behalf of a soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan in 2012. Nicholas Baldock negotiated a...

26th February 2016

Nicholas Baldock successfully defends claim in high value road traffic act claim

Nicholas Baldock has successfully defended a timber merchant in a Third Party claim brought in respect of a road traffic catastrophic injury claim. The...

8th October 2015

Liability and Remedies in Land and Water Contamination Claims : A Seminar

Six Pump Court presents the third in our series of environmental law seminars to be held this year: Liability and Remedies in Contamination Claims...

7th September 2015

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Conference – 6th October

Six Pump Court Chambers and Kent Law Society are delighted to present this one day Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Update. This timely and...

21st April 2015

Nicholas Baldock represents a Costs Lawyer before the Costs Lawyers Standards Board

Nicholas Baldock has represented a Costs Lawyer before the Costs Lawyers Standards Board. The Costs Lawyer faced numerous complaints from a previous employer. The...

30th March 2015

Nicholas Baldock gives lecture to leading insurers on chronic pain claims

Nicholas Baldock has given a lecture to leading insurers on chronic pain claims, alongside two leading medical experts. At this lecture for Berrymans Lace Mawer,...

5th March 2015

Nicholas Baldock settles employer’s liability brain injury case

Nicholas Baldock has settled a serious employer's liability brain injury case for £1.4 million which follows a previous finding of 60% contributory negligence. The Claimant had...

5th October 2014

Nicholas Baldock acts for Pride Of Derby Angling Club and obtains injunction to prevent £3m development on part of its waters

Following a four day hearing, a judge has ruled that plans for a £3m hydropower plant on a stretch of the River Trent cannot...

5th October 2014

Nicholas Baldock secures finding of 60% contributory negligence in employer’s liability case

Nicholas Baldock secures finding of 60% contributory negligence against employer in a case involving a fall from scaffold. In Jason Sharp (by his brother & litigation...

5th October 2014

Nicholas Baldock succeeds in Court of Appeal for Claimant and increases proportion of liability against Defendant in serious road traffic accident

Nicholas Baldock has successfully represented the Claimant in a Court of Appeal contributory negligence case, increasing the proportion of liability against Defendant in a serious...

29th September 2014

Nicholas Baldock and the civil team continue their series of lectures on the Jackson Reforms

Nicholas Baldock and the civil team have continued their series of lectures on the Jackson Reforms, most recently at Tees Law in Bishop's Stortford on the...

Events

27th October 2023

Scarcliffe Webinar with Nicholas Baldock – The management of high value personal injury claims

Nicholas Baldock (Counsel for the Defendant) will be presenting a Webinar RE: SCARCLIFFE -V- BRAMPTON VALLEY GROUP LTD outlining the key points for claimants...

13th November 2018

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Annual Conference 2018

Kent Law Society together with Six Pump Court are hosting the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Annual Conference 2018 which will take place on Tuesday 13th November in Rochester.

Contact my clerks

Ryan Barrow

Ryan Barrow

First Junior Clerk
Daniel Jenkins

Daniel Jenkins

Third Junior Clerk