Karen Dean

Karen qualified in 1997 and joined Hempsons in 1998. She has specialised in healthcare law for over 20 years. She acts for individual practitioners and NHS bodies and represents clients in clinical negligence cases, disciplinary proceedings and in proceedings relating to medical treatment and welfare issues.

Karen has advised on a range of health and social care issues including child protection, IVF treatment, complaints resolution, proceedings under the Protection from Harassment Act and mental capacity issues. She regularly acts on behalf of healthcare providers in applications to the Court of Protection concerning deprivation of liberty and best interests. Karen acted for the NHS trust in obtaining a declaration as to the lawfulness of proposed surgery which was the subject of the appeal in Re A (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation) [2000] 4 All ER 961.

Karen’s clinical negligence practice covers a range of areas, including serious injury, with particular expertise in GP claims. Karen represents doctors before the General Medical Council and on appeal to the Administrative Court, and her experience in regulatory discipline has included advising in proceedings arising out of the Alder Hey enquiry, and regulatory proceedings relating to social workers.

Karen received top tier ranking for health in the Legal 500 Law Firm rankings in 2018 and was described as “excellent”.

Main areas of expertise

• healthcare advice and ethics
• professional disciplinary/regulatory
• clinical negligence

The clients she works with

• healthcare professionals
• medical defence organisations
• NHS trusts
• NHS commissioning bodies
• independent providers
• charities

Memberships

• Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL).

Publications

• Chapter 20: “The Courtroom: Capacity to litigate, fitness to plead and fitness to be a witness” from “Assessing Mental Capacity: A Handbook to Guide Professionals from Basic to Advanced Practice” (Routledge)