Firm hire: Asbestos solicitor joins Hodge Jones & Allen

Law firm Hodge Jones & Allen has recruited asbestos solicitor Joanne Candlish in Liverpool. 

Candlish, an accredited Senior Litigator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), has nearly 30 years’ experience acting for asbestos victims and their families.

She specialises in mesothelioma and other asbestos related lung disease claims, and also represents those who have suffered serious and complex injuries caused by road traffic and workplace accidents. 

Her notable cases include representing one of the lead parties in the landmark Supreme Court case known as the 'Employers’ Liability Trigger Litigation'. The Court ruled that the relevant employers’ liability insurance policy which should meet a mesothelioma claim was ‘triggered’ at the time of exposure to asbestos and not at the time of development of the disease, usually many decades later, by which time the business may have ceased to exist. This decision protected the right to compensation for thousands of mesothelioma victims and many more victims of asbestos and other long tail occupational diseases.

Candlish has previously set up and managed an asbestos department; running the firm’s cases as well as leading on training, marketing and business development.

She regularly participates in events and meetings with regional Trade Union officials and asbestos victim support groups.

Candlish commented: 'I am really pleased to be joining Hodge Jones & Allen. The last year and a half has been an extremely challenging year for victims of asbestos exposure. Not only have hospital waiting times increased exponentially but, by its very nature, the COVID-19 virus has exacerbated problems for those with breathing difficulties, and made it harder for people to prove that they have been victim of industrial disease. It is more important than ever to get the right advice to ensure that families are compensated because of the irresponsible and unforgivable negligence of employers and companies.'

Partner, and head of the industrial diseases team, Isobel Lovett said: 'We’re delighted to have Joanne join us. Her appointment marks the ongoing expansion of the HJA asbestos team as we build on our successes over the past years, in supporting and representing clients across the country. Joanne is highly regarded within the legal profession as an expert in asbestos litigation, recognised for her empathy, dedication and determination to secure justice for her clients. She is an excellent fit for our team.'

The UK has the world’s highest incidence of mesothelioma with around 2,700 people each year being diagnosed - often decades - after exposure to asbestos dust. Hodge Jones & Allen’s team of specialist lawyers deal exclusively with asbestos and mesothelioma claims.