Andrew Cousins - 7 Harrington Street Chambers

Education & Qualifications

Masters of Law (LLM) (Distinction) 2011

Masters of Research (MRes) (Merit) 2016

Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb)

Area of Expertise

Civil Law

Inquests/Inquiries

Mr Cousins has extensive experience in inquest and public inquiry work and brings to this area his experience of sitting as an Assistant Coroner. He has advised and represented clients in the public and private healthcare sectors, as well as care homes and local authorities. He has also represented employers in cases arising from fatal accidents in the workplace, and drivers following fatal road traffic collisions. Some of these inquests and public inquiries have been reported in the regional and national media. Mr Cousins is used to working as part of a team and advising on the impact of the findings of the Coroner, and what further action may arise following an inquest.

Personal injury

Mr Cousins has a wide experience of personal injury work ranging from small claims track cases up to and including multi million pound cross border actions. He has a particular speciality in issues relating to the compensation recovery unit, its impact upon settlement offers and the recovery of benefits paid by the compensator. In this regard he has appeared on numerous occasions before the First Tier Tribunal (Social Entitlement Chamber) in relation to appeals concerning certificates of recoverable benefits.

ADR

Mr Cousins has experience of various forms of ADR, and has been involved in Joint Settlement Meetings, Mediations and Arbitrations. He is a qualified Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Court of Protection

Mr Cousins has experience of advising in relation to medical treatment and welfare issues in the Court of Protection.

Regulatory

Mr Cousins has experience of advising in relation to regulatory issues arising out of inquest cases and issues around firearms licenses.

Appointments

Assistant Coroner (Blackpool & Fylde)

Deputy Coroner (Isle of Man)

Attorney General’s Regional C panel

Visiting Lecturer BPP University

Memberships

The Honourable Society of Middle Temple

Coroners Society of England and Wales

Personal Injuries Bar Association

Northern Circuit

Health and Safety Lawyers Association

Training and seminars

Mr Cousins has provided, and continues to provide, training to clients, insurers and law firms on issues within his areas of expertise. He has been a guest speaker for MBL Seminars for some years.

Books

A Practical Guide to the Compensation Recovery Unit and NHS Charges in Personal Injury Claims in England & Wales (published by Law Brief Publishing Ltd).

A Practical Guide to Surveillance Evidence in Personal Injury Claims in England & Wales (published by Law Brief Publishing Ltd).

Clerked by

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Practice Overview

Mr Cousins was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 2017. Prior to this he had qualified as a solicitor in 2011, he held higher rights of audience in both civil and crime, and had qualified as a Legal Executive in 2006.

Mr Cousins first joined chambers in 2021 as a door tenant. He is a visiting lecturer at BPP Law School and an author, his first book was published in July 2020 and his second in June 2021.

In 2025 Mr Cousins was appointed to the Attorney General’s Regional C panel. He sits as an Assistant Coroner and has represented clients at inquests and public inquiries all over the country. He also accepts instructions in relation to personal injury claims, court of protection work, certain types of regulatory issues, and cases that are proceeding through different modes of ADR.

Away from the law Mr Cousins can be found coaching at his local skydiving club, clay pigeon shooting, playing chess or attending the opera.

Notable Cases

Acted for the applicant in judicially reviewing the decision of a coroner where, at an inquest, the employer was found to have exposed the deceased to chemicals which caused his death. Led by leading counsel.
Advised an interested person in relation to its response and position to an application for judicial review arising from a death in a care home.
Acted for a hospital in relation to the death of a newborn baby in its maternity ward.
Acted for the insurers of a driver in relation to a road traffic collision. The case was a rare instance where the coroner had to consider a conclusion of unlawful killing, because of the standard of driving of one of the vehicles.
Acted for the healthcare provider in relation to the death of an inmate in prison. The prisoner had committed suicide. Issues included addressing the mental health risk assessments and treatment provided to the prisoner.
Acted for the employee of a specialist children’s cot supply company in an inquest arising from the death of a disabled toddler. Issues around gross negligence manslaughter and tampering with evidence were addressed at the inquest.
Acted for the owner of a farm at an inquest arising from a death on the farmyard.
Acted for the owners of a care home in relation to the death of a resident following a fall at the care home. Issues in relation to neglect, risk assessments and adequate care aids being in place were addressed.
Part of a team of counsel who acted for the Defendant insurer in a multi million pound claim arising from a coach crash abroad. Led by leading counsel.
Acted for the Defendant in defending a brain injury claim brought by a motorcyclist following a serious road traffic collision. Case settled as a joint settlement meeting. Led by leading counsel.
In module one, was part of the team advising one of the Core Participants at the Covid Inquiry.
Was part of the team assisting on a discovery and disclosure exercise in a billion pound High Court action concerning a foreign tax law claim.