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, local authorities and prisons. 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 across the fields of commercial disputes, and personal injury. He 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. He has been instructed by prosecuting authorities and has experience of defending prosecutions.

Appointments

Assistant Coroner (Blackpool & Fylde)

Assistant Coroner (Cumbria)

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).

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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 as a door tenant before taking a position as a full tenant. 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, as well as cases that are proceeding through different modes of ADR.

In the field of ADR Mr Cousins has experience of commercial disputes that have proceeded to Joint Settlement Meetings, Mediation and also cases that have been proceeding through Arbitration, he is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. In personal injury cases Mr Cousins has experience of Joint Settlement Meetings and Mediations.

Mr Cousins 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. He is happy to deliver training seminars on all areas in which he works.

Away from the law Mr Cousins can be found coaching at his local skydiving club, clay pigeon shooting, playing chess or attending the opera. He has an interest in the wines of Bordeaux and is a member of a local wine society.

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.
Acted for a prison in a case concerning the death of a prisoner in his cell following
Was part of the team advising one of the Core Participants at various stages of the Covid Inquiry.
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 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.
Instructed as Independent Counsel by a prosecuting authority, to advise in relation to legal protection privilege issues concerning seized material in a multi million pound fraud prosecution.
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.
Was part of the team working on a foreign arbitration concerning the energy supplies to a power plant.