Call 0800 124 4444 or email enq@hmsolicitors.co.uk
Hilary Meredith-Beckham
- Founder and Chair
T: 01625 539922
Hilary Meredith-Beckham is a solicitor, lobbyist and campaigner best known for her work on behalf of the UK armed forces, their families and military veterans.
Throughout her illustrious legal career, Hilary has successfully challenged the status quo - fighting for the rights of military service personnel, their families and military veterans and striving to achieve equality for women in the law.
In 1987, Hilary acted in the first ever claim on behalf of a widow whose husband died on manoeuvres in Canada (Green v MoD). She has since acted in over 1300 cases against the MoD, recovering in excess of £221 million in life-changing compensation. Hilary’s case successes include settlements in excess of £6 million for her military clients.
She has also acted in a range of precedent setting cases, worked closely with Parliamentary Inquiries and Government Ministers and successfully campaigned for changes in the law.
Hilary’s career in protecting the welfare of the armed forces spans cases from Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Gulf War 1, Afghanistan and Iraq including incidents on manoeuvres and in training in countries from Belize to Hong Kong and Canada. In 1987 Hilary represented the first claim ever on behalf of a widow whose husband had died on manoeuvres in Canada (Green v MoD). Hilary has had success in the US courts on behalf of the British military, winning an appeal to the US 11th circuit in Whitley and Others v US Government.
Other cases of note include Sharpe v MoD and Birch v MoD in the Court of Appeal. Hilary has represented a large number of bereaved families at Inquests, largely on a Pro Bono basis. Recommendations made as a result of the issues she has raised have had a direct life-saving impact on the future safety of our servicemen and women.
In recent times, Hilary has been instrumental in lobbying the government on behalf of the armed forces. She provided evidence to the Select Defence Committee on the Iraq historic abuse cases, which ultimately contributed to the closure of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team. Hilary gave evidence at the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Brecon Beacon fatalities, Beyond Endurance, recommending that the MoD should be subject to the Corporate Manslaughter Act where there has been a reckless disregard for life - a recommendation which the Inquiry upheld.
Dianne Yates
- Director
T: 01625 547307
Dianne has been involved in fighting for the rights of the victims of injury for over 30 years. A passionate and effective advocate with a wealth of experience, she specialises in helping adults and children who have suffered catastrophic and life changing injury, particularly brain, spinal and complex poly-trauma injury, including amputation.
A senior litigator with APIL of many years standing and accredited military specialist, Dianne acts for clients across the country and regularly secures settlements running into seven and eight figures, recently negotiating an award of £13.8 million for a client. No stranger to the Court system and well versed in strategy and tactics she has run and won many cases including precedent setting cases in the Court of Appeal.
As Chair of the Brain and Spinal Injuries Centre, Dianne understands the wider challenges catastrophic injuries present, for both the injured party, loved ones and immediate family, and is dedicated to supporting them from the earliest possible stage, regularly attending clients in their homes and contactable at all times.
A keen advocate of rehabilitation Dianne works with a number of dedicated and specialised case managers to ensure that her clients achieve the best recovery possible.
Outside of work, Dianne follows Manchester United, where she has been a season ticket holder for many years.
Tina Hawley
- Director and Chief Financial Officer
T: 01625 547306
E: tina.hawley@hmsolicitors.co.uk
Tina started her career in 1992 at Ernst & Young, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1996. In 1997 she moved into industry and commerce since which time she has spent almost her entire career in the Legal sector, occupying senior Finance roles in legal firms in London and, more recently, the North West of England.
In 2015 Tina set up her own consultancy practice providing Board and FD-level support to companies. In late 2017 Tina started working with Hilary Meredith Solicitors Ltd as Chief Finance Officer, and has been a Director since 2019.
In her spare time Tina is a keen road and fell runner, and is Treasurer and a committee member of her local fell running club. She also travels frequently to visit family in Edinburgh and Wiltshire, and enjoys the occasional weekend European city break with her friends. In recent times Tina has taken up singing lessons, and claims that while her vocal qualities resemble ‘a circular saw in a glass factory’, she is working on it.
Simon Quinn
- Partner & Head of Military
T: 01625 547475
E: simon.quinn@hmsolicitors.co.uk
Simon commenced his legal career within the world of criminal defence before choosing to undertake personal Injury work on behalf of claimants. He then moved to a leading national Law firm to work in their industrial disease department based in Manchester city centre. For over two and a half years he handled a claimant caseload, specialising in asbestos related illness claims, noise induced hearing loss together with a mixture of high value accidents at work, public & occupiers liability claims, plus road traffic accident claims.
Simon is Head of Military at the firm and also specialises in public/occupiers Liability, employers’ liability and road traffic accidents. Many of Simon’s cases have featured in both the regional and national press for their success stories.
In 2019 Simon was named in The Legal 500 as a key lawyer with two of his reported cases referenced. The Legal 500 said: ‘Simon Quinn is a very steady pair of hands with a great deal of experience in military claims’.
Simon was the first Solicitor & applicant to be awarded with APIL’s Military Injury specialist and assessor status by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).
In his spare time Simon enjoys running, going to the gym and travelling.
Adrian Mullen
- Partner
T: 01625 547317
E: Adrian.mullen@hmsolicitors.co.uk
Having previously worked in the areas of cardiology at some of London’s leading hospitals, Adrian transferred to law. He started his legal career in the field of clinical negligence in London and, after qualifying in 2003, moved back ‘home’ to the North West after competing in the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race 2002.
Adrian has previously worked for national and international law firms, and has experience of claimant and defendant claims. Adrian is also a Solicitor-Advocate, and qualified to appear in all Higher Courts, both civil and criminal.
Adrian’s work includes multi track clinical negligence claims, the vast majority involving military personnel across all branches of the Armed Forces, both serving and discharged. This includes claims against GPs, NHS Trusts as well as the Ministry of Defence.
Adrian joined the clinical negligence team at Hilary Meredith Solicitors Limited in 2019 and enjoys the challenges and ever-changing environment of litigation.
In his spare time Adrian enjoys walking, cycling, open-water swimming and generally just getting into the hills.
Lucia Parkinson
- Partner
T: 01625 547487
E: Lucia.parkinson@hmsolicitors.co.uk
Lucia studied Business and Law at the University of Central Lancashire and continued to study at the College of Law, Chester, before qualifying as a solicitor in 2006.
Lucia worked at a central London law firm where she became a partner and head of medical negligence. During her time there Lucia dealt with a wide range of high value and complex cases.
Lucia became the head of medical negligence where she continued to work on high value claims including spinal cord injury claims and cases involving amputation. She then returned to the North West in 2017 and continued to specialise in high value clinical negligence matters, covering a wide range of areas.
Lucia joined Hilary Meredith Solicitors in July 2019 and heads our specialist Lariam team.
In her spare time Lucia likes to spend time with her young family. If Lucia does manage to get free time she enjoys reading, going to the theatre and travelling.
Brian Wood
- Our Ambassador
War hero and best-selling author Brian Wood recently extended his role as an Ambassador for Hilary Meredith Solicitors.
At the age of 23, Brian Wood was thrust into the front line in Iraq, in the infamous Battle of Danny Boy. Ambushed, he led a charge across open ground with insurgents firing at just five soldiers. On his return, he was awarded the Military Cross.
In his best-selling memoir, Double Crossed: A Code of Honour, A Complete Betrayal, Brian speaks powerfully and movingly about the three battles in his life, from being ambushed with no cover, to the mental battle to adjust at home, to being falsely accused of hideous war crimes. Brian’s story was also the subject of a BBC drama, Danny Boy.
