Collins Solicitors is delighted to announce that the firm’s Senior Partner, Des Collins has been named in The Lawyer magazine’s annual Hot 100 review of the UK’s leading legal professionals, for the second time.

All qualified lawyers in the UK are eligible to be considered for this prestigious list.

The 100 lawyers selected this year include, among others “management figures leading their firm with vision, litigators on ground-breaking cases and lawyers who through their actions are proving that they are the next superstars.”

Des is included for his “for his work on the Infected Blood Inquiry, examining why thousands of haemophiliac NHS patients were given contaminated blood and blood products throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It is the UK’s worst peacetime tragedy.”

The citation goes on that “He took on the case immediately and was instrumental in bringing it to wider public attention and forcing the Government’s hand.”

“Though a group litigation guru, the nature of this case is on a different scale to anything he has done before: firstly because it does not stem from a single event but rather problems that developed over many years; secondly because everyone involved has a story that needs to be told. Some have been waiting 30 years for their voice to be heard.

The Department of Health and Social Care seems intent on fighting the victims and their families, meaning Collins and his clients’ struggle for justice is likely to go on for years.”

Des Collins started Collins Solicitors in 1995, with the national civil litigation practice based in Watford having originated from particular strengths in personal injury matters deriving from major rail disasters – including the Watford, Southall and Paddington disasters. The practice has become well known and highly respected in the legal market, locally and nationally.

Des Collins, Senior Partner of Collins Solicitors, comments: “I am delighted to receive this accolade. However, such an honour has to be shared with the team I have working with me: the lawyers, the firm’s support team and of course, our many clients.

The work we are doing on behalf of hundreds of those infected and affected by contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s is of huge importance not just to those involved but to the whole country – people expect the government and the leadership of the country to take responsibility for their actions and, ultimately, to be accountable. We will, as we always do, keep going until there is a sensible resolution for all.”