Decisions that would ordinarily take weeks need to be made in days. The legal process, the rehabilitation pathway, the financial implications of an injury that may reshape every aspect of life: all of it arrives at once.
In that moment, the question of who to speak to, and who to trust, matters enormously.
Aspire Law was built on a straightforward but meaningful premise: that people with spinal cord injuries deserve legal representation from solicitors who do nothing else. Every member of the team, from Legal Director to paralegal, works exclusively in spinal cord injury law.
There are no whiplash claims here, no minor accidents, no divided attention. That single focus shapes not only the expertise the team brings to each case, but the way they understand what a client is actually going through.
This article introduces the people behind Aspire Law: who they are, what they do, and what drew them to this work.
A Team Built Around One Area of Law
Aspire Law is the only law firm in the UK dealing exclusively with spinal cord injury claims.
Our solicitors are accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the Law Society, and the firm is endorsed by all three of the major spinal cord injury charities: Aspire, the Spinal Injuries Association, and Back Up. Our team is consistently recognised by the independent legal directories The Legal 500 and Chambers as leaders in spinal cord injury litigation.
Those credentials carry weight. But what they reflect, more than anything else, is years of accumulated experience in one of the most complex and consequential areas of personal injury law. Knowing the medical realities of spinal cord injury, understanding how those realities translate into long-term care needs, housing requirements, rehabilitation costs, and loss of earning capacity: that understanding does not come from a general personal injury practice. It comes from doing this work, and only this work, day after day.
That is why instructing a spinal cord injury specialist solicitor rather than a generalist firm makes such a tangible difference to the outcome of a claim.
The Solicitors
Aspire Law’s solicitors bring a range of experience and backgrounds to their work, but share one thing in common: every case they handle involves a spinal cord injury. That exclusive focus means clients are never a secondary concern, and the legal knowledge they bring to each case is built entirely around the complexity of SCI litigation.
Each spinal cord injury specialist solicitor at the firm has chosen to dedicate their career to this area of law, and that commitment shows in the depth of understanding they bring to every client relationship.
Damian Horan, Legal Director
Damian Horan has been representing clients with spinal cord injuries for nearly 30 years. He is dual-qualified as a barrister and solicitor, admitted to practice in England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, and holds a coveted place in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame, reserved for those at the very top of their profession. The Legal 500 2025 described him as “probably the very best spinal cord injury solicitor in the country.”
What that description does not fully capture is the quality that clients and colleagues point to most consistently. Chambers UK has noted his “ability to empathise with clients and his practical knowledge of the way the law works,” and described him as someone who “clearly cares enormously about those he represents.” Those are not incidental qualities in a spinal cord injury case. They are central to it.
Damian’s cases are brought in the High Court in London, and almost all result in seven or eight-figure settlements. His work includes some of the highest value spinal cord injury claims resolved in the UK, including a £17 million settlement for a client rendered tetraplegic following a road traffic accident, believed to be the highest adult settlement of its kind in this country.
He has particular experience in cases involving both spinal cord and brain injury trauma, and he acts as a Court of Protection approved Deputy for clients who lack the capacity to manage their own affairs. None of that stops him from visiting clients in hospital, at rehabilitation centres, or at home. The client’s situation determines where the meeting happens.
Raquel Siganporia, Director of Business Development & Senior Solicitor
Raquel is a leading spinal cord injury specialist solicitor with extensive experience representing both adults and children. She brings something to her work that few solicitors can: she has lived with a spinal cord injury herself, having been paralysed at T6-T7 aged 11 following an incident of medical negligence. That experience gives her clients a level of understanding that goes beyond legal knowledge.
The Legal 500 has described her as “a stand-out partner who demonstrates strengths in difficult situations and unending patience, empathy and thoroughness, as well as a strong legal knowledge in her field.”
Away from casework, Raquel serves as an Ambassador for Horatio’s Garden, was a trustee and Vice Chair of the Spinal Injuries Association for over a decade, and sat on the specialist panel that developed the NICE guidelines on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. Her connection to the clinical and charitable world of spinal cord injury runs deep, and that connection informs the way she represents every client.
Anna West, Senior Solicitor
Anna has over 18 years of experience dealing with catastrophic personal injury claims, working across road traffic collisions, accidents at work, accidents in public places, and clinical negligence actions. She is a strong advocate for early intervention, having seen at first hand the difference it makes to rehabilitation and recovery.
Since joining Aspire Law in 2017, she has assisted in securing damages in excess of £140 million for clients. One of her proudest achievements was her involvement in the landmark judgment for a client who sustained a spinal cord injury during a rugby match, a case that drew nationwide press coverage. Anna co-authored an abstract on privately funded specialist spinal multidisciplinary rehabilitation, which was presented to the International Spinal Cord Society.
Matthew Claxson, Senior Solicitor
Matthew has been working in personal injury law since 1999 and leads one of Aspire Law’s dedicated client teams. He works exclusively on behalf of injured clients and focuses on establishing liability, securing interim payments, accessing rehabilitation, and working with leading experts to build the strongest possible evidence. The Legal 500 has recognised him as “outstanding,” noting that he “appears to work tirelessly on a case, giving it the attention and financial resources it deserves, all to the ultimate good of his client.”
Fadwa Errhioui, Senior Solicitor
Fadwa has considerable experience in spinal cord injury cases and understands the profound impact such injuries have on clients and their families. She is known for her negotiating skills and her commitment to ensuring clients receive all the support they need, not only through the legal process but through the care, rehabilitation, and expert input that serious injuries demand.
Her clients are nationwide and she visits them at home, in hospital, or at rehabilitation centres. One client wrote simply: “Fadwa was excellent throughout my case. She negotiated brilliantly and achieved a very successful outcome for me.”
James Wood, Senior Solicitor
James brings over 19 years of experience specialising in spinal cord injury claims, alongside something that sets him apart from almost any other solicitor in this field: he has sustained a spinal cord injury himself. That personal experience, combined with his legal expertise, gives him a level of understanding of the complexities, challenges, and needs of each case that is rarely found in any law firm.
James is also a Trustee at the Spinal Injuries Association, actively contributing to its work supporting the wider SCI community across the UK.
Amanda Brown, Solicitor
Amanda is an experienced personal injury and clinical negligence solicitor with over a decade of practice acting exclusively for seriously injured clients. She has been part of Aspire Law’s specialist team since 2018.
She acts on complex, high-value personal injury and medical negligence claims, including a significant number of employer liability cases, an area in which she has particular expertise. Representing clients across England and Wales, Amanda works closely with families, rehabilitation teams, deputies, and leading medical experts to ensure that claims are progressed strategically while keeping the practical realities of life with a serious injury firmly in view.
Amanda is known for her ability to manage technically demanding litigation while remaining approachable, clear, and responsive to her clients’ needs throughout what is often a long and difficult process. Clients consistently highlight her clarity of advice, professionalism, and commitment to guiding them through complex decisions with confidence and reassurance.
Nidhi Chopra, Solicitor
Nidhi joined Aspire Law in November 2025, bringing over 15 years of experience working on complex and high-value catastrophic injury claims. Before joining the team, she acted on matters including catastrophic brain injury, cerebral palsy birth injury claims, and Grenfell Tower group litigation.
Her background spans senior roles in private practice at partner level, experience in the Government Legal Department, and a qualification in Civil and Commercial Mediation. She works in Aspire Law’s Medical Negligence and Personal Injury team, approaching each client’s case with the understanding that injuries of this severity affect individuals and families in ways that are never identical.
Tejal Patel, Solicitor
Tejal qualified in 2008 and has gained a wealth of experience in personal injury claims. She has specialised in catastrophic injury and medical negligence over the past 10 years, working closely with clients who have sustained life-changing injuries.
Through her experience, she has built a deep understanding of the impact those injuries have not only on the individual affected, but also on their family and friends. She places particular importance on securing early rehabilitation and ensuring that clients’ immediate and long-term needs are addressed as a priority from the outset of the claim.
Karen Jenkins, Solicitor
Karen joined Aspire Law in July 2024, bringing over 14 years of experience working on complex and high-value catastrophic injury claims. Having worked closely with seriously injured clients throughout her career, she understands the wide-reaching effects of living with a life-changing injury on both the individual and their family.
She qualified as a solicitor in 2009 after completing her law degree at the University of Surrey and her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Guildford.
Joe Waters, Solicitor
Joe qualified as a solicitor in April 2023 and works across both the Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence teams at Aspire Law, supporting clients at various stages of the claims process. He joined a firm where the entirety of the work is focused on spinal cord injury, and that environment shapes the understanding he continues to build with every case he works on.
Emily Banjac, Solicitor
Emily joined Aspire Law in March 2025, bringing extensive experience working on complex catastrophic injury cases. Her background in this area of law means she arrived at the firm with a strong foundation in the kind of high-value, long-running claims that spinal cord injury cases typically involve.
Tom Murphy, Solicitor
Tom qualified as a solicitor in Ireland in April 2025 and joined Aspire Law in January 2026. His route into the team reflects the firm’s reach across jurisdictions and its commitment to building a team with breadth of experience alongside depth of specialist knowledge.
Ciara Neill, Solicitor
Ciara joined Aspire Law in September 2025, having completed her training contract in Northern Ireland. She works as part of a team where every case involves a spinal cord injury, bringing a fresh perspective and a commitment to client care that reflects the firm’s wider ethos.
Jessie Filipponi, Solicitor (our latest addition to the team)
Jessie joined Aspire Law in April 2026. She completed her training contract in Jersey, Channel Islands and was admitted as a Solicitor of England and Wales on 1 September 2023.
Jessie has extensive experience in both personal injury and clinical negligence claims, working with claimants who have suffered life-changing injuries arising from accidents at work, road traffic accidents, and clinical negligence. She works alongside the Aspire Law team, medical experts, and Counsel to achieve the best possible outcomes for clients.
Jessie is known for her compassionate and client-centred approach. She takes the time to listen carefully to her clients’ experiences and aims to ensure that every client feels heard, informed, and supported throughout the legal process.
The Senior Paralegal and Paralegal
The support staff at Aspire Law are an integral part of the service our clients receive. They are often a client’s first point of contact and a consistent presence throughout what can be a long and demanding process. Their work is not administrative in the peripheral sense: they are embedded in cases, supporting solicitors and clients alike from initial enquiry through to settlement.
Christine Dowling, Senior Paralegal
Christine has been part of Aspire Law since 2018, working across complex personal injury and medical negligence cases. Often a first point of contact for clients, she provides practical support and reassurance throughout what can be a long and demanding process.
Before moving into law, Christine qualified and worked as a Registered Veterinary Nurse, a role rooted in care and compassion. She later completed her Law degree through the Open University, combining clinical experience with legal expertise.
Her background in caring professions informs her empathetic approach, reflecting Aspire Law’s commitment to both technical excellence and genuine understanding of the human impact of life-changing injuries.
Sandra Pike, Paralegal
Sandra joined Aspire Law in November 2025, bringing with her an LLB in International and European Law from the University of Groningen and a developing specialism in personal injury and medical negligence, an interest that took root during an exchange year at the University of Surrey, where she studied Medical Law.
She is currently completing her MA Law at the University of Law, working towards the SQE1 qualification. What drew Sandra to Aspire Law was not only the nature of the work but the values behind it. The firm’s commitment to donating 50% of its profits to Aspire, the charity, sat alongside her own drive to support individuals and families through life-changing events.
Amiee Waters, Paralegal
Amiee joined Aspire Law in October 2025 after completing her Law degree at Royal Holloway, University of London. As a paralegal, she supports both the legal team and clients across spinal cord injury claims, gaining hands-on experience in a firm where this is the sole focus of every case.
We Are Here When You Need Us
If you or someone close to you has sustained a spinal cord injury and you are considering your legal options, speaking to a spinal cord injury specialist solicitor at the earliest opportunity can make a real difference.
Our team at Aspire Law is ready to listen, and every person you have read about here works exclusively in this area of law. There are no generalists, no divided focus, and no pressure. Just people who have chosen to dedicate their careers to supporting those affected by spinal cord injury, and who understand what that means in practice.
You can get in touch with the team by phone, email, or by requesting a home or hospital visit. All initial conversations are free and completely confidential, and the majority of cases are handled on a no-win, no-fee basis. You can also find out more about who Aspire Law helps and why clients choose to work with the firm. The first step is simply a conversation.
