Alex Glassbrook

Year of Call: 1995

ag@tgchambers.com


Practice Areas


Alex Glassbrook

Year of Call: 1995

ag@tgchambers.com


Practice Areas




Experience

Alex is a specialist in the law of Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (“CAVs”). He wrote the first book on the law of driverless cars in the UK (“The Law of Driverless Cars: An Introduction”), which was published in 2017.  The second edition (“A Practical Guide to the Law of Driverless Cars”, co-written with Emma Northey and Scarlett Milligan) was published in November 2019.

Alex practises in all aspects of civil road transport law, including cases involving new vehicle technologies (such as advanced driver assistance systems), motor insurance issues, suspected motor insurance fraud, high-value vehicle damage and hire claims and serious personal injury.

Directories

“He has a very serene courtroom manner. He can be calm but then quite deadly.” Chambers & Partners 2020

“His grasp of the smallest details in a case can often be the making of your strategy.” Legal 500 2020

“He is skilled in handling digital evidence and technology development issues. “He’s very well known and his pleadings are excellent”.”  Chambers & Partners 2019

Leading junior for insurance fraud work, “expert in the trial of allegedly fraudulent claims …”. Legal 500 2019

“Very proactive, efficient and highly knowledgeable.” “He has a very great knowledge of the area we deal with and is a true expert.”  Chambers &Partners 2018

“Particularly noted for insurance fraud cases involving criminal networks and electronic evidence”  Legal 500 2017

“Prompt, detailed and comprehensive in his advices” Chambers and Partners 2017

““A standout barrister” Legal 500 2016

“The most forensic advocate” Legal 500 2015

“A commercial, tactically aware barrister whose advocacy skills are first-class.”  “He has a deep understanding of all the issues, and is good for a tricky case.” Chambers and Partners 2015

“Meticulous … Fearless in challenging his opponents” Legal 500 2014

Education

Bristol University (BA (Hons) English Literature, 1993)
The City University (CPE Diploma in Law, 1994)
The Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Finals, 1995)
King’s College, University of London (Diploma in European Community Law, 2001)

Professional Memberships

Personal Injuries Bar Association
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA)
International Association of Artificial Intelligence Lawyers
Society of Computers and Law

Connect

Bus Company accepts 99% liability settlement of cyclist’s claim

Alex Glassbrook (instructed by Kevin O’Sullivan of Cycle Legal) was counsel for the Claimant cyclist, who was seriously injured by a bus driven across his path on a marked cycle lane, on the approach to a bus stop.

The case raised the duty of care owed by bus drivers to cyclists where a cycle lane meets a bus stop.  CCTV evidence supported the cyclist’s case that the bus attempted to overtake the cyclist and pull into the bus stop too rapidly, without keeping sufficient lookout for cyclists proceeding properly on the cycle lane to its left.  The same evidence contradicted the bus driver’s contention that the cyclist had attempted to undertake the bus.

The Defendant bus company accepted the Claimant’s longstanding 99% liability offer in the Claimant’s favour, days before the liability trial was due to start in the High Court.

Counsel: Alex Glassbrook, previous counsel Marcus Grant.

Fraudulent Credit Hire Claim: Insurer succeeds in its claim for damages for deceit, indemnity against dishonest driver and declarations of non-cover

Alex Glassbrook (instructed by Andrew Baker of Horwich Farrelly) represented the successful motor insurer.  A claim for credit hire charges exceeding £80,000 had been claimed in relation to a vehicle allegedly damaged beyond use in a road traffic accident, and judgment had been obtained on that claim against the allegedly insured driver, without notice to his insurer.

Read more

Reduction of care and case management charges in brain injury case (October 2017)

Alex Glassbrook (instructed by Gurbir Thethy of DWF, London) represented the Defendant to a serious brain injury claim at a joint settlement meeting.  Among the issues were the levels of care and case management charges, claimed for life, the Claimant’s care needs on the facts of the case and the quality of the case management services actually provided.  The claim (which had been pleaded at £4.6 million) settled at a much-reduced sum, in part by applying Loughlin v Singh [2013] EWHC 1641 (QB) to the case management charges.

Alizada v Khan and Ageas Insurance Ltd Bradford County Court (unreported)

For D2 insurer.  Dismissal of a contrived road accident claim with a £50,000 costs order against the Claimant. A 3 year investigation had uncovered no direct connection between the Claimant and fraudulent behaviour but a great deal of other, circumstantial evidence of dishonesty. The Judge, directing himself that all rested upon the Claimant’s performance under cross examination, found the claimant to be complicit in the fraud and a dishonest witness, dismissed the claim and ordered indemnity costs against him, £50,000 of which he was to pay within 14 days.

Widlake v BAA Ltd 2009] EWCA Civ 1256; [2010] CP Rep 13; [2010] 3 Costs LR 353; [2010] PIQR P4

For Defendant. Claimant denied costs of proceedings where, whilst recovering damages in excess of Defendant’s Part 36 offer, she had dishonestly exaggerated her claim and failed to make any offers to settle her case.

Coles v Greaves & Norwich Union [2005] EWCA Civ 679

For Claimant: trial judge’s findings on medical evidence in favour of Defendant overturned on ground of insufficient reasoning.

“A Practical Guide to the Law of Driverless Cars”, 2nd edition, Law Brief Publishing, November 2019,

17th October 2019

View External Link

Causation, Contribution and Contributory Negligence in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018

20th June 2019

Alex Glassbrook, 2 February 2019, published 19 June 2019 by the Law Commissions of England and Wales and of Scotland

 

Response to the Law Commissions’ joint preliminary consultation paper (CP 240) on the law of automated vehicles. Deals particularly with the civil liability issues of causation, contribution and contributory negligence under the AEVA 2018. Quoted by the Law Commission in its Analysis of the responses to the consultation, 19 June 2019, at pages 87 to 91.

 

See link below to Alex’s full paper.

View External Link

Roads to Driverless

21st June 2018

Autonomous vehicles will have profound effects on the environments in which they operate. Alex Glassbrook explores the development of the laws of roads during the century since the emergence of motor vehicles in the UK, and asks how roads and laws might evolve to cope with new species of vehicles.

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“Robots on Wheels”

19th April 2018

Alex takes stock of recent news of data harvesting and the Arizona accident, considers a past transport revolution and its policy lessons and makes the case for positive future laws of driverless.

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Cyber Car Crime (Article in the Future of Transportation Executive Briefing 2018, pages 5 and 78)

7th February 2018

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Streets Ahead (article in November 2017 edition of PI Focus)

20th November 2017

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Future Abuses of Driverless Technologies and Counter Measures

21st September 2017

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TGC Fraud Newsletter Issue VI – September 2017

21st September 2017

Please see link below for Issue 6 of TGC Fraud Update, a publication we have set up with the stated aim of facilitating the sharing of information about decided claims involving issues of road traffic fraud and related matters.

View External Link

The Law of Driverless Cars: An Introduction

28th February 2017

Law Brief Publishing, 28th February 2017

 

The first book to consider the likely impact of driverless cars upon the law in Britain – not only upon the laws formed by road traffic accidents but also the changing landscape of data and privacy, roads, crime, employment, insurance and Brexit.  It explores present law, the possible laws of a fully “driverless” future and the “untidy transition” period that we are likely to experience soon.

 

“The Law of Driverless Cars: An Introduction” is an exploration of future law in clear, accessible language – aimed not only at specialist audiences (developers, lawyers, insurers, policymakers) but at anyone interested in this exciting field.

 

Available in paperback and Kindle editions from the link below.

View External Link

Driverless Vehicles: Law and Insurance Update

25th July 2016

Alex Glassbrook reviews the government’s recent paper on the law and insurance of self-driving vehicles, notes some changes of approach and tries to predict the future.

 

View External Link

TGC Fraud Update

9th October 2015

Welcome to the inaugural edition of TGC Fraud Update, a new publication from the fraud team at Temple Garden Chambers containing a number of articles on legal matters relevant to insurance fraud practitioners and a digest of recent noteworthy cases in which Members of Chambers have been involved.

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Supporting the Legal Profession in Zimbabwe

1st May 2014

Alex Glassbrook reports on the Advocacy Training Council’s work in Zimbabwe and finds encouraging signs of judicial independence, an active Law Society and a reinvigorated Bar.

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Driverless Law: Alex Glassbrook and Emma Northey’s seminar for Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, Monday 29 July

23rd July 2019

On Monday evening Alex and Emma will be giving a seminar to the Transport Group of APIL: introducing the law of driverless vehicles, explaining the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 and examining some future challenges.

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Driverless Law: Law Commission on the way forward for Automated Vehicles

19th June 2019

The Law Commission has published its analysis of responses to the first consultation on the law affecting the safety of automated vehicles (“AVs”, also known as driverless vehicles). Alex Glassbrook took part in the consultation, and his paper on Civil Liability for AV’s is quoted by the Law Commission on contributory negligence (p.87), causation (p.90) and the possibility of review of the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 (p.91).

Read more

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“Moving Up a Gear”

29th January 2019

Alex Glassbrook describes the relationship between the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 and the current Law Commission review of the law of automated vehicles, in an article by Rachel Rothwell in the Law Society Gazette (28 January, pages 21 to 23).

Safety of Automated Vehicles: Law Commission paper published today

8th November 2018

The Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission today publish their joint preliminary consultation paper on the options for the regulation of automated vehicles (also known as autonomous vehicles).  The paper examines options for the regulation of the safety of vehicles which can travel without a driver for at least part of their journey.  This paper is part of a 3-year consultation by the Law Commission.

Read more

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Fraudulent Credit Hire Claim: Insurer succeeds in its claim for damages for deceit, indemnity against dishonest driver and declarations of non-cover

4th June 2018

Alex Glassbrook (instructed by Andrew Baker of Horwich Farrelly) represented the successful motor insurer.  A claim for credit hire charges exceeding £80,000 had been claimed in relation to a vehicle allegedly damaged beyond use in a road traffic accident, and judgment had been obtained on that claim against the allegedly insured driver, without notice to his insurer.

Read more

GDPR and Driverless Cars

18th May 2018

Alex Glassbrook will be speaking about data protection and other aspects of the emerging laws of driverless cars, in his talk “Roads to Driverless”, at the Future of Transportation World Conference in Cologne, Germany, on 19 June.  Alex will also be part of an expert panel at the conference, discussing the future laws of highways.

View External Link

Driverless cars

19th April 2018

Alex Glassbrook’s most recent article on the law of driverless cars,  “Robots on Wheels”, commenting upon recent news of accidents and data harvesting, is published by chambers today.  Please see link below.

View External Link

Cyber Car Crime

7th February 2018

Alex Glassbrook’s article on Cyber Car Crime is published in the Future of Transportation Executive Briefing 2018 (at pages 5 and 78).

View External Link

Alex Glassbrook speaking at Future Transportation World Conference in June 2018

25th January 2018

Alex Glassbrook will be speaking at the Future of Transportation World Conference in Cologne, Germany, in June.

 

See Alex’s topic, “Roads to Driverless”, and the list of speakers at this link.

View External Link

Alex Glassbrook will be speaking at The Future of Transportation World Conference, in Cologne, Germany, on 6 July. 

20th March 2017

Please see link for further information : www.thefutureoftransport.com

Law of Driverless Cars

28th February 2017

Alex Glassbrook’s book, “The Law of Driverless Cars: An Introduction” is published today, in paperback and on Kindle.

This is the first book to consider the likely impact of driverless cars upon the law in Britain – not only upon the laws formed by road traffic accidents but also the changing landscape of data and privacy, roads, crime, employment, insurance and Brexit.  It explores present law, the possible laws of a fully “driverless” future and the “untidy transition” period that we are likely to experience soon.

“The Law of Driverless Cars: An Introduction” is an exploration of future law in clear, accessible language – aimed not only at specialist audiences (developers, lawyers, insurers, policymakers) but at anyone interested in this exciting field.

View External Link

Dismissal of two RTA claims heard together, 10 January 2017

13th January 2017

Alex Glassbrook, instructed at trial by Keoghs for two insurance companies, secured the dismissal of two claims made in relation to two alleged road traffic accidents, as well as costs orders against the unsuccessful claimants including orders for payments on account of the insurers’ costs of £10,000 per claimant.

Read more

Update on Driverless Vehicles

25th July 2016

Alex Glassbrook reviews the government’s recent paper on the law and insurance of self-driving vehicles, notes some changes of approach and tries to predict the future. Driverless Vehicles: Law & Insurance Update.

 

Dingemans J approves a PPO in a brain injury case with a ‘stop-start’ provision for Court of Protection costs

21st June 2016

Marcus Grant (instructed by Tom Ranson of Ashtons Legal) appeared for the Claimant. Alex Glassbrook (instructed by Gurbir Thethy of DWF LLP) appeared for the Defendant.

The claim involved a middle aged man who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in a running down accident. The Parties agreed to settle the claim on a combined lump sum and Periodical Payment Order basis with periodical payments being agreed in respect of future claims for loss of earnings, case management and care / support worker provision.

Read more

Privacy Notice

Thank you for choosing to instruct me in your case. I will need to collect and hold your personal information in order to represent you. I might also need to collect and hold personal information of third parties.

I will take all possible steps to protect personal information. I am determined to do nothing that would infringe your rights or undermine trust.

This Privacy Notice describes the information I collect, how it is used and shared, and your rights regarding it. If you have any questions about how I collect and hold your personal information as your barrister, please do not hesitate to contact me by email, at ag@tgchambers.com.

Data Controller

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a Data Controller for the personal data that I hold and process as a barrister. My registered address is Temple Garden Chambers, 1 Harcourt Buildings, Temple, London EC4Y 9DA and my registration number is Z4641039.

Data Collection

The information that I hold about you is provided to or gathered by your legal team in the course of your case. Your solicitor will tell you why we need the information and how we will use it.

The Lawful Bases for processing personal information under the GDPR

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires all organisations that process personal data to have a “Lawful Basis” for doing so. The Lawful Bases identified in the GDPR are:

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  • Performance of a contract with the data subject or to take steps to enter into a contract
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(Examples of legitimate interests include:

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Some personal data is especially sensitive, so falls into special categories of personal data which require other lawful bases for processing. Medical records are in one special category of data. The special categories are data revealing:

  • Racial or ethnic origin;
  • Political opinions;
  • Religious or philosophical beliefs;
  • Trade Union membership;
  • Data concerning health or sex life and sexual orientation;
  • Genetic data or biometric data.

My Lawful Bases for processing your personal information

My main Lawful Basis for processing your information is that the processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you (the “data subject”) are party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.

(The “contract” here is the contract for the provision of legal services to you, the data subject.)

I have another Lawful Basis for processing your information (and that of any third party – see below). That is for the legitimate interests of my business as a barrister. Among those legitimate interests, for example, are:

– The administration of my business (eg. my clerks receiving information from your solicitor in relation to the case and making sure that all the information I need, eg. about hearings, is passed on to me);

– To keep records in relation to the services I provide (just in case, for example, there is a problem with those services and I need to provide information to you, to a professional body or to my professional indemnity insurer);

– To provide training. Trainees (pupil barristers and “mini-pupils” on short placements in chambers) are made aware of the strict duties of confidentiality applicable to legal work. I will always do my utmost to ensure the confidentiality of your personal information and will share with the trainee only the minimum amount of information necessary to provide such training (and will, if I can, avoid sharing any personal information at all with the trainee). But please do tell me (by email or in writing by post) if you would prefer that your case not be used by me for training purposes and I will not use it in that way.

My lawful basis for processing any third party’s information provided to me in relation to your case is that processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which I as controller am subject, namely the obligation to provide legal services under the contract with you.

(A “third party” is another person – whether the other party in the dispute or someone else whose information is relevant, such as a witness to the event in question).

My lawful basis for processing any special categories of personal data (yours or a third party’s sensitive personal data, eg. medical records) is that the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

So I use personal information carefully:

  • To provide you with legal advice and representation;
  • To manage efficiently the work I do for you;
  • To investigate and address any concerns you might have; and
  • To train future barristers.

Automated Decision Making

I do not use automated decision-making in the processing of your personal data.

I collect and process both personal data and special categories of personal data as defined in the GDPR. This includes, for example:

Client data

  • Name;
  • Email;
  • Phone number;
  • Address;
  • Payment or bank details;
  • Date of birth;
  • Location details;
  • Device IP address;
  • Financial information;
  • Medical Records;
  • Employment Records.

I may share your personal data with:

  • Instructing solicitors
  • Opposing Counsel, for the purposes of resolving the case
  • Chambers management and staff who provide administrative services
  • Pupil or mini-pupil, under my training
  • My regulator or legal advisors in the event of a dispute or other legal matter
  • Law enforcement officials, government authorities, or other third parties, if necessary to meet our legal obligations
  • Any other party where I ask you and you consent to the sharing.

Transfers to third countries and international organisations

I do not transfer any personal data to third countries or international organisations.

I retain your personal data while you remain a client unless you ask me to delete it. My Retention and Disposal Policy (copy available on request) details how long I hold data for and how I dispose of it when it no longer needs to be held. I will delete or anonymise your information at your request unless:

  • There is an unresolved issue, such as claim or dispute;
  • I am legally required not to do so; or
  • There are overriding legitimate business interests, including but not limited to my obligations to keep records in case of future complaint or claim against me, fraud prevention and protecting customers’ safety and security.

Your Rights

The General Data Protection Regulation gives you specific rights around your personal data. For example, you have to be informed about the information I hold and what I use it for, you can ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you, you can ask us to correct any inaccuracies with the personal data I hold, you can ask us to stop sending you direct mail, or emails, or in some circumstances ask us to stop processing your details. Finally, if I do something irregular or improper with your personal data you can seek compensation for any distress you are caused or loss you have incurred. You can find out more information from the ICO’s website http://ico.org.uk/for_the_public/personal_information and this is the organisation that you can complain to if you are unhappy with how I dealt with you.

Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You may request access to, correction of, or a copy of your information by contacting me in writing, please:

  • By email, at mailto:ag@tgchambers.com or
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