Gerard is Client Strategy and Union Relations Director at Thompsons Solicitors, bringing more than 25 years’ litigation experience and a longstanding commitment to working with trade unions and their members.
In his current role, Gerard works with clients and colleagues across Thompsons to strengthen and develop the firm’s relationships with the trade union and labour movement. His focus is on ensuring the needs of clients and trade unions remain central to the firm’s strategy and the services it provides.
Gerard has been with Thompsons since his training days, working from the firm’s Sheffield, Stoke and Essex offices before moving to Congress House in 2001.
His legal background spans personal injury litigation, including serious injury, fatal accident and occupational disease cases, as well as judicial review. He previously served as the firm’s national head of personal injury strategy and continues to represent Thompsons as a director of the Claims Portal, advocating for fair and efficient procedures for people making lower-value personal injury claims.
Gerard has represented the Fire Brigades Union in the Grenfell Tower and Manchester Arena public inquiries and is the lead lawyer representing the TUC in the UK Covid-19 public inquiry. He currently represents the NUM in the long-awaited Orgreave Inquiry.
Throughout his career, Gerard has remained committed to Thompsons’ unique relationship with the trade union movement and the firm’s ethos of acting exclusively for injured and mistreated people.
Outside of work, Gerard enjoys spending time with his partner and three sons, going to the theatre, reading history and fiction, playing football and supporting Everton FC.
Gerard's case experience
- Secured victory in the case of Wembridge and others v ESFRS (2013), a claim for several injured firefighters and the widow of one fatally injured fire service worker.
- Reached an important settlement for the families of Alan Bannon and James Shears (Shears and Bannon v Hampshire FRS) after their tragic deaths at the Shirley Towers fire.
- Secured compensation in the case of Faust v LFEPA which involved the death of Billy Faust, one of two firefighters who died fighting a basement fire at a commercial/residential building.
- Won a Court of Appeal ruling in 2009 that found guidance to the Firefighters Pension Scheme, which enabled fire brigades to sack disabled and badly injured firefighters without a pension or redundancy payment, was unfair and unlawful.
- Multiple high value serious and fatal injury settlements including several for RMT members injured on the railways
Professional membership
Gerard is recognised as a senior litigator by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers.