Emma Holt

Emma is the Managing Partner of Pannone. Her responsibilities include leading and implementing the firm’s vision and strategy and overall management of the business. 

Emma sits on the Management Board and Nominations & Remuneration Board.

In January 2011 Emma was recognised in the prestigious Management section of The Lawyer ‘Hot 100’ for her inclusive, thought-leading and progressive management style following a number of initiatives that she has implemented in her first few months as Managing Partner.

In March 2011 Emma was awarded Partner of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards.

Before assuming the role of Managing Partner, Emma was Head of Clinical Negligence at Pannone, having become a partner in 1998.

Throughout her career Emma’s work has involved representing people in clinical negligence compensation claims. Her workload was varied and included a substantial number of cases of maximum severity, including cerebral palsy and birth injuries.

Emma has acted in a number of cases in relation to medical treatment, advising clients on life and death decisions and in cases involving alleged breaches of human rights, both in this jurisdiction and in Strasbourg.  She is known for her desire to push the medico legal boundaries in the quest for justice for her clients. Emma has lectured regularly on medical ethical issues and other matters relating to her legal practice. 

Best career moment: My best career moments have been winning cases, achieving justice and accountability for my clients.  Probably the best of these was when I secured recognition of a wrong done to a client before the European Court of Human Rights. This followed a long and unsuccessful battle through the UK courts.  I know just how much this meant to my client and was proud to achieve this for him.  

On a personal note being appointed Managing Partner of Pannone and trusted by my partners here to manage our wonderful firm has been a high point for me.

Emma is a recognised Leader in the Field in the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide, where she is described as “ ‘experienced and reasonable’… with particular expertise in cerebral palsy and birth injury, she is also well regarded for her work on cases with a human rights element …‘she handles difficult cases in a calm and measured way’ ”. 

Emma is a member of the Law Society Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel, a member of the AvMA Solicitors Referral Panel, a Senior Litigator of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), and a member of the Association of Disciplinary and Regulatory Lawyers (ARDL).

Notable cases include:

• Re T (A Minor) (Wardship: Medical Treatment) [1997]
• JD & others v East Berks Community NHS Trust & others [2005] 
• Rabone v  Pennine Care NHS Trust [2010] 
• Many multi-million pound compensation settlements for clients injured in various circumstances.