Enable Law, regional law firm Foot Anstey’s newly created medical negligence practice, has snapped up a team of 11 people from rival Michelmores, which earlier this year decided to exit the clinical negligence market.
Foot Anstey, which has an office in Bristol, launched Enable Law on May 1 as a separate business entity for its existing clinical negligence team. 
The arrival of the Michelmores team reinforces its position as the largest medical negligence, personal injury and mental capacity practice in the South West with more than 80 specialists.
Foot Anstey said the decision by Michelmores, which has offices in Bristol, Exeter and London, to pull out of clinical negligence gave it the opportunity strengthen Enable Law almost immediately after its launch by taking on an established and experienced team.
The respected Legal 500 reference guide ranked the Michelmores team, which includes executive director Bernadette McGhie and legal directors Angie Maxwell and Laurence Vick – each with a strong profile in the market – in tier one for clinical negligence: claimant, alongside Foot Anstey. The new employees will be joining Foot Anstey’s offices in Exeter and Plymouth.
Head of Enable Law Rob Antrobus, pictured, said: “The growth of the team at this time represents an excellent start for Enable Law. The new team members bring a wealth of additional experience and are aligned with our strategy of supporting individuals with life altering conditions and building strong relationships with medical organisations and charities.
“This announcement also cements our position as the dominant medical negligence firm in the region and provides a platform for further growth.”
Foot Anstey has said that launching its clinical negligence practice under a separate brand would provide greater clarity between the firm’s work for businesses and individuals and allow it to “focus on the needs of the individuals affected by medical negligence, while also allowing [the firm] to focus on its core proposition of providing a client-centric service”.
