Hanley promoted to Director of Legal Practice

Stuart Hanley has been promoted to Director of Legal Practice at Minster Law, with immediate effect. In his new role, Hanley will report directly to CEO Shirley Woolham, who praised his leadership and expertise as critical assets to the firm’s future.

Woolham emphasised that Hanley’s promotion follows the successful completion of Minster Law’s transformation program. The company is now poised for profitability and ready to seize opportunities in a market that has recently emerged from a prolonged period of reform. “We are in exceptional shape to assist insurer partners achieve great outcomes for their injured customers, and Stuart will play a pivotal role in helping them get to grips with the legislative and regulatory environment where together we operate,” she stated.

Hanley’s legal expertise will be instrumental in providing Minster Law’s partners with the insights needed to navigate the complexities of the evolving regulatory landscape. “His legal expertise will be a critical asset in giving our partners the insight they need to plan for the future, especially with further reform on the agenda and the increasing scrutiny around Consumer Duty,” Woolham added. She highlighted that Hanley will bring an additional dimension to assessing and interpreting the impact of regulatory and legislative changes, helping partners mitigate regulatory risks within the claims supply chain.

In his expanded role, Hanley will lead Minster Law’s collaboration with key industry stakeholders, including trade bodies such as ACSO and APIL, as well as the Ministry of Justice and the MIB. He will also play an increased role in engaging with the media, business partners, and other relevant parties. Woolham noted, “Minster Law strongly believes in a collaborative approach to resolving the challenges facing our Civil Justice system. Stuart’s experience and skillset make him a standout leader in this respect.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for his new position, Hanley said, “It’s an honor to be able to take up this expanded role for Minster Law. I’m tremendously proud of being a personal injury lawyer and of working for a business that is so dedicated to the work they do to help injured people and their families.”

He continued, “We really do have a privileged role, which can make a real difference in people's lives. I’m looking forward to re-establishing and demonstrating the value of legal expertise in volume claims to the market.”

Hanley believes that Minster Law’s ability to combine legal expertise with an efficient, outcome-driven claims process sets the firm apart from its competitors. “Bringing this approach to the claims industry will be a key factor in achieving our longer-term strategic aims,” he remarked.

Stuart Hanley has over 30 years of experience as a claimant personal injury and clinical negligence solicitor, handling a wide variety of claims. He has served on the SRA/Law Society Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Panels and the AvMA Clinical Negligence Panel. A member of the Minster Law team since 2012, Hanley is also an SRA-approved Training Principal who is passionate about increasing access to and diversity within the legal sector to attract the next generation of personal injury lawyers.