Helen is a highly experienced senior serious injury solicitor based in Thompsons Solicitors Leeds office, supervising the Yorkshire and Humberside serious injury team.

Helen specialises in high-value and complex cases involving brain injury, spinal injury, multiple fractures, serious burns, and amputations that are life-changing and catastrophic. 

With 19 years’ experience, Helen understands the importance of rehabilitation and therapy to help her clients rebuild their lives after serious injury trauma. Helen will ensure that her clients are provided with therapeutic support, appropriate adaptations, equipment and prosthetics, funded by interim payments. 

Helen’s focus is on getting the right individually-tailored care and rehabilitation package and to create a meaningful plan for her clients’ long-term needs. With access to the best medical advice and evidence, Helen’s clients know that they are in good hands.

Helen is sensitive and empathetic, working for both adults and children, seriously injured through accidents at work or on the road. With a reputation as a determined litigator who wants justice for her clients, who pursues cases to gain the maximum amount of compensation in the shortest possible time, Helen has secured millions of pounds for her clients. 

Helen shares Thompsons’ ethos and has only ever acted for those who are injured, rather than those who have been responsible for the injuries. She is proud to work for a firm that will fight the challenging cases and issues that other solicitor firms won’t.

 

Helen’s case experience

  • Secured £3.9 million for a motorcyclist who suffered life-threatening injuries when he was involved in a collision with a car, resulting in a non-functioning right arm and significant cognitive and behavioural problems due to a severe brain injury. 
  • Secured a settlement of £1.1m for a carer who was run over and suffered a life-changing serious brain injury. 
  • Secured a multi-million pound settlement for a pedestrian who was run over by a speeding car whilst walking their dog, leaving them seriously disabled with significant leg injuries and a severe traumatic brain injury. 
  • Secured a six-figure sum for a client who had to have his arm amputated as a result of an accident at work. 
  • Secured a six-figure award for a refuse collector who could no longer work after having had his leg amputated, following extensive injuries from an accident at work. 
  • Represented an education worker who, following an accident at work, sustained long-term injuries that meant she could no longer work, recovering substantial compensation.

 

Professional membership

Helen is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and the brain injury charity Headway.

 

Testimonials

Many thanks Helen. Thank you for all the help and support you gave to me throughout It’s something me and my family will never forget.

Helen's former client

Thank you for all your support yesterday and for the last four and a half years. I know I said yesterday, but you’ve made a very difficult time of my life a lot easier. I remember back at the start of all this, I had no idea who to turn to and I spoke to a few solicitors. As soon as I spoke to you my gut instinct was you were the right person. I’m so glad I did. I know I don’t know the half of what you’ve done behind the scenes but I really appreciate everything. I’ve woke up this morning feeling a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and it’s over. I’m still struggling to comprehend the money, but that’s going to take time. I couldn’t have asked for a better solicitor and a better person to have on my side.

Helen's former client

Helen Shakespeare, senior serious injury solicitor at the Leeds office, brings a wealth of expertise to her role, with several 7-figure settlements to her name. Her down-to-earth and good-humoured relationship with clients enables her to coax even the most reluctant to engage with rehabilitation, enabling them to see the enormous possibilities of life beyond a catastrophic injury. Calm and composed under pressure, her determination to succeed unfailingly leads to outstanding results, despite the most unpromising odds. She recently secured a full admission of liability for a child who suffered a severe brain injury when he ran in front of a bus over 20 years ago.

David Knifton, of Queen's Counsel

Helen Shakespeare is absolutely top notch. Very experienced and will fight relentlessly for the client.

Legal 500, 2020

Helen Shakespeare is outstanding. She has a sound legal knowledge and excellent client-handling skills, but above all her instincts are always right. She has the innate ability to sense when to settle and when to fight on.

Legal 500, 2019