Iain O’Donnell

Child Abuse Compensation Law

Iain acts in complex, historic abuse claims of every type. He has acted and is currently acting in high profile litigation, involving the following parties:

• Rolf Harris
• Cyril Smith
• Lord Greville Janner
• Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA) (Iain is instructed by the principal survivor group in the Janner module and also in the Residential Schools module)
• Aston Villa Football Club
• Chelsea Football Club
• Leicester City Football Club
• Queens Park Rangers Football Club
• The estate of Khyra Ishaq, deceased

Multi-party litigation

Iain acts for claimant groups in complex historic abuse claims of all types. He has acted and is currently acting for the following groups:

• Shirley Oaks Survivors group
• Medomsley Detention Centre group
• Rosminian Boys group (as detailed in the BBC documentary: ‘Abused –Breaking the Silence’)
• Beechwood Children’s Home group
• Beecholme Survivors group

He has brought successful claims against local authorities, private schools, the church, the scouts, the boys brigade and other defendant organisations as well as against abusers in person. Iain has given various lectures and seminars in the many legal issues that arise in child abuse claims, and has appeared in a number of the cases that have come to define this area of the law, the most recent of which is CN & GN v Poole Borough Council in which Iain acted for the Claimants, and in which the issue of whether private law claims in negligence can be brought against local authorities for the failures of their social services departments was addressed by the Supreme Court.

Iain is recommended as a ‘Leading Junior’ for Personal Injury by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Recent editorial includes:

• “Iain O’Donnell is a barrister who is able to mix great legal acumen with good client care and commercial consideration.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “Iain has a great client manner and is always very compassionate. He is also very good at cutting through detail to know what needs to be done.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “Iain demonstrates sound judgement and fights for his clients.” Chambers & Partners 2026
• “He is a very talented negotiator and advocate.” Legal 500 2025
• “Iain is approachable and understands how to reach the best resolution with minimal emotional impact on the client. He is a strong, confident advocate and a clear expert in his field.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Iain is a real fighter. He is very tenacious, runs every point and gets good results for his clients.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Iain is a good lawyer, prepared and able to take on complex and challenging cases. He has an ability to think outside the case and to find solutions.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Iain is a strong advocate for claimants who have experienced abuse during their childhood and always offers sensitive, sensible and pragmatic advice.” Chambers & Partners 2025
• “Iain is an expert in the field of civil abuse cases and has a wide range of experience in this area including taking cases to the Supreme Court. He gives good advice, clients feel at ease with him and he has his head in the detail.” Legal 500 2025

Selected Cases

• Racine v The Anglican Parish of St George, Wyke, (2) Chichester Cathedral (3) Bishop Luffa Church of England School: Achieved a 6-figure settlement for the victim of appalling and sustained childhood sexual abuse by a Chichester-based Anglican Priest.
• IICSA: Iain is acting currently for the main groups of Core Participants in the IICSA modules examining historic child abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church and by the late Greville Janner. He is also instructed in the Child Sex Abuse in Residential Schools module, in addition to the Janner module.
• CN & GN v Poole BC[2019] UKSC 25.
• JXL & SXC v Winston Britton [2014] EWHC 2571 (QB).