Kim Harrison

Get to know Kim

I have over 20 years’ experience in personal injury law, having qualified as a solicitor in 2005.

Although my background lies within all types of personal injury cases, I have for many years specialised in two areas: representing victims and survivors of abuse and assault, both recent and non-recent, adults and children, and also acting in public inquiries. Some of my cases can also involve complex human rights issues and I am also a human rights specialist as well as acting for families at inquests and associated Human Rights Act claims. My specialist Public Inquiry work includes representing clients at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), the Manchester Arena Bombing Inquiry, and the Covid 19 Public Inquiry.

My civil work involves representing victims and survivors of abuse against organisations such as the Catholic and Anglican Church, Scouts, schools, hospitals, sporting organisations and clubs, taxi firms, the Ministry of Defence and social services. This includes the highly complex and specialist ‘failure to protect’ claims acting for clients against the local authority arising out of potential negligence and human rights breaches. I acted for large numbers of victims and survivors of the Manchester Arena Bombing in their civil claims against multiple organisations which led to a multi-million pound mediation settlement. Manchester Arena attack: Law firms secure civil claims settlement for bereaved families and survivors | Law Gazette

I have represented many clients in the Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), advocating for reforms to the law to assist victims and survivors including:

• Nottinghamshire Children’s Homes Investigation
• Westminster Investigation
• Residential Schools Investigation
• Janner Investigation
• Lambeth Investigation
• Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks Investigation
• Religious Organisations Investigation

I was APIL’s legal representative in the Accountability and Reparations Phase Two Investigation.

Career highlights

IICSA has been a particular career highlight as I have had the privilege of representing and advocating for a changes in the law to assist victims and survivors of abuse, including the change to the law on limitation, which has now been passed through Parliament and is in force, meaning there is no longer a time bar to bringing such claims.

It was one of the greatest privileges of my career to represent the victims, their families and survivors of the Manchester Arena Bombing atrocity both within the public inquiry and associated civil claims.

I have been successful in a groundbreaking case against the MOD where a client recovered damages for breach of his human rights following a serious sexual assault by Libyan trainee soldiers who were at MOD barracks training and escaped seriously sexually assaulting a number of victims.

I have represented a large number of football abuse survivors in civil cases against a number of football clubs including Crew Alexandra FC, Stoke City FC and through the MCFC survivors redress scheme. This includes representing victims of the football coach, Barry Bennell.

I represented a family in an Article 2 Inquest arising out of the brutal murder of their father by a man released on life licence. The Inquest discussed the role of the parole board in the supervision and monitoring of the offender prior to the death and attracted significant media interest.

Recognition

I’m accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) as a Senior Litigator, and have served on the APIL Executive Committee, including as Vice-President, President, Immediate Past President, and Secretary.

I’ve also been recognised in the independent legal guide, the Legal 500 for the past several years. In the most recent addition I was recognised as a 'Leading Partner' by the publication.

Previous editions have stated: “Kim Harrison is incredibly committed to her clients and fights tirelessly in their corner” and “Kim Harrison is a national leader in claims against public authorities. She is hugely compassionate and enables clients to feel at ease.”

The 2027 edition of the independent guide, Chambers and Partners has ranked me as a band 2 lawyer in both Personal Injury: Mainly Claimant and Public Inquiries – UK Wide and states: "Kim fights for clients in difficult circumstances”, “Kim knows the procedure inside out. She is a tough and astute solicitor” and “She fights hard for her clients even in difficult circumstances. Her tenacity and willingness to put her shoulder to the wheel is amazing really.”

I was also honoured to have won the Claimant Lawyer of the Year at the Personal Injury Awards 2021 and also alongside other members of the Manchester Arena Group Action Steering Committee PI Team of the Year at the 2026 awards.

The extra mile

As an expert on abuse law, human rights and inquiry and inquest work, I'm frequently asked to speak on legal issues and has given many interviews to the local and national media. I’ve appeared on BBC Breakfast, Channel 4, The Daily Politics Show, Radio 4, and Newsnight, and a number of my cases have also appeared in the local and national press.