Professional background
I have been a partner at Fieldfisher since 2003 and have been on the specialist AvMA panel for over a decade.
I am highly regarded for my tenacity, devoted client care and strong legal expertise. I am considered to be a top-notch litigator and a go-to lawyer for clinical negligence claims.
Particular interests include: obstetrics (cerebral palsy; kernicterus; Erb’s palsy, traumatic deliveries, pre-eclampsia cases); fetal medicine (wrongful birth); cases resulting in infertility or the need for surrogacy; paediatrics and neonatology; neurosurgery, gynaecology and cancer claims.
I am a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and sit on the Clinical Disputes Forum. I am an active charity fundraiser.
Case highlights
£23 Million Award for Child After Negligent Cardiac Surgery
Secured settlement for a child who suffered severe brain damage following a stroke caused by negligent cardiac surgery at age two.
£19m Award for Kernicterus Case
I secured damages in the case of a baby who developed neonatal jaundice which was not treated properly with a full blood exchange. This caused brain damage (kernicterus) resulting in cerebral palsy and a complex hearing disorder.
Awards & recognition
Chambers & Partners 2026
Samantha was very supportive throughout the case. I highly recommend her, she made me feel comfortable throughout.
Chambers & Partners 2026
She is eye-wateringly talented.
Chambers and Partners 2025
She is super clever and very insightful.
Legal 500 2025
Samantha Critchley is an absolute stand out. She worked on our case for 9 years and achieved an exceptional outcome that means my son will have everything he needs and be cared for for the rest of his life.
Chambers & Partners 2024
Sam is a class act. She knows her cases in and out, always goes the extra mile, and is a totally safe pair of hands even for the most complex and high-value matters.
Legal 500 2024
Samantha Critchley: outstanding preparation, meticulous work and commitment to clients.
Chambers & Partners 2023
Samantha Critchley is extremely thorough and leaves no stone unturned.
Chambers & Partners 2023
She is simply superb: all over the detail, proactive, knowledgeable, calm, relentless and, most of all, extremely empathetic. You want her on your side.
Authored pieces
Medical Negligence
Insight
'Excessive forceps traction' caused Ada Rose's death at Queen's Hospital
27.01.2026
The coroner investigating the death of Ada Rose concluded yesterday that the one-month-old baby died from injuries caused by a prolonged use of instruments and excessive forceps traction at Queen's Hospital, Romford.
Case Study
Multi-million damages for boy left brain damaged due to mismanagement of Kernicterus at West Middlesex Hospital
04.07.2023
Sam Critchley secured a settlement of around £10m for a boy who has cerebral palsy as a result of Kernicterus. Kernicterus is a type of brain injury caused by the build-up of very high levels of bilirubin in the baby's blood, which can cross the blood/brain barrier. This can happen when neonatal jaundice is not treated properly.
What others say…
Samantha was very supportive throughout the case. I highly recommend her, she made me feel comfortable throughout.
She is eye-wateringly talented.
She is super clever and very insightful.