Philippa Wheeler
Solicitor
Philippa is an associate solicitor in the personal injury department, specialising in product safety claims.
Philippa (pronouns: she/her) is a solicitor in the personal injury department, working on a wide range of catastrophic personal injury, product liability and consumer law cases. She represents individuals and groups, who have suffered life-changing injuries, including those who have been injured as a result of defective or unsafe products.
Philippa is ranked as an “Associate to Watch” for Claimant product liability law in Chambers and Partners UK, and is named in The Legal 500. She is an APIL Accredited Litigator and works closely with APIL in relation to developments in the law and use of AI.
Philippa also acts for families in inquest proceedings, including those who have been bereaved following the deaths of a loved one on the transport network, including the families of Brian Mitchell and the late artist, Sarah Cunningham. Philippa’s work in this area has highlighted safety concerns for vulnerable passengers using public transport.
Philippa’s expertise includes spinal injuries, burn injuries, orthopaedic injuries, serious brain injury and fatal claims. She is also a specialist in clinical trial cases, defective bike and sporting equipment cases and cases where children have been injured. Philippa was part of the team acting for the family of the late Oliver Steeper, who died following a choking event at nursery, and is part of the team acting for the family of two-year old Sadie Salt.
Philippa’s case of Tresoldi v Amazon EU Sarl is thought to be the first of its kind where an online marketplace admitted liability for a product sold on its site.
Philippa has also worked in Leigh Day’s clinical negligence department and has experience on a wide range of clinical negligence cases, including birth injury, fatal and amputation cases.
Philippa is a keen runner, cyclist, swimmer and hockey player. She has a particular interest in sporting claims and has acted in cases where injuries have arisen from defective bikes, defective bike components and unsafe sporting goods.
Committees
Philippa is the Vice-Chair of Leigh Day’s LGBTQ+ Committee.
Education
Prior to joining Leigh Day, Philippa worked in mental health law. She has an LLB in European Law (French) from the University of Warwick, an LLM in Human Rights, Justice and Conflict from SOAS, University of London (distinction), and a LPC LLM from the University of Law (distinction).
Philippa Wheeler in the news
- Philippa contributed to a Guardian piece regarding the boom in reformer pilates and the safety considerations to be made: ‘Wild west’ reformer pilates boom is causing rise in injuries, experts warn | Fitness | The Guardian
- “Remote Robot-assisted Surgery Raises Liability Questions”, The Expert Witness Journal
- “Amazon accepts liability for injuries suffered by customer” Solicitors Journal
- Developments in Fundamental Dishonesty APIL PI Focus, September 2024
- Introducing the intermediate track APIL PI Focus November 2023
Accreditations
Chambers and Partners 2026
News and blogs
Coroner warns Transport Secretary and London Mayor automatic tube trains could cause more deaths
Two years after a man died when he was hit by four London Underground trains, a coroner has urged the Transport Secretary and London’s Mayor to take action to prevent further deaths.
Coroner to warn Transport for London further lives could be at risk following man’s death at Stratford tube station
A coroner has said he will issue a prevention of future deaths (PFD) report to Transport for London following the death of 72-year-old Brian Mitchell, who died at Stratford London Underground station on Boxing Day 2023.
Google Pixel models and Fitbit watches safety report over fire risk
Product safety reports have been issued today by the UK government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) over some Google Pixel smartphones and Fitbit smartwatches due to concerns they could cause fires.