Gwent law firm Watkins & Gunn Solicitors has made a high-profile appointment to its award-winning team to support the continued expansion of the business.

Michael Imperato has been recruited to head up a new team focusing on public and education law.

Mr Imperato, from Cardiff, joins from NewLaw Solicitors, where he headed up the employers and public liability teams.

A former managing partner of the Cardiff office of national firm Russell Jones & Walker, now Slater Gordon, Mr Imperato is recognised as one of Wales’ leading experts in public, education and personal injury law.

He has acted in a number of ground-breaking Judicial Review cases against national and local government in Wales, including the ongoing, high-profile challenges of hospital closures. A member of the Education Lawyers Association, he has also acted for parents, teachers’ unions and children in complex special educational needs cases, admissions and exclusion matters.

A fellow of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel, Mr Imperato has particular experience and expertise in serious injury claims, accidents abroad, fatal accident claims, road traffic claims and disease and employer’s liability claims.

A sports enthusiast and father of two, Mr Imperato is also a founding trustee of brain injury charities Headway Pembrokeshire and Cerebra.

On his appointment, he said: “Watkins & Gunn has an excellent reputation in South Wales and has won a number of awards to back this up. It is a progressive firm and I was attracted to helping the firm expand its offering.

“I am passionate about working with individuals and campaign groups fighting injustices by government and public bodies, calling them to account on such matters as hospital, school and other public service closures. I felt that Watkins & Gunn gave me the perfect platform to develop this kind of work.

“I’m also looking forward to developing the firm’s work with trade unions using my experience of working on high-profile personal injury cases.”

Clive Thomas, managing partner of Watkins & Gunn, said: “We are delighted to have someone of Michael’s calibre and profile join the team. His reputation precedes him and his experience will undoubtedly benefit us as we continue to expand the business. It is a very exciting time at Watkins & Gunn, with so many new developments and opportunities, and this appointment is the latest example.

“We want to build on Michael’s experience to further strengthen our personal injury offering, particularly in accidents abroad and sports law. We are also keen to branch out into a new and important area of work with his expertise in public and administrative law and education law. We are confident Michael will play an integral role in the firm’s future success and look forward to working alongside him.”

Led by partners Clive Thomas, Sophie Hughes, Jonathan Wellington and Sarah Williams-Martin, Watkins & Gunn Solicitors is an award-winning law firm with offices in Cardiff (Llandaff), Newport and Pontypool.