Ipek leads Bolt Burdon Kemp’s Adult Brain Injury team, bringing over 15 years’ experience in representing individuals who have suffered life-changing brain injuries due to negligence. Described by The Guardian as “a leading brain injury lawyer”, she is recognised for her unwavering tenacity to securing the best results, her specialist expertise and commended by clients for her warmth and approachability.
Having been educated in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Italy, Ipek obtained her undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Liverpool and Nottingham, respectively. She began her legal career in London in 2008, before joining the firm in 2012.
The Legal 500 (2023) describes Ipek as “a determined and dogged litigator with a growing reputation [who] manages to bring a smile to even the toughest of negotiations”. She adopts a proactive approach to litigation, whilst providing her clients with practical guidance and support throughout the lifetime of a case. The Legal 500 (2024) identifies her as a “key lawyer” whilst noting her achievements in representing clients who have suffered serious brain injuries.
Ipek has successfully represented both adults and children in complex, high-value claims against insurers and healthcare providers. She has also supported families through criminal investigations and Coroner investigations and inquest hearings, where negligence has led to a fatality.
Her expertise spans a wide range of brain injury and catastrophic polytrauma cases, most notably from:
- road traffic accidents
- workplace injuries, particularly falls from height
- strokes caused by negligent medical care
- hypoxic brain injuries resulting from medical mismanagement.
With a diverse international background, Ipek is regularly instructed by global clients, seamlessly navigating language and cultural differences to ensure access to justice. She has investigated cases involving complex cross-jurisdictional matters, setting up care and treatment plans for clients who live overseas. She speaks fluent Turkish and conversational French.
Ipek has secured multi-million-pound settlements for her clients, assuring them of the financial security, rehabilitation, accommodation and long-term care they need. Notable cases include:
- A settlement exceeding £7.5 million for a young woman who suffered a devastating brain injury as a passenger in a car accident. Prior to settlement, a dispute was resolved in respect of the impact that wearing a seatbelt would have had on our client’s injuries. The compensation provides a lifelong care team whose focus is to provide our client with an independent life, input from a vocational therapist to support our client in returning to work and specialist equipment.
- A multi-million-pound settlement for a young woman who suffered polytrauma, including a traumatic brain injury and orthopaedic injuries, in a road traffic accident. The compensation funded extensive long-term physical and psychological treatment, a private care team and adaptations to her home.
- A seven-figure settlement for an adult, who lacked capacity and was no longer able to live independently after suffering a cardiac arrest and catastrophic hypoxic brain injury due to negligent blood loss management. The settlement ensures a lifelong package of care and treatment, overseen by a case manager who will continue to work with our client for many years. Compensation has enabled financial safeguarding to protect this client’s future, given he will likely never be in paid employment.
- A case where a hospital’s negligent withdrawal of anti-coagulants led to multiple strokes causing severe physical and cognitive impairments. Ipek was able to secure an early, large interim payment of damages which allowed the client’s home to be entirely adapted to meet her needs, including the installation of specialist equipment and assistive technology. Ipek worked closely with the family and independent accommodation expert to safeguard the essential elements that made the client’s house her cherished family home; while ensuring it was perfectly modified to meet her needs.
Ipek negotiates to secure compensation as swiftly as possible, ensuring clients receive support from the outset. She works closely with charities, independent financial advisers, rehabilitation specialists and case managers to provide tailored assistance both during and after the legal process. She is passionate about working with her clients to help them build the life they want for their future. This has included helping her clients retrain and return to work, pursue new hobbies and start a family.
A true brain injury campaigner, Ipek has been an avid supporter of Headway East London for the past decade, mentoring brain injury survivors, attending fundraising events and offering pro-bono legal advice to support groups. She also volunteers with the Royal London Hospital’s ‘Better Together’ project offering support and guidance to brain injury patients at the start of their recovery journey.
She is a vocal advocate for improving brain injury protocols in sports, particularly football, and is widely published in both mainstream media and legal industry journals through articles, radio and podcast interviews.
Media Contributions
Rugby urged to improve safety quickly to reduce risk of more lawsuits – The Guardian
Football urged to introduce neutral doctors and warned over ‘dangerous’ concussion protocol – The Telegraph
Delay on introduction of concussion substitutes could leave football’s governing bodies open to legal action – The Telegraph
Lawyer: Sport faces legal crisis unless it adapts to preventing brain injury – Belfast Telegraph
Returning to work after a brain injury – People Management
Coronavirus – catastrophic for brain injured – All Together Now
Brain injury in athletes – scoring legal own goals – The Law Society Gazette
Dementia in sports: an ongoing headache – Solicitors Journal
Legal View: Brain injury findings could be landmark in battle to win compensation for stricken ex-players – The Telegraph
Head strikes in cricket – Cricketworld
Roy Keane’s concussion comments point to a man and a sport still out of touch with the times – The Independent
Professional memberships
- Headway East London – mentor and volunteer
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) – Senior Litigator
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) – Clinical Negligence Specialist
- Acquired Brain Injury London member (ABIL)
- UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF)
