A Sentinel might be a good choice, one with a "set it and forget it" secondary like Willpower, Super Reflexes, Ninjitsu, or Invulnerability. You could go with a melee AT but they are very positional and that could wind up being a bit too much stress on your hands (my right shoulder definitely starts to act up after playing a melee character for too long).
You could also go with a Force Field AT, like Controller, Corruptor, or MM (MMs are ok as long as you don't crank up the difficulty, and Bots + FF is a great combo for keeping the pets alive). FF is super low maintenance, a nice chunk of defense, and some good controls and debuffs now.
I would also consider taking Phase Shift as an "oh sh*t" power in case you get in over your head so you don't have to frantically start clicking and maneuvering in an attempt to survive.