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Inquests And Inquiries

1 Crown Office Row

5 Essex Chambers

Doughty Street Chambers

Serjeants' Inn Chambers

Garden Court Chambers

Matrix Chambers

Temple Garden Chambers

Three Raymond Buildings

2 Hare Court

39 Essex Chambers

Crown Office Chambers

Henderson Chambers

QEB Hollis Whiteman

Leading Silks

Brian Altman KC – 2 Bedford Row ‘Brian is an excellent advocate. He works incredibly hard, has the ability to understand complex information very quickly and has a analytical and forensic mind.'

Fiona Barton KC – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Fiona fights for her clients with great vigour.’

Jason Beer KC – 5 Essex Chambers

John Beggs KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers

Hugh Davies OBE KC – Three Raymond Buildings 'A devilishly good cross-examiner and a true fighter who puts fear into his opponents.'

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Caoilfhionn is a powerhouse. She is incredibly intelligent, strategic and committed.'

Patrick Gibbs KC – Three Raymond Buildings

Jonathan Hough KC – 4 New Square 'You want Jon on your side. He is a breathtaking advocate: incisive and compelling.'

Samantha Leek KC –5 Essex Chambers ‘Samantha's forensic attention to detail is superb, and her experience in the public inquiry sector is immense.'

Cathryn McGahey KC – Temple Garden Chambers

Keith Morton KC – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Keith is very responsive, clear, easy to work with, has immense knowledge, keeps clients calm and focused and really understands the commercial and political sensitivities in which we work.'

Andrew O’Connor KC – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Andrew is the best tactician out there. He can work through all the permutations of a problem and ensure that the client is given concise, well reasoned advice.'

Peter Skelton KC – 1 Crown Office Row 'Peter is a first rate draftsman with a real flair for capturing complicated questions in clear and easily-understood prose.'

Leslie Thomas KC – Garden Court Chambers

Kate Blackwell KC – 2 Hare Court 'A wonderful, responsive advocate.'

Gerard Boyle KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'A very thorough and robust advocate.'

Bridget Dolan KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Bridget is a tour de force in the coroner world. She is the go-to guru for advice on difficult coronial issues and simply the best as counsel to the inquest.’

Danny Friedman KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Danny is a superb inquiry silk: forensically smart; a passionate advocate; and thoroughly charming.’

Jonathan Glasson KC – Matrix Chambers 'Jonathan is an excellent leader. He is very strategic and garners confidence from clients with ease.'

Nicholas Griffin KC – QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Incisiveness combined with empathy, experience and sensitivity to court dynamics make him an exceptional choice for any inquest or public inquiry.'

Richard Horwell KC –Three Raymond Buildings 'Richard is a phenomenal barrister. A very powerful advocate and a force of nature in the hearing room.'

Phillippa Kaufmann KC – Matrix Chambers

Hugo Keith KC –Three Raymond Buildings ‘Hugo is highly intelligent and hard working. An exceptional choice for difficult and high profile inquests and inquiries.'

Jonathan Laidlaw KC – 2 Hare Court

Prashant Popat KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Without doubt the absolute premier inquests and inquiries barrister. Thorough, forensic, amazing presentation of complicated issues with unrivalled expertise in picking experts to pieces.’

Neil Sheldon KC – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Neil is brilliant. He is calm and focused in what can be very distressing and difficult circumstances.'

Stephen Walsh KC –Three Raymond Buildings ‘A much respected senior practitioner. Stephen is calm, sensible, intelligent and a highly effective lawyer.'

Dominic Adamson KC – Temple Garden Chambers 'Dominic is an absolute delight to work with. His strategic instincts are second to none.'

Simon Antrobus KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘Simon has a phenomenal capacity and an ability to assimilate a vast amount of evidence which us mere mortals can only dream about.'

David Barr KC –Temple Garden Chambers

Clodagh Bradley KC – 1 Crown Office Row ‘A superb advocate, Clodagh is articulate and so empathic to families: they feel she is fighting their corner.'

Matthew Butt KC – Three Raymond Buildings

Brenda Campbell KC – Garden Court Chambers

Oliver Campbell KC – Henderson Chambers ‘Unbelievably able, knowledgeable advocate and carries enormous gravitas and respect in court and with clients.’

Sarah Clarke KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Sarah is forthright, determined, well prepared, articulate and strong on the law. She is a persuasive advocate.'

John Cooper KC – 25 Bedford Row ‘A gifted advocate who brings complete commitment to every case he does.’

Clair Dobbin KC – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Incredibly hard working, Clair is a master of the detail. Her calm court room manner belies an huge amount of industry.’

Katharine Gollop KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘A great mind with an ability to consider, decipher and retain details of evidence that others may overlook. Katie’s wealth of experience in health matters is second to none.'

Kate Grange KC – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Kate has a skillful mastery of a wide range of complex technical issues across multiple expert disciplines, and her excellent command of a plethora of technical detail.'

Eleanor Grey KC – 39 Essex Chambers 'Eleanor is phenomenal in the healthcare field and is a go-to silk for both inquiries and judicial review in that area.'

Dominic Kay KC – Crown Office Chambers 'Dominic is exceptional in every way - he is an expert advocate, produces high quality written work and has an unrivalled attention to detail.'

Nageena Khalique KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Nageena is sharp, tactical, witty and very easy to work with, combining intelligence, steeliness and warmth.'

Andrew Kinnier KC – Henderson Chambers ‘An extremely bright lawyer with excellent judgement.'

Sarah Lambert KC – 1 Crown Office Row 'Sarah is incredibly approachable, and has an excellent way about her with clients, experts and clinicians. She is very knowledgeable and you feel that you are in safe hands when you instruct her.'

Tom Little KC - Deka Chambers 'A superb advocate with a commanding presence and fantastic attention to detail.'

Richard Matthews KC – One Mayfair Place 'Richard is exceptionally bright, shrewd and focused on the right outcome for the client.'

James Maxwell-Scott KC – Crown Office Chambers ‘A calm and understated advocate with great judgement.’

Allison Munroe KC – Garden Court Chambers

Alan Payne KC – 39 Essex Chambers

Debra Powell KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'Debra has an eye for detail and identifies the key issues facing the client quickly. Her calm and reassuring manner is effective when supporting witnesses. '

Shaheen Rahman KC –1 Crown Office Row 'Shaheen is a brilliant advocate and excellent on her feet. She has a real skill for making sure the family feel like they have a voice.'

Michael Rawlinson KC –12 King’s Bench Walk

Jenni Richards KC – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Jenni is a strong and calming presence in any case. She is very bright and extremely well prepared, and tenacious in her representation of her client.'

Oliver Sanders KC –1 Crown Office Row

Malcolm Sheehan KC –Henderson Chambers ‘Malcolm is a very impressive barrister and an all-rounder – he is extremely personable and responsive and his advocacy and strategic thinking are strong.’

Stephen Simblet KC –Garden Court Chambers

Hugh Southey KC – Matrix Chambers

Anne Studd KC –5 Essex Chambers 'Hugely intelligent and calm under pressure.'

David Travers KC – Gough Square Chambers ‘David's a masterful tactician and an outstanding advocate.'

Claire Watson KC –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Claire is renowned for her unparalleled expertise in navigating the intricacies of coroner’s inquests with meticulous attention to detail and technical precision.’

Anne Whyte KC – QEB Hollis Whiteman

Dijen Basu KC – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers

Jude Bunting KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Jude is exceptional because he has the courage to take on the fights that others wouldn't. He is collaborative, extremely clever, a brilliant drafter and warm and kind with clients.'

Jamie Burton KC - Doughty Street Chambers 'Jamie is clear, considered and was a pleasure to work with on a very technical and complex case.'

Gerard Forlin KC – Cornerstone Barristers ‘A robust and confident advocate.’

Tim Green KC –Henderson Chambers ‘Tim's experience and technical knowledge enable him to stay abreast of detailed evidence and provide strategic, yet sensible advice to clients.'

Jeremy Hyam KC - 1 Crown Office Row

Laura Johnson KC - Deka Chambers 'Laura is an incredibly skilled advocate who reads the room well.'

Susannah Johnson KC - 7BR 'Susannah is a poised and impressive advocate, and an excellent lawyer.'

Tom Kark KC – QEB Hollis Whiteman 'Tom is exceptionally diligent in his approach to every case. He is analytical and has real flair as an advocate - calm, measured and yet incisive.'

Rachel Langdale KC – 7BR ‘Rachel is a fantastic strategic thinker, a clear and concise drafter and someone who works astonishingly hard.’

Richard Lissack KC - Fountain Court Chambers

Rajiv Menon KC – Garden Court Chambers

Tim Moloney KC - Doughty Street Chambers 'Tim is an exceptional advocate. He knows exactly which points to take and he makes them persuasively, to great effect.'

Nicholas Moss KC – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Outstanding and scrupulous attention to detail – a master of his brief.'

Rory Phillips KC – 3 Verulam Buildings

Selva Ramasamy KC – QEB Hollis Whiteman

Toby Riley-Smith KC –Henderson Chambers

Fiona Scolding KC- Landmark Chambers 'Fiona is a first class silk. She has an unparalleled ability to assimilate huge volumes of material.'

Maya Sikand KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Maya is a formidable advocate and exactly the kind of person you want fighting in your corner. She is incredibly dedicated to her clients and goes above and beyond to achieve justice.'

Steven Snowden KC – 12 King’s Bench Walk ‘Steven displays consummate ability as a Silk, particularly as an advocate.'

James Strachan KC – 39 Essex Chambers ‘James has that rare combination of a huge brain and spot-on judgement. He gets straight to the heart of the issue.’

Adam Straw KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Adam is a very astute and persuasive advocate. Never afraid of a novel argument.'

Katy Thorne KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Katy has formidable medico-legal knowledge and has the ability to explain the most complicated of legal concepts and complex evidence in simple terms. '

Geraint Webb KC - Henderson Chambers 'He is extremely intelligent, has the ability to cut straight to the issues even in complex technical claims, and is well-liked by clients.'

Aswini Weereratne KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Aswini is a persuasive and impactful advocate, and an excellent lawyer.'

Richard Whittam KC - Matrix Chambers

2023 Silks

Nick Armstrong KC – Matrix Chambers 'Nick is an exceptional advocate - calm and considered while also fearlessly advocating on behalf of families.'

Richard Baker KC – 7BR ‘Richard is an unparalleled advocate'

Niazi Fetto KC – 2 Temple Gardens

Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC – Matrix Chambers

Fiona Murphy KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘A very effective advocate for her client’s interests: forensically smart and a class act.’

Philip Rule KC – No5 Barristers’ Chambers

Francesca Whitelaw KC – 5 Essex Chambers 'Francesca is an astute tactician and calm and persuasive in court.'

2024 Silks

Dermot Keating KC – 25 Bedford Row ‘Dermot is always meticulous in his preparation. He is a careful and considered advocate.’

David Manknell KC – 1 Crown Office Row 'David has extremely good attention to detail and has a calming presence with clients.'

Saba Naqshbandi KC – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Saba's intelligence is immediately recognisable and it demands a respect and captures attention.'

Richard O’Brien KC – 4 New Square ‘A perfect fit for sensitive knotty cases. He is a strategic thinker with excellent instincts about the potential consequences of alternative routes.'

Leading Juniors

Nick Brown – Doughty Street Chambers

Alison Hewitt – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Alison is a respected leader in this field. She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and is a clam and authoritative presence on her feet.'

Matthew Hill – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Matthew is simply the strongest inquest and inquiries junior in the market. Fair-minded and trusted.‘

Jesse Nicholls – Matrix Chambers ‘Jesse is exceptional and one of, if not the, most senior juniors in inquests and inquiries work. He is incredibly clever, has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and takes a strategic and creative approach to cases.'

Edward Pleeth –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Edward is absolutely exceptional. He is seriously bright and works very hard, but is always practical and focused on delivery of what clients need and want.'

Emma Price – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Emma is widely admired as an extremely hard worker who gets on top of a mass of materials in heavy cases. She really goes the extra mile.'

Tom Stoate – Doughty Street Chambers ‘A very experienced, totally reliable and very accomplished inquest and inquiry specialist counsel who works collaboratively and strategically on all his cases. One of the top in his field.'

Georgina Wolfe –5 Essex Chambers 'Georgina is without question a superstar. She combines huge intelligence, amazing attention to detail, strategic insight and wonderful client care.'

Briony Ballard – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Briony is the best inquest junior counsel - she is hands on and practical but also very able in court, and wins the confidence of coroners.'

James Berry – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘One of the best juniors. Very clever, great strategic brain, and a calm and authoritative style in court.'

Fiona Canby –Temple Garden Chambers

Jonathan Dixey – 5 Essex Chambers 'Calm and commands the respect of the court.'

Sarah Le Fevre –Three Raymond Buildings ‘Sarah's legal knowledge is exceptional, she has significant insight and her strengths are her strong advocacy and her down to earth style with clients.'

Alison Gerry – Doughty Street Chambers 'Alison is an excellent advocate: very clear, articulate, is skilled at putting forward the client's case robustly whilst carefully managing relationships in the court room.'

Alasdair Henderson –1 Crown Office Row ‘Alastair has great attention to detail. He is calm in his approach and measured in his advice.'

Harriet Jerram – Outer Temple Chambers 'Harriet's lines of questioning are clever and succinct, she has emotional intelligence and the ability to get to the crux of the matter.'

Nikita McNeill – 2 Hare Court

Angela Patrick – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Angela is an effective, precise advocate. Her analysis of complex issues is excellent.'

Paul Spencer –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Paul is very approachable, flexible and hard working. He has an easy going manner which endears him to clients and witnesses.'

Alexandra Tampakopoulos – 2 Hare Court

Cecily White –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers

Colin Banham – No5 Barristers’ Chambers ‘Colin Banham is superb counsel.'

Julian Blake – 11KBW

Nicholas Chapman – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Nick is a dedicated advocate who is skilled at navigating the complexities of a large government department.'

William Chapman – 7BR ‘William is a distinguished legal practitioner known for his expertise in handling complex inquest matters.'

Raj Desai – Matrix Chambers ‘Hugely bright with an excellent analytical mind and great attention to detail.'

Emma Favata – Garden Court Chambers

Craig Ferguson –2 Hare Court

Malcolm Galloway –Crown Office Chambers ‘The crème de la crème and a first port of call for any inquest instruction.’

Cicely Hayward –5 Essex Chambers ‘Cicely combines tact and charm with a steeliness and excellent forensic judgment.'

Matthew Holdcroft – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'Matthew is a well prepared, analytical and confident advocate with a clear grasp of the law.'

Linda Jacobs –Cloisters 'Linda has meticulous attention to detail and is an excellent advocate at Inquests.'

Samantha Jones – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Very hard working and a sharp mind for detail of the evidence.'

Ruth Kennedy – 11KBW ‘Ruth's advocacy is poised, polished, and when needed, extremely punchy.'

Thalia Maragh – Garden Court Chambers

Scott Matthewson – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Scott is more than anything a polished and effective advocate. Persistently persuasive without being over-forceful.'

Paul Mertens – Pump Court Chambers ‘'Real depth of knowledge in public inquiry work and a shrewd tactical sense.'

Una Morris – Garden Court Chambers 'An exceptional advocate, always prepared with the full picture and minutiae of a case capable at getting right to the heart of any issue with startling accuracy. '

Aaron Moss – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Aaron is supremely efficient and hardworking. He is incredibly thorough in his analysis, his preparation is faultless, and you know he leaves no stone unturned.'

Sebastian Naughton –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Seb is clearly an experienced barrister and impressively manages to balance being a confident, clear and assertive advocate, whilst simultaneously a genuine, likeable person.'

Ifeanyi Odogwu – Matrix Chambers ‘Ife is a top junior for high profile and complex inquests and inquiries. He is a team player and just a pleasure to work with.'

Claire Palmer – 5 Essex Chambers 'Claire is a robust and respected advocate. She effectively challenges the status quo and achieves positions which are favourable for her clients.'

Edward Ramsay – 12 King’s Bench Walk ‘Edward is a very capable lawyer, and his written and oral advocacy are of a high standard.’

Aaron Rathmell – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'He is able to provide clear, succinct advise and ensures that the client's interests are protected at all times.'

Bilal Rawat –5 Essex Chambers 'He is smooth on his feet and his wide experience makes him an effective advocate.'

James Robottom – Matrix Chambers ‘James is certainly among the best inquest juniors representing bereaved families at the Bar today. He knows the law inside out and presents arguments beautifully.’

Patrick Sadd –Outer Temple Chambers ‘Particularly sympathetic and an effective operator in the Inquiry sphere.'

Katie Sage – Crown Office Chambers ‘Katie is an extremely thorough and safe pair of hands with an excellent eye for the details.'

Sarah Simcock –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers 'Sarah is a highly intelligent, astute and experienced inquiry junior. '

Rajeev Thacker – Garden Court Chambers

Adam Walker –7BR ‘Adam consistently demonstrates exceptional expertise and dedication in his complex inquest practice.'

Michael Walsh –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Michael is an incredibly experienced and skilled barrister.'

Oliver Williamson –Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Oliver is always well prepared, focused and diligent.'

Leanne Woods –1 Crown Office Row ‘Leanne's ability to provide clear incisive advice in complex cases is invaluable. She is trusted by both the clients and the court to navigate through difficult circumstances.'

Victoria Ailes – 6KBW College Hill

Mike Atkins –Crown Office Chambers ‘Mike's attention to detail is second to none. He meticulously prepares for every case and is a calm and confident advocate.'

Katie Ayres – Crown Office Chambers ‘Katie gets to grips with the issues of a case right from the outset, provides sound legal advice and is very supportive and approachable.’

Rory Badenoch –1 Crown Office Row ‘Rory doesn't miss a single detail, every stone will be uncovered and he will do all that he can to get the best result for the client'

Kevin Baumber – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Kevin brings his criminal nous to the coroners court - sensible and practical.'

Anna Bicarregui – 39 Essex Chambers ‘A very measured and thoughtful junior, who is a good team player and delightful to work with.’

Barnabas Branston – 5 Essex Chambers

Clare Brown – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Clare keeps a cool head and is a great strategic thinker. She is someone you want on your team.’

Paul Kingsley Clark – Garden Court Chambers

Nikolas Clarke –Field Court Chambers ‘Nik is calm and explains complex legal issues clearly.'

Robert Cohen – 5 Essex Chambers

Beatrice Collier – 5 Essex Chambers 'As an advocate, Beatrice is fair and affable, yet robust where needed, and never displaying anything less than a razor-sharp intellect.'

Emma Collins – Three Raymond Buildings

Caroline Cross –1 Crown Office Row

Anita Davies –Matrix Chambers ‘Great judgement. Combines rigour and calmness in the face of pressure.'

Philip Dayle – No5 Barristers’ Chambers ‘Philip's commitment to the cases and clients is unwavering and he always offers a valuable ear and input to strategic discussions'

Jim Duffy – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Jim is a first choice of barrister in relation to inquest work. His advocacy is clear and persuasive, and he has a sensitive approach with clients.’

Richard Furniss – 42BR Barristers

Charlotte Godber– QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘Charlotte is brimming with insights into the practice and procedure of inquests and inquiries, confident in front of a jury and a determined and refined advocate.'

Steven Gray - 7BR 'Steven is a delight to work with. Friendly, engaging, super bright. Able to distil complex issues quickly to identify the key points.'

Kirsten Heaven – Garden Court Chambers

Sarah Hemingway – Garden Court Chambers

Reka Hollos – Three Raymond Buildings

Kathryn Howarth – Temple Garden Chambers

Saara Idelbi – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Saara is a calm, unflappable advocate. She has a well-judged manner in the most sensitive of cases and is always meticulously prepared.’

Zeenat Islam – Temple Garden Chambers

Sam Jacobs – Doughty Street Chambers

Alex Jamieson – 25 Bedford Row ‘Alex is a remarkable lawyer who shows a mixture of legal know how and client care and compassion together with a practical attitude to getting on with the job at hand.'

Susan Jones –Temple Garden Chambers ‘Susan's dedication to her work is second to none. She has remarkable attention to detail and goes above and beyond in her case preparation.'

Bo-Eun Jung – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Bo is bright, engaging, very able and a dream to work with. She is on the ball with the detail of a task almost instantaneously.'

Nicola Kohn – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Nicola is a strong advocate who reads her tribunal well. She is always on to top of her brief and robust advances the interests of her clients.’

Oliver Lewis – Doughty Street Chambers 'Oliver is incredibly knowledgeable, his healthcare expertise is second to none and his passion for human rights is absolute. '

Paul Livingston –Outer Temple Chambers ‘Highly cerebral advocate. Fearless and robust in oral advocacy.'

Kate Lumbers –7BR ‘Kate's meticulous approach and comprehensive understanding of the law ensure that clients receive representation of the highest calibre.'

Priya Malhotra – 25 Bedford Row ‘Hardworking and a great team-player, with an enviable ability to organise huge amounts of complex evidence.'

Amy Mannion – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Amy is a Silk in all but name. She is meticulously prepared and a font of knowledge. An outstanding barrister.'

Rachel Marcus –1 Crown Office Row

Piers Marquis - Doughty Street Chambers 'His attention to detail and sheer hard work in delving in to the most minute material make him a formidable advocate.'

Isabel McArdle –1 Crown Office Row 'Isabel is a pleasure to work with. She brings a wealth of experience and ability to grasp the crux of a complex area of evidence'

Lucy McCormick - Henderson Chambers 'Lucy works very hard and has a strong eye for the detail.'

Scarlett Milligan – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Exceptional in every area – Scarlett’s advice is solid, robust and considers all angles, her drafting work is exceptional and her legal analysis is invariably flawless.’

Jack Murphy – Crown Office Chambers ‘Jack is very thorough, well prepared, clear, direct and makes skillful and strategic points.'

Amelia Nice - Doughty Street Chambers 'Amelia is a thoughtful and effective barrister, who always brings a new angle to a case.'

Adam Payter – 6KBW College Hill 'Adam always impresses with his calm but compelling manner and ability to read the court room and adapt accordingly.'

James Purnell –Henderson Chambers ‘James is extremely knowledgeable in both health and safety law and inquests.'

Sian Reeves –Temple Garden Chambers 'One of the very best, she is focused and determined in her approach with witnesses and in oral submissions.'

Ben Rich –2 Hare Court

Alexander dos Santos – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Knowledgeable in relation to inquests for care providers. Good manner with witnesses and also flexible.’

Sunyana Sharma – 3PB

Rachel Spearing - Serjeants' Inn Chambers 'Fantastic, enthusiast barrister who is well grounded.'

Nick Stanage – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Nick is tenacious and straight talking. He does not waste words and gets to the heart of the issue quickly and incisively.'

Susannah Stevens – QEB Hollis Whiteman

Rachel Sullivan – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Rachel is an excellent junior. She is user-friendly, practical and has excellent judgment. She is incredibly hard working and dedicated.’

Peter Taheri – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Peter is an excellent advocate. He has a calming manner and with it an ability to explain complex legal issues to any audience.'

Mark Thomas – 5 Essex Chambers 'Mark has a talent for calmly presenting intricate legal arguments in a manner that resonates with judges and juries.'

Saoirse Townshend – Temple Garden Chambers

Alex Ustych – 5 Essex Chambers

Anton van Dellen – Fraser Chambers ‘Anton is a skilled and robust advocate who relentlessly pursues his clients' interests.'

Harry Vann – Crown Office Chambers ‘Harry is a fantastic advocate, he is very calm and incredibly persuasive. His demeanour and approach is right on point. '

Adam Wagner –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Adam is a good organiser, he gives clear advice and is not afraid of giving realistic advice to clients.'

Sophie Walker – One Pump Court ‘Sophie’s strengths and qualities include her warm client manner, her ability to build relationships with clients and her oral advocacy.’

Juliet Wells - Temple Garden Chambers 'Juliet is intellectually rigorous and extremely hard-working, presenting the client's position in a clear and appealing way.'

Emily Wilsdon – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Emily is exceptional. She is immensely organised, incredibly hard working and a brilliant team player.'

Emma Zeb - Gatehouse Chambers 'Emma's knowledge and approach to managing the Inquest process is impeccable.'

Heather Arlidge –42 Bedford Row ‘Heather has infectious curiosity and throws herself into analysing any issue that arises. She is hard working, diligent and a pleasure to work with.’

Rachel Barrett - Cloisters 'She will produce excellent work in an incredibly short time.'

Gideon Barth – 1 Crown Office Row ‘An excellent inquest advocate, sensitive and caring when advising clients.'

Jodie Blackstock - Garden Court Chambers

Richard Boyle – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Richard is a careful, thoughtful barrister with a fine eye for detail.'

Achas Burin - 12 King's Bench Walk

James Byrne – Deka Chambers

Marlene Cayoun – 1GC | Family Law 'Very poised, excellent air of confidence, clear and compelling advocate.'

Amy Clarke – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Amy is a very good advocate and particularly astute in managing tactics and coroners.'

Abigail Cohen – Henderson Chambers

Thomas Coke-Smyth – QEB Hollis Whiteman

Hannah Curtain - Henderson Chambers 'An excellent advocate - calm, measured, confident. Incredibly analytical.'

Iain Daniels – 2 Hare Court

Mark Davies - Six Pump Court 'Mark is a hardworking dedicated barrister who has the knack to make extraordinarily difficult tasks look easy'

Jessica Elliott – 1 Crown Office Row

Christopher Geering – 2 Hare Court

Harriet Gilchrist - Temple Garden Chambers 'Harriet is very clear and practical. She is thoughtful, diligent, with a great attention to detail.'

Edmund Gritt – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Edmund is an indomitable force at Inquests. He is utterly brilliant, capable of both charm and completely destructive cross-examination.'

Rebecca Handcock - Field Court Chambers 'Rebecca is highly skilled and adept at navigating complex legal matters with precision and clarity.'

Robert Harland – 5 Essex Chambers 'Very thorough and dedicated barrister who will always fight your client’s corner.'

Clare Hennessy – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Clare is robust, knowledgeable and very good with witnesses.'

Catriona Hodge – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Extremely bright, highly organised, immensely diligent, very easy to work with.’

Christopher Hopkins – No5 Barristers’ Chambers ‘Chris is an outstanding advocate, excellent with clients and always thoroughly prepared.'

Emma Hynes - Gatehouse Chambers 'Emma has an exceptional depth of knowledge of statutory public inquiry work.'

Christopher Jacobs - Landmark Chambers

Dominic Ruck Keene – 1 Crown Office Row 'Dominic is a thorough and careful barrister with an eye for detail.'

Daniel Laking – 39 Essex Chambers ‘Excellent attention to detail, analytical, and an excellent team member.’

Suzanne Lambert – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Suzanne is extremely hard working, thorough and detailed. She is an excellent, tenacious lawyer.’

Jonathan Landau – 5 Essex Chambers ‘Jonathan is pragmatic, personable and very much on top of the detail - he is a highly effective advocate.'

Patricia Londono - Deka Chambers

Jennifer MacLeod – Brick Court Chambers ‘Jennifer is a stellar advocate and advisor. Her instincts are always spot on.'

Daniel Mansell - Three Raymond Buildings 'Daniel is an outstanding junior. He has the rare ability to be both intellectually very sharp and also excellent with clients.'

Jamie Mathieson – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Jamie has an excellent level of attention to detail. He is a very calm and measured advocate and is also well liked by lay clients.'

Frances McClenaghan - Serjeants' Inn Chambers

Alice Meredith – 5 Essex Chambers

Jonathan Metzer – 1 Crown Office Row ‘Jonathan has a unique disarming style that is very effective in engendering the confidence of the court. He is very thorough and calm under pressure.'

Max Mills - 2 Hare Court

Jo Moore –1 Crown Office Row ‘Jo is highly intelligent and adds great value to every matter she is involved in. She is very practical, approachable and tenacious.'

Ramya Nagesh – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Angelina Nicolaou – One Pump Court 'Angelina is a strong advocate but also takes a subtle and gentle approach where required.'

Hannah Noyce – 1 Crown Office Row

Stephanie Painter – Pump Court Chambers ‘Stephanie has incredibly strong communication skills and is able to put people at ease, work collaboratively and built rapport very quickly.’

Helen Pooley – Deka Chambers ‘Excellent client care and attention to detail.'

Emilie Pottle - Temple Garden Chambers 'Emilie is ferociously intelligent and quickly earns the trust of tribunals of every level.'

Frederick Powell – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Frederick is a pleasure to work with. He is collaborative, excellent on the law and works supremely hard.'

Paul Renteurs – 2 Hare Court

Ellen Robertson – Temple Garden Chambers ‘A real superstar in the making. She is extremely hard working and has a great eye for the detail but does not lose sight of the bigger picture.'

Judith Rogerson – 1 Crown Office Row

Tim Salisbury - Pump Court Chambers 'Tim has an excellent legal and technical brain and is a very clear and skilled communicator.'

Katharine Scott – 39 Essex Chambers

Anthony Searle – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Anthony is a star and one to watch for the future. He is an outstanding advocate - brilliantly prepared, he reads the court room and the witnesses well and has the most engaging manner.'

Shahram Sharghy - 1 Crown Office Row 'Shahram is excellent - very detailed and efficient.'

Ruby Shrimpton - Three Raymond Buildings 'Ruby is committed, diligent and very clever.'

Vida Simpeh – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Sandesh Singh – Crown Office Chambers ‘Understated and technically brilliant which is a particularly good combination for difficult matters in this field of work.'

Shanthi Sivakumaran – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Her advice is completely trusted – a real leader on public inquiries. She gives clear and strategic advice.’

Sam Stevens – 2 Temple Gardens ‘Sam has exceptional attention to detail, is extremely personable and has displayed excellent advocacy skills with difficult witnesses.’

Hannah Thomas – 2 Hare Court

Harriet Wakeman – Landmark Chambers ‘Harriet is intellectually rigorous and masters the detail of complex, fact-heavy cases.'

Andrew Waters – 5 Essex Chambers

Amelia Williams - 1 Crown Office Row 'Amelia is an excellent advocate, controlled, in command and persuasive.'

Lois Williams - 1 Crown Office Row 'A hardworking junior with good analytical skills. Personable, reliable and a great team player.'

Ailsa Williamson – Three Raymond Buildings 'Ailsa is a fabulous advocate. She readily secures the confidence of tribunals and her clients.'

Genevieve Woods – Three Raymond Buildings 'Genevieve is a fantastic advocate who has excellent attention to detail and is able to cut through a significant amount of information to logically process the salient points and issues.'

Rising Stars

Rachael Gourley - Serjeants' Inn Chambers 'Rachael is well-prepared and has a detailed knowledge and understanding of both the facts and the family’s concerns. '

Fatima Jichi - Garden Court Chambers

Harry Laidlaw - 2 Hare Court

Megan Millar – 6KBW College Hill

Mass Ndow-Njie - 7BR 'Mass is just brilliant. He is a formidable advocate and his expertise and legal knowledge is outstanding.'

Joe Thomas - Landmark Chambers 'Joe is an outstanding lawyer. Meticulous in his research and unfailingly accurate and measured in his conclusions.'

Matthew Turner - Doughty Street Chambers 'An excellent advocate, always delivering strong arguments on behalf of the client. '

Jennifer Wright - 5 Essex Court

Inquests and inquiries in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

1 Crown Office Row

1 Crown Office Row, an ‘excellent chambers with huge depth of barristers‘, combines experience of human rights law, clinical negligence, and personal injury with stand-out expertise in inquests and inquiries: Peter Skelton KC is currently acting in a number of major inquests and inquiries, including for families of victims in the Thirwall Inquiry into deaths connected to the murder of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and for the Metropolitan Police in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Neil Sheldon KC is acting for UK Government Investments (the government-owned holding company which is the Post Office's sole shareholder) in the Police Office Horizon IT Inquiry, while in inquests work, Matthew Hill acts for the families of the deceased in the 2020 Reading terror attack. Leanne Woods, experienced in inquests, was instructed for the Department of Health and Social Care in the infected blood inquiry.

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‘The clerks at 1COR are superb – particularly John McClaren. They are very organised and responsive to any enquiries and go out of their way to meet the needs of Counsel’s instructing solicitors.’

‘Matthew Phipps leads a tight team of clerks who all do their barristers proud. Andy Tull, John McClaren and Chloe Turvill make the whole operation seamless and always go the extra mile. ‘

‘1 COR remain our ‘go to’ chambers. The clerks are responsive, professional and sensible about fees and this combined with the wide range of counsel available at all levels of call make them a stand out set of chambers. ‘

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5 Essex Chambers

‘Quite simply the leaders in the field’, 5 Essex Court fields a number of inquests and inquiries specialists, bolstered by the set’s experience in police law. Jason Beer KC is particularly sought after for high-level inquiry work, having been highly visible spearheading the counsel to the inquiry team in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, as well as his roles for the NHS in both the Covid-19 inquiry, and the Thirlwall Inquiry into the deaths of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, for which former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby is serving a whole life tariff for murder. Fiona Barton KC continues to carry out complex inquest matters, notably acting for the Commissioner of the City of London Police in the inquest into the shooting of Hassan Yahya by police; Yahya was found to have been lawfully killed, having threatened members of the public with two knives. Emma Price is lead junior counsel for Phase 4 of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, examining the action taken against subpostmasters by the Post Office. Alison Hewitt is a go-to junior, often acting for police forces, prisons, and care homes, while Aaron Moss has particular expertise in national security and data processing.

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‘Mark Waller (senior clerk) has been a pleasure to deal with – he has ensured at all times that we know counsel availability and has sourced the right level of counsel assistance for us given the unpredictable Inquiry timetable, which often changes at short notice. ‘

‘5 Essex Court are well known for their strengths in inquests / inquiries work and I’d have no hesitation in instructing their barristers.’

‘We come back to 5 Essex time and time again as they consistently offer the best service, go out of their way to fit us in, and are quite simply the leaders in the field.’

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Doughty Street Chambers

With a ‘reputation as leaders in their field’, the members at Doughty Street Chambers have longstanding experience representing bereaved families: Nick Brown is instructed for the family of the deceased in the inquest touching the death of Aliny Godhino, a woman stabbed to death by her husband in the street outside her children’s school after reporting her fears to the police. Tom Stoate is instructed as senior junior counsel to the Covid Inquiry. Alison Gerry is particularly experienced in inquests concerning deaths following contact with police, also an area of expertise of Fiona Murphy KC. Farrhat Arshad KC took silk in March 2024.

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‘A leading set for inquests where the failings of state agencies and large institutions are in play.’

‘The clerks are brilliant – proactive, bright and genuinely helpful.’

‘Doughty Street Chambers deserve their reputation as leaders in their field. They offer a huge range of highly qualified and dedicated barristers who are brilliant in the work they do. ‘

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Serjeants' Inn Chambers

Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘boasts exceptional breadth and depth of expertise‘ across a range of practice areas, including inquests and inquiries. Its complex inquests work is exemplified by John Beggs KC‘s work on the reopened inquest into the death of Sabina Rizvi, instructed by Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis; reopened as a result of allegations of police collusion with the murderer. Bridget Dolan KC heads the team, who is instructed by the UK Health Security Agency for the first two modules of the Covid-19 inquiry. Nageena Khalique KC is instructed for the Welsh Government in module 6 of the Covid-19 inquiry, investigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the public and private adult social care sector, and Gerard Boyle KC is lead counsel for the National Police Chief’s Council in the Undercover Police Inquiry.

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‘Lee Johnson will always go the extra mile for clients, and builds excellent relationships with those instructing counsel. He is the face of the chambers and has a deep understanding of client needs. ‘

‘The clerks at Serjeants Inn are easy to work with and prompt in their responses. Tom O’Connor in particular is excellent at keeping solicitors up to date and responding clearly and quickly to requests made.’

‘The chambers boasts exceptional breadth and depth of expertise across various practice areas, including coronial law. Professionals within the industry consistently commend Serjeants’ Inn for its prompt and efficient service, reflecting the chambers’ unwavering dedication to meeting the needs of its clientele with utmost professionalism and responsiveness. In an industry marked by complexity and nuance, Serjeants’ Inn Chambers shines as a trusted partner.’

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Tier 2 sets

Garden Court Chambers

With the combined strength of its police and human rights law expertise, Garden Court Chambers regularly takes instruction on complex inquests and inquiries: Leslie Thomas KC is lead counsel for FEMHO (Federation of Ethnic Minority Health Care Organisations) in modules two throught to five of the Covid-19 Inquiry, while Brenda Campbell KC leads the team representing the Northern Ireland Bereaved Families for Justice in each module of the same, and Rajiv Menon KC represents 12 individuals and organisations who were spied on or infiltrated by the police in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Sarah Hemingway is also involved in the Undercover Policing Inquiry, as deputy First Counsel to the Inquiry. Emma Favata is often instructed for bereaved families in Article 2 inquests.

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Matrix Chambers

A ‘go-to chambers for inquests and public inquiries’, Matrix Chambers ‘is a first rate public law chambers‘, benefiting from its human rights, mental health, and police law expertise in a wide range of inquests and inquiries work. Richard Whittam KC is instructed for Fujitsu Services Limited in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry; in addition, a number of set members are involved in the Covid-19 inquiry, including Jesse Nicholls acts for bereaved families in both the Covid-19 and the Thirlwall inquiries. High profile inquest work continues to be handled by Hugh Southey KC, who alongside James Robottom, represented the family of Ruth Perry, a headteacher who took her own life after a negative Ofsted inspection, in the inquest into her death.

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‘The clerks are great, they are responsive and proactive. Matt Leitch is particularly helpful.’

‘The set is exceptional – they are super bright, forensic in their approach but also great people to work with.’

‘Matrix is a first rate Public Law Chambers, with great strength in depth. There are numerous barristers there that we would happily instruct.’

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Temple Garden Chambers

‘Renowned for the quality lawyers within the set that specialise in inquest and inquiry work’, Temple Garden Chambers has a ‘brilliant reputation‘ for major inquiries and high-profile inquests: David Barr KC is leading counsel to the Undercover Policing inquiry, while Andrew O’Connor is instructed as one of the Leading Counsel to the Covid-19 inquiry, and Nicholas Moss KC is instructed as lead Counsel for the Department for Business and Trade in the same. In inquests, Keith Morton KC represented the Marine Accident Investigation Branch in R (Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service) v HM Assistant Coroner for Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, a judicial review concerning the interaction between MAIB investigations and inquests. Susan Jones joined the set from 3 Paper Buildings in December 2023.

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‘Temple Gardens are renowned for the quality lawyers within the set that specialise in Inquest and Inquiry work.’

‘The clerks room is hardworking, friendly and always on hand to assist. Dean Norton is always available to discuss issues and advise on suitable counsel.’

‘I have worked with senior and junior counsel in the set on inquests and public inquiries and have been highly impressed with the quality of the legal work and the high level of support given throughout all matters.’

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Three Raymond Buildings

‘Jam packed with talented, caring barristers‘, Three Raymond Buildings is ‘a truly first class set’ with a wide range of inquests and inquiry experience. Hugo Keith KC continues to act as lead counsel to the Covid-19 inquiry, with 2024 Silk Saba Naqshbandi KC acting for the largest warranty provider and building control inspector nationally, NHBC, in the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Patrick Gibbs KC is a go-to for inquests involving the actions and omissions of state agents, exemplified by his work as leading advocate for the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation in the inquest into the death of Alexander Litvinenko. Hugh Davies OBE KC specialises in representing members of the police family, including representing a police firearms officer in the inquest into the death of Sean Fitzgerald during a pre-planned operation. Sarah Le Fevre is instructed to represent the National Police Chiefs Council in the Covid-19 inquiry, while Bo-Eun Jung was instructed for the inquiry in modules 1 and 2 of the same.

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‘The set is jam packed with talented, caring barristers. A truly first class set.’

‘The clerks are efficient, helpful and pleasant to work with.’

‘Three Raymond Buildings are our preferred choice when instructing Counsel for inquests. They have an excellent inquest team who are all thorough in their approach. All of the individuals we have worked with from Three Raymond Buildings have been personable and sensitive when required. ‘

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Tier 3 sets

2 Hare Court

2 Hare Court’s expertise in crime, health and safety, and professional regulation inform its work in major inquests and inquiries and the proceedings arising from them. Jonathan Laidlaw KC regularly acts in high profile inquiries, including representing Harley Facades in the Grenfell Tower inquiry and Showsec/LiveNation, providers of security, in the Manchester Arena Bombing inquiry. Nikita McNeill acts for the Ministry of Defence in the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, in addition to acting as first junior counsel for the Welsh Government in module 3 of the Covid-19 inquiry.

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39 Essex Chambers

39 Essex Chambers has ‘a well-deserved reputation for providing skilled and dedicated advocates‘, and ‘is increasingly being looked at as the ‘go to’ set for inquests and inquiries’. Eleanor Grey KC continues to act as senior counsel leading the team of counsel representing the Department of Health and Social Care and its various executive agencies in the Infected Blood inquiry, for which Jenni Richards KC is a key name in the counsel to the inquiry team. Samantha Jones is instructed by the Post Office as senior junior counsel leading on matters relating to Phase 5 of the Horizon inquiry, focusing on the group litigation.

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’39 Essex have a well deserved reputation for providing skilled and dedicated advocates.’

‘The clerking team is excellent and is regularly praised as one of the best in the business!’

‘This Chambers has phenomenal strength in depth. Their juniors are a revelation and work at a level far beyond their call.’

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QEB Hollis Whiteman

QEB Hollis Whiteman is ‘rising to the top of the field in inquests and public inquiries‘, the practice group headed by Nicholas Griffin KC, counsel to the Lampard inquiry into a number of unexplained mental health inpatient deaths in Essex over two decades, and also instructed for Steve Dymond’s General Practitioner in the Inquest arising from the patient's suicide, following his filming of an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show in May 2019 after being branded a "love cheat" after failing a polygraph test. Susannah Stevens is often sought after on inquests dealing with deaths in the workplace, experienced in representing families and professionals; she is instructed for four police officers in the inquest into the death of Thomas Orchard, who died in police custody having been restrained with a belt designed to prevent spitting and biting.

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‘Sam Window is great – very friendly to all levels of staff, highly responsive and helpful in dealing with requests.’

‘Rising to the top of the field in inquests and public inquiries.’

‘Great clerks – super responsive and very clear with fee information.’

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Crown Office Chambers

Crown Office Chambers has ‘a very strong foothold in the inquest arena‘, leveraging its regulatory and health and safety expertise for instructions across complex inquests and inquiries. James Maxwell-Scott KC represented three government witnesses in the Infected Blood inquiry, and represents the Ministry of Justice in the Covid-19 inquiry. In inquests work, Simon Antrobus KC and Katie Sage are instructed for Reading Borough Council in the inquest into the Forbury Gardens Terror attack. Katie Ayres is representing the Post Office in the inquiry into the Horizon scandal.

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‘Toby Sparrow is fantastic and works really hard to find Counsel who is the right fit.’

‘Toby Sparrow is extremely hardworking and very responsive.’

‘The clerking is second to none. Toby Sparrow leads the regulatory clerking and he is one of the best.’

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Henderson Chambers

With ‘an impressive array of specialist barristers at all levels‘, Henderson Chambers ‘is in the forefront of the field of inquests and inquiries’. Prashant Popat KC is instructed for AstraZeneca in module four of the Covid-19 inquiry, investigating vaccines and therapeutics, alongside extensive inquests work. Oliver Campbell KC acted for Siderise, manufacturers of part of the cladding system, in the Grenfell Tower inquiry. James Purnell regularly acts for companies and public bodies in inquests, while Abigail Cohen is experienced in healthcare and health and safety inquests

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‘My go to chambers for Inquests and Inquiries. Good strength in depth and easy to work with.’

‘Excellent clerks room. Responsive and clear.’

‘Henderson Chambers is my top set for health and safety environment Inquests and public Inquiries.’

Ranking nach PraxisbereichLondon Bar