We have significant experience in acting for organisations, corporate entities, employees, families and witnesses to ensure that their interests are fully represented in public and private inquiries and inquests.

We are particularly sought for our advice and experience when there is a risk that the findings in any inquiry or inquest could lead to reputational damage and/or separate criminal proceedings. With our longstanding excellence in criminal litigation, we are ideally placed to act in these circumstances. We also act for clients who wish to become a party to an inquest or inquiry proceedings and we have noteworthy success in achieving this outcome, so that our clients’ interests are best protected.

Much of our work in this practice area concerns cases involving highly complex issues of law, the role of the UK government and the role of foreign agencies in suspicious deaths in the UK. Often, our inquiry and inquest work is part of a wider set of parallel proceedings and investigations, spanning various disciplines and jurisdictions.

We have acted in some of the biggest UK public inquiries, including the Leveson Inquiry into press conduct, the Paddington and Hatfield rail crash Inquiries and a high-profile independent inquiry in the health sector. Currently, we advise on the inquest arising from a major public disaster involving widespread loss of life.