Inquests and inquiries

Leading Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

1
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.'
1
Fiona Barton KC
5 Essex Chambers
Fiona fights for her clients with great vigour.’
1
Jason Beer KC
5 Essex Chambers
 
1
John Beggs KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
1
Hugh Davies OBE KC
Three Raymond Buildings
A devilishly good cross-examiner and a true fighter who puts fear into his opponents.'
1
Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC
Doughty Street Chambers
‘Caoilfhionn is a powerhouse. She is incredibly intelligent, strategic and committed.'
1
Patrick Gibbs KC
Three Raymond Buildings
1
Jonathan Hough KC
4 New Square
'You want Jon on your side. He is a breathtaking advocate: incisive and compelling.'
1
Samantha Leek KC
5 Essex Chambers
‘Samantha's forensic attention to detail is superb, and her experience in the public inquiry sector is immense.'
1
Cathryn McGahey KC
Temple Garden Chambers
1
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.'
1
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.'
1
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.'
1
Leslie Thomas KC
Garden Court Chambers
2
Kate Blackwell KC
2 Hare Court
A wonderful, responsive advocate.'
2
Gerard Boyle KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
A very thorough and robust advocate.'
2
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.’
2
Danny Friedman KC
Matrix Chambers
‘Danny is a superb inquiry silk: forensically smart; a passionate advocate; and thoroughly charming.’
2
Jonathan Glasson KC
Matrix Chambers
Jonathan is an excellent leader. He is very strategic and garners confidence from clients with ease.'
2
Richard Horwell KC
Three Raymond Buildings
Richard is a phenomenal barrister. A very powerful advocate and a force of nature in the hearing room.'
2
Phillippa Kaufmann KC
Matrix Chambers
2
Hugo Keith KC
Three Raymond Buildings
‘Hugo is highly intelligent and hard working. An exceptional choice for difficult and high profile inquests and inquiries.'
2
Jonathan Laidlaw KC
2 Hare Court
 
2
Neil Sheldon KC
1 Crown Office Row
‘Neil is brilliant. He is calm and focused in what can be very distressing and difficult circumstances.'
2
Stephen Walsh KC
Three Raymond Buildings
‘A much respected senior practitioner. Stephen is calm, sensible, intelligent and a highly effective lawyer.'
3
Alan Payne KC
39 Essex Chambers
3
Anne Whyte KC
QEB Hollis Whiteman
3
Dominic Adamson KC
Temple Garden Chambers
Dominic is an absolute delight to work with. His strategic instincts are second to none.'
3
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.'
3
David Barr KC
Temple Garden Chambers
3
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.'
3
Matthew Butt KC
Three Raymond Buildings
3
Brenda Campbell KC
Garden Court Chambers
3
Sarah Clarke KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
‘Sarah is forthright, determined, well prepared, articulate and strong on the law. She is a persuasive advocate.'
3
John Cooper KC
25 Bedford Row
A gifted advocate who brings complete commitment to every case he does.’
3
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.’
3
Katharine Gollop KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
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.'
3
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.'
3
Nageena Khalique KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
‘Nageena is sharp, tactical, witty and very easy to work with, combining intelligence, steeliness and warmth.'
3
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.'
3
Tom Little KC
Deka Chambers
A superb advocate with a commanding presence and fantastic attention to detail.'
3
James Maxwell-Scott KC
Crown Office Chambers
A calm and understated advocate with great judgement.’
3
Allison Munroe KC
Garden Court Chambers
3
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. '
3
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.'
3
Oliver Sanders KC
1 Crown Office Row
 
3
Stephen Simblet KC
Garden Court Chambers
3
Hugh Southey KC
Matrix Chambers
3
Anne Studd KC
5 Essex Chambers
'Hugely intelligent and calm under pressure.'
3
David Travers KC
Gough Square Chambers
‘David's a masterful tactician and an outstanding advocate.'
3
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.’
4
Dijen Basu KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
4
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.'
4
Jamie Burton KC
Doughty Street Chambers
'Jamie is clear, considered and was a pleasure to work with on a very technical and complex case.'
4
Gerard Forlin KC
Cornerstone Barristers
A robust and confident advocate.’
4
Jeremy Hyam KC
1 Crown Office Row
4
Laura Johnson KC
Deka Chambers
 'Laura is an incredibly skilled advocate who reads the room well.'
4
Susannah Johnson KC
7BR
Susannah is a poised and impressive advocate, and an excellent lawyer.'
4
Rachel Langdale KC
7BR
Rachel is a fantastic strategic thinker, a clear and concise drafter and someone who works astonishingly hard.’
4
Richard Lissack KC
Fountain Court Chambers
4
Rajiv Menon KC
Garden Court Chambers
 
4
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.'
4
Nicholas Moss KC
Temple Garden Chambers
‘Outstanding and scrupulous attention to detail – a master of his brief.'
4
Rory Phillips KC
3 Verulam Buildings
4
Fiona Scolding KC
Landmark Chambers
Fiona is a first class silk. She has an unparalleled ability to assimilate huge volumes of material.'
4
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.'
4
Adam Straw KC
Doughty Street Chambers
‘Adam is a very astute and persuasive advocate. Never afraid of a novel argument.'
4
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. '
4
Aswini Weereratne KC
Doughty Street Chambers
‘Aswini is a persuasive and impactful advocate, and an excellent lawyer.'
4
Richard Whittam KC
Matrix Chambers

2023 Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

1
Nick Armstrong KC
Matrix Chambers
 is an exceptional advocate - calm and considered while also fearlessly advocating on behalf of families.'
1
Richard Baker KC
7BR
‘Richard is an unparalleled advocate'
1
Niazi Fetto KC
2 Temple Gardens
1
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC
Matrix Chambers
 
1
Fiona Murphy KC
Doughty Street Chambers
A very effective advocate for her client’s interests: forensically smart and a class act.’
1
Francesca Whitelaw KC
5 Essex Chambers
Francesca is an astute tactician and calm and persuasive in court.'

2025 Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

1
James Berry KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
‘One of the best juniors. Very clever, great strategic brain, and a calm and authoritative style in court.‘
1
Amy Mannion KC
1 Crown Office Row
‘Amy is a Silk in all but name. She is meticulously prepared and a font of knowledge. An outstanding barrister.’
1
Bilal Rawat KC
5 Essex Chambers
He is smooth on his feet and his wide experience makes him an effective advocate.’
1
Rachel Spearing KC
Serjeants’ Inn Chambers
Fantastic, enthusiast barrister who is well grounded.’

2024 Silks

KCs at the very top of their field, with a long-established record of market-defining cases, and widespread endorsement from clients and peers. All silks appointed in the last two rounds are listed further below.

1
Dermot Keating KC
25 Bedford Row
Dermot is always meticulous in his preparation. He is a careful and considered advocate.’
1
David Manknell KC
1 Crown Office Row
David has extremely good attention to detail and has a calming presence with clients.'
1
Saba Naqshbandi KC
Three Raymond Buildings
‘Saba's intelligence is immediately recognisable and it demands a respect and captures attention.'
1
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.'