QEB Hollis Whiteman

Practice Areas

Inquests, inquiries, the conduct of investigations and reviews, together with advice and representation in relation to matters at the intersection of public, criminal and regulatory law.

Experience

Specialising in prominent cases of public concern and importance that address the key issues of the day. He draws on his wide-ranging legal background, experience in Ministerial, Prime Ministerial and other appointments to provide a strategic perspective equalled by few. Over the past two decades, he has appeared in substantial roles in most major public inquiries and many controversial inquests. He heads QEB Hollis Whiteman’s Inquests, Inquiries and Public Law team.

Public inquiry experience extends back to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. Currently or recently involved in the Lampard Inquiry, investigating matters surrounding the deaths of mental health inpatients across NHS Trusts in Essex (as Counsel to the Inquiry); the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, investigating matters arising from the deployment of British Special Forces to Afghanistan; the UK Covid-19 Inquiry examining the UK response to and impact of the pandemic (representing a company); the Grenfell Tower Inquiry investigating the circumstances concerning the fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017 (representing two companies); the Undercover Policing Inquiry investigating allegations of inappropriate conduct of undercover officers (representing Home Secretary to 2020); and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse investigating the extent to which State and non-State institutions failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation (representing Home Office and other government departments).

Coronial experience encompasses inquests arising from deaths in custody and terrorist incidents through to ‘Troubles’ or ‘Legacy’ inquests in Northern Ireland. Inquest experience ranges from the Fishmongers’ Hall Inquests concerning the deaths in the 2019 terror attack at Fishmongers’ Hall (representing a university) through to the Stephen Dymond Inquest concerning the death of a participant on the Jeremy Kyle Show (representing a doctor).

His background is in criminal law and he continues to advise and appear in serious criminal cases, often where there is a connection with an inquest or inquiry. Similarly, he is instructed in health and safety and regulatory/disciplinary matters, particularly where there is an inquest/inquiry or other public law connection. He has a strong interest in human rights due diligence in the corporate context and has conducted extensive work in relation to the operation of the supply chain provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Appointments

His work as a barrister is informed by public appointments. He sits as a Security Vetting Appeals Panel Member, hearing appeals from those refused national security vetting. He sat until recently on the Board of UK Anti-Doping, which implements and manages sports anti-doping policy in UK, latterly as Vice Chair. He has experience in Assistant Commissioner roles concerning the siting of electoral boundaries, for the Boundary Commission for England, with a similar role in Northern Ireland. He is currently trustee at a peacebuilding NGO and was formerly trustee of a modern slavery charity.

He was appointed to both the Attorney General's Panel of Counsel (civil) and Crown Prosecution Service Advocate Panel (criminal), prior to taking silk.

Silk 2012. Called to the Bar 1992 (2011 in Northern lreland).

Public Access Bar Association. Approved by Bar Council to undertake public access work.