Public Inquiries and Investigations

Our team of committed lawyers have extensive experience in the field of public inquiries and investigations. Our recent work includes:

• Acting as Solicitors to the statutory Independent Inquiry into matters relating to Afghanistan. The Inquiry, which was launched in April 2023, is tasked with investigating allegations of extrajudicial killings by UK Special Forces in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013. Our team provides support to the Chair on all aspects of the Inquiry’s work.  
  
• Acting as Solicitors to the non-statutory Angiolini Inquiry. The Inquiry was established to investigate how an off-duty police officer was able to abduct, rape and murder a member of the public; to establish if there is a risk of recurrence across policing; to investigate police culture, and to address the broader concerns surrounding women’s safety in public spaces. The Inquiry was further extended to examine the police officer’s career and conduct following his sentencing in February 2023. 
  
• Acting as the Commissioning Body for the non-statutory Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation. Our team advised the Chair on all legal and administrative aspects of the Inquiry and worked collaboratively with him, including managing and analysing disclosure, stakeholder engagement, taking witness evidence, dealing with matters of data protection, report preparation, Maxwellisation and report publication, as well as all of the project management associated with these tasks.
  
• Acting as Solicitor to the judge-led Sabina Rizvi Inquest. This was a complex Article 2 inquest which was heard in February 2024. We advised the judge Coroner and Counsel to the Inquest on both the inquest and a subsequent judicial review claim.
  
• Representing Core Participants in the Southport Inquiry, the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry and the Infected Blood Inquiry. This has involved responding to disclosure requests, drafting witness statements and preparing for hearings. 
  
• Supporting witnesses and the organisations asked to give evidence to public inquiries, including the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Manchester Arena Inquiry and the RHI Inquiry.
  Advising and preparing clients required to give evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees.
  
• Representing three complainants pro bono in regulatory proceedings brought by the Bar Standards Board against a high-profile silk charged with professional misconduct, and the subsequent appeal of sanction.
  
• Conducting a number of confidential, sensitive and high-profile independent investigations including for a transport client examining whistleblowing and wrongful prosecution issues, and culture and governance issues for other clients, including NHS trusts, arm’s length bodies and policing organisations.
  
• Using trauma-informed practices to support vulnerable witnesses on various matters including the Infected Blood Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.