Cases
Inquest touching upon the death of Joan Chapman
St John’s Chambers covers a range of inquests and inquiries, concerning deaths involving medical treatment, police custody, and residential and nursing care homes.
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At St John’s Chambers we have a highly specialist Inquest team who, with members of our clinical negligence, personal injury and regulatory teams, regularly undertake inquest work. Our team has a significant breadth of experience in inquest and public inquiry work, providing expertise at all levels of seniority. Our barristers provide first-class guidance, support, advice and representation throughout the whole inquest process.
We act for all types of interested person including:
- Bereaved family / loved ones
- NHS Trusts
- Emergency services including police authorities and individual officers
- Prisons including private prisons
- Agencies suspected of being involved in a death including local authorities
- Private companies including private care homes
Members of our specialist inquest team have extensive experience in dealing with complex and long-running inquests, often where Article 2 of the ECHR is engaged and frequently involving a jury. Such cases include deaths in custody, death following police restraint or contact, prison deaths, military deaths, and deaths where the deceased was vulnerable perhaps by reason of age or mental illness and was under the care of the state in some way.
Within our specialist inquest team we have regulatory and disciplinary barristers who appreciate the importance of giving proper advice to potential witnesses who may be at risk of prosecution and/or whose activities may be called into question. We understand the significance of the evidence that is given at such proceedings, most particularly as it may relate to prosecutions under health and safety regulations or road traffic provisions.
We have experience of emergency judicial review applications and judicial review under health and safety regulations as well as how best to use evidence elicited at inquest in subsequent criminal and civil proceedings.
Our team boasts specialist advocates with expertise in personal injury and clinical negligence matters, who understand the importance and implications of an inquest finding on a potential future claim. In the context of a death in hospital or a death related to medical care, specialist clinical negligence barristers in our team will provide a level of expertise from the early stages of an inquest to any potential future claim for damages. Likewise, in any future possible fatal accident claim, our team has a full depth of knowledge to be able to provide the advice and representation needed.
The team thoroughly understand the nuances of the Coronial process, the nature of advocacy required at these hearings and the related procedure.
Under the public access scheme, our Inquest team can either provide full representation at the inquest, or give advice and legal support to family members who wish to represent themselves.
We will always consider alternative funding arrangements, including fixed or capped fees where this is appropriate.
Training
We are committed to providing training to the wider legal and medical communities, and we design and deliver many seminars and workshops; we are always happy to provide bespoke training to meet your team’s individual needs. Please contact our clerks, to discuss the extensive portfolio of workshops and bespoke seminars that we offer clients.
Inquests & Public Inquiries Team
Richard Stead
- Call: 1979
Andrew McLaughlin
- Call: 1993
Matthew White
- Call: 1997
Julian Horne
- Call: 1998
Rachel Russell
- Call: 2001
Louise Asprey
- Call: 2007
Patrick West
- Call: 2007
Ben Handy
- Call: 2008
James Hughes
- Call: 2011
Rachel Segal
- Call: 2013
Sophie Howard
- Call: 2016
Rhodri Jones
- Call: 2017
Lauren Karmel
- Call: 2017
Tara-Lynn Poole
- Call: 2019
Beatrice Baskett
- Call: 2021
Anna Symington
- Call: 2002
Resources
Directory Quotes
The preeminent set for inquest work in the South West, with specialist areas including deaths in custody, care deaths, and fatal accidents.”
In the inquests and inquiries space, recent instructions for St John’s Chambers’ team include acting for the families of the deceased, local health boards, prisons, and care homes.”
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