• Exceptional for crime and financial services regulation, as well as inquests and inquiries.'  Legal 500, 2023
  • ''Very professional and very efficient, and the actual offices are well laid out to provide privacy and confidentiality to anyone attending.' Legal 500, 2023
  • 'A set with a lot of strength that sets itself high standards. You can rely on everyone here to be clever and committed to the cause'  Chambers UK, 2019

Inquests, Inquiries and Public Law

An impressive team with expertise across the field of Public Law; particularly sought-after in matters arising from criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings.

Overview

QEB Hollis Whiteman’s Public Law team provides expert advice and advocacy in the full range of Public Law matters where there is a connection with a criminal or regulatory law issue. We have in-depth knowledge of the sectors we work in and provide strategically astute advice and persuasive advocacy where Public Law matters arise.

Our Experience

Our Public Law team are experts in matters arising from industry regulation and the criminal justice system.

We bring or defend challenges, by way of judicial review or case stated, in all of the fields we practise in.

We offer advice and advocacy at every stage of the process in both public inquiries and inquests; we have appeared in most of the major inquiries of the last two decades and in many significant inquests.

We conduct internal investigations for organisations concerned about inappropriate activity, drawing on our broad experience in general crime, financial & economic crime, financial regulation and inquiries.

We have experience in major Public Law litigation, acting on behalf of government departments in cases such as Al Rawi & Others v The Security Service & Others (Guantánamo Bay litigation).

We have recently launched the QEB Hollis Whiteman Business & Human Rights Group, advising on individual and corporate liability for human rights abuses.

Members of the Public Law group are regularly called upon to lecture, comment and write about the work we do to experts in the field. We often provide bespoke training on niche areas of interest.

Notable Cases

The Whyte Review into Allegations of Mistreatment  Within the Sport of Gymnastics 2022

The Inquest into the Death of Footballer Emiliano Sala Who Died in an Air Crash

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry

Sowande v CPS, (2017) 
Case stated on citizens’ power to arrest under s. 24A(1)(b) of PACE. 

Undercover Policing Inquiry

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Independent Jersey Care Inquiry

Mid-Staffs Inquiry

Al Rawi & Others v Security Service, Secret Intelligence Service, Attorney General, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Home Office

Inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Brynin, who was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan (2017)

Inquest of Captain Thomas Clarke, a Lynx Helicopter Pilot killed in a crash in Afghanistan (2016) 

 

Recent Cases

Inquest into the death of Thomas Orchard

Inquest into the death of Thomas Orchard. Susannah Stevens led Thomas Coke-Smyth representing...

News

Nicholas Griffin KC appointed to the World Anti-Doping Agency Compliance Review Committee.

Nicholas Griffin KC appointed to the World Anti-Doping Agency Compliance Review Committee. The CRC is a Permanent Special Committee of WADA that monitors the compliance of sports Anti-Doping Organizations with the World Anti-Doping Code and International...

The Lampard Inquiry is holding a virtual hearing 25 - 27 November. Nicholas Griffin KC is Counsel to the Inquiry, leading First Junior Rebecca Harris, Tom Coke-Smyth and Kyan Pucks, all of QEB Hollis Whiteman.

The Lampard Inquiry holds further hearings this week. The November hearing will be virtual and will hear further openings and impact and commemorative accounts from the families and friends of those who have died.  Please see here for more...

Lydia Barnfather awarded 'Professional Discipline Junior of the Year', and Fallon Alexis 'Future Leader for Diversity & Inclusion' - Chambers & Partners UK Bar Awards 2024.

Both awards were in recognition of their reputation, work and commitment in the respective fields. QEB Hollis Whiteman are delighted to announce that Lydia Barnfather was awarded ‘Professional Discipline Junior of the Year’, and Fallon...

QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers win Professional Disciplinary Set of the Year 2024 at the Legal 500 Awards

We are delighted to announce that QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers have been awarded Professional Disciplinary Set of the Year 2024 by Legal 500. Legal 500 says 'The chambers is known for its exceptional standards and reputation.' it is a 'Stellar...

Public Hearings in Module 3 of the Covid 19 Inquiry start today. Fallon Alexis of QEB Hollis Whiteman instructed for CATA.

Today marks the start of the public hearings in Module 3 of the Covid-19 Public Inquiry which is examining the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the four nations of the United Kingdom. Module 3 is set to examine the governmental and...

The Lampard Inquiry: Hearing Day 1 - Opening Statements. Nicholas Griffin KC is Counsel to the Inquiry, leading Rebecca Harris, Thomas Coke-Smyth and Kyan Pucks

The Lampard Inquiry begins today with opening statements from the Chair of the Inquiry, Baroness Kate Lampard CBE followed by Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, Nick Griffin KC of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers. The afternoon session will see opening statements made...

Articles

Joanna Warwick considers the Future of Public Inquiries.

At a time when Statutory Inquiries play an increasingly significant role in our society, with heightened public scrutiny and the incurring of substantial costs, the House of Lords’ Statutory  Inquiries Committee  has recently reviewed the...

A Podcast: Fit and Proper Person Test: will the Government reconsider post Letby?

  The Thirlwall Inquiry was established in the wake of Lucy Letby's convictions to examine events at the Countess of Chester Hospital and their implications.  Although there have been previous inquiries and...

Nicholas Griffin KC writes about modern slavery and supply chain transparency in the current issue of the I.C.C.L.R

The article,  The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the evolution of supply chain transparency in the UK (I.C.C.L.R. 2024, 35(1), 4-16), was written with Sian Lea, who is the Business and Human Rights Manager at Anti-Slavery...

In The Times: Lucy Letby - The Power of the Inquiry by Nicholas Griffin KC and Rebecca Harris

In this article for  The Times ,  Nicholas Griffin KC  and  Rebecca Harris  of  QEB Hollis Whiteman  explore the additional powers of the statutory inquiry and whether they actually make a positive difference in the...

Bullied in court? Here's what our chambers can do about it

It is vital that chambers support individuals who have suffered bullying. QEB Hollis Whiteman has now adopted an external bullying policy. A panel of barristers within Chambers (including a senior QC) will now address complaints of bullying by judges,...

The Angiolini inquiry: Missing the big picture?

Ruth Broadbent examines the scope of the inquiry into Sarah Everard’s murder: what exactly does it seek to prevent, & how far is it willing to go? The full article can be accessed  here. ...