Inquests & Public Inquiries

9 St John Street's Inquests & Public Inquiries Team represents and advises parties in all types of inquests and pre-inquest hearings.

The inquest group is a team with wide ranging experience in the field of inquests who take pride in their approachable manner, guiding and advising clients throughout proceedings before the coroner - and thereafter as required.

The expertise within the team in complementary disciplines such as clinical negligence, personal injury, health and safety, regulatory law and criminal law provides clients and solicitors with continuity in advice and representation where the case before the coroner will, or has the potential, to give rise to civil or professional disciplinary hearings.

The members of the group regularly represent:

• bereaved families;
• hospital trusts;
• medical staffing agencies;
• police forces;
• local authorities / social services;
• care homes;
• insurers;
• the MOJ;
• security and construction sectors; and
• other interested persons.

The team has a strong background in representing interested persons in inquests where ECHR Article 2 is engaged, drawing on the considerable jury experience of many of it’s members, but also regularly receives instructions to represent interested persons in inquests before coroners sitting alone.

The team understand that very often interested persons are only given such status or notified of their potential involvement shortly before the inquest is listed. Members of the team regularly advise solicitors and clients in such circumstances, aware of the individual considerations of the client whilst offering pragmatic advice

The clerking team can be contacted at inquests@9sjs.com or email: chris.swann@9sjs.com or joe.gibson@9sjs.com

Fiona Wise, Head of Group
Beth Caunce, Deputy Head of Group

Client Testimonial:

"I have instructed various members of 9 St John Street Chambers’ Inquest team over the last few years. The team are well supported through excellent clerking. Every member of chambers I have dealt with has been thoroughly well prepared, treated each instruction with the care and sensitive approach that these matters need.

I have instructed members of chambers to deal with anything from a one day Inquest matters, involving deaths in a residential care setting, through to an extensive, Article 2, five week Inquest with five interested parties. I would have no hesitation in recommending 9 St John Street Chambers be instructed in respect of any type of Inquest matter."

Jacqui Kendall, Partner, Plexus