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39 Essex Chambers

Inquests & Public Inquiries

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

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39 Essex Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Inquests & Public Inquiries - London (Bar)

Band 2

What the Team is Known For

39 Essex Chambers has a robust inquest and public inquiries practice. The barristers have wide experience representing core participants and are also instructed by coroners and as counsel to the inquiry. One client notes the members are "great with strategy, thinking outside the box in complex cases". The set acts for public and government bodies, commercial clients and bereaved families. Key instructions include significant roles in the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, the Infected Blood Inquiry and the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • I've never had an issue the clerks haven't been able to resolve. Peter and Sheraton are both exceptional.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • Joe Ralph is always approachable and so experienced. They bend over backwards to try make things work. I feel I can go to them with any issue and they will solve it.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • 39 Essex's clerks lead the way in terms of client care. They really go the extra mile and really understand what we need when we need it.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • The clerks are excellent. Peter Campbell, Sheraton Doyle and Oscar Redif are standout.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Jenni Richards
    Jenni Richards

    Jenni Richards

    Jenni Richards KC is deeply experienced in all forms of investigation into death, wrongdoing or clinical error involving the NHS or other health or social care providers. Her strong command of this area of law, coupled with her public law and human rights expertise, was recognised in her appointment as lead counsel to the Infected Blood Inquiry.

    • Jenni is fantastic; if I could use her for everything I would. She handles unexpected events well, takes it in her stride and has a commercial mindset.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Jenni is extremely clear, focused and concise.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • She is the most extraordinary leader with the most extraordinary energy I have ever seen and an unbelievable ability to absorb so much information.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Jenni is one of the most brilliant lawyers I have ever met. She is incredibly intelligent and absolutely sees the wood from the trees. Her advocacy is engaging and she is absolutely on point.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Eleanor Grey
    Eleanor Grey

    Eleanor Grey

    Eleanor Grey KC has notable experience representing government departments and other public sector establishments in major public inquiries, such as the Infected Blood Inquiry and IICSA. She is particularly knowledgeable about anything involving healthcare or education.

    • Eleanor is phenomenally clever and a strong advocate in difficult briefs. She has intellectual rigour and is very insightful on strategic issues.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Eleanor is able to assist on strategy quickly and ensures that advice is cognisant of the commercial requirements of the client.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Eleanor is a go-to KC for public inquiries, wonderfully mixing her calm temperament with an incisive mind that cuts through to the heart of the issue.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Kate Grange
    Kate Grange

    Kate Grange

    Kate Grange KC is an impressive performer with a practice spanning public and construction law. In recent years she has brought her considerable expertise to bear as counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    • Kate Grange is a real authority.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Kate is an absolutely brilliant silk.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Kate handled the witnesses really well and dealt with intensely complicated issues.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Kate is super straightforward to deal with and a real team player.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Alan Payne
    Alan Payne

    Alan Payne

    Alan Payne KC has a strong profile in this field, having represented government departments and various police clients in numerous inquests, in addition to high-profile matters such as the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

    • Alan is clever and very well prepared. He deals well with knotty issues that need intellectual ability to grapple with.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Philip Dayle
    Philip Dayle

    Philip Dayle

    Philip Dayle is instructed by victims and bereaved families in major public inquiries and in bringing judicial review challenges to their scope. He also acts for a variety of interested parties in inquests involving prisons, mental health and other matters.

    • Philip built a rapport quickly. He is approachable and good in court.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Rachel Troup
    Rachel Troup

    Rachel Troup

    Rachel Troup is a skilled junior frequently sought after for high-profile public inquiries. She acted in the Grenfell Inquiry and the COVID-19 Inquiry, and most recently as first junior counsel in the Lampard Inquiry.

    • Rachel displays significantly advanced interpersonal skills.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Rachel is a standout phenomenal advocate who engages so impressively with vulnerable people.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Rachel is a strong academic lawyer. She has real presence and compassion.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Samantha Jones
    Samantha Jones

    Samantha Jones

    Samantha Jones is commended for her representation of government departments and NHS trusts in public inquiries and inquests. She has particular expertise serving as part of a counsel team in inquiries.

    • Clients love Samantha. She can assimilate and organise information. She is down to earth and incredibly easy to work with.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Samantha takes on heavyweight cases and acts with real skill. She is a very composed and impressive advocate with very clear questions.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Samantha is great with clients and direct with the coroner.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Samantha's attention to detail was outstanding.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Scarlett Milligan
    Scarlett Milligan

    Scarlett Milligan

    Scarlett Milligan is highly regarded and widely instructed in the inquests and inquiries sphere. Among other prominent matters, she is notable for having been instructed as counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    • Scarlett's written work is exceptional, and her advocacy is silk-level.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Scarlett is very bright and very analytical.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Scarlett is extremely effective and really empathetic with clients.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Scarlett has a fantastic eye for detail. She is meticulously organised and ploughs through enormous volumes of material.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Anna Bicarregui
    Anna Bicarregui

    Anna Bicarregui

    Anna Bicarregui has a growing presence in the public inquiry space. She has been instructed as counsel to the residential schools strand of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, and has represented the Welsh Government in the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.

    • Anna is a class act and really calm under pressure.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Anna is a wonderful inquiry and inquest lawyer. She is very bright, master of the evidence and has very good judgement.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Anna is an asset to every case she is instructed in. She is extremely bright and unerringly diligent.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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  • Emily Wilsdon
    Emily Wilsdon

    Emily Wilsdon

    Emily Wilsdon is an experienced junior who has impressive expertise in public inquiries. She often acts on behalf of core participants, including government departments.

    • Emily has a wealth of experience and handles highly technical materials with ease.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Emily is incredibly organised and has good judgement. She is unbelievably hard-working and has really super written advocacy.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • She is fiercely intelligent and very hard-working.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Emily's drafting is very impressive and she is very bright and trustworthy.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
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Ranked Barristers at 39 Essex Chambers (10)

London (Bar)

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