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39 Essex Chambers
Department profile | 39 Essex Chambers
Inquests & Public Inquiries

Chambers Review

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Inquests & Public Inquiries - London (Bar)

2
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.

Strengths

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

Inquests & Public Inquiries respondent
UK 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 respondent
UK 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 respondent
UK Bar

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

Inquests & Public Inquiries respondent
UK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

1
Jenni Richards
1
Band 1

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.

Jenni is extremely clear, focused and concise.

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

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.

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2
Eleanor Grey
2
Band 2

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.

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

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.

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2
Kate Grange
2
Band 2

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.

Kate is an absolutely brilliant silk.

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

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

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3
Alan Payne
3
Band 3

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.

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3
Philip Dayle
3
Band 3

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.

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4
Rachel Troup
4
Band 4

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.

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

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

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4
Samantha Jones
4
Band 4

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.

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

Samantha is great with clients and direct with the coroner.

Samantha's attention to detail was outstanding.

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Scarlett Milligan
4
Scarlett Milligan
4
Band 4

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.

Scarlett is very bright and very analytical.

Scarlett is extremely effective and really empathetic with clients.

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

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5
Anna Bicarregui
5
Band 5

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.

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

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

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5
Emily Wilsdon
5
Band 5

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.

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

She is fiercely intelligent and very hard-working.

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

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Ranked Barristers at
39 Essex Chambers

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Band

Silks (KC)

London (Bar)

Inquests & Public Inquiries
1
Jenni Richards KC
1
Band 1
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2
Eleanor Grey KC
2
Band 2
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2
Kate Grange KC
2
Band 2
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3
Alan Payne KC
3
Band 3
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Juniors

London (Bar)

Inquests & Public Inquiries
3
Philip Dayle
3
Band 3
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4
Rachel Troup
4
Band 4
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4
Samantha Jones
4
Band 4
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Scarlett Milligan
4
Scarlett Milligan
4
Band 4
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5
Anna Bicarregui
5
Band 5
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5
Emily Wilsdon
5
Band 5
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