Department profile
Crown Office Chambers

Inquests & Public Inquiries

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

Share profile

Crown Office Chambers

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Inquests & Public Inquiries - London (Bar)

Band 3

What the Team is Known For

Crown Office Chambers possesses a robust practice in public inquiries and inquests, with members generally acting for companies or public bodies. Barristers from the set have a strong track record in a wide range of matters, including inquests concerning deaths in custody, and those arising from accidents in numerous contexts including on construction sites and at care homes. One source praises the set for the "large number of individuals with niche specialisms", while another comments that they are "highly knowledgeable, approachable and always appreciate the bigger picture". Renowned for its health and safety expertise, the set can boast considerable experience in corresponding criminal regulatory and civil proceedings arising from inquests. Key instructions include significant roles in the Grenfell Tower and Post Office Horizon IT Inquiries.

James Wilkinson is the senior clerk.

View ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • They have a strong and efficient clerking support team who will always try to help.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • I always find the clerking to be excellent. They are professional, responsive and consistently high in quality, specifically team clerk Jack May-Davis.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • Toby Sparrow and Lisa Searle are super responsive. They are incredibly helpful and you always feel like you're one step ahead.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • Toby Sparrow is so good to deal with. I call him to problem-solve and he is open to creative ideas.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

  • Crown Office has excellent clerking. They are quick to respond and approachable.

    Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • James Maxwell-Scott
    James Maxwell-Scott

    James Maxwell-Scott

    James Maxwell-Scott KC is instructed in a diverse range of inquests and public inquiries, regularly appearing as counsel to the inquiry. He has particular experience appearing in inquiries involving a health and safety aspect.

    • I was very impressed by James Maxwell-Scott KC. He had meticulous organisation and sensitive and thoughtful submissions.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • James has a really lovely manner with clients and is very practical. He gets what clients are trying to achieve and has a way of explaining really technical laws in a really palatable fashion.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • His attention to detail is extraordinary. He is courteous and calm. James can distil huge quantities of information and advance difficult points for his clients.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • James Maxwell-Scott KC was exceptional in all areas and went well beyond the call of duty.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Simon Antrobus
    Simon Antrobus

    Simon Antrobus

    Simon Antrobus KC is a renowned health and safety specialist who has significant experience handling very high-profile inquests and public inquiries. He typically acts on behalf of commercial clients in inquests and in related health and safety prosecutions.

    • Simon is incredibly personable with the client and understands the pressures and commercial needs of the client. He is an excellent advocate.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Jack Murphy
    Jack Murphy

    Jack Murphy

    Jack Murphy is a strong choice of barrister for healthcare providers, construction companies, public bodies and families in complex inquests and public inquiries. He has notable capabilities in respect of deaths in the health and social care sphere.

    • Jack Murphy was very good. He was very clear and his preparation was first rate.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • You can tell Jack's got a lot of courtroom experience. He's quick on his feet and a slick operator.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Mike Atkins
    Mike Atkins

    Mike Atkins

    Mike Atkins is a strong choice for commercial clients involved in health and safety-related inquests arising in contexts including rail and transport. Alongside this, he has a well-established practice in criminal regulatory law.

    • Mike is a really reassuring presence. He works really hard to understand the details and communicates well with the clients.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • You feel Mike's really on top of the case and the detail, and he is very quick to respond to questions. He is a very good advocate, liked by judges.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Mike Atkins has a great, client-friendly manner about him.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Mike drafted some very impressive submissions. He is brilliant on the law, good on his feet and great with clients.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Mike Atkins' advocacy was really clear. He is able to disseminate detail very well.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Julia Kendrick
    Julia Kendrick

    Julia Kendrick

    Julia Kendrick is a specialist in criminal regulatory law who frequently acts in notable inquests. She has particular expertise in Article 2 inquests, advising on cases which involve universities, care facilities and public bodies.

    • Julia Kendrick cuts through the nonsense and gets good results.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Julia is very empathetic with the clients and very good at explaining things. She is good on her feet and very impressive as an advocate; she sets the right tone for an inquest.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • The thing about Julia is that she devotes herself to cases. She is immaculately prepared, really quite astute and an assertive advocate. She is tenacious.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Katie Sage
    Katie Sage

    Katie Sage

    Katie Sage is an impressive junior barrister who is instructed in various inquiries and inquests by local authorities and commercial entities. Of particular note is her representation of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    • She knows a lot about the law and is extremely diligent and organised. You need someone like Katie, who is structured in their thinking and can communicate well.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile
  • Sandesh Singh
    Sandesh Singh

    Sandesh Singh

    Sandesh Singh is a junior barrister with expertise in inquests. He often represents clients in inquests arising from a healthcare context and those involving accidents at work, including several high-profile cases.

    • Sandesh Singh is amazing. He knows the law, has great strategy and is always fully prepared. His advocacy is clear; it's straight to the point.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • He offers attention to detail and is strong on his feet. He has helped to navigate difficult issues. I can't praise Sandesh enough.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Sandesh Singh is a very calm advocate.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar

    • Sandesh is a very clever tactician.

      Inquests & Public Inquiries respondentUK Bar
    View profile

Ranked Barristers at Crown Office Chambers (7)

London (Bar)

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership