Isabelle Mitchell

Practice Areas

Isabelle is a Partner in Eversheds Sutherland’s Inquiries and Investigations Team.

Isabelle has extensive experience working on investigations and public inquiries. She has worked on some of the most high-profile public inquiries, both statutory and non-statutory, either acting for the inquiry itself, dealing with all aspects of the inquiry’s work, or for core participants/interested parties to an inquiry, and those asked to provide evidence.

Whether acting for an inquiry or core participants/interested parties, Isabelle can predict and then navigate the common issues that arise, such as disclosure, data protection, self-incrimination and/or managing concurrent proceedings and investigations, and maxwellisation.

Isabelle is currently leading the team delivering legal services to the Angiolini Inquiry, a non-statutory inquiry examining the death of Sarah Everard, and wider issues related to police culture and vetting. Isabelle also recently led the team appointed as the Commissioning Body to the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation (grooming gangs), gathering documentary and witness evidence and supporting the Chair with the delivery of the inquiry.

The report was published in 2022, with the two year review examining the implementation of recommendations taking place in 2024.

Isabelle has also led teams acting on behalf of two core participants in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, advised numerous clients involved in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, acted for Core Participants in the Leveson Inquiry and IICSA, and acted on the solicitors team supporting the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry and the Mid Staffordshire Hospital Inquiry. Isabelle has co-authored the book, ‘The Practical Guide to Public Inquiries’ published by Bloomsbury in 2020.

Isabelle also conducts independent investigations for clients, often on sensitive topics and engaging issues of governance. This includes a cradle to grave service - drafting terms of reference, managing data protection and associated issues, gathering evidence using a trauma informed approach, preparing reports and delivering the outcome to the client, alongside proposed action plans. This includes the Trojan Horse investigation concerning an alleged extremist plot to take over schools, governance investigations, and a whistleblowing investigation concerning serious bullying allegations and wider culture issues.

Isabelle also advises clients that have been asked to give evidence to inquiries and select committees.

Client experience

Isabelle's other inquiry experience includes:

• acting as part of the senior management team on the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry. Her role included drafting the Inquiry protocols, dealing with the Chair and Panel on all aspects of the Inquiry's management, liaising with Counsel and experts, interviewing witnesses, and budgeting/managing the documents team

• participating with the Trojan Horse investigation into allegations of extremism within schools in Birmingham, interviewing witnesses and was responsible for drafting the report in consultation with the lead investigator

• acting as part of the core team on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, in which Eversheds was engaged as Solicitors to the Inquiry. Isabelle's involvement included analysing evidence, taking and preparing statements from vulnerable or reluctant witnesses (including whistleblowers), and dealing with issues of anonymity, data protection concerns, conflicts and the use of sensitive material. Isabelle was also a member of the editorial team assisting the Chairman, Robert Francis QC, in preparing his report

• acting on behalf of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime in the Leveson Inquiry (phone hacking), where the client was a core participant in the Inquiry and has conducted a number of independent internal investigations for clients, usually involving complaints of a sensitive nature, for example, an investigation concerning the death of an employee, raised by an anonymous whistleblower

• advising clients that have been asked to give evidence to inquiries and select committees, including the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry in Northern Ireland and the Select Committee into the collapse of Liberty Steel

Education