Mark Thomas

Practice Areas

Mark specialises in inquests, police law, and public/administrative law. His practice includes cases which are commercially or politically sensitive, often involving issues of public interest immunity or media coverage.

Mark acts for most police forces throughout England & Wales, a variety of other public bodies and a large number of commercial organisations, often in the technology and retail sectors.

He accepts Direct Public Access instructions.

Mark has acted in a wide variety of complex jury inquests including maritime search and rescue (Ivan Ignatov), missing person searches (Gaia Pope), police taser deaths (Marc Cole), ABD police restraints (Douglas Oak), police road traffic accidents (Suleyman Yalcin) and deaths in custody (Simeon Francis). He has also acted for numerous employers in employee death inquests.

Mark is currently instructed by a variety of police forces to defend judicial review claims and claims for false imprisonment, assault and malicious prosecution.

Mark read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at New College, Oxford. Prior to becoming a barrister, he worked for several international investment banks. This business experience enables him to bring clear commercial acumen to his advice and advocacy.

Mark has served as a judicial intern at the Federal Court of Australia to Justice Nicholson and Justice French, the former Chief Justice of Australia.

Mark is a regular contributor to 5 Essex Chambers' Police Law Update, Insight: Inquests and Inquiries. He lectures widely on issues relating to police law and inquests.

Please visit the 5 Essex Chambers website to view Mark's full profile.