Ranking tables
Public Inquiries | UK
UK-wide
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
Fieldfisher 2 Years Ranked- Kingsley Napley LLP 2 Years Ranked
- Eversheds Sutherland
Band 2
Senior Statespeople
Star Individuals
Band 1
Andrew Lidbetter Herbert Smith Freehills27 Years Ranked
Christine O'Neill KC Brodies LLP20 Years Ranked
Emma Jones Leigh Day2 Years Ranked
Melanie Carter Stone King LLP17 Years Ranked- Nick Wrightson Kingsley Napley LLP4 Years Ranked
Shamik Dutta Bhatt Murphy15 Years Ranked
Sophie Kemp Kingsley Napley LLP7 Years Ranked
Tim Suter Fieldfisher10 Years Ranked- Cyrilia Davies KnightSaunders Law
- Elkan AbrahamsonBroudie Jackson Canter
- Marcia Willis StewartBirnberg Peirce
- Sarah JonesEversheds Sutherland
- Zaqia RashidTLT LLP
Band 2
Brian Stanton Innovo Law1 Years Ranked
Conal McGarrity PA Duffy & Co1 Years Ranked
Deirdre Domingo Innovo Law1 Years Ranked- Erin Shoesmith Addleshaw Goddard LLP13 Years Ranked
Jennifer Jack Harper Macleod LLP14 Years Ranked
Jenny Dickson Morton Fraser MacRoberts8 Years Ranked
Jules Carey Bindmans LLP19 Years Ranked
Matthew Smith Bates Wells4 Years Ranked
Mike Schwarz Hodge Jones & Allen24 Years Ranked
Nusrat Zar Herbert Smith Freehills20 Years Ranked
Oliver Carlyon Fieldfisher4 Years Ranked
Terry Wilcox Hudgell Solicitors2 Years Ranked- Nicola BrookBroudie Jackson Canter
Up and Coming
- Charlotte Whitaker Burges Salmon LLP1 Years Ranked
- Catherine TurtleTLT LLP
- Isabelle MitchellEversheds Sutherland
Star Associates
Laura Taylor Fieldfisher1 Years Ranked- Angharad HurleEversheds Sutherland
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 FieldfisherPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedFieldfisher is prominent for its depth of experience representing various parties in connection with public inquiries. The firm is particularly adept at acting in the role of solicitor to the inquiry, but is equally strong at representing core participants and witnesses. Recent instructions the firm has handled include acting on the Manchester Arena, Dawn Sturgess and UK Covid-19 inquiries.1 Kingsley Napley LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedKingsley Napley is renowned for its ability to advise core participants and key witnesses in connection with a variety of public inquiries. The firm's depth of expertise in the complementary area of public law assists the firm in navigating complex inquiries law.
Band 2
2 Addleshaw Goddard LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedAddleshaw Goddard has a variety of experience in representing core participants in connection with high-profile inquiries. The firm's client base includes corporate entities, families and governmental bodies, among others. The team brings its extensive health and safety expertise to bear in order to support clients in public inquiries.
2 Bhatt MurphyPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedBhatt Murphy has a substantial presence acting for clients in connection with both inquests and public inquiries. The firm predominantly represents bereaved families and NGOs. It has particular expertise handling matters where deaths occur following police or state contact, as well as deaths which occur through self-harm. Recent matters the firm have handled include the Sheku Bayoh, Brook House and Grenfell Tower inquiries.
2 Brodies LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedBrodies boasts noteworthy experience in representing clients in high-profile inquiries based in Scotland and the rest of the UK. The firm acts for a wide variety of clientele including charitable and independent organisations, central and local government bodies, and commercial clients.
2 Herbert Smith Freehills LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedHerbert Smith Freehills has a solid reputation for its representation of a range of public and commercial sector clients in significant public inquiries. The firm's practice is strengthened by its market-leading administrative and public law offering.
2 Hodge Jones & AllenPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedHodge Jones & Allen is heavily experienced in representing core participants in a wide variety of high-profile public inquiries. The firm also has deep expertise handling inquests on behalf of bereaved families following deaths in contexts such as immigration detention, military deaths or police custody, among others. It has recently acted on matters including the Post Office Horizon IT and Grenfell Tower inquiries, as well as the inquest into the death of Wayne Hurren who died whilst imprisoned at HMP Wormwood Scrubs.
2 Hudgell SolicitorsPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedHudgell Solicitors is well known for its broad inquests and public inquiries practice. The firm is notable for its representation of bereaved families in high-profile public inquiries including the Post Office Horizon IT and UK Covid-19 inquiries.
2 Leigh DayPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedLeigh Day has a wide array of expertise in handling both inquests and public inquiries. The team has substantial expertise representing bereaved families in some of the most complex and high-profile inquest proceedings. It also handles major instructions on behalf of core participants to a public inquiry. The firm has handled matters including the Infected Blood and Undercover Policing inquiries, as well as inquests touching on deaths of prisoners, maternity and baby deaths, and food safety and allergies.
Band 3
3 Bevan Brittan LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedBevan Brittan advises a variety of healthcare, charitable and independent organisations in connection with complex, highly sensitive inquests. It also fields multi-disciplinary teams to advise clients such as regulators, healthcare bodies and government authorities in connection with high-profile public inquiries. In addition, the firm benefits clients with its strong offering of employed barristers and solicitor advocates.
3 Burges Salmon LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 1 Years RankedBurges Salmon houses a substantial team of practitioners known for tackling high-profile public inquiries. It regularly advises both government departments and corporate clients.
3 Harper Macleod LLPPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 1 Years RankedHarper Macleod houses a respected team with experience handling highly sensitive and complex public inquiries particularly based in Scotland. The team regularly acts on behalf of core participants including government departments and local authorities.
3 Innovo LawPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 1 Years RankedInnovo Law is notable for its representation of clients in high-profile public inquiries based in Scotland and the rest of the UK. The team is particularly well-established in the commercial sector with further notable experience in advising charities in cases.
3 Morton Fraser MacRobertsPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedMorton Fraser MacRoberts has notable experience appearing in high-profile inquiries across England and Scotland. The firm represents a range of clients including government departments, as well as private organisations. It is also able to provide clients with the benefit of in-house counsel to conduct advocacy during public inquiries. In November 2023, Morton Fraser and MacRoberts merged; the combined firm is called Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
3 PA Duffy & CoPublic Inquiries2025 | Band 3 | 1 Years RankedPA Duffy & Co is a distinguished team of public inquiry practitioners based in Northern Ireland with strength in highly sensitive public inquiries. The firm has recently acted on matters including the Omagh Bombing and Billy Kenneally Inquiries.