Inquest Advice for Families

Inquests can be daunting for families, who are already suffering great distress. We assist families to make sense of the inquest process and to understand what happened to their loved ones. We will help you find out how your loved one died and the circumstances leading to their death.

We combine sensitivity towards our clients’ grief, with a determination to hold state bodies accountable and what lessons should be learned to prevent similar deaths in the future.

By offering clear advice and robust representation, families are equipped to deal with the strain of an inquest and we will ensure that the coroner conducts a full and fearless investigation. The team has a wider range of different but complementary specialisms meaning we can advise on different types of inquests in a prison, police and or mental health context. We have had many successes obtaining critical findings, including unlawful killing, neglect and serious failings, in both jury and non-jury inquests such as Hillsborough, the police shooting case of Dean Joseph and the death of Connor Sparrowhawk, to name but a few examples.

Our expertise has also led to coroners making reports at the end of the inquest to prevent future deaths sometimes called Regulation 28 reports.

We provide a full service up to and including the inquest hearing, including supporting families through any associated criminal proceedings and the Victim Rights to Review (VRR) process, advising in respect of linked investigations including Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and NHS Investigations. Once the inquest has concluded, we can help you take further action including bringing claims for compensation in negligence and under the Human Rights Act.

We also represent families who wish to challenge a Coroner’s decision in the High Court through a process called judicial review or an Attorney General’s Fiat. Our specialists can advise you on the best option depending on the facts of the case.