Inquests & Inquiries

Outer Temple Chambers’ inquests experience is vast and wide thanks to our broad stable of experts.

James Leonard KC’s inquest experience extends to cases relating to fatal accidents at Work, Fire Safety Order fatalities and allegations of medical manslaughter. He was a Leading Junior in the Lakanal House super Inquest in 2016.  He represented the BFK Joint Venture at an Inquest in relation to a death on the Crossrail project and represented a PFI Company in relation to the death of a patient from Legionnaire’s disease in a major public healthcare facility.  More latterly he represented Barratt Developments PLC at an Inquest arising out of a landslide at Looe in Cornwall.  He is currently instructed for the RNLI in relation to a 3 week Inquest arising out of a double fatality on Bournemouth Beach amongst other high profile cases. James is also instructed in the 62 inquests into the conduct of former consultant breast surgeon Ian Paterson, an NHS doctor also operating in the private sector.

Oliver Powell KC, who appeared for Bombardier in the Croydon tram inquests, is frequently retained by companies or company directors at the outset of an investigation involving a death and is frequently instructed in high profile coronial inquests and inquiries, appearing on behalf of companies and company officers. January 2026 saw him act for Skyjack (UK) Ltd in a complicated and high profile two-week inquest.  He was recently instructed in two seperate inquests touching the deaths of workers using mobile elevated work platforms (MEWP), and two seperate inquests touching deaths of a persons on board sailing vessels.

Patrick Sadd is regularly instructed in inquests for families following neonatal deaths, child deaths when in medical care, and deaths involving psychiatric care, including an inquest into the death of new born infant twin and the Inquest into Death of Harley Tickle 

Harriet Jerram regularly in inquests, particularly in cases where the death has been caused by allegedly negligent medical treatment including neonatal deaths. She has also appeared in several prison death inquests. 

Ian Denham, a renowned international personal injury specialist, has built a strong inquest practice focusing on pathogen exposure and those with an international element. He was instructed in the inquest following the Mycobacterium Abscessus outbreak in a hospital, and touching the death of a private security contractor, shot by a colleague whilst working in Iraq. These inquests received considerable national and international press coverage. 

Harry Lambert is currently representing Ellen Roome in a landmark fiat application to quash the inquest into her son’s death, aiming to establish the liability of social media platforms for the ‘Blackout Challenge.’ (Roome v TikTok). He is also representing the family of a man killed in a collision where the other driver raised a defence of automatism. His role as a Assistant Coroner and ability to bridge the gap between technical product liability and the inquisitorial process makes him the counsel of choice for families seeking to uncover the truth behind preventable tragedies involving dangerous goods, AI and other digital harms.

Carin Hunt has been instructed on a number of inquests including the high profile Archie Battersbee inquest and a 5 day inquest into the death of a young lady who died of a stroke in late pregnancy, though her child was successfully delivered. She has also acted in a number of inquests where mental health issues have played a factor.

Members of Outer Temple Chambers have appeared in many of the largest and most complex public inquiries in recent UK history, including the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Muckamore Abbey Hospital Inquiry, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), the Infected Blood Inquiry, the Brook House Inquiry and the Shipman Inquiry.

Outer Temple also offers true strength in depth. From senior silks leading nationally significant inquiries to highly capable juniors who are hands-on, forensic and cost-effective, we can build teams tailored to the demands of each case. That flexibility is one of the reasons we are repeatedly instructed in long-running, resource-intensive inquests and inquiries.

Recent cases include:

• IICSA – Lead Counsel and junior counsel on one strand of this inquiry into sexual abuse of children in the care of the Nottinghamshire Councils.
• Also IICSA, members have been instructed as junior counsel on the following strands:  Child Sexual Exploitation by Organisation Networks investigation and Child Migration investigation (Paul Livingston). Child Protection in Religious Organisations and Settings investigation and Anglican Church investigation (Olinga Tahzib).
• Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, acting for the MOD
• Covid-19 Inquiry – various modules
• Brook House Inquiry – investigating allegations of mistreatment of immigration detainees arising from a BBC Panorama documentary in 2017. 
• Independent Jersey Care Inquiry
• Shipman Inquiry
• Richard Neale Inquiry
• Grenfell Tower Inquiry – numerous members have appeared repeatedly on behalf of various parties including the victims and bereaved families, and core participants.
• Hyponatraemia Public Inquiry in Belfast
• Infected Blood Inquiry