Inquests and Inquiries

Ian is a highly experienced barrister with a longstanding and well-established practice, specialising in cases where the issues involved intersect with criminal, regulatory, and scientific complexity. He is a member of the Attorney General’s Regulatory List (List A – highest level) and is regularly instructed in the most serious and sensitive cases involving death, public safety, and professional accountability.

He has acted in numerous cases arising from fatalities in the criminal justice, healthcare and road traffic contexts, including deaths involving complex forensic, medical, or engineering evidence. His meticulous, analytical approach and ability to manage highly sensitive evidence and multiple interested persons make him a natural choice for Article 2 inquests and public inquiries.

A former homicide counsel with extensive experience in murder, manslaughter, and fatal road traffic cases (including death by dangerous and careless driving), Ian brings to inquest work a deep understanding of causation, liability, and evidential nuance. His skill in cross-examination of expert witnesses—particularly in pathology, toxicology, collision investigation, and forensic engineering—is well established.

In the public inquiry sphere, Ian has the ability to navigate legally and politically sensitive terrain, with a robust understanding of procedure, public interest immunity, and reputational risk.

Key Areas of Expertise

• Fatal road traffic incidents (death by dangerous/careless driving, vehicle defects)
• All forms of homicide
• Cases involving complex expert and scientific evidence (e.g., structural or process failures, product safety, engineering causation)
• Representation of interested persons including families, clinicians, corporates, police forces, and public authorities
• Public inquiries and regulatory reviews with crossover criminal or civil liability
• Advisory work in relation to disclosure, privilege, and regulatory overlap

Ian is known for his strategic clarity, empathetic approach with bereaved families, and rigorous case preparation. He is a frequent lecturer on coroner law, criminal liability in health and safety contexts, and expert evidence.