"Has a standout intellect combined with practicality and candour." Chambers UK
Chair & PartnerChristine O'Neill KC
Particular experience in representing clients in high profile and complex public inquiries.
Senior AssociateKirstyn Burke
Business development specialist, collaborating with colleagues across our litigation practice.
Senior Business Development ManagerFiona Munro
Fiona Munro
Senior Business Development Manager
Our lawyers are involved in every major public inquiry in Scotland and have experience of a number of UK and cross-border inquiries. We are also regularly instructed in non-statutory inquiries and internal reviews initiated by local authorities, universities and public bodies.
Applying our knowledge of the Inquiries Act 2005 and the Inquiry Rules, we provide guidance at every stage of the process, ensuring that our clients respond in a way that protects their interests and reputation.
Our approach combines a strategic perspective that focuses on advancing our clients' key objectives, with methodical management of document recovery and witness support, as well as requests for information, using our specialist IT tools.
The Brodies team have provided clear advice, have responded to requests well, have worked within pre-agreed financial limits and have dealt with the demands of the inquiry well.
Chambers UK 2024
Public Inquiries: What you need to know
We have been immensely impressed by the ability of Brodies' staff to understand, assimilate and capture complex issues within a specific sector, and to do so in a sensitive and astute manner.
Chambers UK 2024
My experience of working with Brodies is always positive - they always provide what you need.
Chambers UK 2024
We recognise that public inquiries and internal reviews differ from litigation and require different skills. Accordingly, we draw on relevant specialisms from across our firm – clinical negligence experts for healthcare inquiries, construction specialists for major projects – alongside advocates from our in-house advocacy unit.
Our experience of public inquiries also gives us the insight and expertise to effectively conduct internal non-statutory inquiries and reviews, for clients across a range of sectors.
Public Inquiries key highlights
- Ranked Band 2 for Public Inquiries UK-wide in Chambers UK 2024.
- Christine O'Neill KC has represented the Scottish Government in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry since it began in 2017.
- Brodies acts for clients involved in the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry and the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
- Tony Jones KC appeared in the inquiry into the Stockline Plastics factory explosion.
- Brodies assisted Edinburgh City Council in establishing its Mortonhall (baby ashes) Inquiry and the handling of inquiry data and reports.
- Colleagues have been involved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry.
- Brodies is instructed by the Scottish Government to support its involvement in the UK-wide Infected Blood Inquiry.
- Christine O'Neill KC acted for the Scottish Government in a judicial review about the scope of the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
