INQUEST Lawyers Group

The INQUEST Lawyers Group (ILG) is a national pool of lawyers who are willing and able to provide preparation and legal representation for bereaved families. The group is integral to our work, providing specialist legal advice to many families going through the inquest process and contributing to our work on coronial reform. Membership is open to all lawyers who predominantly represent bereaved families and share INQUEST’s objectives and values. Find out how to join here. 

The ILG exists to support the work of INQUEST and further its objectives, and as part of this provides support, expertise and a well established network to lawyers involved in relevant cases.

Over the last thirty years, ILG members have represented bereaved families in hundreds of inquests into contentious deaths. These range from inquests into deaths in prison, police custody, immigration detention, mental health settings and deaths following other contact with state agents, through to major disasters such as the Marchioness, Hillsborough, Zeebrugge. Many members are currently instructed by survivors and those bereaved by the Grenfell Tower fire. 

The ILG promotes and develops knowledge and expertise in the law and practice of inquests by acting as a forum for the exchange of ideas and experience and offering training. Alongside INQUEST the ILG campaigns for reform on issues of concern – for example, for non means tested funding to enable specialist legal representation for bereaved people at inquests.

Members of the group are invited to join a specialist private email group of ILG members with circulation of regular email updates on inquest law related cases, judgements and changes in policy, procedure and practice. They also receive a subscription to Inquest Law magazine which is published three times a year.

Other benefits include:

• access to INQUEST’s casework and policy expertise
• provision of media support
• Secure access to the INQUEST Library Online (ILO), an INQUEST-hosted searchable web based database containing a range of inquest conclusion and related documents on all cases where INQUEST was involved since 2013.
• opportunities to input into INQUEST’s policy and campaigning work
• invitations to regular meetings hosted by leading professionals to discuss current issues in inquest law and practice
• the opportunity to discuss issues and network with peers at meetings and through the ILG email group
• and preferential rates for INQUEST training courses

For more information on fees and benefits see below.

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INQUEST Law Magazine

INQUEST LAW, the journal of the ILG, is a unique resource for all those concerned with the inquest system. 

 I would just like to congratulate INQUEST on its latest edition of Inquest Law. It provides an excellent summary of up-to-date law, cases and issues, and is an invaluable tool for anyone who has anything to do with the coroner service of England and Wales (including myself). I look forward to the next edition.

- HH Judge Peter Thornton QC, Chief Coroner

Published three times a year, Inquest Law is a vital resource for anyone working on the investigation of sudden deaths. Inquest Law is distributed widely amongst lawyers, coroners, academics and policy makers. INQUEST is the only non-governmental organisation in England and Wales working specifically on contentious deaths and the inquest system and as such Inquest Law is a uniquely valuable publication.

Written by INQUEST Lawyers Group (ILG) members and invited contributors, it informs practitioners about recent legal developments relating to the inquest system and the investigation of sudden deaths, with extensive casenotes written by the leading lawyers in the field. The magazine also keeps practitioners informed of policy developments in related areas.

The journal is free for ILG members, and subscription fees vary for external subscribers. 

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