team
Paul Greaney QC is Counsel to the Inquests. He practises from New Park Court in Leeds, where he specialises in serious crime, inquests, public inquiries and regulatory law. Paul has been involved a number of high profile inquests, public inquiries and trials in recent years including the Hillsborough Inquests, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Deepcut Inquest and Football Association disciplinary proceedings relating to, among other players Luis Suarez and Nicolas Anelka. He has prosecuted a substantial number of terrorism cases and has defended in many high profile cases.
Sophie Cartwright
Sophie Cartwright was called to the Bar in 1998. She practises from Deans Court Chambers, Manchester and specialises in inquests, public inquiries, public law, regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. Sophie is regularly instructed in complex inquests and is Counsel to the Anthony Grainger Inquiry. Sophie also sits as a Recorder in the Crown Court on the Northern Circuit and as an Assistant Coroner.
Her role at the Manchester Arena Inquests is to assist the Coroner and Counsel to the Inquests on legal issues arising during the investigation and inquest hearings and in the preparation for and running of the inquests’ oral hearings.
Jesse Nicholls
Jesse is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers in London, specialising in inquests and inquiries law, public law, and human rights and civil liberties cases. He has experience acting in a range of inquest proceedings and public inquiries, including high profile and multiple fatality cases. He has recently acted for bereaved families at the Hillsborough Inquests and the inquest into the death of Sean Benton, who died at Deepcut Army Barracks, and he is currently representing a number of bereaved family members and survivors at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
His role at the Manchester Arena Inquests is to assist the Coroner and Counsel to the Inquests on legal issues arising during the investigation and inquest hearings and in the preparation for and running of the inquests’ oral hearings.
Tim Suter
Tim Suter is a partner at Fieldfisher LLP. He has experience of advising those conducting independent inquiries and inquests. His role is to assist a coroner on legal issues that may arise in the course of their investigation and during the inquests’ oral hearings. Tim recently acted as the solicitor to the Hillsborough Inquests and Birmingham 1974 pub bombing Inquests. He has previously acted as the deputy solicitor to the inquests into the London Bombings of 7 July 2005 and the inquest into the death of the Russian dissident, Alexander Litvinenko.
Secretariat
Michael Collins
Michael has been appointed as Secretary to the Inquests and is currently on secondment from the Ministry of Justice. He is responsible for managing the administration of the Inquests and ensuring the Coroner has all the resources in place that are required to run the Inquests.
Michael was formerly the Secretary to the Azelle Rodney Public Inquiry, the Secretary to the Mark Duggan Inquest and the Secretary to the Tunisia (Sousse) Inquests. He also recently acted as Secretary to the Birmingham 1974 pub bombing Inquests. He has a background in policy development and operational posts within the justice system, most recently in Civil Justice Policy.