Select an area of expertise to find out more about our experience.
Find out more about our barristers and business support teams here.
Select an area of expertise to find out more about our experience.
Find out more about our barristers and business support teams here.
Rob is recognised as a leading junior by the legal directories, specifically in the fields of inquests/inquiries and immigration.
He has been involved in some of the most significant public inquiries of the last decade and acted in judicial reviews and appeals of high public importance at all levels up to and including the Supreme Court. He is also an experienced civil practitioner working on very high value personal injury, false imprisonment and clinical negligence claims. He is described as “a very thorough and dedicated barrister who will always fight your client’s corner” by Legal 500, and other comments from clients and peers include “incredibly intelligent and good on his feet” with “knowledgeable and persuasive” advocacy. He “gains the court’s respect and has extremely comprehensive knowledge of complex facts”.
Rob has been on the Attorney General’s A panel of Counsel since 2022.
Most recently he has been heavily involved in numerous modules of the Covid inquiry acting as senior junior on behalf of No.10 and the Cabinet Office, leading a team of other barristers and working directly with ministers and very senior civil servants including the then Cabinet Secretary.
His inquest work includes deaths in custody and immigration detention, deaths involving the police, deaths due to product defects, deaths due to clinical negligence and deaths in foreign jurisdictions. He acts on behalf both of bereaved families and organisations. His civil practice includes claims under the Human Rights Act as well as general personal injury and professional and clinical negligence claims. He represented the Home Office in the group claims following the Grenfell Tower fire.
His early years at the bar gave him a grounding in crime and general common law cases, and he was seconded to the Special Crime and Extradition Division of the CPS as a senior crown prosecutor. He worked on diverse cases including on behalf of claimants alleging child sexual abuse and exploitation, in family and in employment matters. He has previously acted as a panel legal adviser in police misconduct hearings and he sits as a Deputy District Judge.
Key Inquiries
Representative Inquests
Representative Judicial Reviews and appeals
Rob is known for his work in inquests and inquiries with a specialism in healthcare. He has acted for Claimants and Defendants in a number of cases including obstetric negligence, wrong or delayed diagnosis, orthopaedic and surgical negligence. He also acts in death in custody cases and has extensive experience working on inquiries including the Mid Stafford Public Inquiry and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Rob is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel and regularly acts on behalf of the government in judicial reviews at the Upper Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal.
As well as his exemplary work in inquests and inquiries, Rob is experienced in public law, personal injury and product liability.
Rob is known for his work in inquests and inquiries with a specialism in healthcare. He has acted for Claimants and Defendants in a number of cases including obstetric negligence, wrong or delayed diagnosis, orthopaedic and surgical negligence. He also acts in death in custody cases and has extensive experience working on inquiries including the Mid Stafford Public Inquiry and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Rob is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel and regularly acts on behalf of the government in judicial reviews at the Upper Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal.
Rob acts on behalf of families and other Interested Persons at Article 2 inquests, predominantly into prison and immigration detention deaths but also into healthcare and product liability deaths. Rob regularly appears in high profile and particularly complex Inquests.
Inquest into the death of Prince Fosu
Acted on behalf of the lead IP, the Home Office, in relation to a death in Harmondsworth Detention Centre. The inquest lasted between 3 February 2020 and 3 March 2020. There were more than 10 IPs, and complex issues relating to pathology. I took the lead role in questioning witnesses. Instructed by the Government Legal Department.
Kevin Smith, Richard Branton, the Cook family
Inquest into the deaths of five individuals who had been killed by faulty gas cookers. Rob acted on behalf of Kevin Smith and Richard Branton to obtain a fiat quashing a previous inquest (reported in front of the Divisional Court as Smith v HM Coroner for Cornwall [2015] EWHC 3475 (Admin). This inquest involved considerations of unlawful killing and Article 2 in a situation where a company had failed to take prompt action in relation to a defect that they knew about and which had gone on to cause the deaths of these individuals and a number of others. Instructed by Leigh Day solicitors.
Inquest into the death of Patrick Morreau
Acted on behalf of the family following a death in UCLH where the family were able to show that the trust policy in relation to NEWS scores for elderly patients did not comply with the national guidelines. Coroner adjourned the inquest after my questioning and required the Trust to reattend with further witness statements. Complex cross examination of senior consultants and the head of nursing. Instructed by Hodge Jones & Allen.
Inquest into the death of Donna Williamson
Acting for CPS in inquest relating to the murder of a woman by her ex-partner. There was an extensive history of domestic violence and the inquest considered whether the actions of the police and CPS in prosecuting the ex-partner in the run up to the death. The inquest raise particular issues for the CPS in relation to the reach of Article 2 and disclosure. Lengthy PFD report issued (though not in relation to CPS). Inquest found systemic failings by the Met in relation to the protection of those who are victims of domestic violence
Inquest into the death of John Tuff
Inquest into the death of a prisoner in HMP Hewell from psychoactive substances after it was the Prison and Probation Ombudsman’s conclusion that there had been systemic failings in the provision of healthcare. Rob was acting for one of the healthcare bodies. No prevention of further death reports were made. Instructed by Capsticks Solicitors
Rob has extensive experience working on inquiries including the Mid Stafford Public Inquiry and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Rob is a member of the Attorney General’s A panel and regularly acts on behalf of the government in judicial reviews at the Upper Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal.
Grenfell Tower Inquiry
Acting as junior counsel on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Home Departments. Involved in disclosure, reviews of expert evidence, preparation of witness statements, attending and speaking at inquiry.
Mid Staffordshire Public Inquiry
A Public Inquiry into the causes of poor care and unusually high death rates at Mid Staffordshire NHS. ‘Mid Staffs scandal’ is often described as the worst hospital care scandal of recent times.
Rob acts predominantly on behalf of the Home Office in cases from the Upper Tribunal up to the Supreme Court. Rob has had a leading role in the ‘ETS’ litigation. Rob has special expertise in cases which involve both immigration and family law. He has appeared in particularly significant country guidance cases (relating to Eritrea, Afghanistan and Libya) and in a number of Dublin cases (relating to return to Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus and Hungary).
Pathan v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] UKSC 41
Leading case on procedural and substantive fairness, heard by the Supreme Court. It involved complex legal issues which divided the Court. I have subsequently advised extensively on Pathan-type cases and the consequences across other fields of law. Instructed by The Government Legal Department.
Waseem and Arachchige v Secretary of State for the Home Department
Leading case on interpretation of the government’s long residence policy. 2 days hearing before a Presidential panel in the Upper Tribunal. Involved complex consideration of the development of the long residence policy and its interaction with Article 8. Initially involved acting against three teams of counsel, including a QC. Instructed by The Government Legal Department.
K (a child)
Family/immigration case considering the interaction between Hague Convention proceedings and immigration, involving multiple lengthy ‘closed’ and ‘open’ hearings regarding the disclosure of asylum documents. This case is covering many new issues of law and was recently considered by the Supreme Court in its judgment in G v G [2021] UKSC 9
AB v AN v SSHD
Family/immigration case considering whether an FGM Protection Order should be made in proceedings where an asylum appeal had found no risk of FGM. Covered new legal principles including the need for expert evidence in such proceedings and the role of the SSHD as intervenor
Rob’s areas of expertise in Court of Protection include:
7 November 2025
The Southport Inquiry, chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford, concluded Phase 1 of its hearings on…
Discover more30 May 2025
On 16 September 2024 the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee published an important report…
Discover moreYesterday, Module 5 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry opened. The module will…
Oral hearings for Module 4 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry started today….
Instructing Rob
Please contact James Cole if you have any questions or wish to instruct us.
Immigration:
“Robert is a formidable barrister and a pleasure to work with.”
“He is highly regarded in the government.”
Immigration:
“He is incredibly intelligent and good on his feet.”
“His advocacy is knowledgeable and persuasive.”
Inquests and Inquiries:
‘Robert has a particular aptitude for difficult and complex claims relating to GDPR and the Data Protection Act.’
“Rob has an exceptional grasp of immigration law and is well-respected by his opponents and judges alike. He has a pragmatic approach to litigation which results in excellent outcomes for the Home Office and has a persuasive style of advocacy.”
“He gain the court’s respect and has extremely comprehensive knowledge of complex facts.” (Immigration)
“He is good and has a nice, measured style of delivery.”
‘Very dedicated and supportive of bereaved families. He never gives up. ’
Click here to view
