Laura Stephenson

Inquests & Public Inquiries

Laura has extensive working experience of public inquiries and inquests. Laura was recently appointed as junior counsel to the Covid Inquiry Legal Team (read more about the Inquiry here).

She is instructed as junior counsel in the Infected Blood Inquiry. The Inquiry is examining the infection of NHS patients through the use of infected blood and blood products.

Early on in her career at the bar, Laura assisted with the review and preparation of evidence for organisations involved in the Hillsborough Inquests, and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. She acted as disclosure junior for an interested party in the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.

Laura has a busy inquest practice, predominantly acting on behalf of healthcare professionals and organisations. She frequently represents NHS Trusts, care homes, doctors and nurses. Examples of instructions include:

• Representing an NHS Trust in a 3-week jury inquest after an imprisoned person died of a potentially detectable medical condition;
• Acting on behalf of a GP who performed a mental health assessment on a patient shortly before the patient jumped from a multi-storey car park;
• Representing a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon following the death of a patient from infection shortly after post-operative discharge;
• Representing a care home following the escape of a resident who fell and died after leaving the home;
• Representing a charitable Trust providing addiction and mental health services in prison in a 4-week jury inquest.