Neil Sheldon KC

Inquests

Neil has acted in a wide range of high profile inquests. He regularly appears in high-profile and complex inquests, and has particular experience of cases involving confidential material. He is currently acting for the NCA in the case of Jermaine Baker, a high-profile fatal shooting inquest.

He acted for the Foreign and Home Secretaries in the Alexander Litvinenko and Khalil Dale inquests. He has represented the Youth Justice Board in a number highly sensitive inquests concerning the deaths of young people in custody.

Neil acted for the family of Frances Cappuccini, whose death led to the first prosecution of a health trust for corporate manslaughter. He acted for the Department of Health in an inquest concerned with the provision of contaminated blood products to haemophiliacs in the 1980s. He has represented a large number of doctors, and families, in inquests concerned with the provision of medical treatment.

“Neil is a superb orator and brings calm to any situation at hand. He is highly adept at reminding people of the facts and keeping things calm with good strategic oversight.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

“Neil is brilliant.  He is calm and focused in what can be very distressing and difficult circumstances.” (Legal 500 2025)

“His drafting skills as well as his clarity of advocacy and advice are impressive.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

“Neil has a great eye for detail; he is very methodical and logical and extremely knowledgeable. He gets to the crux of the issue quickly.” (Chambers & Partners 2024)

“It is impressive how he manages to juggle so many different pieces of work at once.” (Chambers & Partners 2024)

“He is extremely intelligent and really hard-working in challenging and difficult circumstances.” (Chambers & Partners 2024)

“Neil makes everything seem very simple and when it is not simple at all he is unflappable and nothing fazes him.” (Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He is an incredibly good advocate: he is trusted with the most difficult matters time and time again.” (Chambers & Partners 2023)

“He is trusted by the government for its most sensitive cases and has a presence about him absolutely.” “A brilliant advocate who can handle a vast caseload.” (Chambers & Partners 2022)

“He is very calm on his feet and very reasonable in his advocacy.” “He’s got a really lovely manner and he’s very, very competent. I think he’s very measured and I really rate him.” (Chambers & Partners 2021)

‘Very experienced in very high-profile and complex inquests.’ (Legal 500 2021)

“He’s really good at dealing with his clients and has played an important role in helping to deal with really challenging material.” (Chambers & Partners 2020)

“He’s one to watch, a silk in the making.” “He’s very good with clients and they adore his approach.” (Chambers & Partners 2019)

“Superb on his feet. His advocacy is measured and incisive.” “Extremely approachable and highly experienced. His understanding of the medical field is second to none.”  (Chambers & Partners 2018)

“A good advocate with very good people skills.” “He is just completely in control of the brief. He is very, very calm under fire and a very reassuring presence, judges love him.” “Incredibly approachable, he really goes above and beyond. His advice is always easy to follow and he is particularly brilliant with difficult clients and sensitive matters. An all-round pleasure to work with.” (Chambers & Partners, 2017)

“He is very good and easy to get on with. He’s counsel of choice if you are dealing with big witnesses.” (Chambers & Partners, 2016)

Selected Cases

• Dymond Inquest. 
• Streatham Attack Inquest.
• Fishmongers’ Hall Inquests.
• Manchester Bombing Inquests.
• London Bridge & Borough Market Inquests.
• Westminster Bridge Inquests.
• Prof. Bitner-Glindzicz Inquest.
• Foreign Secretary v Coroner for Inner North London [2013] Inquest LR 193: Status of properly interested persons.
• Foreign Secretary v Coroner for Inner North London [2013] WLR (D) 261: Public Interest Immunity.
• R (Pounder) v Coroner for North and South Durham [2010] EWHC 328 (Admin). Fresh inquest; matters to be left to jury; unlawful restraint in secure training centres.
• Frances Cappuccini Inquest: Young mother; obstetric mismanagement.
• Adam Rickwood Inquest: 13 year old; death in custody.
• Gareth Myatt Inquest: 14 year old; death in custody.
• Alexander Litvinenko Inquest: Counsel to Foreign and Home Secretaries.
• Khalil Dale Inquest: ICRC worker taken hostage by terrorists; Counsel to Foreign Secretary.
• Stuart Fuller Inquest: Provision of contaminated blood products to haemophiliacs in 1980s.