Free Hybrid Seminar – Grooming Gangs Inquiry: What Campaigners, Victims, Core Participants, and NGOs need to know

The Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs was established in response Recommendation 2 of Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, for there to be a national inquiry into child sexual exploitation in England Wales.

The Inquiry’s draft terms of reference which was published on 9th December 2025 is due to be finalised in March and sets out the inquiry’s commitment to placing victims and survivors at the forefront its approach.

This Hybrid Seminar will examine the nuts and bolts of preparing for a public inquiry:

• What is a Public Inquiry (nuts and bolts) and why would my organisation want to be involved?
• How to effectively influence and share its Terms of Reference (TOR)?
• What is a Core Participant (CP)? How to make effective applications? What are your rights as a CP?
• What is a Recognised Legal Representative (RLR)?
• How to secure funding for your legal team (RLRs)?
• Awarding costs – understanding s40 UK Inquiries Act 2005

Speakers

Stephanie Harrison KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Described as a “brilliant advocate”, Stephanie is a leading public law practitioner who has appeared at all court levels. Her multi-disciplinary practice spans the breadth of public law and civil liberties. Stephanie’s cases include those arising from unlawful detention, national security, official misconduct, abuse of power, child sexual exploitation, equality and discrimination, minority rights and civil rights protest and injunctions. She also has considerable expertise in cases involving closed material procedures. Stephanie is regularly involved in test case litigation and has been instrumental in winning some of the most important cases within her areas of specialism in recent times. Much of her work is high profile and receives media coverage. She is passionate about upholding and advancing the rights of vulnerable minority groups and children.

Stephen Simblett KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Stephen is Joint Head of Garden Court Chambers. Stephen’s practice focuses on individual rights in four discrete areas. These are civil claims against the police and public authorities; inquests; mental health and Court of Protection; public law/judicial review. He was one of the lead advocates representing bereaved families in the Hillsborough Inquests and has appeared as advocate in a number of public inquiries. Stephen was also instructed on behalf of survivors of child sexual abuse in three phases of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, appearing in the “Nottinghamshire Councils” phase,  the “Accountability and Reparations” phase and the “Lambeth Council” phase. This public inquiry is one of the biggest ever.

Allison Munroe KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Allison has a mixed practice specialising in Family Public Law, Inquests/Inquiries, Crime and Mental Health. In all spheres of her work, she has focused upon acting for vulnerable clients with a particular emphasis on the protection of their civil liberties. Allison has extensive expertise and experience working on large scale Inquests and Public Inquiries of national and international importance. She represented a number of the bereaved families in the historic Hillsborough Inquests (2014-2016). Presently she represents some of the Bereaved Families in the Grenfell Tower Fire Public Inquiry, as well as survivors and residents. Allison is shortlisted for the Family Law KC of the Year Award at the Family Law Awards 2025.

Thalia Maragh, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Thalia is co-convenor of the civil liberties team and a leading practitioner in Crime, Inquest and Public Inquiries. She is currently instructed on behalf of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice UK (CBFFJ UK) in the Covid-19 Public Inquiry over several modules and has appeared in some of the leading Inquest and Public Inquiries in recent British history including: the Hillsborough Inquests, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (in phases 1 and 2), the Inquiry into the Manchester Arena Bombings and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Thalia was also a member the Justice working party on public inquiries: When things go wrong: the response of the justice system and the Justice working party on Inquests – Achieving Racial Justice at Inquests: A Practitioner’s Guide.

Reserve your online ticket
If you have booked an online ticket, we will send joining details to all those who have signed up on the day of the event. If you have not received the link by 2pm on Wednesday 11th February, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.