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

Kate Aubrey-Johnson, Barrister, Garden Court Johnson (Chair)
Kate is a youth justice specialist barrister and mediator at Garden Court Chambers with experience as a criminal defence practitioner and public lawyer. Kate is co-author of the leading textbook Youth Justice Law and Practice (LAG, 2019). She is a youth justice expert and is regularly called upon to give lectures and deliver training. She chairs the Ministry of Justice’s Working Group on Youth Advocacy and works in an advisory capacity in the youth justice sector. Kate is working closely with the Law Society, the Criminal Bar Association and the Inns of Court College of Advocacy to ensure lawyers have the specialist skills and expertise to represent children. Kate was Highly Commended in Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT) UK’s ‘Children’s Champion Awards’ for her commitment to supporting child victims of trafficking. Kate has an extensive knowledge of children’s rights law and also works as a SEND mediator.

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.

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.

Joanne Cecil KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers
Joanne Cecil KC combines a mixed serious crime and public law practice with criminal justice-related judicial review and civil litigation in the civil liberties sphere. She has a strong appellate practice both domestically and internationally, appearing at all levels including the Supreme Court. Joanne has developed an expertise in strategic litigation and acting for intervenors. She has been instructed in every significant test case at the appellate levels concerning juvenile justice in recent years, resulting in significant changes to the law. Joanne is a member of the Equality & Human Rights Commission’s panel of preferred counsel.

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.