Free Hybrid Seminar -The Public Office (Accountability) Bill – The Hillsborough Law in Operation

The Hillsborough Law has long been awaited by the families of the 97 who died in the Hillsborough atrocities, for whom justice was achieved in 2016 when the lies and coverups of the police forces and other attending agencies was finally revealed. Far from a one off aberration, inquiry after inquiry has been faced with similar actions by state officials – Infected Blood, Undercover Policing, the Post Office, Manchester Arena among others. A decade on from the Hillsborough Inquest, it is anticipated that the law to prevent state lies will hit the statute books through the Pubic Office (Accountability) Bill. The Bill will also crucially provide another step towards a level playing field in inquests between bereaved families and state agencies. This seminar will chart why the law is so important, its key features and how to rely on these in practice.

Jodie Blackstock, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Chair)
Jodie is a public law and human rights specialist, with extensive experience in justice system reform through policy, research and strategic litigation. Jodie’s particular interest is in challenging, through judicial review and civil actions, criminal justice system actors for violations of fair trial standards, abuse and death in custody. She is particular concerned for the effective participation rights of adults with disabilities and children accused of crime.

Pete Weatherby KC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers North
Pete is based in Manchester and was a student at the time of the strike. Through the Student Union Pete and others organised transport to picket lines and food deliveries to remote mining communities who had very limited resources. Pete has led teams representing families and survivors at many controversial inquests and inquiries including Hillsborough, Grenfell, Covid, UCPI, Manchester Arena, Grainger, and Southport. He was on the Panel of the UEFA 2022 Champions League Final International Review, and has led the team ‘assisting’ the Government in enacting ‘Hillsborough Law’.  The forthcoming Orgreave Inquiry may well be an early test of the new provisions, and if used properly will significantly aid the search for truth and justice.

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 was 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.

Marcia Willis Stewart KC (Hon), Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce
Marcia Willis Stewart KC (Hon) is a highly respected Solicitor with extensive experience in public law, inquests, and human rights. Known for her work on a number of high-profile and complex legal cases, she brings strategic insight and a strong commitment to justice. Over the years, she has represented clients in sensitive and precedent-setting matters, often involving public authorities and issues of accountability. Her expertise in navigating legal frameworks around state responsibility and public interest law has earned her recognition across the legal profession. Her exceptional commitment to social justice work led to her appointment as an Honorary KC. As a human rights lawyer, she fights for civil liberties with a focus on public law and minority interests. She is a board member of a number of organisations and charities.She also mentors young people from all backgrounds to inspire the next generation of lawyers.

Some Notable Cases

• A member of the legal team who represented the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, who in 2005 was killed by police in a mistaken identity case.
• Successfully obtained compensation for the Ay family. The children had been detained for approximately eighteen months in immigration detention.
• Represented the family of Mark Duggan in his inquest of 2014. Mark Duggan was controversially killed by police in 2011, triggering protests in Tottenham and, indeed, across London.
• Led a team of over thirty lawyers who successfully represented more than seventy-seven Liverpudlian families in the Hillsborough Inquests. In 2016 the jury declared the ninety-six Liverpool football victims who died in that fateful football match of 1989, were in fact, unlawfully killed.
• Represented many of the bereaved, survivors and relatives of the Grenfell Fire, where seventy-two residents unnecessarily died.
• Acted for the family of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in their complaints to the police and the prosecution of the two police officers who took and distributed photographs of the sisters.
• Represented the family of Dawn Sturgess in the inquiry established to investigate the death of Dawn Sturgess who was poisoned by Novichok.

Reserve your ticket
In-person tickets are limited by the venue’s capacity. After you have completed the form, we will be back in touch to confirm whether a place is available at the event.

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 15 October, and it is not in your junk inbox, please email webinars@gclaw.co.uk.