Chair of the Inquiry
Sophie Cartwright KC
Sophie Cartwright KC was called to the Bar in 1998.
Sophie sits as a Recorder in the Crown Court and as an Assistant Coroner. Sophie is a Master of the Bench at Inner Temple.
Sophie specialises in public inquiries, inquests, public law, regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. Sophie previously acted as Counsel to the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the Anthony Grainger Inquiry and the Jalal Uddin Inquiry.
Counsel to the Inquiry
Clair Dobbin KC
Clair Dobbin KC is a barrister at Three Raymond Buildings.
Clair has extensive experience working on public inquiries including acting as counsel to the Covid Inquiry, and acting for a Core Participant in the Post Office Inquiry.
Clair specialises in public inquiries, inquests, public and administrative law, and extradition law. Clair has appeared before the Supreme Court, the Privy Council, and in the European Court of Human Rights.
Rowena Moffat
Rowena Moffatt is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers.
Prior to joining the Manston Inquiry, Rowena was part of the Counsel to the Inquiry team on the Cranston Inquiry. She has also acted for a Core Participant in the Covid Inquiry.
Rowena additionally specialises in public law and human rights law, including immigration and asylum.
Miranda Butler
Miranda Butler is a barrister at Landmark Chambers.
Miranda is a Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge, Special Advocate, and Co-Editor of The Law and Practice of Human Rights.
Miranda specialises in public law, human rights, and public inquiries. She previously acted in the Infected Blood Inquiry and Covid Inquiry.
Reka Hollos
Reka Hollos is a barrister at Three Raymond Buildings.
Reka specialises in public inquiries, inquests and extradition. She has previously acted as Counsel to the Cranston Inquiry and as counsel for Core Participants in the Manchester Arena Inquiry, the Undercover Policing Inquiry, and the COVID-19 Inquiry amongst others.
Michael Harwood
Michael is a barrister at 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square specialising in public law, local government, public inquiries and investigations. He regularly advises and represents government departments, local authorities, regulators and other public bodies.
Michael is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel and has developed substantial public inquiry experience, including acting in the Undercover Policing Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan.
Ella Crine
Ella Crine is a Barrister at Three Raymond Buildings.
Ella has worked on previous public inquiries including the Thirlwall Inquiry examining the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital following the convictions of Lucy Letby.
Ella specialises in crime, public inquiries, inquests, and public and administrative law including police powers and national security.
Solicitor to the Inquiry
Alastair Tidball
Before joining the inquiry, Alastair worked in the Government Legal Department in several roles, including in the Ministry of Defence. He has extensive experience in public law, inquests and inquiries and public international law; with a particular interest in national security matters.
Secretary to the Inquiry
Katherine Yesilirmak
As Secretary to the Inquiry, Katherine’s role is to support the Chair in delivering the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, including acting as the main contact between the Inquiry and the Home Office (the Inquiry’s sponsor department in government).
Katherine is an experienced senior civil servant who since joining government has worked across policy and delivery. In her most recent role Katherine was Deputy Director for Strategy in the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit (previously the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation).