Overview

Elkan Abrahamson

The Covid Inquiry team at Broudie Jackson Canter is headed up by Director and Head of Major Inquests and Inquiries, and long-standing public inquiries expert, Elkan Abrahamson. Elkan has not only been involved with, but in many cases has led on some of the biggest inquests and inquiries in UK history, never to be forgotten. Elkan has fought on behalf of twenty of the bereaved families in the Hillsborough Inquests, forming close relationships with the bereaved, including Hillsborough campaigner and activist Anne Williams.

Elkan has also been involved with the Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest, and the Manchester Arena Inquiry, once again fighting for and securing justice for those bereaved families who deserve it.

Elkan teamed up with Pete Weatherby KC, Human Rights Barrister at Garden Court North Chambers and lead counsel on the Covid Inquiry, to write Hillsborough Law. Hillsborough Law, also known as the Accountability Bill, is a duty of candour law that was developed after Elkan and Pete witnessed the poor treatment of the bereaved families during the Hillsborough Inquests.

Nicola Brook

Leading the legal team supporting our Covid Inquiry clients alongside Elkan Abrahamson is Nicola Brook, Associate Director and Solicitor in the Broudie Jackson Canter Inquests & Inquiries department.

Nicola also has a very well-respected history of supporting bereaved families through some of the biggest inquests and inquiries the UK has ever seen. For the past five years Nicola has represented many of the bereaved families in the Manchester Arena Inquiry, investigating the events surrounding the horrific terrorist attack at Manchester Arena in 2017.

Nicola also worked closely with Elkan Abrahamson on the Hillsborough Inquests, heading up the pathology team that analysed all post-mortem reports and medical records and considering the prospects of survival.

Previous to working on inquests and inquiries, Nicola worked in criminal defence. Nicola was involved in the Milly Dowler case and was instrumental in securing disclosure of highly relevant documents that the defence had previously been denied access to. Ensuring all parties have equal access to evidence is one of the many reasons Nicola wanted to work on the Hillsborough Inquests after learning that this was something that had previously been denied to the bereaved families.

Emma Beckett

Emma Beckett is the Lead Solicitor on the Module 2 team. Prior to joining the Covid Inquiry Team she spent 8 years specialising in Wills and Probate, predominantly helping bereaved families with the estates of their loved ones.

Emma started her legal career working in Family Law specialising primarily in care proceedings. As a trainee solicitor, Emma represented a grandmother in proceedings that reached the Court of Appeal and resulted in the grandmother being reunited with her grandchildren who had been in foster care for 2 years.

Clare Fletcher

Clare Fletcher was the Lead Solicitor on Module 1 which focussed on resilience and preparedness. She is currently leading the team on Module 3 which will look at the impact of Covid 19 on Healthcare systems.

Clare first starting working in Law firms when she was a teenager and has a strong and unwavering belief in Access to Justice, having spent her entire legal career fighting to give a voice to those who need it most.

She has been a Solicitor for 18 years, initially specialising in Very High Cost Cases and Serious Crime. Clare was one of the founder members of Women In Criminal Law Northern Division and a Partner and subsequent Director in her previous firm.

Covid Inquiry Paralegals & Caseworkers

The Covid Inquiry team now has a cohort of Paralegals supporting our clients on a daily basis. Our Covid Inquiry Paralegals are instrumental in making sure our clients are taken care of and are on hand to support Elkan, Nicola and the team leaders with the ongoing Inquiry.

Our Covid Inquiry team include:

Team Leaders:

Caseworkers & Paralegals

Our paralegals and caseworkers manage client files and build trusting relationships with all our clients over the telephone, email and face-to-face. They also review and organise data relevant to the Inquiry and prepare documents for submission to court.

If you are a Covid Inquiry client and you have any questions regarding this process or how you can get involved, one of our paralegals will be happy to assist. Call us on Freephone 0808 296 5839 or email covidinquiry@broudiejacksoncanter.co.uk.

Covid Inquiry Counsel Team

The Covid Inquiry counsel team is headed up by Pete Weatherby KC, human rights Barrister at Garden Court North Chambers in Manchester. Pete is joined by Allison Munroe KC, Anna Morris KC, Kate Stone, Jesse Nicholls, Mira Hammad, and Thalia Maragh. The team also includes Oliver Lewis, Ciara Bartlam, Tom Jones, Christian Weaver and Lily Lewis.