Oliver Williamson

Public & Administrative

Experience & expertise

Inquests and Inquiries
Oliver represents families, doctors, Hospital Trusts and the Police at Inquests throughout the country. Oliver has a broad medical practice with particular experience in medical professional discipline and a wide experience of coroner’s inquests. He is instructed to appear in inquests lasting several days or weeks. Oliver is also instructed by families in cases involving complex medical aspects including issues relating to delay in treatment or sudden unexpected deaths of partially or totally dependent patients. He is also instructed in lengthy Article 2 and jury inquests concerning deaths in custody involving multiple interested parties and concerning issues of mental health and the Mental Capacity Act.

Human Rights
Oliver has represented various Police forces in the High Court, including defending actions brought under the Human Rights Act.

Administrative & Constitutional Law
Oliver has a developing interest in all aspects of Administrative, Constitutional and Public law, including Judicial Review. Through work in his other practice areas, Oliver has an in depth knowledge of the Disciplinary, Medical and Police sectors. Oliver advises the police on Constitutional Law matters and has represented various Police forces in the High Court, including defending actions brought under the Human Rights Act.

Mental Health/Best Interests
Oliver is a co-author on the fourth edition of Medical Treatment: Decisions and the Law edited by Christopher Johnston KC and Sophia Roper KC. He was also a contributor to the second and third edition.

Oliver is instructed by Claimants and Defendants in all aspects of Medical work . He has a long-standing interest in cases involving difficult questions of consent and capacity. As a result of his wide interest on ethical cases, Oliver contributed to a number of chapters in MTDL, including those on Consent; Treatment of Suicidal Patients; and Human Organ and Tissue Donation. Oliver has had exposure to cases involving tissue donation and withdrawal of treatment.

Information Law
Oliver has undertaken work in various areas relating to Information Law including various aspects of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related cases before the ICO.

Cases & work of note

R (Sean Price) v The Cleveland Police Authority and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (CO/9583/2012).  On 21 September 2012 Oliver represented the CPA (led by John Beggs KC) in judicial review challenge by former Cleveland Chief Constable Price.  Mr Price objected to the CPA’s decision to refer him to a police misconduct hearing whilst he remained the subject of a complex criminal investigation (Operation Sacristy) on the basis that any criminal proceedings would be prejudiced.  Irwin J dismissed Mr Price’s claim.

R (Derek Bonnard) v Ms Drusilla Sharpling CBE and Cleveland Police Authority (CO/12230/2012).  On 16 November 2012 Oliver represented the Cleveland Police Authority (led by John Beggs KC) in an urgent judicial review challenge by Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Constable Bonnard against the Misconduct Panel Chair’s direction that the misconduct case against him commence on 20 November 2012.  Leggatt J provided guidance on the interpretation of the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008 and granted a stay of the initial case management decision of the Panel Chair and remitted the case to the Chair for further directions.

Southall v General Medical Council [2010] EWCA Civ 407; [2010] Fam Law 699; [2010] EWCA Civ 484; [2010] All ER (D) 24 (May). Junior Counsel representing Dr Southall: successful appeal to the Court of Appeal from the High Court on the issue of inadequate reasons for findings.