Sam Stein KC

Sam has been instructed in most of the highest profile public inquiries in the last ten years. He represented many of the survivors of sexual abuse before the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. He was instructed by three firms of solicitors to deal with their 140 clients who were victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Before the Infected Blood Inquiry, he represents many of the principal haemophiliac campaigners and survivors. In relation to the Post Office Inquiry, he currently represents the largest group of sub-postmasters, mistresses and managers. Sam has the ability to cut through the most complicated of technical language and get to the heart of the problem.

Sam is instructed by the Islington Survivors Network regarding the institution of a redress scheme and also to work on the ongoing fight for justice at the Gosport Memorial Hospital where hundreds of patients were killed through excessive prescription of opioid medication.

Sam is also currently advising a growing group of Doctors and Nurses who suffer from the effect of Long Covid as regarding their possible engagement within the Covid Inquiry and to consider their position in relation to compensation. 

In the last five years Sam has also been successfully instructed in a number of high profile confidential regulatory matters for members of political parties. He has a huge amount of practical experience in disciplinary cases before the various professional misconduct panels and in appeals against panel findings. As Sam sits as appellate chair he brings his experience of chairing disciplinary cases into his representation in hearings and appeals. 

Sam’s practice has covered all areas of criminal work; Conspiracy to defraud, money laundering (POCA), murder and sexual offences; he is often instructed in cut-throat defences, large scale and complex cases.

Sam advises and represents companies and individuals as part of the team at 39 Essex Chambers on all aspects of specialist environmental regulatory and criminal allegations, providing comprehensive practical advice and strategic representation at all stages, from pre-emptive compliance advice to initial investigations by the EA and other regulators through to enforcement and prosecution in the criminal courts. His expertise encompasses all areas of environmental regulation, including:

• Inspections;
• Criminal investigations, voluntary interviews, interviews under caution and prosecution;
• Orders ancillary to prosecution (confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and Directors Disqualification);
• Environmental Permitting Regulations, including applications, appeals, compliance and enforcement (suspension, prohibition and revocation notices);
• Waste Offences;
• Hazardous material;
• Contaminated land and illegal discharges to air, land and water;
• Landfill Tax and the Landfill Communities Fund;
• Statutory Nuisance;
• Wildlife and Rural Offences, including illegal wildlife trading, hunting, firearms and offensive weapons and all matters under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

• R v Hamilton: Post Office appeals successfully stayed as an Abuse of the Court’s process, Sam is working with Lynton Orrett (Nexus Chambers) and Edward Fail Bradshaw and Waterman on further Post Office appeals.

• R v SC, AT, AB & NC – Court of Criminal Appeal: In relation to issue of whether nitrous oxide (NO) is an exempt substance under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016

• R v W: Money laundering: Successfully argued that there should be no confiscation of Appellant’s trust monies despite his conviction for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply.