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Sam Stein KC
Year of call: 1988
Silk: 2009
Sam Stein KC uses “advocacy like a stiletto in a velvet glove” and he “has an encyclopaedic legal knowledge combined with street wise savvy”.
Sam Stein KC is a leading silk in the field of public and regulatory law, who specialises in public inquiries, inquests, regulatory and criminal law. He represents a wide range of clients, from victims and campaigning groups to central government and hospital trusts. Sam’s clients appreciate not only his legal knowledge, but also his outstanding judgement, his tenacity and his razor-sharp advocacy.
Sam is known for the clarity of his advice, the accuracy of his presentation and his no-nonsense style. Sam is recognised for his ability to cut through the most complicated technical language to the heart of the problem.
Sam has been instructed in very nearly all of the major public inquiries of the last 10 years including multiple modules of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI), and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (GTI). Sam is currently instructed by:
- the largest group of Sub-Postmasters, Postmistresses and managers in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry;
- by survivors and campaigners in the Infected Blood Inquiry; and
- by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
Sam also acts for individuals, groups and institutions in complex inquests, internal reviews and investigations. Sam is currently instructed by the Gambling Commission, and in relation to complex issues before the Court of Appeal.
Sam’s has been instructed on a wide range of complex and well-publicised cases up to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). His experience in criminal law informs his broad inquiries and investigations practice, particularly in relation to questions of accountability, and the interface between police investigations and public inquiries, inquests or reviews. Sam’s expertise in criminal law has proven to be invaluable in his inquiries, inquests and investigations practice, including but not limited to:
- Applications for immunity from prosecution considered by the Attorney General;
- Legal and parliamentary privilege; and
- Applications for confidentiality and issues of disclosure
Sam has conducted examination in chief, cross examination, as well as legal and factual submissions at every level of the courts. He has been instructed in the some of the most serious, legally complex and sensitive cases in recent times. In addition, many of Sam’s cases have involved complex issues concerning mental health.
Sam also sits as an Appeal Chair for Police Services as regards disciplinary matters.
Sam’s expertise includes advice on the establishment and delivery of national redress schemes, compensation frameworks and restorative justice programmes. Sam’s work in this area spans the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Infected Blood Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and, more recently, the Post Office Inquiry. In addition, Sam represents by the Islington Survivors Network regarding the institution of a redress scheme.
Areas of expertise
Investigations
Sam has been instructed in most of the highest profile public inquiries in the last ten years. His experience and expertise in public inquiries sets Sam apart as one of the leading silks in this area.
- Sam represented a significant number of survivors of sexual abuse across the majority of the 15 modules in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
- Sam was instructed by three firms of solicitors to represent more than 140 of the Bereaved, Survivors and Relatives in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
- Before the Infected Blood Inquiry, Sam represented a large proportion of the principal haemophiliac campaigners and survivors.
- In the Post Office Inquiry, Sam is currently instructed by the largest group of sub-postmasters, mistresses and managers.
- In the UK Covid-19 inquiry Sam is instructed as the leading silk by the Department for Health and Social Care across several modules of the Inquiry's work.
In addition, Sam is instructed to work on the ongoing fight for justice for victims of the Gosport Memorial Hospital, where hundreds of patients were killed through excessive prescription of opioid medication.
Regulatory and Disciplinary
In the last five years Sam has also been successful in acting for a number of high profile members of political parties in the conduct of confidential regulatory cases. He has a huge amount of practical experience in disciplinary cases before professional misconduct panels and in appeals against panel findings. As Sam sits as a Chair of the Police Appeals Tribunal, he brings his experience of chairing disciplinary cases into his representation in hearings and appeals.
Civil Fraud and Money Laundering
Sam’s practice has covered all areas of criminal work, including: conspiracy to defraud, money laundering (POCA), murder, manslaughter (often in relation to diminished responsibility issues) and sexual offences; Sam’s breadth of experience includes cut-throat defences, large scale and complex cases.
Appeals
- R v Hamilton: Post Office appeals successfully stayed as an Abuse of the Court’s process, Sam is working as the lead in a large legal team 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.
