Sophie Kemp > Kingsley Napley LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Kingsley Napley LLP
20 Bonhill Street
London
EC2A 4DN
England

Work Department

Public Law

Position

Head of Department

Career

Sophie is an experienced public lawyer, advising on major Public Inquiries and Inquests, judicial review, police misconduct and data protection. She “grasps complex issues quickly and comprehensively” (Legal 500, 2015) and is currently acting in two major statutory inquiries. Clients describe her as a “consummate professional” and she is known for solid and thoughtful handling of sensitive cases.

Sophie acts for individuals, companies and regulatory bodies in judicial review litigation, and is very effective in resolving disputes at the pre-action stage for both claimants and defendants. Her clients include government agencies, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries,  the Law Society, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, the General Dental Council, senior police officers, psychotherapy professionals.

Sophie has considerable inquiry experience representing individuals, institutions, public figures and senior professionals in major Public Inquiries, Inquests, IPCC investigations, and before Select Committees.

Notable cases:

  • Acting for families in the 7/7 Inquest following terrorist bombings in London
  • Representing core participants in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (the Jay Inquiry), investigating the extent to which institutions have failed to protect children from sexual abuse
  • Advising Metropolitan Police Commander in connection with the Under Cover Policing Inquiry
  • Advising Financial Conduct Authority employee in the Davis Inquiry
  • Advising Chief Constable of Cumbria in connection with Home Affairs Select Committee hearings

Sophie advises institutions, businesses and regulatory bodies on data protection compliance, conducting audits on the safe handling of personal information, advising on large scale redaction projects and responding to subject access requests made during litigation. She also acts for business and professionals in connection with freedom of information requests.

Sophie acts for members of the Chief Police Officers Staff Association (CPOSA) in IPCC and local misconduct investigations as well as acting in public law matters, including Public Inquiries and judicial review litigation.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Public sector > Education: individuals

Kingsley Napley LLP specialises in advising individuals facing disciplinary investigations in schools and higher education institutions and is strongly equipped to handle cases with criminal liability elements. The team regularly acts for students in sexual and academic misconduct cases, and it boasts a notable record of advising on academic appeals related to examination results, including appeals with disability discrimination elements. The team is co-headed by Iain Miller, Sophie Kemp, and criminal defence expert Sandra Paul, who regularly defends students against allegations of sexual offences. The team also draws on the expertise of regulatory experts Shannett Thompson, Julie Matheson, and Julie Norris, who are well-versed in handling disciplinary proceedings following allegations of academic misconduct.

London > Public sector > Administrative and public law

(Leading individuals)

Sophie Kemp Kingsley Napley LLP

Kingsley Napley LLP combines considerable breadth and depth of public and administrative law expertise with the firm’s work in judicial review spanning a wide array of key sectors; recent highlights include proceedings with a nexus to real estate and construction, technology, healthcare, and higher education, amongst others. Practice head Sophie Kemp is a seasoned appellate litigator and specialist in judicial review, offering deep experience in large and complex institutional responses to public inquiries. With over three decades of experience, Adam Chapman is highly regarded for his expertise regarding public inquiries, major inquests, and information law, while Nick Wrightson’s practice focuses heavily on commercial and regulatory judicial review.