Saunders Law

Public Inquiries

Partner & Head of Public Inquiries

Cyrilia is a specialist human rights, Coronial and public law solicitor and the Head of Public Inquiries department at Saunders Law. Her expertise lies in representing civil claims against the police and other public authorities. Cyrilia represents clients at four major Public Inquiries:  the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, the Infected Blood Inquiry, The Undercover Police Inquiry and the Covid-19 Inquiry. 

Cyrilia’s career demonstrates an unwavering commitment to protecting civil liberties, equality and access to justice. She has dedicated her practice to challenging the decisions of public bodies whilst representing some of the most vulnerable and disenfranchised members of society. 

A large part of her work has focussed on representing bereaved families in inquests arising from deaths in custody and pursuing challenges to coronial conclusions through judicial review. 

Before joining Saunders, Cyrilia worked at Birnberg Peirce solicitors for nine years where she trained and qualified. She subsequently moved to a boutique City firm in 2017, where she worked as Deputy Head of the Civil Liberties Department for two years. 

Recent cases 

Public Inquiries 

Covid-19 Inquiry: Represented the Federation of Ethnic Minority Healthcare Organisations (FEMHO) and the Covid Airborne Transmission Alliance (CATA). FEMHO is a coalition of over 50,000 healthcare professionals calling for racial justice in UK health and a Core Participant in the Covid-19 Inquiry. CATA is a group of scientists that advocates for better infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance, specifically concerning the airborne transmission of COVID-19; they were also Core Participants in the COVID-19 inquiry.  Infected Blood Inquiry: Acted for clients who received Infected Blood and are now with a range of conditions including HIV and Hepatitis C, and face ongoing health challenges.  Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Represented survivors and bereaved family members of the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017.  Undercover Police Inquiry (UCPI): Represents renowned human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC in the UCPI. Mr Mansfield was allegedly spied by the Met Police’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) throughout his career and, in particular, during his representation of the family of Stephen Lawrence. 

Actions against the Police and Public Authorities 

Claire McGlone and Others v South Yorkshire Police - Representing 70 family members of 35 Liverpool football fans who died at Hillsborough in 1989 in a claim for misfeasance in public office. 

Pamela Duggan v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis - Representing Mark Duggan’s mother and children in an action for Assault and Battery, breaches of Human Rights Act 1998, Fatal Accidents Act 1976, Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934 and misfeasance in public office arising from his death. 

Inquests 

Inquest into the death of Kevin Clarke - representing the family of Kevin Clarke following police restraint. 

Hillsborough Inquests - Lead solicitor for the Pathology team representing 77 families in inquests into the deaths of the 96 Liverpool football fans who died in 1989. 

Inquest into the death of Mark Duggan - Instructed on behalf of the family of Mark Duggan following police shooting. 

Inquest into the death of the Lakanal House fire victims - Instructed on behalf of Mark Bailey, fiancé of Catherine Hickman (deceased), in the inquest into the deaths of the six who died at the Southwark Council housing estate. 

Administrative and Public Law 

R (Duggan) v. Association of Chief Police Officers [2014] EWCA Civ 1635 - Representing Mark Duggan’s mother in judicial review proceedings challenging the national law to enable the IPCC to compel officer attendance at interviews and ensure officers are separated before their first accounts following a death in custody. 

R (Duggan) v. HM Coroner [2014] EWHC 3343 (Admin) - Representing Mark Duggan’s mother in a challenge to the Coroner’s direction on conclusions left to the inquest jury. 

Prison Law and Criminal Justice 

R (Hallam) v. Secretary of State for Justice [2016] EWCA CIV 355 - Representing Mr Hallam, a young man wrongful convicted of murder at the age of 17. Mr Hallam served seven years in prison before his conviction was overturned. 

Cyrilia is a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group and Inquest Lawyers Group.