Brian Stanton

Practice Areas

Brian Stanton is a director of Innovo Law, specialising in public inquiries, and independent investigations and reviews.

Brian has been working in the field of inquiries and reviews for 20 years, initially with the Shipman Inquiry in 2003. Brian gained significant experience of working as a prosecutor and investigator, including at the Serious Fraud Office, before his appointment as Deputy Solicitor to the Al Sweady Inquiry in 2010.

In 2018, Brian was appointed as Solicitor to the Infected Blood Inquiry, which is one of only a small number of UK-wide statutory inquiries to have been commissioned (the other prominent UK-wide inquiry being the Covid-19 Inquiry). This involved setting up the processes and procedures of the Inquiry, and administering the Inquiry’s legal functions, including exercising powers to compel the provision of information.

Since establishing Innovo Law in 2021, Brian has acted on behalf of a number of core participants in the Brook House Inquiry and the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, including as an advocate in the inquiry proceedings. Brian also provides legal support to a large UK-wide corporate organisation in separate inquiry proceedings.

Outside of statutory inquiries, as a Director of Innovo Law, Brian has provided legal advice and support to the Independent Investigation into East Kent Maternity Services; the Independent Thematic Review into Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Services; and to an Independent Special Commission investigating safeguarding and governance failings within an international NGO.

Brian is one of three national independent adjudicators for Companies House in respect of the adjudication of appeals against late filing penalties and connected complaints by company directors. Brian also conducts code of conduct investigations on behalf of a large UK-wide organisation.