Edwin Buckett

Call: 1988

"A calm and thoughtful advocate who brings clarity of thought, sensible analysis and judgement to cases. Impressive on his feet. Sensitive and empathetic with clients."

Legal 500 2024

Edwin Buckett is a versatile and experienced civil practitioner specialising in police, personal injury and professional negligence claims.

Edwin has been listed in the Chambers UK and Legal 500 since 2003.

He regularly represents police forces and government agencies in police related civil claims and inquests. He also acts mainly for Claimants in serious personal injury claims and for both sides in professional negligence claims.

He appears in Courts at all levels with most of his caseload in the High Court. Edwin has appeared in many reported cases. He has co-written a number of legal textbooks including Civil Actions Against the Police (Clayton & Tomlinson) and Preventative Orders (with Tom Little and Robert McAllister) and regularly writes legal articles.


Expertise

Edwin has represented police forces as well as individual officers for over two decades. He has been involved in excess of a three hundred civil claims for damages, many jury inquests and misconduct proceedings. He was also involved in the High Court phone hacking litigation for approximately five years.

Notable Police Law cases


Westminster College of Computing-v-Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis [2020] EWCA Civ 561

Edwin acted for the police and successfully resisted an appeal in an extensive damages claim arising out of the execution of a PACE warrant in a joint police and UK Border Force Operation into sham colleges.

Browne-v-Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2014] All ER (D) 6

Edwin acted for the police in a large High Court damages claim brought by the former minder of Noel Fielding who was stopped in Kentish Town for the purposes of a drug search during which he sustained serious injury.

An Informer-v- A Chief Constable [2013] Q.B. 579

Edwin acted for the police (alone in the High Court 3 week trial and on appeal with Edward Faulks QC in Court of Appeal) in a damages claim by a Covert Human Intelligence Source against the police which was the first case to establish the parameters of the duty of care owed to informers.

R (Le Page)-v-HM Coroner Inner London South [2012] EWHC 1485 (Divisional Court) Inquest L.R. 31

Edwin represented the police at the judicial review of the Inquest into the death of a 17 year old girl who died having swallowed cocaine at a police station. The challenge concerned the principles to be applied when admitting expert evidence (obtained by the family but not the Coroner) with the Court giving guidance on this issue.

Chris Bryant MP, Lord Prescott and Bryant Paddick-v-Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2011] H.R.L.R. 27

Edwin acted for the police in this Article 8 judicial review challenge into the first phone hacking investigation.

Most of Edwin’s personal injury practice concerns representing Claimants in fatal accidents, high value employer’s liability and public liability claims with a lesser caseload for Defendant insurers.

Notable Personal Injury cases


Re: J [2021]

Edwin is currently instructed in a recently issued High Court amputation and brain damage claim on behalf of a minor who sustained injury following a road traffic accident. The claim is valued at between £5-10m;

Re: RJ [2019]

After a building site accident involving a pedestrian in central London, Edwin represented that individual in her High Court claim for damages which was settled at a JSM for in excess of £1.4m;

Jones-v-Ministry of Justice [2019]

Edwin represented a Senior Prison Office in his claim for damages against the prison for the failure to prevent a serious assault on him by a prisoner. Liability was contested by the MOJ, but established after a 3 day liability-only trial, following which the claim settled.

Liddle-v-Bristol City Council [2018] 2 WLUK 395 (QB)

Edwin represented the Claimant in a fatal accident claim in the High Court which concerned the contested use of expert evidence relevant to liability.

Ringe-v-Eden Springs [2012] EWHC 14 (QB)

Edwin represented a motorcyclist in a serious road traffic accident in the High Court. Liability was hotly contested but established for the Claimant after a liability-only trial.

Burden-v-Harrods [2005] PIQR P17

Edwin successfully represented the Claimant on appeal in relation to the compromise of a personal injury claim, when the Defendant maintained that the compromise amounted to admission (which they sought to withdraw) which was governed by CPR 14.

The professional negligence cases undertaken by Edwin mainly comprise claims against solicitors (acting for both Claimants and Defendants) in relation to the conduct of litigation where cases have not been properly pursued or limitation periods missed.

Notable Professional Negligence cases


Fahy-v- PSU and Thompsons Solicitors [2015] EWHC 3515

Edwin successfully represented a firm of solicitors in a professional negligence claim concerning the alleged mishandling of a personal injury claim against a police force;

Boyle-v-Thompsons Solicitors [2012] P.N.L.R. 17.

Edwin represented a firm of solicitors in a 5 day High Court trial which concerned the alleged negligent handling of a CICA claim. The claim was dismissed.

Recent News


Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB)

Regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. To see my privacy notice click here.

  • LLB (Honours Degree) Hull University 1987
  • Inns of Court School of Law 1988

  • Professional Negligence Bar Association
  • Personal Injury Bar Association
  • Administrative Law Bar Association

  • Part-Time Inner London Coroner (2016 to present)
  • Chairman of Police Misconduct Panel (2015 to present)

  • Pegasus Scholarship (Inner Temple)

"He is very good at inquest hearings, always on top of cases and papers and a real team player."

Chambers & Partners 2024

"Strategically, he is very sound and he knows how far to push a case and when to settle."

Chambers & Partners 2023

"Quickly gets to the heart of an issue and is able to confidently navigate a path through difficult situations"

Legal 500, 2022

"Highly experienced"

Chambers UK 2021

"A fair and impressive opponent"

Chambers UK 2019

"Quick and accurate"

Chambers UK 2018

"Represents the police in claims concerning malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office, as well as inquests presenting considerable scrutiny of the police's actions"

Chambers UK 2021

"Well known for representing police forces in disciplinary matters."

Legal 500 2021

"A fair and impressive opponent"

Chambers UK 2019

"Quick and accurate. Offers notable experience across misconduct proceedings, civil damages claims and cases concerning personal injury issues"

Chambers UK 2018

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