Patricia Londono

Call 2008

Patricia Londono | Call 2008

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Overview

Patricia practises in inquests and inquiries, police law and business and regulatory crime. Her work includes long-running roles for the Metropolitan Police in the Undercover Policing Inquiry and the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. She represents police forces in complex Article 2 inquests, deaths in custody, suicide, domestic homicide and major crime investigations. She also acts in civil proceedings and actions under the Human Rights Act as well as matters involving sensitive operational policing. Patricia welcomes instructions on broader police matters including misconduct and employment law. She is ranked as a leading junior in both leading legal directories and is described as “a brilliant analyst” with “a first-rate brain” and “extremely knowledgeable”.

Patricia sits as an Assistant Coroner for South London.

“Patricia is strong academically, thorough and diligent. She has a great ability to marshal a lot of evidence into a cohesive narrative.”
Chambers & Partners

EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Patricia’s work focuses on cases involving police operations, major crime investigations and the actions of public authorities. She is often instructed early to advise on disclosure, investigative decision-making and the legal issues that arise after serious incidents. Her practice includes reviewing substantial amounts of evidence, identifying the key issues for an inquest or inquiry and drafting submissions on points such as Article 2, scope and whether a jury is required.

She has significant experience of cases where criminal, civil, disciplinary and coronial processes arise from the same incident, and regularly advises forces on the operational and reputational implications of each. In public inquiries, her work has included drafting opening and closing submissions, preparing Rule 10 questions, leading teams reviewing large volumes of material and working with sensitive or covert evidence under strict safeguards. Her earlier practice in general crime, fraud and extradition, together with later instructions from the SFO, the Insolvency Service, the ORR and police forces, informs her approach to financial, regulatory and professional discipline matters involving detailed evidential analysis.

Patricia started her legal career in academia and wrote a prize-winning doctorate at Oxford University on the positive obligations on state bodies to address gender-based violence. She also sits as an Assistant Coroner for South London, applying her experience in coronial law and handling complex evidence.

Notable Cases include:

  • Undercover Policing Inquiry (since Jan 2017):  Junior counsel instructed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in the public inquiry into the conduct of undercover police officers, chaired by Sir John Mitting KC.
  • Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (since 2023): Junior Counsel instructed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in the public statutory inquiry established to gather a clear account of the implementation and failings of the Horizon IT system at the Post Office over its lifetime.
  • Grenfell Tower Inquiry (August 2019 – March 2020): Instructed as a member of the counsel team to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
  • R v A and Others (2016): SFO Disclosure counsel in a high-profile 6-handed £5m conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation in the provision of football training schemes.
  • R v M and Others (Operation Hornet) (Feb 2015 – July 2016): Disclosure counsel instructed by Thames Valley Police in widely publicised 10-handed £250m fraudulent trading and corruption case involving employees of HBOS and members of the business community.

INQUESTS & INQUIRIES

Patricia has developed a substantial practice in inquests and public inquiries, in which she regularly acts for the police and other public bodies. Her work ranges from drafting complex submissions on Article 2, scope and evidence, to preparing Rule 10 questions, analysing large volumes of material and areas of vulnerability. She has acted in a number of significant and long-running inquiries involving issues of national importance and sensitive operational policing. Alongside her practice, she sits as an Assistant Coroner for South London.

Notable cases include:

  • Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (2023–present) Junior counsel advising the Metropolitan Police on the interplay between Core Participant status and a live police investigation.
  • Undercover Policing Inquiry (2017–present) Junior counsel instructed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in the public inquiry into the conduct of undercover police officers, chaired by Sir John Mitting.  Currently co-leading Mod 2b/2c which will look at the role of senior police officers.
  • Inquest into a domestic homicide (jury inquest listed April 2026) Representing a police force in an Article 2 jury inquest where earlier reports of violence and threats to kill had been made.
  • Inquest into the death of Kilbret Solomon (2025) Representing the Metropolitan Police  in an inquest following his drowning shortly after contact with police.
  • Inquest into the death of a youth following recent custody (2023–24) Represented the force in a three-week Article 2 inquest concerning a youth who took his own life, and in the subsequent civil mediation.
  • Inquest into the death of Daniel Stainton (2023) Representing Cambridgeshire Constabulary in a death-in-custody inquest.
  • Inquest into the death of Yassar Yaqub (2022)Led junior and Counsel to the Inquest in a seven-week jury inquest into a fatal police shooting on the M62 in West Yorkshire.
  • Grenfell Tower Inquiry (2019–2020) Instructed as a member of the counsel team to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

POLICE

Patricia acts for police forces across England and Wales in inquests, public inquiries and related civil proceedings, and advises on a wide range of operational and organisational issues. Her work frequently involves the review and management of sensitive material, including covert policing, CHIS, RIPA matters and major crime investigations. She is experienced in cases involving deaths following police contact, failures of risk assessment, custody processes, information-sharing and investigative decision-making, and is often instructed where parallel criminal, civil and disciplinary considerations arise.

BUSINESS & SPECIALIST CRIME

Patricia began her career in general crime, fraud and extradition, gaining considerable courtroom experience before developing her specialist practice. She now acts in financial and regulatory matters involving dishonesty, insolvency offences, health and safety breaches and professional discipline, and is well suited to cases involving extensive documentary evidence or complex evidential structures. She has acted as disclosure counsel in a number of high-profile SFO and police investigations and is a member of the SFO Prosecution B Panel.

Notable cases include:

  • R v J (2023): prosecution for the HSE concerning wood-dust exposure under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • R v H (2022): Companies Act proceedings on behalf of the Insolvency Service.
  • R v A (2022): Insolvency Act prosecution.
  • BSB v D (2021): disciplinary proceedings before the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service.
  • R v J & Others (2019): led junior in a multi-handed money laundering prosecution.
  • Operation Hornet (2015–16): disclosure counsel in the widely reported £250m HBOS fraudulent trading and corruption case.
  • R v A & Others (2016): SFO disclosure counsel in a six-handed £5m fraud relating to football training schemes.

Recommendations

Patricia is recommended as a leading junior by both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 for Inquests & Inquiries. Her directory feedback consistently highlights her analytical strength and depth of expertise, with clients and peers describing her as “a brilliant analyst”, possessing “a first-rate brain”, “extremely knowledgeable” and “intellectually rigorous”.

Chambers & Partners notes her ability to “dig deep and understand the material inside out”, and she is frequently recognised for her capacity to master extensive and sensitive evidential material in high-profile, complex proceedings.

Her directory editorial includes the following:

  • “Patricia Londono does excellent drafting and analysis work.” Chambers & Partners UK 2026
  • “Patricia is strong academically, thorough and diligent. She has a great ability to marshal a lot of evidence into a cohesive narrative.” Chambers & Partners UK 2026
  • “Patricia is an extremely knowledgeable individual.” The Legal 500 2026
  • “The way Patricia communicates in her drafting is so clear and easy to follow. She explains concepts.” Chambers & Partners 2025
  • “Patricia is a brilliant analyst.” Chambers & Partners 2025
  • “She has become a subject matter expert, who is able to analyse the data. She was an academic before and really digs deep and understands the material inside out.” Chambers & Partners 2024
  • “Patricia presents information in a coherent way. She has a first-rate brain, she is intellectually rigorous and has great judgement when dealing with sensitive subject matter.” Chambers & Partners 2024

EDUCATION

  • LL.B (Hons), First Class (2001)
  • MSc, Oxford University, Distinction (2002)
  • D.Phil, Oxford University, prize-winning (2006)

AWARDS

  • Bapsybanoo Marchioness of Winchester Thesis Prize (Oxford University, 2006)
  • Lord Denning Award, Lincoln’s Inn (2006)
  • Hardwicke Award, Lincoln’s Inn (2005)
  • Arts and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Award (2002–2005)

PUBLICATIONS

Books

  • Editor-in-Chief, Arlidge, Eady & Smith on Contempt (Sweet & Maxwell, 5th ed. 2017; 6th edition forthcoming)

Chapters in edited collections

  • “Redrafting abortion rights under the ECHR…” in Brems (ed), Diversity and European Human Rights (CUP, 2013)
  • “Defining Rape under the ECHR…” in McGlynn & Munro (eds), Rethinking Rape Law (Routledge, 2010)

Articles

  • “Sir Cliff v BBC – A New Era for Police Investigations?” (UKHRB; Law Society Gazette, 2018)
  • “Should sex offence suspects be granted anonymity?” (New Law Journal, 2017)
  • Multiple further articles on human rights, gender-based violence, Article 5 ECHR, domestic violence and criminal procedure (2007–2012).

Privacy

Patricia adopts and adheres to the provisions of her privacy notice which can be accessed here.

Further Information

For further details of Patricia’s practice please click on the links to the left or contact a member of the clerking or client care team.

Bar Council Membership No: 53783

Registered Name:  Dr Patricia Ines Londono

VAT Registration No: 156770094