Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry
Representing the National House Building Council. Led by Matthew Butt KC.
Eddie Holland
Senior Clerk
Emma Makepeace
Deputy Senior Clerk
Saba Naqshbandi KC is a leading specialist in health and safety, public inquiries and inquests, environmental and financial crime. She is known for her strategic, commercially focused approach and her outstanding written and oral advocacy.
In her first year as King’s Counsel, Saba was named Chambers and Partners Health & Safety Silk of the Year 2025, a reflection of her renowned expertise. She is consistently recommended in the legal directories as a top-tier practitioner in health and safety, public inquiries and inquests, financial crime, and licensing.
Saba is a specialist in high profile, sensitive inquiries and inquests, often involving vulnerable people and with an international element.
She is described as: ‘“…an exceptional barrister – highly intelligent and tactically very astute…”. (Legal 500 2022), “very impressive both in written and oral legal arguments, and handles very difficult clients with great sensitivity’ (Legal 500 2023), a client observing that “.She is a canny advocate – I always go into a hearing glad she’s on our side not theirs!” (Chambers UK 2024).
Appointed in 2019, Saba is an Assistant Coroner in Inner North London.
Her cases include:
She is instructed by all participants across all her specialist areas including:
Representing the National House Building Council. Led by Matthew Butt KC.
Represented an individual core particular as sole advocate.
Represented the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Led by Richard Horwell KC.
Represented the London Fire Commissioner as sole advocate
Represented the London Fire Commissioner as sole advocate
Deaths of six people in a South London tower block. Represented the London Fire Commissioner. Led by Stephen Walsh KC.
Murder of a mother by former partner. Represented the charity Refuge as sole advocate.
Double fatality of a mother and young daughter on a railway. Represented Transport for London as sole advocate.
Death of a train driver. Representing the Office of Rail and Road as sole advocate.
Death of a young man. Representing family based abroad. Successfully persuaded Coroner to issue a PFD.
Death of a mental health in patient. Represented the family as sole advocate.
Death of an employee at work. Represented the employer supermarket as sole advocate
Death of a vulnerable young person from suicide. Represented the venue where the deceased was found as sole advocate.
Death of a teacher from suicide. Represented the school.
Saba is the Chambers and Partners Health & Safety Silk of the Year 2025. She specialises in complex and high-risk health and safety and environmental law cases, with particular expertise in construction, fire safety, rail safety and water pollution. Her background in both defending and prosecuting criminal regulatory matters – together with her extensive work in public inquiries, inquests, and her role as an Assistant Coroner – gives her a uniquely comprehensive perspective. Clients value her ability to see the whole landscape, anticipate risk and guide them through demanding, multifaceted processes with clarity and strategic precision.
Her reputation is strongly reflected in the legal directories. She is described as “the go-to silk for fire safety” (Chambers UK 2026) and “an excellent communicator: clear, concise, and unafraid to deliver hard messages to clients, but in a palatable way. She commands the courtroom in an effortless way” (Legal 500 2025).
Saba’s strategic advice has led to numerous investigations being discontinued in recent years. Before taking silk, she served as an A Panel Specialist Advocate in Health & Safety and Environmental Law, frequently instructed in the most serious, complex and high-profile cases. Insight from her work on both sides of regulatory enforcement continues to provide significant advantage to her clients.
Areas of specialisation include:
Saba’s cases include:
Death of CS, a wheelchair user, after he caught fire while smoking unsupervised in the garden of a care home. Highest fine to date in fire safety upheld by Court of Appeal. Represented the LFC as lead advocate.
Fire safety breaches at flagship store in Oxford Street, London. First appeal under the fire safety order. Fine upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Fatal South London tower block fire where six people died. Represented the LFEPA at the inquests, judicial review and prosecution.
Two deaths from smoking in care homes operated by the defendant company. Represented the LFEPA and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. Sole advocate.
Represented the Club. Sole advocate.
Represented the school. Sole advocate.
Serious health and safety accident at a factory led to loss of an arm. Represented the company. Sole advocate.
Two separate serious health and safety accidents at a well known supermarket. Represented the company. Sole advocate.
Multiple prosecutions of a water company for sewage discharge. Represented the Environment Agency. Sole advocate.
Alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. Represented the company and director. Sole advocate.
The Wolseley Group, Murano, Nusr-et, Virgin Limited Edition, Rochelle Canteen, Madame JoJos, Aspers and the Gambling Commission.
A criminal specialist with a recognised reputation, Saba’s advice is sought both nationally and internationally and includes advising foreign Governments and enforcement authorities, corporates and individuals in multi-jurisdictional cases. She is an expert in complex production orders.
She is described as “…really clever…and can take anything that gets thrown at her,” (Chambers UK 2023); “offers sharp strategic insight,” “…a wonderful communicator who easily brings everyone else around to her way of thinking.” (Chambers UK 2024) and is “highly regarded for her expertise in fraud, bribery and money laundering cases.”
Cases include:
Areas of specialisation:
Represented defendant with a fraud conviction on appeal to the Court of Appeal following conviction (not trial counsel). Before the LCJ.
Represented an individual charged with bribery. Sole advocate.
Successfully defended a football agency and individuals in a private prosecution brought by a football agent. Sole advocate.
Represented a company and director regarding alleged breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. Sole advocate.
Acted for the former banker of James Ibori.
Advised the Metropolitan Police specifically in relation to productions orders.
Advised in relation to criminal aspects of this substantial civil claim.
Represented the personal interpreter to the Commander of forces in Afghanistan charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act and Wilful Misconduct in Public Office.
Successfully represented an individual.
Junior counsel for the prosecution in the abduction and murder of Sarah Payne.
Eddie Holland
Senior Clerk
Emma Makepeace
Deputy Senior Clerk
“She’s straight-talking, clear-thinking and knows what is in the client’s best interests.” Chambers UK
“She’s very experienced, fantastic with clients and very good tactically.” Chambers UK
“A seriously impressive senior junior who leaves nothing to chance.” Legal 500
“She has impeccable attention to detail, leaving no stone unturned, and is extremely client-friendly.” Legal 500
“She has an excellent manner with clients, a commanding presence and a nice style. Her attention to detail is first-rate and she is able to get up to speed very quickly. She is especially impressive when technical medical evidence is involved.” Chambers UK
“Brilliantly friendly with clients and solicitors but she also has a very strategic mind and an excellent grasp of the law.” Chambers UK
“An excellent junior, she is very intelligent and hard-working, and a pleasure to work with.’ ‘She’s really thorough and well prepared, excellent on her feet and great on the detail in terms of her written work.” Chambers UK
“The first choice for fire safety work.” Legal 500
“A very fearless advocate who is not cowed by a difficult case or difficult tribunal.” Chambers UK
“Strategically a master, making difficult decisions with ease.” Legal 500
“Composed, compelling and tenacious.” Legal 500
“Her client-handling skills are really impeccable and her advocacy is first-rate.” Chambers UK
“A strong barrister with exceptional knowledge of fire safety law.” Legal 500
“Precise and persistent as an advocate. You can just depend on her for the right view.” Chambers UK
“One of the leading licensing juniors.” Legal 500
“An accomplished advocate, who frequently advises well-known operators and is called on to appear in challenging tribunal hearings.”
“She is very good with tribunals, has an ice-cool temperament and is very articulate.” Chambers UK
“She is a super advocate and is very, very clever.” “Her detail is second to none and she is very popular with clients.” Chambers UK
“Professional, diligent and extremely personable, she has great presence before licensing committees and in the courtroom, and is extremely popular with the client.” Chambers UK
“The ‘outstanding ‘Saba Naqshbandi has ‘a wealth of experience’ in the area.” Legal 500
“Saba Naqshbandi is ‘very bright, hardworking, dedicated and good with clients. She is very persuasive, yet measured. Her written work and her advocacy are both top class’.” Legal 500
“Offers sharp strategic insight and has a very calm and reassuring manner. She really whittles down the facts to the key issues.” Chambers UK
“A junior highly regarded for her expertise in fraud, bribery and money laundering cases.” Chambers UK
“Her mastery of the detail, advice and advocacy are consistently excellent.” Legal 500
“Very polished and very versatile.” Chambers UK
“Has an impressive practice.” “She is an incredibly thorough practitioner, who is smart and absolutely charming with judges. She focuses judges’ minds on the points they need to focus on and is very adept at dealing with clients.” Chambers UK
Extremely user-friendly, sharp, quick and to-the-point, making her a pleasure to work with Legal 500
“She is very experienced and good at sensitive criminal cases.” Chambers UK
“Excellent tactical judgement” “a reassuring presence.” Legal 500
Awards
Nominations
Languages
I, Saba Naqshbandi KC, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at saba.naqshbandi@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.
All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:
I retain personal data for no longer than 7 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.
I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).
Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).
In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.
Saba Naqshbandi is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to her. In addition, she welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.
For further information please contact our Clerks.
| Address | 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH |
|---|---|
| DX | 237 LDE |
| Opening hours | 08:30 – 18:30 |
| Telephone | +44 (0)20 7400 6400 |
|---|---|
| clerks@3rblaw.com | |
| Senior clerk | Saba Naqshbandi KC |
