Robert Francis QC has been a barrister since 1973. He specialises in medical law, including medical treatment and capacity issues, clinical negligence and professional discipline.
Robert has been involved in many health care-related inquiries. He has chaired a number of homicide inquiries. He appeared at the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry, the Royal Liverpool Children’s Inquiry and the Neale Inquiry.
He chaired the Independent Inquiry into the Care provided by the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, and subsequently the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. In 2013 Robert was named President of the Patients’ Association.
He has acted as legal assessor to the professional conduct committees of the General Optical Council and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists. He is a Recorder and a Bencher of the Inner Temple.
Robert is a past Chairman of the Professional Negligence Bar Association and is a consultant editor of the Medical Law Reports. He is co-author of Medical Treatment Decisions and the Law (Francis & Johnston: Butterworths 2001, 2nd edition 2009). For nine years he was co-head of Serjeants’ Inn Chambers, London EC4, until 2009.