The coronial area of Greater Manchester West announces that after an open competition, the Lady Chief Justice and Chief Coroner have approved the appointment of four new assistant coroners
The Coroner’s Office in Bolton sits under Greater Manchester West, providing service across Bolton, Salford, Wigan and Leigh.
His Majesty’s (HM) Coroners are independent judicial office holders and are appointed directly by the Crown, having qualifications and extensive experience as a lawyer or medical doctor.
Coroners have a duty to investigate a death when the cause of death is unknown, violent or unnatural; or if the deceased was in a state of detention, e.g. police custody, at the time of their death.
The four newly appointed assistant coroners bring a wealth of legal and judicial experience to the service.
Introducing the four newly appointed assistant coroners:
Michael Rawlinson is an experienced barrister with strong connections to the Northern Circuit, specialising in regulatory and inquest work.
He also sits as a part-time Employment Tribunal Judge and is a resident of Greater Manchester, who brings a wealth of experience in complex Public Law.
Fiona Clancy is a criminal and regulatory barrister, practising from Exchange Chambers in Manchester.
She also sits as a Recorder of the Crown Court, and her medico-legal expertise will add immeasurable value to the cadre of coroners.
Caroline Chandler is an experienced solicitor, having been in practice for over 30 years.
After completing her training contract in Manchester, she continued to work in the North West as a civil litigator, focusing her work on child exploitation and Human Rights Law.
She has recently retired from private practice to focus on her career as a coroner and also sits as an assistant coroner in the jurisdiction of West Yorkshire (Western) and Manchester South.
James Lester-Ashworth is a solicitor and a highly regarded in-house senior lawyer, who now works for the Government Legal Department.
He was recognised as a Lawyer of the Week by The Times newspaper in 2023.
He is a Greater Manchester resident and also sits as an assistant coroner in the Manchester City jurisdiction.
Bolton Council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Martin Donaghy, said:
"I'd like to thank the Bolton Coroner's Office and Greater Manchester West for their diligence in appointing these impressive new assistant coroners.
"Each person will bring invaluable experience and insight to their role, further strengthening the Coroner's Service across Bolton, Salford, Wigan and Leigh.
"Bolton is proud to host this vital service, which supports people during some of the most difficult times in their lives through the dedication and professionalism of its coroners and coroner's officers.
"We welcome the four new assistant coroners to an experienced and collaborative team and look forward to working together to deliver the highest standard of service for our communities."
Christopher Walker, Coroner Services Manager, said:
“In a particularly strong competition from over 80 applications, we are delighted to have been able to appoint four truly outstanding individuals to assist His Majesty’s Senior Coroner Timothy Brennand.
“They will also help his coronial team in delivering the highest possible standard of judicial decision-making in this challenging and important service to the citizens of Bolton, Salford, Wigan and Leigh.
“I congratulate each of them and wish them every best wish in their future endeavours with our service.”
To find out more about the Coroner’s Courts and Service in Bolton, head to www.bolton.gov.uk/coroner