Francesca O'Neill

Deka Chambers at Alarm South Conference 2026

The ALARM South Conference is taking place the 2nd and 3rd of March in Slough. We will also have an exhibition stand at the event, staffed by Clark Chessis and David Barrow. Do come and say hello if you’re attending. We will be at stand…

Deka Chambers has been recognised in The Lawyer’s Top Appeals 2026

Francesca O’Neill has been instructed by the CILEX Support Group Core to intervene in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys, which is recognised by The Lawyer in its list of Top Appeals 2026. The list highlights the most high profile and significant appeals this year. The…

Francesca O’Neill has been elected as Vice Chair of Inner Temple’s Bar Liaison Committee

Francesca O’Neill has been elected as Vice Chair of Inner Temple’s Bar Liaison Committee. The committee plays an important role linking members of the Inn with the Executive. Francesca will continue to work with the Inn to improve access to continuing professional education for established…

The Dekagram: 24th November 2025

This week Andrew Spencer recounts a quite extraordinary tale, as does Francesca O’Neill, making Julia Brechtelsbauer’s contribution to the Dekagram seem positively sane in comparison. Fundamental Dishonesty – Fundamentally Disastrous Outcome North Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust v Kae Burnell-Chambers, Tipples J, 14th October…

Deka Chambers Participates in BVL Event with A-Level Students

On 2 October 2025, William Dean and Francesca O’Neill from Deka Chambers took part in a panel discussion with A-Level students for the 2025 edition of the Big Voice London (“BVL”) Model Law Commission. The project enables 100 students to mirror the work of the…

AI and Professional Negligence: the next challenge

In this Dekinar Conor Kennedy and Francesca O’Neill and will consider some of the most recent breakthroughs in AI technology as it might affect the practical daily lives of lawyers.  We have not yet seen a slew of professional negligence claims arising from the use…

Francesca O’Neill represented Bridgend County Borough Council in inquest into the death of a 13-year-old girl in care

This was highly sensitive inquest into the death of teenager who was placed into care and died in her foster home. Evidence was presented that she suffered from anxiety.  The inquest concluded that the teenager died by suicide. Francesca was instructed by Simon Evans of…

Deka Chambers barristers appointed to Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown

We are delighted to announce that Jennie Oborne and Francesca O’Neill have been appointed to Attorney General’s B Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, and Anirudh Mandagere as Junior Counsel to the Crown (C Panel). They are appointed to the Panel for a period…

The Dekagram: 22nd April 2025

We hope our readers enjoyed the long Easter weekend and grasped the opportunity, as we did, to spend a restful few days away from the coalface. We kept one eye on the courts though, and it’s just as well we did, because last week brought…

The High Court handed down its judgment in Butler v Ward [2025] EWHC 877 (KB) yesterday, striking out £2.5million of the Claimant’s Schedule of Loss. Francesca O’Neill represented the Defendant surgeon (instructed by DWF LLP).  The Judgment also raises interesting questions about when summary judgment applications…

Pro Bono Recognition List 2025

We are delighted for 6 of our members to be included within the Recognition List 2025, for undertaking 25 hours or more pro bono work over the last year.

Francesca O’Neill successfully strikes out Part 8 detailed assessment proceedings in the Senior Courts Costs Office

Francesca O’Neill successfully strikes out Part 8 detailed assessment proceedings in the Senior Courts Costs Office Read the full Judgment here