Francesca O'Neill

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

Dekinar: AI and Professional Negligence

In this webinar, Conor Kennedy and Francesca O’Neill talk about the duties of professionals in the context of the use of AI technology. They discuss the present state of the law, the impact of guidance and regulation from professional bodies, and the significance of the…

Members of Deka Chambers recognised in inaugural Pro Bono Recognition List

We are extremely proud to have five of our members – Giles Mooney KC, Edward Lamb KC, Simon Butler, Francesca O’Neill and Anirudh Mandagere – included in the inaugural Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales. The list recognises barristers and solicitors who have…

Lawyer-Client Relationship: Scope of Duty

In this practice note for Practical Law, Francesca O’Neill outlines the law relating to the scope of duty that a lawyer or solicitor practising in England and Wales owes to their client and when they may owe a duty to a third party. The note…