Dermot Keating KC
  • Dermot's advocacy is measured and incisive: exactly what you would expect from someone at the top of his game. 

    Legal 500 2025, Inquests & Public Inquiries

  • Dermot is able to digest huge volumes of material in a short amount of time and he is always on top of the detail.

    Chambers UK 2025, Inquests & Public Inquiries

  • His advocacy style is calm and very persuasive.

    Chambers UK 2025, Inquests & Public Inquiries

  • Dermot is very hard-working.

    Chambers UK 2025, Inquests & Public Inquiries

  • Well prepared, organised and structured, Dermot has a very good ability to know how a case is likely to pan out.

    Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime

  • His legal arguments and written work are great.

    Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime

  • His legal arguments and written work are great.

    Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime

  • Dermot is always the voice of reason and is able to be diplomatic in trying and complex situations.

    Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime

  • Dermot is always meticulous in his preparation. He is a careful and considered advocate.

    Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime

  • He remains unflappable and courteous under pressure, and thinks strategically to get the best result for his client.

    Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime

  • He is able to strike the balance between seeing the big picture and getting into the detail of the matter. 

    Chambers UK 2024

  • He is excellent on his feet, very strong with witnesses and superbly persuasive.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • He is always on top of the material, providing forensic attention to detail.

    Chambers UK 2024, Inquests & Public Inquiries 

  • Dermot is a measured, calm and persuasive advocate.

    Chambers UK 2024, Inquests & Public Inquiries 

  •  He is bright, clever and a pleasure to deal with.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He knows his audience and is very fluent.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • Dermot has a really lovely, sensible manner.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He is really well received with a very approachable style of advocacy.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • Dermot is utterly charming.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He is great with cases of huge sizes.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He is very meticulous and thorough.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • Dermot is a great tactician and has a very nice manner with witnesses who he charms into agreeing with his points.

    Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime

  • His clients clearly trust his judgement.

    Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime

  • He has an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and is always keen and willing to help wherever possible.

    Chambers UK 2023, Financial Crime

  • He is an extremely good advocate.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • He is able to strike the balance between seeing the big picture and getting in the detail of the matter. He is excellent on his feet, very strong with witnesses and superbly persuasive.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • Dermot is an extremely calm lawyer with a natural confidence in court. He is hard-working and is able to distil the core facts of a case with ease.

    Legal 500 2022, Fraud Crime 

  • He is clearly meticulous in his preparation and is able to identify pitfalls before they occur.

    Legal 500 2022, Fraud Crime 

  • Good on large-volume evidence cases and patient with clients. He works well with the instructing solicitors and is very good in court. 

    Chambers UK 2021

  • Tactically very astute and has an extremely effective style of cross-examination.

    Chambers UK 2021

  • He is calm, focused and makes clients feel at ease. He works hard to secure the best result for clients and has an excellent presence when in court.

    Legal 500 2021, Fraud

  • Always a happy face during the most difficult of cases.

    Legal 500 2020

  • Gives you a road map in terms of where he wants go, works extremely well with clients and is very, very good in court when dealing with judges and the prosecution.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • He cross-examines exquisitely well - he takes points in a very reasonable but effective manner.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • Well organised and hardworking, he has a beautiful advocacy style and carefully prepares his arguments.

    Chamber UK 2019

  • He works extremely hard and has a lovely manner in cross examination.

    Legal 500 2018

  • A highly effective cross-examiner.

    Legal 500 2017

  • Very hardworking and always on top of the material.

    Legal 500 2017

  • He is incredibly hardworking and has a real eye for detail.

    Legal 500

  • Recommend as a leader in Fraud in Legal 500

    Legal 500

Called 1997

Silk 2024

Appointed Recorder 2022

Dermot Keating KC

Barrister

Dermot Keating KC is a highly regarded and versatile barrister whose practice spans public inquiries, professional discipline, financial and corporate crime, and serious criminal law.

He is Head of the Inquiries & Inquests Group at 25 Bedford Row and is regularly instructed in complex and sensitive matters at the intersection of criminal law, regulatory frameworks, and public accountability.

Dermot has appeared in many of the most significant public inquiries of recent years. He was counsel to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, leading on issues relating to emergency response and compliance with the Civil Contingencies Act. He was instructed as counsel to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry examining core government decision making. His understanding of institutional process, combined with his court craft, makes him a go-to adviser and advocate in cases requiring strategic foresight and discretion.

As a leading financial crime KC, Dermot has represented individuals and companies in major fraud and tax evasion prosecutions. He has acted in high-profile cases involving the SFO, NCA, and HMRC. His calm authority and strategic approach are valued in multi-handed, document-heavy litigation. Dermot’s background in serious and organised crime, fraud, and confiscation proceedings means he is often brought into high-stakes investigations at an early stage.

In the field of professional discipline, Dermot is a Legal Adviser to the General Pharmaceutical Council, and a former Chair of a Fitness to Practice Panel. He is known for his clarity, fairness, and deep understanding of healthcare and public protection law.

Dermot brings his deep insight from across courts and tribunals into decision-making and case strategy. He sits as a Recorder in the Crown Court (authorised to deal with serious sexual offences), a Deputy District Judge in the Magistrates’ Court, Senior Chair (Health Service Products Appeals Tribunal) and as a Tribunal Judge in the First-tier Tribunal (SSCS).

Key Practice Areas

  • Public Inquiries & Inquests: KC for core participants, institutions, and government departments. Highly experienced in handling large-scale, multi-witness hearings with high public scrutiny.
  • Financial & Corporate Crime: Silk-level fraud, trading standards and tax crime defence; strategic advice in high-value case. Dermot has represented both companies and their officers.
  • Private Crime: advising and representing those charged with serious crime including sexual offences.
  • Professional Discipline & Healthcare Regulation: Advising and representing professionals in complex fitness to practice cases.
  • Regulatory & Criminal Overlap: Experienced in cases involving dual-track investigations and concurrent legal processes.

Directory Rankings

Chambers UK Bar 2025 (Inquests & Public Inquiries; Financial Crime – New Silks):

“A calm, persuasive and meticulous silk with a thorough grasp of public interest litigation.”

Legal 500 2025 (Fraud: Crime; Inquests and Inquiries – Leading Silks):

“Measured, forensic and tactically astute… trusted by clients in sensitive, high-profile proceedings.”

Publications, Training & Professional Leadership

  • Head of Chambers’ Public Inquiries and Inquests Practice Group.
  • International trainer on money laundering and case management under the Western Balkans Rule of Law Initiative (WBROLI).
  • Trainer on Vulnerable Witness Advocacy scheme.
  • Advocacy, ethics trainer, mentor and scholarship panel member, Inner Temple.
  • Pupil supervisor and former head of pupillage committee.
  • Speaker on disclosure, fraud, sentencing and case management.

Professional Memberships

  • Inner Temple.
  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)
  • Member of the Criminal Bar Association and former secretary and committee member.
  • Member of the South Eastern Circuit and former committee member.

Appointments

  • King's Counsel (March 2024).
  • Recorder, South Eastern Circuit (2022-present) and authorised to deal with Serious Sexual Offences.
  • Deputy District Judge (Magistrates' Courts) (2022-present).
  • Senior Chair of The Health Service Products (Pricing, Cost Control and Information) Appeals Tribunal (2020). Dermot was appointed by the Judicial Appointments Commission to work with the Department of Health and Social Care to set up this new tribunal.
  • First Tier Tribunal Judge (Social Entitlement Chamber) (2013-present).
  • Former Chair of the Fitness to Practice Panel, Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2013-2021).
  • Legal Advisor, General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC) (2018-present).

Education

  • LLB (Hons) Brunel University

For my privacy notice please click here.

For media, academic or case-related enquiries, please contact the Director of Clerking, Alfie Lee (alee@25bedfordrow.com or 020 70671500).