Guidance

Independent adjudicators

Updated 10 July 2024

The Companies House independent adjudicators investigate complaints about:

• delays
• discourtesy
• mistakes
• the way that Companies House has dealt with complaints

The adjudicators also review written appeals against late filing penalties. Their discretion in these situations is limited.

The adjudicators are impartial and not part of Companies House.

Dame Elizabeth Neville, DBE, QPM, DL, MA Oxon, PhD London

Dame Elizabeth Neville is a former Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. She is an experienced adjudicator, having carried out this role for the:

• Assets Recovery Agency (no longer in existence)
• agencies of the Department for Transport
• Pensions Regulator
• Financial Conduct Authority

She continues to exercise this function for The Central Bank of Ireland and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Independent Appeals Body for The Phone Paid Services Authority (the regulator of premium rate services).

Brian Stanton

Brian Stanton is a qualified solicitor, director of Innovo Law, and former deputy director at the Government Legal Department. He has extensive experience of investigative and inquiry work, including at the Serious Fraud Office and several high-profile public inquiries.

Deirdre Domingo

Deirdre Domingo is a qualified solicitor and director of Innovo Law. She is a former UK government lawyer, and specialises in independent investigations and reviews, public inquiries, and inquests. She has been admitted to the New York Bar and has a Master of Laws in International Law.

Kieran Seale

Kieran Seale is an independent consultant specialising in investigations, governance, and strategy. He has worked in local government, the NHS, Transport for London, and the private sector.  

He was a board secretary in the NHS and company secretary of the international consultancy Steer. He then became a director and company secretary of Verita, a specialist consultancy working on investigations in the NHS and charities.

He was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 2003, but does not practise as a barrister.

Tom Ketteley

Tom Ketteley is a qualified solicitor with expertise in public law. He is appointed as a fee-paid judge of the First-tier Tribunal, assigned to the Immigration and Asylum Chamber. He has a range of adjudication experience including as a legally qualified chair on police misconduct panels and as an independent person for the City of London Corporation. 

Tom holds a postgraduate degree in International Law and Human Rights. OUTstanding have recognised him as an LGBT+ leader.

Lee John-Charles

Lee was called to the Bar as a barrister in 1985. He practised in criminal and family law before joining the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (now the Government Legal Department) in 1990. While a government lawyer, Lee practised in public and private law litigation for many government departments. He has particular expertise in advising the Home Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Ministry of Justice. 

Lee has held several senior posts with the Government Legal Department (GLD) including: 

• Head of the Public Law Division
• Head of Employment and Commercial Division
• Head of the Home Office and Immigration Division
• Acting Joint Director of Litigation
• board member

Lee has been involved in outreach work with many educational establishments, including the University of West London, who awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Laws. For his services to law and diversity, Lee was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021.