Michael Burgess qualified as a solicitor in 1970 and was in general legal practice in Surrey.
He was first appointed a deputy coroner in Surrey in 1979, before being appointed whole-time as coroner in Surrey in 1986, a position he still holds.
He was appointed deputy coroner of The Queen's Household in 1991 and, upon the retirement of Dr John Burton in 2002, was appointed Coroner of The Queen's Household.
He was Hon Secretary of the Coroner's Society of England and Wales from 1991 until October 2003 during which time he researched and wrote the Society's Practice Notes for Coroners.
He is also a regular lecturer and contributor to the Home Office training programme for coroners and co-editor of Jervis on "The Office and Duties of Coroners" as well as Halsbury's Laws of England on Coroners .
