Shu Shin Luh > Doughty Street Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

Shu Shin Luh

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Position

Shu Shin practices in all areas of public law. Her practice has a strong human rights, civil liberties, and anti-discrimination focus.

Her expertise covers a broad range of subject matters including community care, mental health and mental capacity, health care, education, housing, welfare benefits, human trafficking, immigration and asylum, and deprivation of liberty both in the context of immigration detention and the Court of Protection. She pursues significant public interest litigation on behalf of individuals and organisations.

Shu Shin aims to act for her clients in a comprehensive way, advising where possible on the full range of legal issues impacting on different aspects of their lives in the context of judicial review, statutory appeals, and actions against public authorities, where relevant. This depth of experience and breadth of legal knowledge and expertise enables her to have a truly creative approach to a case.

Shu Shin is committed to civil legal aid and to supporting individuals to have effective access to legal remedies. She is on the panel of junior counsel for the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She undertakes advisory and consultancy work for non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations and state bodies in the UK and other jurisdictions on legal policy and draft legislation. She acted as the specialist legal advisor to the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its immigration detention inquiry in 2018/ 2019. She also regularly provides training to governmental departments, local authorities, and public interest groups in the UK and internationally.

Career

Shu Shin was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US. Prior to coming to the Bar, she worked as a part-time campaign assistant for Amnesty International. Prior to that, she worked as a journalist for the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Sun-Times in the US and in Southeast Asia and China. She won several awards for investigations into detention of children in asylum care in the US, deaths arising from officer-involved shootings and price-fixing among grocery conglomerates. She has also reported on labour and corporate management issues in southeast Asia, particularly in the context of human rights and corporate social responsibility. In 2003, she published Business the Sony Way (John Wiley & Sons). In 2005, she published The People of China (Mason Crest Publishing) and The Economy of China (Mason Crest Publishing).

What the directories say

Shu Shin is ranked in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 in all areas of her practice, including administrative and public law, civil liberties and human rights, community care, education and immigration. She is the winner of the ‘Immigration Junior of the Year’ award from the Legal 500 2024.

“Shu Shin is a force of nature. She is incredible and incredibly responsive to queries on cases and has fantastic judgement.” – Legal 500 2024

“Shu Shin’s drafting is excellent, backed by an encyclopedic knowledge of the law. She also has a great dedication to achieving justice for clients.” – Legal 500 2024

“Her work rate is phenomenal and her expertise is unparalleled.” – Chambers and Partners 2024

“Shu Shin is extraordinary. Not only is she an expert in human rights law who can formulate novel and complex legal arguments, but she takes the time to get to know the evidence.” – Chambers and Partners 2023

“Shu Shin is one of the stars of the anti-trafficking legal world. She is highly knowledgeable and deeply committed to serving her clients.” – Chambers and Partners 2023

“Shu Shin is frighteningly talented, with an impressive ability to handle exceptionally complex matters with ease and masterful attention to detail.” – Legal 500 2023

“She frequently goes against top silks and more experienced counsel and runs rings around them. A truly exceptional talent.” – Chambers and Partners 2022

“Shu Shin is very energetic, industrious and very committed to finding creative arguments and solutions to challenge injustices.” – Chambers and Partners 2022

“She will leave no stone unturned for her client, ensuring that every brief she receives is carried out to an exceptional standard.” – Legal 500 2022

“She really goes above and beyond, works around the clock and is incredibly dedicated. It’s astonishing how much energy she puts into cases.” – Chambers and Partners 2020

“She has excellent judgement and is spot on with her succinct and excellent drafting. She truly has star quality. “ – Legal 500 2020

“Intimidatingly clever, handles exceptionally complex, layered and novel points with ease.” – Legal 500 2020

Memberships

Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA), Executive Committee Member

Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA)

Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA)

Education

Yale University, BA in History and Politics (Cum Laude)

London School of Economics, MSc in Human Rights (Distinction)

City University, Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction)

Personal

Shu Shin was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US.