3PB

Commercial; Public and Administrative Law

Before coming to the Bar in 2020, Mariya worked as a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University and a Judicial Assistant at the Court of Appeal and High Court, following a 6-month placement at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, where she worked with the then President of the Court, Judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi. Mariya accepts instructions in a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters, with a particular focus on commercial and regulatory law. Mariya has appeared (unled) in the High Court and County Court and is regularly instructed to represent and advise clients in matters raising complex contractual interpretation points, as well as on a range of data protection and privacy issues, including compensation claims under Article 82 UK GDPR. From June 2024 – December 2024, Mariya undertook a placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office, where she worked closely with the Litigation and Enforcement teams. Mariya regularly undertakes pro bono work through Advocate and has previously volunteered with Reprieve and Liberty. In 2024, Mariya received a nomination for the ‘Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’ award.

Languages 

• Greek (native)
• Bulgarian (native)
• French (intermediate)

Academic Publications   

'Electricity Decentralization in the European Union: Towards Zero Carbon and Energy Transition’, Rafael Leal-Arcas et al 2nd Edition, Elsevier, 2023

'The great energy transition in the European Union: Volume 2',  Rafael Leal-Arcas et al, Eliva Press, 2020

'Towards a Carbon-Free, Decentralised, and Democratised System of Energy Generation', Rafael Leal-Arcas, Andrew Fillis, Mariya Peykova, Marius Greger, Connecticut Journal of International Law, Volume 35, 133.

'Towards a carbon-free, decentralised, and democratised system of energy generation' - Journal of International Law, Vol 35, Issue 1, 2020 (Forthcoming), Queen Mary University of London, School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No 319/2019

'Decarbonizing the Energy Sector' - Michigan State Journal of Animal and Natural Resource Law, 2019 (Forthcoming), Queen Mary School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 309/2019

'The ICC Reparations regime: The future of international criminal justice or an empty promise?', Gray’s Inn Student Law Journal, November 2015.

'Energy Transit: Intergovernmental Agreements on Oil and Gas Transit Pipelines', Rafael Leal-Arcas, Mariya Peykova, Tathagata Choudhury and Malakee Makhoul, Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, 2015.

'Energy Transit Activities: Collection of Intergovernmental Agreements on oil and gas transit pipelines and commentary', Co-authored with Professor Rafael Leal-Arcas, Report prepared for the Energy Charter Secretariat Knowledge Centre, July 2014, Queen Mary University of London, School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 177/2014

Commercial

Mariya accepts instructions in all matters relating to contractual disputes, with a particular focus on consumer and business-to-business contracts (‘B2B’). Having successfully completed a placement with the Information Commissioner’s Office (‘ICO’), Mariya is aptly placed to advise on the interplay between the contractual rights and obligations of businesses and consumers, and their rights and obligations under consumer and data protection legislation. Current and recent highlights include work on the following matters:

• Advising a company on its contractual and regulatory obligations in respect of the collection and ongoing retention of customers’ personal data, including special category data.
• Advising on potential claims against a local authority in breach of contract, breach of confidence, misuse of private information, and breach of data protection legislation.
• Advising a large aviation business on its regulatory and contractual obligations in the context of sharing former employees’ personal data with third parties.
• Phones 4U Limited v. EE Limited & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 116: Mariya was instructed by Mischon de Reya acting for Telefonica to assist in a junior capacity assisting in relation to proceedings brought by Phones 4U Limited (In administration) alleging conspiracy between EE, Vodafone, Telefonica and their parent companies (at the relevant time).
• Advised on a complex breach of contract, which involved a side discrimination claim, against a large UK energy provider.
• Represented a leading UK University in a breach of contract claim brought against the University by a former student. The claim was struck out following a contested application to strike out the statement of case.
• Obtained an order for summary judgment against multiple defendants for breaches of several key obligations arising under a loan agreement and related guarantee.
• Represented a former member of the Liberal Democrats at a contested hearing following an application for an interim injunction. The Applicant alleged, inter alia, that her expulsion from the Party constituted a breach of contract, as it breached several core principles enshrined in the Party’s constitution (Josephine Hayes v Mark Pack and Ors [2022] EWHC Civ).
• Obtained a second order for relief from sanctions in circumstances in which relief had already been granted in relation to the same failure by the Applicant to file evidence in accordance with the court’s directions.
• Secured a freezing injunction against the assets of an individual who was at the time outside the jurisdiction.
• Advising on alternative methods of service outside the jurisdiction, particularly in cases where the Defendant is based in a State that is not a signatory to the Hague Convention.
• Represented the tenant and guarantor in a commercial lease dispute with the corporate landlord. The defendants argued that the lease had been surrendered on the grounds of repudiatory breach.

Public and Administrative Law

Mariya is regularly instructed by a wide range of government departments, including HM Treasury, DCMS, FCDO, and DWP. She undertakes a wide range of advisory and advocacy work in the public sector, with a particular focus on data and information law. Mariya’s previous experience at the Information Commissioner’s Office enables her to provide comprehensive advice on a wide range of regulatory matters, including on possible enforcement action and judicial review proceedings of decisions affecting data subjects’ rights. Some recent examples of Mariya’s work include the following:

• Instructed by the Information Commissioner in judicial review proceedings.
• Instructed by the Information Commissioner regarding a permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
• Appearing on behalf of a public body in misfeasance proceedings.
• Appearing on behalf of the Legal Ombudsman in judicial review proceedings.
• Instructed by the Information Commissioner in civil proceedings in the County Court.
• Advising a local authority on the regulatory framework for international data transfers.
• Successfully defending the Ministry of Justice at trial, following the issue of proceedings against it for alleged breaches of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Year of Call: 2013

Greek (native) Bulgarian (native) French (intermediate)

Society for Computers and Law

LL.M in Public International Law,  Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London 2012 LL.B (Hons), Queen Mary University of London, 2011 New York Attorney-At-Law, Admitted in 2019 Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law, 2013