Ifeanyi Odogwu > Matrix Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Matrix Chambers Offices
GRIFFIN BUILDING, GRAY'S INN
LONDON
WC1R 5LN
England
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Ifeanyi Odogwu
Position
Barrister specialising in inquest and inquiries, administrative/judicial review; human rights; civil claims, professional discipline and regulation, employment law; sports law; discrimination; common law (general).
Ranked as a leading junior by The Legal 500 in Inquest and Inquiries & Sports:
“His superb interpersonal skills are ideal for dealing with hotly contested cases, encouraging a logical and well-reasoned approach by all. ’
Excellent advocacy, knows his law, good with clients and they like him too. My clients are with a safe pair of hands when I instruct him. ’
Previous editions said:
“Ifeanyi has a real teamwork approach. He is excellent on his feet and has the ability to bring the strands of a case together. He builds excellent rapport with clients.”
“Ifeanyi has a real teamwork approach. He is excellent on his feet and has the ability to bring the strands of a case together. He builds excellent rapport with clients.”
“Extremely user-friendly and knowledgeable, in whatever capacity you encounter him. A refreshingly modern practitioner, who is the face of the Bar it aspires to be.”
“He is very prominent and respected, sitting regularly on the most high-profile misconduct cases for the FA.”
“A real up-and comer who has progressed speedily to become a well-known practitioner; has acted on some of the FA’s highest profile cases.”
“He possesses gravitas and intellect, which are of tremendous benefit to all his clients.”
‘He has a superb eye for detail and grasps the issues in a case quickly, however substantial or complex the evidence. An excellent tactician, appreciated for his thorough approach. An impressive advocate and a pleasure to work with.’
‘Clearly very experienced and comfortable in sports disciplinary proceedings. Always thinking laterally’.
Career
Appointments: Sport Resolutions’ Panel of Arbitrators and Mediator, The Football Association Judicial Panel, The FA Anti-Discrimination Chairman Panel, The FA Safeguarding Panel The EFL ‘Player Related Dispute Commission’, Basketball England Panel, England Hockey Chair Panel.
Awards: ‘Future Leaders’ nominee for Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion at the Chambers Bar Awards (2019). Winner of Lawyer of the Year 2019 at the British Nigeria Forum Awards 2019. Nominated Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year, Newcomer of the Year Award (2018), Dianne Abbott MP London Schools and the Black Child (LSBC) Outstanding Achievement Award 2011. Middle Temple 2010 Lord Diplock Scholar Kingston University Law School’s ‘American Exchange’ scholarship 2007.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Police law (claimant)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1Ifeanyi Odogwu – Matrix Chambers ‘He is very bright and excellent with clients.’
With a ‘very strong cross-section of expertise,’ the police law team at Matrix Chambers instructs on police misfeasance and misconduct, inquest and inquiry work with a specialism in representing bereaved families. Phillippa Kaufmann KC instructs on a breadth of investigatory and correctional cases arising from the criminal justice system, while also advising on false imprisonment and malicious prosecution cases under the Human Rights Act. Hugh Southey KC advises on Article 6 and 8 claims, while Richard Hermer KC provides counsel on high-profile civil claims related to alleged police corruption. Ifeanyi Odogwu represents bereaved families in cases concerning deaths in custody, while Jesse Nicholls represents a number of individuals who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of police restraint.
London Bar > Administrative law and human rights
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4London Bar > Sport
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2Ifeanyi Odogwu – Matrix Chambers ‘He is ahead of his time, being young, dynamic, supremely bright and personable.’
London Bar > Inquests and inquiries
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 3Ifeanyi Odogwu – Matrix Chambers ‘Ifeanyi is brilliantly tactical and perceptive. He has the ability to captivate a jury and he often has the court in the palm of his hand.‘
Matrix Chambers boasts a ‘strong team with strength in depth‘ and an excellent track record in appearing in high-profile inquests and inquiries. Danny Friedman KC continues to be involved in the Grenfell Tower and COVID-19 inquiries, leading Raj Desai in the former. Jonathan Glasson KC has expertise in cases involving national security and has been instructed in the Bloody Sunday and Mark Duggan inquests, while Phillippa Kaufmann KC represented the family of Jermaine Baker into the public inquiry into his death – Baker was shot dead by armed police while engaged in a plot to free two prisoners being transported to Wood Green Crown Court. At junior level, Ifeanyi Odogwu often acts for families in controversial cases involving the police, and has recently been instructed by the family of a woman who was killed in a crush outside the Brixton Academy prior to a concert by Afrobeats act Asake. Adam Straw KC and Nick Armstrong KC both took silk in 2023.