Jonathan Glasson KC > Matrix Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Matrix Chambers Offices
GRIFFIN BUILDING, GRAY'S INN
LONDON
WC1R 5LN
England
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Jonathan Glasson KC
Position
Jonathan practises in a broad range of work. His practice includes human rights, public law, national security, asylum, extradition, inquests and inquiries, product liability and clinical negligence. Before being appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2013 he had been a member of the Treasury A Panel.
Jonathan is Develop Vetted and has acted in a large number of national security cases. He is regularly instructed as Counsel to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and is instructed in the current challenges to MI5’s handling of data, the intelligence agencies’ collection of Bulk Personal Datasets and Bulk Communications Data and the challenge to the Third Direction (concerning the participation of agents in criminality). He was also instructed in the claims brought by Belhaj and Amnesty International concerning the interception of materials protected by Legal Professional Privilege and the case brought by Privacy International concerning computer hacking. Jonathan has also acted as a special advocate before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) and the Parole Board. Acted for Ministry of Defence in Guardian and Times v Soldiers A-F (CoA) on anonymity of soldiers from Special Forces.
Recent public law cases include the challenge to the decision to deprive Shamima Begum of her UK citizenship, the challenge to the export of arms to Saudi Arabia for use in the Yemen conflict as well as the claims brought by 3 alleged Afghan spies against the UK Government. He was instructed by the Home Secretary in the extradition challenge by Vijay Mallya.
He acted in Strasbourg proceedings for Khodorkovsky, the former CEO of Yukos, against Russia, and has been instructed in a significant number of cases from Russia and the former CIS.
He has a wide-ranging practice in inquiries and inquests. He was instructed in the Azelle Rodney public inquiry and the Duggan inquests, as well as the deaths arising from the hostage taking at the In Amenas oil fields in Algeria. He advised the Attorney General in relation to the application to reopen the inquests into the death of Dr David Kelly as well as of those who died in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster. He is instructed by the N Ireland Secretary in the forthcoming Kieran Doherty Inquest in Northern Ireland. Jonathan has acted for coroners in a number of cases, including most recently the case of R. (on the application of Adath Yisroel Burial Society) v HM Senior Coroner for Inner North London.
Jonathan was generic counsel for claimants in the Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease/human growth hormone litigation and for the families at the BSE Inquiry. Briefed In a number of multi-party product liability actions, including ASR DePuy hip replacement and the use of Lariam by the MOD. Advised on Northwick Park clinical trials. Instructed by the government in the PTSD Litigation brought by soldiers from Falklands, Northern Ireland, the Gulf and Bosnia.
Undertaken trial observation as well as human rights training for the International Bar Association.
Career
Appointed to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Queen’s Bench Division. Former Solicitor (Honours); called to the Bar 1996, Middle Temple; contributing editor ‘Butterworth’s Personal Injury Litigation Service’ (and author of the sections on product liability and psychiatric injury). Co-author of Blackstone’s ‘Guide to Coroners and Justice Act’ 2009. Formerly member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (A Panel) since 2007.
Memberships
HRLA; Inquest; BIICL; PNBA; PIBA.
Education
Maidstone GS; New College, Oxford.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Immigration (including business immigration)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Matrix Chambers covers the full breadth of work and courts, with particular strengths in trafficking, modern slavery, immigration systems, and publicly-funded work more generally, while sports and business immigration have been a growing focus for the set. The set continues to engage with high-profile litigation, with Raza Husain KC, amidst his wider practice in refugee and HNW individuals asylum claims, has been leading a team in relation to the judicial review around the government’s Rwanda policy; Jonathan Glasson KC acting on behalf of the government in respect of the Shamima Begum appeal; and Christopher Buttler KC being a leading counsel challenging the Home Secretary’s pushback’s policy regarding the small boats in the Channel. Hugh Southey KC and Samantha Knights KC have been active in relation to work around exclusion on the basis of national security and EU asylum claims respectively.
London Bar > Administrative law and human rights
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3Jonathan Glasson KC –Matrix Chambers ‘A silk with high-quality strategic judgement and a great client manner.’
London Bar > Inquests and inquiries
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2Matrix 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.