Landmark Chambers

Claudia joined Landmark Chambers as a tenant in October 2024 following the successful completion of pupillage and accepts instructions across all areas of public, planning, environmental and property law. She has acted for non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public bodies (including central government), individuals and developers.
During pupillage, Claudia was supervised by Richard Turney KC, Ben Fullbrook, Camilla Lamont, Sasha Blackmore, Andrew Byass and Chris Jacobs, gaining significant experience across Chambers’ core practice areas. Since commencing practice, Claudia’s notable work has included:

• Acting as junior counsel, alongside Harriet Wakeman, to David Blundell KC in the Cranston Inquiry, set up to look into the events of 24 November 2021, when at least 27 people lost their lives crossing the Channel.
• Advising in relation to and drafting pleadings for judicial and statutory reviews, including: advising a community group on potential grounds for statutory review of an Inspector’s decision granting planning permission for a major development in an ecologically-sensitive area; advising a community group in relation to an appropriation of green space for housing; and drafting judicial review proceedings for a Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010 challenge to a local authority’s housing allocation policy.
• Acting for the  successful appellant in an appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) in a high-profile matter regarding the refusal of a request for information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
• Advising a community group on potential grounds for statutory review of an Inspector’s decision granting planning permission for a major development in a highly sensitive area located in close proximity to several SSSIs.
• Representing landlords and tenants in residential possession proceedings arising out of tenancies under the Housing Act 1988, as well as in related civil and interlocutory applications such as applications to set aside, directions and allocation hearings.

Claudia is a member of the Attorney General’s “Junior Junior” scheme. She also undertakes pro bono work, is a member of Advocate’s panel of barristers and is listed on the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Recognition list.

Claudia graduated with a first-class law degree, receiving several academic prizes, and received a scholarship to study an LLM in Public International Law. She speaks fluent French and German, and is well-placed to advise on matters with international law aspects.

Before joining the bar, Claudia had a successful career in public affairs. This included advising charities, trade unions, public bodies and FTSE-100 listed companies on stakeholder, government and media relations strategy. After completing her Master’s Degree, she worked as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal to Simler LJ (as she then was). This included working on notable cases such as:

• MI (Pakistan) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2021] EWCA Civ 1711: a case concerning the proper interpretation of the “unduly harsh” test in section 117C of the Immigration Act 2014.
• The Secretary of State for the Home Department v RM (Pakistan) [2021] EWCA Civ 1754: a claim based on derivative rights to remain in the UK under Regulation 16(5)(c) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016.
• A Mother v Derby City Council & Anor [2021] EWCA Civ 1867: a high-profile case concerning the circumstances under which a deprivation of liberty order can be made in respect of the placement of a child in an unregistered children’s home.
• R (on the application of BG & Anor) v Suffolk County Council [2022] EWCA Civ 1047: a case considering whether a local authority has the power, as a matter of law, to provide financial support for recreational activity and holidays under section 18 of the Care Act 2014.

Claudia is the editor of Landmark Chambers’ Public and Administrative Law blog, and additionally writes headnotes for the Journal of Planning and Environment Law and European Human Rights Reports.

Outside the bar, Claudia is a trustee of Community Advice Works, a legal advice charity in her local community, and is on the Executive Committee of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, having previously served as Vice-Chair of the Junior Lawyers Division.

Qualifications

London School of Economics and Political Science- LLB Law (First Class) London School of Economics and Political Science- LLM Public International Law (Merit) Inns of Court College of Advocacy- PGDip Bar Course (Merit)

Awards

Winner, 36 Group Written Advocacy Prize Winner, Rene Cassin Human Rights Essay Prize Winner, Blackstone Chambers Prize for Human Rights Law

Scholarships

Tancred Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn Anniversary Scholarship, London School of Economics and Political Science

Memberships

Human Rights Lawyers’ Association (Executive Committee Member) Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales Administrative Law Bar Association Planning and Environmental Bar Association United Kingdom Environmental Law Association Advocate – pro bono panel member