Pippa Woodrow > Doughty Street Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

Pippa Woodrow

020 7404 1313 p.woodrow@doughtystreet.co.uk View profile

Work Department

Position

Pippa takes on cases in the areas of criminal justice, immigration and human rights. She has particular expertise in defending and upholding the rights of vulnerable or marginalised individuals including victims of modern slavery, domestic violence and torture, those with poor mental health and young people. Pippa never gives up on a case and is fast developing a reputation for first-rate client care, clinical preparation, and fearless advocacy. She is described by judges as “exceptional, caring and hard-working”, by leading counsel as “a star in the making” and “an exceptional talent, with judgment much beyond her call ”. Instructing solicitors describe Pippa as “thorough, with a high level of client care and formidable legal expertise” and “stands out amongst her peers”.

Alongside a busy and successful criminal practice defending the most serious criminal allegations including terrorism, murder, child sexual abuse, and drug trafficking, Pippa is regularly instructed in crime-related areas of public and international law, including challenges to the death penalty, actions against the police, extradition and constitutional challenges alleging breaches of fundamental rights in Commonwealth jurisdictions. She also appears regularly in the Immigration Tribunals specialising in family reunion, deportation, domestic violence and asylum cases.

Pippa receives instructions from NGOs as well as private individuals, with recent instructions including interventions on behalf of the Howard League for Penal Reform, and the Death Penalty Project.

Career

Year of call: 2014

Before coming to the Bar, Pippa worked for the Centre for Capital Punishment Studies in Kampala, where she acted for individuals facing the death penalty, and advised the judiciary, domestic legal professionals and international bodies on international obligations, human rights, and criminal justice reform. Pippa has also worked for a broad array of domestic and international organisations including the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia; the UN SRCT Drones Inquiry; Barnet Law Centre’s immigration department; Reprieve; the London Innocence Project, and the National Centre for Domestic violence. She has also lectured at the Universities of Makerere, Kampala and Panastra, Pnom Penh in international human rights law.

Memberships

• Criminal Bar Association
• Human Rights Lawyers Association
• Immigration Law Practitioners Association
• Young Legal Aid Lawyers

Education

BPTC, City University, Outstanding
Graduate Entry LLB, City Law School, 1st Class (top in year)
BA Hons, History, Cambridge

Personal

Outside of the law, Pippa has played hockey at international level and was formerly an opera singer, performing on stages including the Royal Opera Houses in London, Vienna, Aix-en-Provence and Edinburgh. She continues to sing to support organisations promoting civil liberties including Advocates for Human Dignity – a small Human Rights NGO that Pippa founded with fellow students whilst completing her law degree.