Doughty Street Chambers

doughtystreet.co.uk

Tom Stoate

Tom Stoate specialises in public and human rights law, civil liberties, claims against public authorities, proceedings in the Court of Protection, criminal justice and media law. Tom has a particular focus on complex inquests and inquiries.

Aarif Abraham

Aarif Abraham is a top-ranked barrister, writer and speaker at Doughty Street Chambers, with wide-ranging experience in public international law, international criminal law, investment arbitration, and sanctions. He advises States, international and regional organisations, individuals, and companies before major international courts and tribunals in complex global cases. Aarif combines technical excellence with strategic insight into legal processes, while maintaining a client-centred approach. He also has a vibrant practice relating to treaty drafting and interpretation, international arbitration, and international commercial disputes. Aarif is recognised as a leading barrister (Band 1) in international law in Chambers and Partners (2021-present) and the Legal 500 (2024-present). He is an appointed member of the UK Attorney General’s Public International Law (PIL) panel of specialist counsel. He is also an Honorary Practice Fellow in Public International Law at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law. Aarif originally qualified as a solicitor and practised with the international law firm Slaughter and May, where he developed his practice in arbitration and sanctions. Aarif’s most recent and high-profile work includes advising on the creation of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression committed in Ukraine, with Prof Philippe Sands KC; acting as sole Counsel to a State Party, the Government of Lithuania, on a State Party referral to the International Criminal Court; acting as co-counsel and principal legal advisor to the Uyghur Tribunal; co-founding and overseeing the Yazidi Justice Committee; acting as Co-Convener of the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes; and supporting several parliamentary enquiries as external advisor. Aarif has also advised various international initiatives, including on the Genocide Determination Bill, Genocide Prevention Bill, and several All-Party Parliamentary Groups concerned with international law and/or foreign policy. Aarif regularly contributes commentary to the national and international press, including in The Times, The Observer, Politico, The Guardian, Project Syndicate, the BBC, and the Associated Press, and is frequently invited to speak on international justice issues. His book, A Constitution of the People and How to Achieve It, was published by Columbia University Press and Ibidem Press in 2021. Aarif can be instructed directly in suitable cases under the Bar’s Direct Access scheme.

Caroline Addy

Caroline is an able and experienced senior junior with a broad practice in all areas of media and information law. She acts for both claimants and defendants of all kinds, from private individuals to companies, NHS trusts, trade unions, police officers, website operators and charities

Kate Annand

Kate specialises in employment and discrimination law, and international and European human rights law.

Farrhat Arshad KC

Farrhat Arshad specialises in the areas of criminal defence and human rights. Farrhat accepts both privately and publicly funded instructions and accepts cases under the Public Access scheme. Please contact Matt Butchard from our practice management team for further details.

Peta-Louise Bagott

Peta-Louise is an experienced advocate in both domestic and international criminal law, and professional discipline. Within crime, Peta-Louise has particular experience in dealing with complex, document heavy cases involving telephone and cell site evidence. As an experienced criminal defence advocate, she is comfortable acting a led junior or junior alone in cases ranging from paper heavy frauds to organised crime. Her international practice includes defending in numerous high-profile cases. She has particular expertise in genocide, crimes against humanity, and joint criminal enterprises in an international context. In addition, she has been granted leave to file submissions as amicus curaie before the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court and International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Peta-Louise presents and defends in professional discipline cases. She completed a secondment at Kingsley Napley’s Band 1 ranked regulatory department presenting cases on behalf of healthcare regulators, which provides her with a unique insight when she represents registrants. She has extensive experience of cases involving expert evidence on clinical issues.

Tayyiba Bajwa

Tayyiba combines a criminal practice with work in related areas including inquests, crime-related public law, prison law and actions against the police. She also has a busy international practice and has been instructed in proceedings before the ICC, IACHR and WGAD. Tayyiba has a busy criminal practice representing clients accused of a wide range of criminal offences and appears regularly in the youth, magistrates’ and Crown Court. She has also advised on appeals against conviction and sentence and has a particular expertise in challenging the convictions of victims of trafficking in the youth and adult courts. In addition to her criminal practice, Tayyiba has also been instructed in a number of inquests to represent the families of the deceased. She was recently instructed as a led junior representing a family of a single mother who took a fatal overdose having encountered systemic issues in the resolution of her benefits claim by the Department of Work and Pensions. Tayyiba has also been actively involved in the sphere of public law and been instructed on a number of urgent judicial review claims. She has appeared unled in the High Court and has a particular expertise in crime-related public law. Alongside her domestic law practice, Tayyiba has a developing international law practice. Having worked at a number of international human rights NGOs, Tayyiba is instructed in relation to an application on behalf of victims in relation to the ICC’s investigation into war crimes in Palestine. Tayyiba was also instructed by Reprieve to act for two Yemeni families, in a challenge to the legality of US targeted killing operations before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.

Rachel Baker

Rachel specialises in mental capacity and mental health law as well as inquests and community care cases. In 2026 she was appointed to the Attorney General’s B Panel of Counsel. Ranked in the legal directories as a leading junior in the Court of Protection, Rachel has an established reputation for excellent client care and clear persuasive advocacy. She combines a robust approach with sensitivity and is recognised for her ability to guide clients through complex and often distressing matters with confidence and compassion. Throughout her career Rachel has gained experience across a broad range of jurisdictions and practice areas, and so is frequently instructed in cases requiring expertise in complementary areas of law and procedure. She has a particular interest in cases involving the interplay between autism and mental health and capacity issues. In the Court of Protection Rachel is instructed by a range of parties in cases spanning issues including serious medical treatment, capacity disputes, deprivation of liberty authorisations and property and affairs disputes. She also acts in cases involving the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction. In mental health law, Rachel accepts instructions in all areas including displacement of nearest relative applications. With regards to her inquest practice, Rachel has acted for a range of Interested Persons and now specialises in representing bereaved families, including in inquests where issues of mental health and/or mental capacity are relevant. Rachel is also instructed to advise and act in civil actions under the Human Rights Act. During her career, Rachel has held various paid and voluntary positions including appointment as Associate Lecturer in law for the Open University, acting as a charitable Trustee and sitting on the Board of a local Community Interest Company. She returned to practice at the Bar in 2016. Rachel’s diverse professional background, coupled with her own experience of caring for children and young adults with additional needs, enriches her insight into the different nuances and angles in a case, as well as the skills required when undertaking cases involving vulnerable individuals. Rachel accepts both Direct Public Access instructions and Pro-Bono work.

Elaine Banton

For over two decades, she has acted in complex, high profile, high value, litigation at every level, frequently in cases where law, power and systemic fairness intersect. Her work spans senior executive and City disputes, media and reputationally sensitive claims, public interest litigation, AI and algorithmic bias, sports, regulatory and governance matters, and nationally significant cases involving structural access and positive action within the legal profession. Her work increasingly bridges law, governance, policy and technology, underpinned by her Equality by Design framework, the principle that fairness must be built into systems from the outset, not remedied after harm has occurred. A seasoned appellate advocate, Elaine is regularly instructed in difficult appeals involving disability discrimination, whistleblowing, dismissal fairness and procedural justice. See here for details of her extensive appellate matters. Her recent appeals include Pal v Accenture [2026] EAT 12, in which the EAT overturned a tribunal’s wholesale failure to assess disability status, rejected the use of “up or out” progression frameworks as a measure of capability, and corrected a 100% Polkey reduction that had been applied without proper evidential basis. See Chambers and Partners article here. See also, Mulumba v Partners Group (UK) Ltd [2026] EWCA Civ 30. Other recent authorities include Chevalier-Firescu v HSBC Bank Plc [2024] EAT 6concerning alleged post termination victimisation, blacklisting and the strike out of discrimination claims in the City, in which she succeeded on all four grounds and the subsequent appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed. Rowe v Ashmore Group Plc [2023] EAT 172, a successful expedited appeal revoking tribunal imposed deposit orders across all claims, and Bennett v London Borough of Islington [2024] EAT 118, which reinforced the duty of tribunals to consider postponement and representation fairness where a claimant’s health and ability to self represent are in issue. Across such cases, Elaine’s appellate work has helped reinforce principles governing strike out, deposit orders, postponements and procedural fairness, ensuring that access to justice is not undermined by case management decisions that disproportionately prejudice vulnerable claimants or complex equality claims. Elaine is regularly instructed in high profile, impactful and nationally significant litigation, particularly within her senior executive, City and public interest practice. She was named The Times Lawyer of the Week following the £300,000 pre dismissal remedy judgment in the retrial of sex discrimination, harassment and maternity claims in Rajput v Commerzbank AG. Her success in Tesfagiorgis v Aspinalls Club Ltd earned her recognition as The Lawyer’s Barrister of the Week.Her landmark Court of Appeal judgment in O’Brien v Bolton St Catherine’s Academy, [2017] ICR 737 CA, [2017] IRLR 547, The Times, May 8, 2017 remains a leading authority on section 15 Equality Act claims and complex long term sickness dismissal. International group action work includes acting in the substantial $1.4 billion sex discrimination litigation Smith & Ors v Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Elaine also appears in major public interest and institutional matters, including acting as junior counsel for the claimant in The King (on the application of Trevor Donald) v SSHD and (1) BEO (2) Unison (3) Speaker of the House of Commons [2024] EWHC 1492, the significant judicial review that found failures to implement Windrush recommendations constituted indirect discrimination and breached both Article 14 ECHR and the Public Sector Equality Duty. Her wider public accountability work includes advising in High Court unfair prejudice appeals, complex cross territorial investigations and internal disciplinary and complaints panels involving equality and discrimination matters. Alongside her litigation practice, Elaine holds senior governance and public accountability roles that reflect the breadth of her public interest work. She is a Trustee of UN Women UK and a Board member of the Office for Legal Complaints. She served as junior counsel in the UK COVID-19 Inquiry for the Federation of Ethnic Minority Healthcare Organisations across five modules. She also acted as lead for the family of Belly Mujinga in the workplace inquest, a case that drew significant public attention to employer duty of care during the pandemic. Elaine is a CEDR accredited mediator and is regularly instructed as counsel in complex mediations, including international disputes, across the full spectrum of employment, discrimination and workplace governance matters. She brings particular strength in high stakes, reputationally sensitive disputes requiring strategic judgment, institutional calm and commercially effective resolution. Her wider practice includes substantial professional discipline and regulatory matters across a range of statutory and professional bodies. Elaine brings specialist expertise at the intersection of law, technology and governance. A graduate of the University of Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme and a member of the BRAID Stakeholder Forum, the UKRI funded cross sector initiative on responsible AI, she advises on algorithmic bias, automated decision making and the embedding of equality and human rights principles into workplace systems. Her focus is on preventing large scale systemic harm before it occurs, not managing it after the fact. This work is underpinned by Equality by Design, Elaine’s own framework for systemic change, built on the principle that legal, institutional and technological systems should be intentionally designed to deliver fairness, transparency and accountability from inception, rather than merely respond once harm has occurred. The framework increasingly informs her advisory, policy and speaking work at the highest levels. It is grounded in her 1995 postgraduate study of Moral Philosophy at King’s College London (Medical Law & Ethics) and informed by her AI study at Oxford; the intellectual foundation that makes the connection between law, technology and systems design not merely practitioner instinct, but philosophically coherent. Her work extends beyond litigation into policy, public evidence and systems reform. In June 2023, she was invited to open the oral evidence before the Joint Committee on Human Rights in Parliament’s inquiry into Human Rights at Work, reflecting her standing at the intersection of workplace rights and public policy. She is increasingly recognised for leadership on structural workplace inequality. Recent policy work has included Women and Equalities engagement on extending equal pay and pay transparency protections to race and disability (May 2023 to 2024), reflected in the Government’s subsequent ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting proposals. In May 2026, she delivered a keynote address at the United Nations, Palais des Nations, Geneva, through the lens of her Equality by Design framework. Elaine speaks, writes and broadcasts regularly on employment, equality and systems fairness. She is a contributor to Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law, co-author of Family Matters, and co-author of the chapter on Human Rights and Employment Law in Tolley’s Employment Law. She appeared on BBC One’s Panorama episode “Belly Mujinga: Searching for the Truth” in October 2020, speaking to the importance of employer duty of care during the Covid-19 pandemic. A longstanding leader in the profession, Elaine is an active member and former Treasurer of the Discrimination Law Association, a former barrister member of the Bar Standards Board Complaints Committee and a former Co-chair of the Bar Council's EDSM committee. Her wider public profile includes selection as a UN Women UK delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and featured interviews in Counsel Magazine and Legal Women Magazine. Elaine is a former Co-Chair of the Bar Council’s Equality, Diversity and Social Mobility (EDSM) Committee and an elected member of the Bar Council’s General Management Committee (GMC). She is a Harmsworth Major Scholar recipient and was elected a Bencher of Middle Temple in March 2019. Elaine is also a former member of the Committee for the Inns of Court Alliance for Women, a former member of Middle Temple’s Appointment Committee and Bencher Selection Committee, and former Co-Chair of Middle Temple’s Race Equality, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Working Group. She is a member of the Sadler’s Wells Development Council and served as Chair of the Board of Talawa Theatre from January 2020 to January 2026. Elaine is the Society of Caribbean Lawyers (SoCal) Barrister of the Year 2026, the Legal 500 ESG Ethnicity Champion of the Year 2024 and the UK Attorney-General’s Pro Bono Hero (2009). Elaine's achievements have been recognised through a number of award nominations, including being a finalist for the First 100 Years Inspirational Woman of the Year Award (Barrister of the Year) in 2019, Barrister of the Year at the Next 100 Years Inspirational Women in Law Awards in 2022, and finalist in three categories at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2023: Advocate of the Year, Mentor of the Year, and DE&I Champion of the Year in a Legal Role.

Kate Beattie

Kate’s practice spans public and private law, with expertise in administrative and public law, human rights, equality and discrimination law, public inquiries, inquests and health and social care law.

Omran Belhadi

Omran is a criminal defence specialist with experience representing clients accused of a wide array of offences. Omran regularly appears in the Crown Court, Youth Court, Magistrates’ Court and Court of Appeal.

Antonia Benfield

Antonia is an immigration and public law specialist with particular expertise in asylum, immigration, community care and trafficking claims.

Simon Bennett

Simon maintains a busy practice in employment, discrimination, and education law and accepts instructions across the full range of matters within these fields. Before coming to the bar, Simon worked as a Legal Caseworker for United Voices of the World (‘UVW’), a trade union with a membership composed primarily of low-paid and precarious migrant workers. In this role, he regularly appeared unassisted in the Employment Tribunal in matters across the spectrum of employment law, including in multi-day hearings in discrimination, whistleblowing, and trade union detriment claims. Simon has also represented Employment Tribunal claimants on behalf of the Free Representation Unit and in this capacity was successful in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (see Mbola v Royal Mail [2022] EAT 2). Outside of employment law, Simon also has substantial education law experience, having worked as a paralegal at Coram Children’s Legal Centre and as a volunteer representative for the School Exclusion Project. Simon is therefore familiar with appealing Education, Health, and Care Plans to SENDIST, and has experience representing families of excluded children in Governors’ Disciplinary Committee and Independent Review Panel hearings. Employment and DiscriminationSimon has experience across a wide range of employment and discrimination matters. Recent work includes: Acting on behalf of an embassy worker whose employer sought to assert state immunity in respect of their Employment Tribunal claim. Representing an NHS employee whose fixed-term contract was not renewed in a successful claim for unfair dismissal and redundancy pay. Acting for trade union convenors in separate proceedings under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and in an equal pay claim. Representing a construction worker in a preliminary hearing on employment status who was found to be a worker on the basis that a right of substitution was not genuine. Securing a favourable settlement at a Judicial Mediation in a whistleblowing and unfair dismissal claim. Advising on a range of issues including constructive dismissal, sexual harassment, failure to make reasonable adjustments, and pregnancy and maternity discrimination. EducationSimon regularly accepts instructions in appeals against the contents of EHC plans and in disability discrimination claims in the First-tier Tribunal. Prior to coming to the Bar, Simon worked as a paralegal at Coram Children’s Legal Centre and as a volunteer representative for the School Exclusion Project. Public InquiriesSimon was instructed as junior counsel in Module 9 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, acting for the Trades Union Congress as part of a team with Sam Jacobs and Ruby Peacock.

David Bentley

David Bentley KC, joint head of the Crime team, is a highly regarded criminal defence specialist, whose practice encompasses a wide range of serious and complex crimes, including murder, terrorism, fraud, business crime and sexual offences. In addition to his trial work, he has an extensive local and international appeals practice. David has recognised expertise in dealing with DNA and other areas of forensic evidence. He also acts in inquests – particularly where issues of police misconduct arise.

Jacob Bindman

Jacob’s practice encompasses a range of complex crime, appeals and related public law and extradition. He has appeared at all levels of appeal including the Supreme Court and is an accomplished trial advocate. Alongside his criminal practice Jacob also provides advice and representation in relation to international criminal and human rights law and Public Inquiries. Jacob is a specialist in terrorism work having practiced in the area throughout his career. In addition to trial and appellant work, his practice includes a wide range of instructions in the area of national security, including terrorism related parole hearings, advising individuals, organisations and companies on national security related legislation and terrorism related matters in a variety of tribunals. Recent cases include the first challenge to the compatibility of s.12(1A) Terrorism Act 2000 with the European Convention on Human Rights following allegations of support for Hamas following the October 7th attacks (R v ABJ & BDN [2026] UKSC 8) and allegations of a plot to kill a police officer under s.5 Terrorism Act 2006. Jacob has also acted in a number of recent cases involving very young defendants charged with disseminating terrorist material under s.2 Terrorism Act 2006. Jacob also has substantial experience in cases that involve issues around freedom of expression and protest and has been top ranked in the leading legal directories in the field of protest rights for a number of years. He has acted in cases arising from every major protest movement in the last decade and acted in a number of seminal protest related sentence appeals. Jacob also regularly defends in cases of homicide, drug supply and the full range of criminal matters. In recent years he has appeared at the Central Criminal Court and elsewhere in relation allegations of double murder, knife related murder and homicide cases involving complex psychiatric evidence. Jacob also specialises in fraud and financial crime. Over the years he has acted in major VAT frauds, including with cross border issues and surveillance evidence, as well as a range of ‘boiler room’ frauds, banking and other financial crime. Recently Jacob has defended in cases involving crypto currency and the interpretation of banking and terrorism legislation in relation to crypto platforms. Jacob has particular expertise in investigatory powers and is able to advise on all stages of the criminal process. Jacob is comfortable working on cases with a cross-border element. He has acted in cases relating to extradition and mutual legal assistance regarding the USA, Thailand and advised a range of international NGOs and individuals regarding issues such as investigatory powers and the impact of domestic terrorism and public order legislation. For a number of years, he was part of a team representing a prominent Indian tycoon subject to extradition proceedings in the UK and abroad relating to an alleged $1bn bank fraud. During the long-running Covid Inquiry, Jacob represented a group of bereaved families from Northern Ireland. His expertise and commitment in the area of human rights and experience of complex and document heavy cases enable him to bring a range of skills in support of core participants.

Nicholas Bowen

Nicholas Bowen KC specialises in damages claims in tort and under the Human Rights Act against the police and a range of other public authorities. He is also very well known for his administrative and public law work, particularly in the fields of education, community care and the legal rights of children, the family and vulnerable adults; He public authority liability practice focuses on preventable homicide, serious wrongdoing by public bodies; negligence and misfeasance by the police, psychiatric and health services and social workers. His private law work has helped to establish many principles in education and tort law which though controversial at the time are now widely accepted. He is one of the few barristers with a genuine expertise in the crossover between private and public law duties on statutory bodies and has numerous reported cases in the specialist and official law reports. He acts mainly for Claimants but is frequently instructed by Defendants.

Jordan Briggs

Jordan has a busy, diverse practice spanning mental capacity law, mental health law, personal injury law and inquests. Jordan represents all parties in Court of Protection proceedings, acts for claimants in personal injury and clinical negligence claims, and for bereaved families in inquests. He is thoroughly familiar with the law relevant to persons with disability or illness. Before coming to the Bar, Jordan worked in a leading national law firm in a team appointed Deputy for over one thousand clients’ property and financial affairs. He has long represented clients in social security benefits appeals, both for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Free Representation Unit. Additionally, Jordan has published in the Medical Law Review, LSE Law Review, and Open Justice Court of Protection Project. His publications especially concern the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the European Convention on Human Rights. Jordan is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public on the Public Access Scheme.

Abigail Bright

Abigail specialises in special jurisdiction (terrorism, extradition, exceptionally high value fraud). She frequently advises doctors on how to engage with their professional regulators and appears before juries at inquests. She is routinely instructed in several of chambers’ many practice areas. She frequently advises doctors on how to engage with their professional regulators and appears before juries at inquests.

Kirsty Brimelow KC

Kirsty’s has in depth practitioner expertise in criminal law and also in public law and international human rights law. She has particular expertise in homicide, fraud, sexual offences, drugs and torture cases, child rights and vulnerable witness cases and the law of peaceful protest. Kirsty is ranked in band 1 in protest law and spotlighted for international human rights law alongside ranking for civil liberties and criminal law. Kirsty also is ranked for criminal law in the Legal 500.

Althea Brown

Althea Brown is a specialist in employment, equality law, both public and private law and Professional Discipline and Regulation. She accepts instructions both as a barrister and a mediator. Althea Brown has a specialist practice in the ‘core’ civil liberties fields of employment, equality law and professional discipline and regulation. As well as her practice as a barrister, Althea is also a busy mediator. Her employment and non employment discrimination law practice encompass cases brought in the private and public law arena. Althea’s practice is claimant based and she has successfully and regularly arguing cases in employment tribunals, the County Court, High Court and the Court of Appeal. She is regularly instructed in substantial multi party claims which are high value, technically and legally complex and lengthy.

Nick Brown

Nick specialises in the fields of clinical negligence, legal negligence, personal injury and human rights, in particular, deaths in custody and other actions against the police and the prison service.

Jude Bunting KC

Jude specialises in judicial review, human rights and media law. He is an expert in arguing novel and high-profile points of law and has acted in 17 cases before the Supreme Court. His practice includes cases involving the rights of the media, surveillance, national security, prisons, police, international law, and women’s rights.

Leanna Burnard

Leanna frequently appears in the First-tier and Upper Immigration Tribunals and advises on judicial review claims, particularly regarding unlawful detention. She also has a Youth Court crime practice and is developing an extradition practice. She has expertise in international human rights law. Leanna has ten years’ experience working at legal charities focusing on international human rights, humanitarian, and criminal law. Before coming to the bar, she was a lawyer with the Global Legal Action Network, working on transnational litigation to address international human rights violations and environmental harms. She was previously a Legal Adviser at REDRESS, an NGO that seeks justice and reparation for survivors of torture, where she led REDRESS’s work on securing the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from Iran. Prior to this, Leanna was based in Iraq building prosecution cases against members of ISIS for the Yezidi genocide. Leanna began her career as a criminal defence solicitor advocate for Aboriginal people in the Australian outback. She also worked with asylum seekers in Australia’s former immigration detention centre on Christmas Island and in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank. She interned at the UN war crimes tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague. Leanna has been interviewed regarding her work by BBC News, BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, Sky News, Andrew Marr on BBC One, and various radio programmes. Her cases have been featured in the Guardian, BBC News, the Times, the Independent, i Paper, and Middle East Eye, among others.

Ulele Burnham

Ulele Burnham's practice spans the law relating to mental capacity and mental health, equality and human rights law. She is a member and former Chair of the Executive Committee of the Discrimination Law Association (Chair 2004-2006), a member of the Advisory Board of the AHRC Research Centre for Law Gender and Sexuality and was for 5 years (2002-2006) an occasional tutor in Labour Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is regularly invited to provide specialist training in respect of both equality and human rights law and mental capacity/mental health law. She has for the past four years delivered training on the Equality Act 2010 at the annual Justice/Sweet & Maxwell Human Rights Law Conference and has done a raft of training sessions on a variety of aspects of Court of Protection practice for local authorities and solicitors in private practice. Prior to coming to the bar she was a part-time lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London.

Jamie Burton KC

Jamie Burton is both a public lawyer and an experienced civil litigator, with particular expertise in human rights, discrimination and social welfare. Head of Chamber’s Community Care and Health Team, Jamie is a leading authority on health and social care, homelessness, social security and the rights of disabled people, children and migrants. He is an expert in judicial review and regularly appears in the higher courts, including the Supreme Court. Jamie’s civil practice encompasses high value claims in tort and contract, including group claims/class actions. He acts for public authorities and private parties. He is particularly well known for bringing civil claims against the police on behalf of victims of crime.

Peter Caldwell KC

A recognised leader in the fields of financial crime, extradition and sanctions, Peter has over twenty-five years’ experience defending in criminal and regulatory cases where the outcome depends on excellent witness examination and trial advocacy. He advises and represents individuals and businesses in international investigations of bribery, money laundering and sanctions. Clients value his international criminal law and public law experience for advice on sanctions and regulatory compliance. They rely on him for protection against the adverse reputational consequences of regulatory investigations. Peter is head of Doughty Street International’s Sanctions Team. Top-ranked in extradition law since inception, Peter has acted in landmark extradition cases which have shaped the law under the 2003 Act, namely, Popoviciu, Love, Symeou, Elashmawy, Tollman, Fenyvesi, Turner, among many others. He has successfully challenged extradition on grounds of abuse of process, political persecution, insufficiency of evidence and human rights arguments on prison conditions, fair trial, family rights and mental health. Peter is a natural choice to advise on international investigations of financial crime, fraud and breaches of sanctions, where experience and insight across these fields is required.

Grace Capel

Grace has a broad public law practice across the areas of immigration and asylum, human trafficking, asylum support, community care and unlawful detention. She has been instructed in judicial review matters at all levels up to the Court of Appeal. Grace is regularly involved in claims of wider public importance and has experience representing NGOs as claimants and intervenors.

David Carter

David specialises in housing, local government, human rights, discrimination and public law.

Peter Carter KC

Peter Carter KC undertakes most types of criminal law work either for defence or prosecution, but with the principal emphasis upon fraud, terrorism, homicide and trafficking and cases with a trans-national or international element. He appeared with Parosha Chandran in the criminal appeals of R v O and R v N on behalf of victims of international trafficking. As a result of appearing in those cases he was appointed as special adviser to the Joint Parliamentary Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Committee on the Modern Slavery Bill in 2014. On occasions he advises prosecuting authorities, government and NGOs on legislative reform. He is expert in international human rights law. He has appeared in domestic and regional human rights courts outside the UK and participated in amicus briefs in overseas jurisdictions. Peter was one of the team instructed on behalf of both Houses of Parliament to draft an amicus brief for the US Supreme Court in the Guantanamo Bay case of Rasul v Bush which successfully challenged the US government’s denial of constitutional and international human rights to the detainees. He appears pro bono before the Privy Council in appeals in capital cases from the Caribbean and associated work in the Caribbean itself. He has also appeared before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Council and the Social Rights Group of the EU Parliament. His practice includes public inquiries and public law. He was appointed counsel to a public inquiry in Trinidad into the collapse of that state’s largest financial institution and is currently leading counsel to an inquiry concerning a major UK financial institution.

Beth Chalcroft

Beth specialises in health and human rights cases. She accepts instructions in clinical negligence, personal injury, Court of Protection, inquests and actions against the police matters. Before coming to the Bar, Beth was the Judicial Assistant to Lady Justice Whipple and Lord Justice Green in the Court of Appeal. Cases that Beth drafted bench memoranda for include: Young v Downey [2025] EWCA Civ 177 (secondary victim claims for psychiatric injury). Clarke v Poole & Ors [2025] EWCA Civ 447 (consent to diagnostic testing). Morrow v HM Assistant Coroner for Merseyside [2025] EWHC 935 (Admin). Prior to this, Beth worked in the clinical negligence team at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors, including working on inquests for families involved in the Lampard Inquiry, and in the property, family and trust team at the Law Commission.

Daniel Clarke

Daniel has a wide range of experience across private law, public law and human rights work. Daniel has a wide range of experience across private law, public law and human rights work. His main areas of practice are housing, social welfare and community care, with a particular focus on discrimination, public law and human rights issues. He also undertakes work in civil actions against the police and other public authorities, and in media law.

Finnian Clarke

Finnian practises across public and civil law, and is regularly instructed in matters concerning immigration and asylum, community care, discrimination, whistleblowing, and climate litigation. He regularly appears as sole and led counsel in the Administrative Court, Upper Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and first instance Tribunals, and has appeared led in the Court of Appeal. He is described in Chambers and Partners 2026 as “an exceptionally talented technical lawyer” who “provides an excellent service” and “always gives solid and practical advice”. Before coming to the bar, Finnian worked as a legal caseworker at United Voices of the World, a trade union predominantly representing low-paid and precarious migrant workers. Prior to this, he was the Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Singh, and spent a summer with Advocates Abroad providing asylum interview preparation support to refugees at the Vial Refugee Camp in Chios, Greece. In addition, Finnian has taught European Union law to undergraduates at the London School of Economics and worked as a research assistant for Professors Jeff King and Laura Hoyano. He has worked for a number of NGOs, including Reprieve, the Women’s Inclusive Team, Amicus, and the South African Legal Resources Centre.

Elizabeth Cleaver

Elizabeth is a leading healthcare lawyer with extensive experience of representing mental health patients and their families. Elizabeth has represented clients in Court of Protection proceedings and before the Mental Health Tribunal for over a decade. Elizabeth transferred to the Bar and joined Doughty Street Chambers in January 2024 after a very successful career as a solicitor with Higher Rights of Audience. Her experience as a solicitor means that she is uniquely placed to understand the needs of professional and lay clients. She is noted by clients for her experience and sensitivity when dealing with cases involving complex mental health issues and disabilities. Elizabeth has a varied practice before the Court of Protection with a particular focus on health and welfare cases. She is regularly instructed by the Official Solicitor, family members, local authorities and clinicians to advise on complex cases involving deprivation of liberty, residence, care, contact, deputyships and medical treatment. She has a particular interest in cases involving an overlap in legal framework between the Mental Health Act and the Mental Capacity Act. Elizabeth has in-depth experience of representing those detained under the Mental Health Act at all levels of security. She has a particular interest in forensic cases and is regularly instructed by those detained under forensic sections, including in high-profile matters. Elizabeth has acted for patients, families and local authorities in nearest relative displacement cases, and has advised on appeals to the Upper-Tier Tribunal (Mental Health). Elizabeth is also able to advise in relation to unlawful detention claims and public law issues arising from mental health detention. Elizabeth regularly represents families in inquest proceedings involving deaths in psychiatric detention or in the community, and has advised on associated Human Rights Act claims. Her in depth knowledge of the issues faced by patients in detention is a significant advantage for her when advising on such cases. Elizabeth also has a general healthcare and public law practice and was involved in high-profile litigation during the pandemic, representing individuals with learning disabilities in judicial review proceedings related to Covid-19 vaccine prioritisation and advising on visiting restrictions in supported living settings. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor in the UK in 2013, Elizabeth began her legal career in Europe, where she completed placements at the European Ombudsman, Council of Europe, and European Court of Human Rights. She was awarded the Peter Duffy Human Rights award by Lincoln’s Inn in 2010.

Amanda Clift-Matthews

Amanda is an experienced appellate practitioner who appears at the highest level in criminal and human rights cases on important points of law and evidence.

Amal Clooney

Amal Clooney is a barrister who specializes in international law and human rights. She is ranked in the legal directories Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a leading barrister in international human rights law, public international law, and international criminal law. She is described as ‘a brilliant legal mind’ who is ‘in a league of her own at the Bar’. The directories spotlight her ‘commanding presence before courts’ and describe her as ‘a dream performer before international tribunals’ with ‘superb advocacy’ that is ‘crystal clear in focus and highly persuasive’. The rankings emphasize her ability to galvanize ‘heads of state, foreign ministers and business … in a way that is very effective’ for victims of human rights abuses. She is also described as being ‘amazing with vulnerable witnesses’ and having a ‘passionate commitment to the law and compassion for the people it serves’. Her contributions have been recognised by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the American Society of International Law, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the Kings Trust and Time Magazine. In 2024, she won the Legal 500 Award for international lawyer of the year. Amal’s practice has included representing victims of sexual violence in the only trials in which ISIS members have been convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity. She represents over 800 ISIS victims in the first case in a U.S. court seeking to hold ISIS financiers responsible for supporting the terror group. She has represented Armenia in a case involving the Armenian genocide and was counsel to over 100 victims of crimes against humanity in Darfur, Sudan, at the International Criminal Court. In 2022, Amal led a Legal Task Force that advised the government of Ukraine on legal avenues to secure accountability for war crimes and compensation for victims in Ukraine. Amal frequently represents political prisoners and has helped to secure the freedom of journalists imprisoned for their work across the globe. Her work has included defending Reuters journalists who uncovered evidence of genocide in Myanmar, journalists covering protests in Egypt and a leading investigative journalist exposing corruption in Azerbaijan, all of whom were released following her work. She currently represents Nobel laureate Maria Ressa, who faces years behind bars for her work as a journalist in the Philippines. Amal previously served as a rapporteur for the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and as a member of the United Kingdom’s Team of Experts on preventing sexual violence in conflict zones. She has been appointed to the UK Attorney General’s Public International Law A Panel of Counsel and as a Special Envoy by the former UK Foreign Secretary. She was also deputy chair of a Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom, chaired by a former UK Supreme Court President, that has provided legal and policy advice to over 50 governments. Amal is a Professor of Practice in International Law at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government, a Senior Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, an institute she co-founded to harness the power of AI to increase access to justice, and an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh’s College, Oxford. She is a Senior Fellow at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute and was a Visiting Professor at Columbia Law School for ten years. Amal is also the co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, which provides free legal aid in defence of free speech and women’s rights in over 40 countries. Its work has led to dozens of journalists being set free and thousands of women receiving free legal support to defend their rights, including their rights to freedom from abuse, economic discrimination and child marriage. In 2022, the Foundation partnered with the Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance and Melinda French Gates to advance gender equality and reduce levels of child marriage worldwide. The Foundation also provides a fellowship program to help young women lawyers across Africa launch careers in human rights. Before joining the London bar, Amal worked in The Hague at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and as a prosecutor at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. She is admitted to the New York Bar and practised as a litigation attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in New York.

Marisa Cohen

A "rising star" in the immigration field, known for her skill in matters involving vulnerable individuals, such as unaccompanied children. She acts in a range of asylum and deportation appeals, and is experienced in bringing complex challenges through judicial review. She has a very strong tactical focus and is an excellent technical lawyer.’ (Chambers and Partners 2022) Marisa is particularly well-placed to deal with those cases concerning overlapping immigration and community care issues. Marisa enjoys working with clients from an early stage of a case through to its conclusion and is happy to regularly advise on queries relating to evidence, procedure and tactics.

Tim Cooke-Hurle

Tim Cooke-Hurle practices in a broad range of civil and international law, with a particular focus on clinical negligence claims, product liability claims, inquests, sexual abuse claims, international environmental torts claims and cases raising business and human rights issues.

Ben Cooper KC

Ben defends some of the most complex and difficult extradition and criminal cases at all levels resulting in numerous successes on human rights and humanitarian grounds.

Simon Cox

Simon’s work includes judicial review, immigration, European Union and international law, social welfare and discrimination. He has appeared before United Kingdom and European courts and tribunals at all levels, including the UK Supreme Court, Court of Justice of the European Union and European Court of Human Rights, as well as the Court of Appeal and statutory tribunals. Over the last 25 years, Simon has acted in many leading cases for individuals, groups of victims and for NGOs. His cases as lead counsel include CEZ v Nikolova (Grand Chamber CEU judgment on collective race discrimination), Chowdury v Greece (European Court of Human Rights judgment on forced labour of irregular migrant farmworkers), McCarthy (scope of EU law for dual nationals) and Patmalniece (UK Supreme Court: social security discrimination). Simon has extensive experience of public and administrative law in England and Wales, with many appearances before the UK Supreme Court/House of Lords, Court of Appeal, High Court, Upper and First-tier Tribunals and the Special Immigration Appeal Commission. His specialist practice includes all aspects of immigration, nationality, and social security law, as well as ‘cross-over’ issues, such as migrants’ eligibility to housing & community care; export & co-ordination of social security benefits and “hostile environment” practices. He advises and represents businesses, and national and local government agencies. He accepts instructions from solicitors and other qualified professionals: he does not currently accept direct access instructions. Simon acted in leading cases on international sanctions before the UK Supreme Court and EU Court of Justice, including Ayadi, Othman and M, A & MM and has advised on EU sanctions regulations on supply of military materiel to Libya and Syria. He has acted and advised on EU and international legal issues, including in Ireland, Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain and Romania, as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. He has often advised and represented NGOs in UK and abroad, acting as counsel in judicial reviews and interventions for Amnesty International, the AIRE Centre, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Refugee Legal Centre, Child Poverty Action Group and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. His recent work includes using EU law against legal restrictions on NGOs in different EU countries, and violations of worker’s rights and criminal laws in international recruitment. From 2011 to 2019, Simon was the Migration Lawyer of the Open Society Justice Initiative. He worked with lawyers and activists across the world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, and Europe, to develop litigation strategies to protect and advance the rights of international migrants and human rights defenders. Before he began self-employed practice in 1995, Simon was employed for two years at the Free Representation Unit in London, supervising trainee lawyers and law students acting pro bono in social welfare and immigration tribunal cases. From 2008 to 2014, he was a member of the UK’s Tribunal Procedure Committee, which makes the procedure rules for the First-tier and Upper Tribunals. He is a member of the UK’s Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association and a director of the UK-based Association of Lawyers for Animal Welfare.

Stephen Cragg KC

Stephen Cragg KC is an experienced specialist in public law and human rights law in a range of areas. Stephen’s public law practice includes human rights areas, data protection, regulatory, commercial and social welfare law. He has a special interest in public law cases involving the criminal justice system, information rights, community care and health law, and coroners’ inquests. His other area of expertise is in civil actions involving public authorities, and he is as at home cross-examining witnesses as making detailed submissions in public law cases.

Gemma Daly

Gemma specialises in mental capacity and mental health law, inquests & inquiries, and public law. Gemma specialises in cases involving mental capacity and mental health issues. In addition to her practice in mental capacity and mental health law, Gemma practises in public law with particular expertise in social welfare matters, and acts in inquests and inquiries. Gemma regularly appears in the Court of Protection, acting for litigation friends including the Official Solicitor, local authorities, and family members. She has experience of complex welfare matters under s.16 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, contested deputyship applications, and regularly represents parties involved in challenges to deprivations of liberty in care homes and hospitals under section 21A, having appeared before all tiers of Court of Protection judges. Gemma has represented patients detained under sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983, and advised in cases involving the complex interaction between the Mental Health Act 1983 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Gemma also represents parties involved in proceedings under the Mental Health Act outside of the Tribunal setting, including displacements of nearest relatives, as well as representing bereaved families at mental health-related inquests. She has experience advising on discrimination, harassment, and victimisation under the Equality Act 2010. Gemma is appointed to the Equality and Human Rights Commission panel of counsel. Gemma has worked with a number of senior members of Chambers on a broad range of human rights issues, including a challenge to the prohibition of same-sex marriage in a British Overseas Territory, challenges to criminal proceedings and detention in Trinidad & Tobago, and domestic matters where discrimination issues have arisen. Prior to being called to the Bar, Gemma provided specialist welfare benefits advice and representation at the First-tier and Upper Tribunals on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support and Citizens Advice, and the Free Representation Unit, as well as representing clients pro bono in Employment Tribunal claims. Gemma continues to provide representation on a pro bono basis in complex benefits cases, as well as training FRU’s volunteers and spent a number of years on FRU’s Management Committee. Gemma is licenced under the Direct Access Scheme and can accept instructions directly in appropriate cases across all aspects of her practice.

Stephanie Davin

Stephanie practices in public law, media law, civil actions against public authorities, and inquests and inquiries. A particular specialism is prison law. Stephanie has a diverse practice spanning public and private law. Much of her work involves representing prisoners or relates to the criminal justice system. Stephanie also practises in media law, including open justice work. Examples of her recent work include: A successful opposed application to lift a reporting restriction under s.45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, in order to permit the screening of a documentary about domestic abuse on Channel 5. Acting for the Claimant in R (Dich) v Parole Board [2023] 1 WLR 4287, in which Parole Board guidance on the ‘at risk’ period for determinate sentence prisoners was found to be unlawful (led by Jude Bunting KC). Acting for a group of intervenors in the judicial review by the Scottish Government of the first ever use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 to block legislation. A judicial review on behalf of a prisoner refused release by the Parole Board during the period in which witnesses were prevented from making recommendations. The claim was settled in the Claimant’s favour.

Julie Davis

Julie specialises in criminal law, extradition, and international law. Julie regularly appears before the Magistrates’ Court, Youth Court, and Crown Court. She has experience in a range of criminal offences, ranging from violent offences, drug offences, and fraud to protest cases and driving offences. Prior to joining Doughty Street, Julie worked as a paralegal in several highly-ranked criminal law firms where she assisted in the representation of individuals at every stage of criminal proceedings – from the preparation of pre-charge representations to the challenging of wrongful convictions in the Court of Appeal.

Graham Denholm

Graham is recognised as a leading junior barrister in immigration, civil liberties and human rights, and public and administrative law. He appears regularly in the Administrative Court, the County Court, the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, and the Court of Appeal, and has conducted numerous cases before the First-tier and Upper Tribunals.

Cormac Devlin

Cormac specialises in employment, discrimination, collective labour law, and housing. Cormac undertook pupillage at a mixed civil set, where he practised in employment, housing and general civil matters. He has experience of possession claims, anti-social behaviour injunctions, disrepair claims, homelessness judicial review and (assisting as a pupil) homelessness appeals in the county court.

Sarah Dobbie

Sarah works across the fields of public law, asylum, immigration, and international law. She acts in appeals and judicial review proceedings before the First-Tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunals, the High Court, and the Court of Appeal. Prior to joining the Bar of England and Wales, Sarah practised as a solicitor (Australia), worked as a Refugee Legal Advisor (Egypt and Greece), and interned for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and the Australian Law Reform Commission. Sarah is a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission panel of Counsel.

Hayley Douglas

Hayley specialises in crime, public law and human rights. In addition to her criminal defence practice, she undertakes work in related areas including extradition, crime-related public law, prison law, mental health law, inquests and civil actions against the police.

Paul Draycott

Paul is an experienced practitioner in the fields of public law and asylum and immigration. The bulk of his practice broadly concerns judicial review claims concerning immigration related issues, particularly fresh claims, the certification of asylum or human rights claims, R(Cart) challenges to the Upper Tribunal’s refusal of permission to appeal, the revocation of indefinite leave to remain, the Dublin III Regulation, the Turkish European Community Association Agreement, unlawful detention, age assessment, as well as disciplinary related claims against Public Authorities under the Human Rights Act 1998, such as his previous case of R(G) -v- Governors of X School (2012) 1 AC 167 SC.

Max du Plessis SC

“He has decades of experience in comparative jurisprudence deeply rooted in his vast understanding of international law” - “A model barrister – persuasive and effective advocate and an accomplished writer” Max du Plessis is a barrister, Lincolns Inn, and senior counsel in South Africa and previously an Associate Tenant at Doughty Street. He has an extensive practice in international, administrative and constitutional law; and has acted or appeared in leading cases on international law and human rights in the International Court of Justice, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the SADC Tribunal, and has acted as adviser to governments and NGOs on questions of international and international criminal law. He has acted as counsel in South Africa's leading international law cases before the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court of Appeal (including cases on diplomatic protection, the death penalty, the duty under international law to combat corruption, and extradition and non-refoulement). Max has represented NGOs in South Africa in utilizing South Africa's Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Act in pursuing cases against individuals accused of international crimes in Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Gaza and Madagascar. He has written widely in the field of international and international criminal law. Max is adjunct professor of international law at the University of Cape Town, and adjunct professor of public law at the Nelson Mandela University.

Laura Dubinsky KC

https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/barristers/laura-dubinsky-kc

Philippa Eastwood

Philippa is an established criminal defence advocate, regularly instructed in complex and significant cases. She is listed in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for her expertise. In representing those accused in diverse cases from murder to drug conspiracies and cheating the public revenue, she has built a reputation for meticulous case preparation, strategic thinking, and determined and incisive defending. Philippa has particular expertise in financial crime and in Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 cases, including the restraint, recovery, forfeiture or confiscation of assets. She has conducted substantial and high-profile cases of fraud, money laundering and bribery and is ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for her specialism in fraud. She has gained recognition for her strength in marshalling and managing voluminous material, exacting case preparation, and intelligent and pithy advocacy. She has experience in representing both individual and corporate defendants. She is a sought-after advocate in POCA Appellate work and has acted as independent counsel for the SFO, considering material for the determination of Legal Professional Privilege.

Tatyana Eatwell

Highly experienced in international criminal, humanitarian, and human rights law, Tatyana advises States, individuals, and international and non-governmental organisations on a wide range of issues, including diplomatic protection; freedom of expression and the protection of journalists; arbitrary detention; extra-judicial killing; torture; and extraordinary rendition. She has provided expert evidence and advice to national and international bodies, including the United Nations and the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Tatyana has acted in high-profile criminal appeals before the UK Supreme Court in matters pertaining to the interpretation of international law relating to war crimes, terrorism, and torture, and the application of international law in domestic proceedings. She has also served as specialist human rights counsel in arbitration proceedings. In appropriate cases, Tatyana can be instructed under the Bar’s Direct Access Scheme. Public international law and human rights Tatyana advises States, individuals, international organisations, and non-governmental organisations on a wide range of public international law and international human rights law issues that include consular access and diplomatic protection; freedom of expression and the protection of journalists; arbitrary detention; extra-judicial killing; extraordinary rendition; the right to a fair trial; terrorism and armed conflict; torture; gender-based violence; sanctions; self-determination; state responsibility; and the extra-territorial application of human rights treaties. Tatyana advises and represents individuals and organisations before treaty-based and regional human rights complaint procedures, including the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee, and the UN Committee against Torture, as well as on engagement with the UN Human Rights Council Special Procedures. Human Rights matters relating to sanctions, asset seizure, and allegations of corruption Tatyana has acted for high net-worth individuals based in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa on matters relating to allegations of sanctions-busting, corruption and money laundering, the freezing and seizure of assets, and related human rights, security, and reputational management concerns. She has experience acting for clients alongside both experts in security and experts in online reputational and digital risk management. Cases include: International law in the domestic courts Barnett LBC v AG (a child) [2022] EWCA Civ 1505, diplomatic immunity, child protection, torture and inhuman treatment (Article 3 ECHR). R (Kanu) v Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs [2023] EWCA Civ 796, extraordinary rendition, diplomatic protection, foreign affairs. R v Reeves Taylor [2019] UKSC 51, on the definition of torture as provided by Art. 1 of the UN Convention against Torture and section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 R v Gul [2013] UKSC 64, on the scope of the definition of terrorism in situations of armed conflict. Arbitrary detention, extraordinary rendition, and State hostage-taking Re. Jimmy Lai, British citizen, prominent pro-democracy activist and publisher, imprisoned in Hong Kong (Member of the international legal team for Jimmy Lai and Sebastien Lai, led by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC) (ongoing). Re. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Instructed by the human rights NGO REDRESS, worked to secure release of British-Iranian citizen arbitrarily detained in Iran from 2016 to 2022. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was released on 16 March 2022. Re. Nizar Zakka, Lebanese citizen and US permanent resident arbitrarily detained in Iran. Counsel on matters of international human rights law and represented Mr Zakka in his complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Mr Zakka was released on 11 June 2019. Justice and accountability for human rights violations and crimes against journalists Re. Jimmy Lai, British citizen, prominent pro-democracy activist and publisher, imprisoned in Hong Kong (Member of the international legal team for Jimmy Lai and Sebastien Lai, led by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC) (ongoing). International Federation of Journalists, Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, since December 2020 acts on behalf of IFJ and PJS in the representation of journalists targeted and killed in Palestine in their engagement with international human rights mechanisms in seeking justice and accountability for war crimes and human rights violations committed against them (ongoing). Re. Issam Abdallah, acting on behalf of the family of Lebanese Reuters journalist killed in southern Lebanon by Israeli tank fire in October 2023 in seeking justice and accountability for his killing (ongoing). Re. Shireen Abu Akleh, Ali Samoudi, and Shatha Hanaysha, complaints to the International Criminal Court and UN Commission of Inquiry on behalf of Palestinian journalists targeted and killed or seriously injured whilst reporting in Palestine (September 2022). International Federation of Journalists, Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, and International Centre for Justice for Palestinians, complaints to the International Criminal Court and UN Commission of Inquiry concerning the targeting and excessive use of lethal force against Palestinian journalists whilst reporting in Palestine (2022). Re. Abu Hussein, Murtaja, Amarneh, and Eshtayeh v Israel, complaints to UN Human Rights Council Special Procedures concerning the targeting and excessive use of lethal force against above named Palestinian journalists (December 2020). Re. Anton Hammerl, acting on behalf of the family of dual Austrian-South African citizen, UK resident, and photojournalist in seeking justice and accountability for his killing and disappearance in Libya, April 2011 (ongoing) Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman v Pakistan, complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding the unlawful detention of prominent media owner. Re. Christopher Allen, acting on behalf of the family dual British-US citizen and journalist killed in South Sudan in August 2017, seeking justice and accountability for his killing and alleged war crimes committed against him. Expert Testimony Tatyana has provided expert evidence and opinion to the United Nations and parliamentary select committees. oral evidence to the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, on the targeting of journalists working in Palestine (November 2022); oral evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on the FCDO’s approach to state level hostage situations (July 2022); written evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry on Xinjiang Detention Camps, on behalf of the Bar Human Rights Committee (December 2020); and expert evidence to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on consular access and diplomatic protection of dual nationals (November 2017) International Criminal Law and Counter-Terrorism Tatyana advises and represents individuals and organisations on matters concerning the investigation and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in domestic courts and the International Criminal Court, and on related matters of State responsibility. Tatyana has acted in high-profile criminal appeals before the UK Supreme Court that concern the interpretation of international law on, for example, war crimes, terrorism, and torture, and the application of international law in domestic proceedings. Cases include: Re. Shireen Abu Akleh, Ali Samoudi and Shatha Hanaysha, complaints to the International Criminal Court on behalf of journalists targeted and killed or seriously injured in Palestine (September 2022). International Federation of Journalists, Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, and International Centre for Justice for Palestinians, complaints to the International Criminal Court concerning the targeting and excessive use of lethal force against Palestinian journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (April 2022). R v Reeves Taylor [2019] UKSC 51, on the definition of torture as provided by Art. 1 of the UN Convention against Torture and section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 R v Gul [2013] UKSC 64, on the scope of the definition of terrorism in situations of armed conflict. Publications and Seminars Tatyana regularly participates in seminars and conferences on current issues in public international law, international criminal law, and international human rights law, and she has guest lectured on international law and the use of force and on terrorism at the University of Southern California (USA). Recent publications and engagements: Yazidi Justice Committee, ‘State responsibility and the Yazidi genocide’, (co-author), 6 July 2022. International Law Association (British Branch) Spring Conference, ‘Synergy Between the Law of Treaties and the Law of International Responsibility: So Far Apart but Still So Close’, 23 April 2021. European Society of International Law (ESIL) Interest Group on International Justice, Journal of International Criminal Justice, ‘Torture by Non-State Actors: Rationale(s), Legal Frameworks and Implications’, 30 March 2021. Hostage Aid Worldwide, Launch Event: Issues related to State Sponsored Hostage Taking, 4 March 2021. CREID and Refcemi, ‘Religious Inequalities as “Conditions of Life Calculated to Bring about the Physical Destruction in Whole or in Part” Deliberately Inflicted on Religious Minority Groups’, 25 February 2021. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Uyghurs, Coalition for Genocide and René Cassin, ‘Addressing the Many Faces of Complicity in Genocide’, 4 February 2021. ‘Rebel governors in areas of limited statehood: State responsibility and “agents of necessity”’ in Hamid, L. and Wouters, J. (eds.), Rule of Law and Areas of Limited Statehood (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021). Selected Older Publications ‘State Responsibility for Human Rights Violations Committed in a State’s Territory by Armed Non-State Actors’ (The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law, December 2018). ‘State Responsibility, “Successful” Insurrectional Movements and Governments of National Reconciliation’ in Summers, J. and Gough, A. (eds.), Non-State Actors and International Obligations (Martinus Njihoff, 2018). ‘Human Rights Law’ in Clarry, D. (ed.), The UK Supreme Court Yearbook Volume 7: Legal Year 2015-2016 (Appellate Press, 2018) (co-authored with Geoffrey Robertson QC). ‘Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure’ (2013) 2 CJICL 86 (co-authored with Christopher Sargeant). ‘Selling the Pass: Habeas corpus, diplomatic relations and the protection of liberty and security of persons detained abroad’ (2013) 62 ICLQ 727. A Compilation of Immigration and Asylum Policies of the Home Office, Vols 1 & 2 (HJA Training & ILPA, 2009).

Sarah Elliott KC

Sarah specialises in defending and has a strong reputation for winning unusual, complicated and demanding cases. Sarah knows the enormous stress and difficulty legal proceedings cause to clients and those close to them, and is skilled at dealing with the issues that arise with firmness and sensitivity. Recent successful outcomes have included: Successful appeal against conviction for double shotgun murder (read more here). The successful defence of the former Director-General of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (read more here). Obtaining acquittals on multiple counts of rape and administering a noxious substance. A significant reduction on sentence on appeal to the Court of Appeal for familial consensual sexual offending Sarah specialises in defending the most difficult and demanding of homicide cases which require a particularly careful approach. Recent homicide and related grave offences cases include: In 2024, Sarah’s client for the past 20 years, Robert Firkins had a not guilty verdict entered on two counts of murder after the Crown were forced to offer no evidence against him and his brother. Robert’s 2006 conviction for the brutal double shotgun murder of a husband and wife in Cornwall was successfully appealed by Sarah in the Court of Appeal resulting in the conviction being quashed in 2023. In 2024 she defended a nursery nurse accused of unlawfully killing a nine month old baby in her care, leading Jake Taylor (read more here.) In 2023 she secured a verdict of diminished responsibility for a teenager accused of murdering his grandmother, (leading Kate O’Raghallaigh) (read more here). In 2022 she defended a 19-year-old student of good character accused of participating in a London gang related killing (leading Kate O’Raghallaigh) and acted for a vulnerable defendant with serious cognitive impairment accused of murdering a fellow resident in a hostel (leading Maryam Mir). In 2019 she represented a woman accused of beating a man to death, (leading David Rhodes) and secured a suspended sentence for a woman accused of the attempted murder of her 3 month old baby. In 2018 she secured a manslaughter conviction by reason of diminished responsibility for a client charged with murdering his grandmother by trying to behead her, leading Daniella Waddoup. In 2017 she represented a man accused of causing brain damage to his flat mate by beating him and making a video of drinking the victim’s blood. Also in 2017, she secured a manslaughter conviction for a man accused of the incredibly brutal killing of a criminal solicitor. In 2016 she secured an acquittal for a man accused of the ‘mercy killing’ of his father. Also in 2016, she defended a man extradited from Ireland for the murder of his landlord and concealment of his body. The accused was a convicted child sex offender who alleged the landlord asked for sex in lieu of rent. Sarah is one of the leading silks at the Bar for defending sexual allegations. She is counsel of choice for solicitors and those accused of sexual offences because of her proven track record in achieving successful outcomes in all types of cases, from multiple rape allegations to possession of indecent images, and at all stages of proceedings from pre-charge to appeal. She is known for her tactical skill and determination in achieving positive results for clients while providing them with a sympathetic and sensitive approach. Sarah is regularly asked to provide pre-charge advice and can assist solicitors and clients through all of the early stages of proceedings. She is able to advise on the consequential effects of allegations of sexual offending and on reputation management. She is available for post-trial appeal advice and ‘second opinion’ work.

Markus Findlay

Markus is known for his thoroughness and excellent client care. He has been commended by District Judges for his “persuasive points under pressure of time” and his “focussed” written submissions. Before coming to the Bar, Markus gained valuable experience in both the legal charity sector and at the leading business crime firm, Corker Binning. He brings a calm, reassuring presence to clients in crisis, whether they are vulnerable or High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs). His work encompassed a wide range of high-profile and sensitive matters, such as: The first private prosecution under the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985. A child death inquest that led to the first prosecution of an NHS Trust for unsafe care and treatment. General Medical Council (GMC) proceedings arising from allegations of manslaughter, drug trafficking, and serious sexual offences. Complex cross-border civil disputes and financial crime investigations. The first Court of Appeal hearings in the Post Office Horizon scandal. As a multilingual lawyer (French and German) with training in diplomacy, Markus is adept at dealing with matters that are international in nature. He served as Junior Counsel in a People’s Tribunal concerning organ harvesting in China, where he cross-examined a former Canadian Secretary of State. He also worked in research and advocacy roles at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in Paris and the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna. Outside his court practice, Markus has undertaken placements with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Extradition Unit, and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), gaining insight into complex regulatory and investigatory work across government.

Richard Fisher KC

Richard Fisher KC provides advice and advocacy for clients whose cases involve allegations of financial crime, issues of bribery and corruption, the proceeds of crime and related litigation, and regulatory compliance. His non-contentious and advisory work sees him providing guidance to companies and their individual directors and officers on whether or not their business activities are at risk of incurring regulatory or criminal sanction. Advisory work has included: a UK/Japanese corporate on money laundering regulations; a Big Four firm on the law governing offshore company and tax evasion legislation; a multi-jurisdictional £900m criminal tax fraud and money laundering investigation; corporate client on the impacts of Proceeds of Crime legislation on insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings. Richard is co-author of Blackstone’s Guide to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Oxford University Press, 5th ed) and was invited to give expert evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on Proceeds of Crime legislation (2016). In contentious work Richard is instructed in cases involving allegations of fraud, cheat, money laundering and where the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is engaged to restrain, recover, forfeit or confiscate assets. Richard is routinely instructed to advise both individual and corporate clients before any criminal proceedings have commenced, during the investigation stage, representing those who have been charged with criminal offences, acting for those affected by the various forms of civil recovery litigation/restraint proceedings, advising third parties affected by asset recovery measures and assisting those seeking to appeal against convictions, sentences or other orders. Richard has also conducted linked litigation in the High Court. Recent cases of note include representing the principal defendant in a series of Film Tax fraud trials, an IFA in another Film Tax Fraud, representing four defendants in an international bribery and corruption case prosecuted by the SFO, a multi £m fraud on the Welsh Assembly and the EU, confiscation proceedings in the HBOS case and criminal/confiscation proceedings in a Town and Country Planning Act prosecution.

Edward Fitzgerald KC

Edward Fitzgerald KC was named Human Rights and Public Law Silk of the Year in the Chambers Bar Awards 2013, Legal Aid Lawyer of the year in 2009, and Silk of the Year award 2005. In 1998 he was given the Times Justice Human Rights Award. In 2008 he was awarded the CBE for services to human rights. He specialises in criminal law, public law, judicial review and international human rights law. Edward is ranked in the highest Bands of each of his fields in the Chambers and Partners 2026 tables. He is Band 1 in Administration and Public Law and International Human Rights Law. He is listed as a ‘star individual’ in the areas of Civil Liberties & Human Rights, Crime and Extradition in 2026.

Emma Goodall KC

Emma is a leading criminal practitioner regularly instructed in high profile cases of a complex and sensitive nature. She has extensive experience acting in trials involving homicide, serious organised crime, misconduct in public office, sexual offences, terrorism and fraud. Emma is also instructed in an advisory capacity pre-charge, in respect of criminal appeals where she did not act at first instance, applications to the CCRC and in Judicial Review proceedings.

Garry Green KC

A passionate and committed advocate, Garry Green fearlessly defends his clients’ right to a fair trial. He is consistently instructed to appear in serious crime and high profile cases, notably in homicide trials at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey).

Donnchadh Greene

Donnchadh is a specialist public law practitioner. His work focuses on human rights, community care and anti-discrimination.

Beth Grossman

Beth Grossman practices across media, commercial and employment law. She has also advised internationally. She is a rising star in Legal 500 for media and employment law and is ranked as up and coming in Chambers and Partners for media law. Beth has acted as sole counsel in the High Court for the successful party in a number of high-profile and reported judgments, including: Langley v GMB [2021] IRLR 309, for the successful trade union at trial in a claim in professional negligence arising out of an employment dispute and setting legal precedent about the scope of a trade union’s duty of care to a member. Ahmed v Director General of the Security Services [2020] EWHC 3458, for the media in a successful application for a claim about the UK security services’ alleged complicity in torture in Pakistan to be heard in public. Lupu, Spearmint Rhino and others v Not Buying It [2020] EMLR 6, for the successful defendants resisting an application for anonymity and an expedited trial. Her experience spans defamation, commercial and insolvency matters involving complex issues of law through to fact-heavy employment and professional conduct trials involving vulnerable witnesses and cross-examination on highly sensitive allegations of physical assault and historic sex abuse. Beth has a wide client base, including high- profile private individuals, professional services firms, film production companies, newspapers and broadcasters, NGOs and trades unions. She is a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Preferred Panel of Counsel.

Cara Hall

Cara specialises in housing law and accepts instructions across the full range of matters within that area including disrepair, possession claims, anti-social behaviour injunctions and unlawful eviction claims. She also undertakes homelessness work including judicial reviews and section 204 appeals. Cara is particularly interested in claims for unfitness for human habitation, claims for unlawful eviction, and claims concerning disability or other forms of discrimination, regularly acting for disabled or otherwise vulnerable individuals. Cara also particularly enjoys acting in claims concerning alleged anti-social behaviour. Prior to joining Doughty Street, Cara worked as a Housing Supervisor under a Legal Aid contract at Citizens Advice. Cara regularly advised across all areas of housing and homelessness law within the scope of Legal Aid. She managed her own caseload, acting for vulnerable members of the community including non-English speakers, victims of domestic abuse and people lacking mental capacity. Cara also acted under the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme every week, providing last minute emergency advice and representation for tenants and borrowers facing eviction. She therefore has extensive County Court advocacy experience and an eye for procedural issues and arguable defences in all types of possession claim.

Graeme Hall

Graeme practises at the intersection of extradition, crime, public law, and international human rights and public law. Graeme specialises in the defence of high-value, complex fraud and international money laundering extradition requests. Recent and ongoing examples include the successful representation of Corey de Rose against a USA extradition request for a multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency fraud; the successful representation of Gabriel Popoviciu against a multimillion-euro land transaction fraud extradition request from Romania; the ongoing representation of Mehul Choksi in his challenges in Antigua and Barbuda against an Indian extradition request for an alleged fraud of a national bank worth over $1 billion; and, advising the Hong Kong businessman Joseph Lau in his constitutional challenges to the Hong Kong Extradition Bill. Graeme regularly defends extradition requests for other serious criminal allegations, including murder and rape, further details of which can be found under the section “Extradition”.

Andrew Hall KC

Andrew Hall is consistently named as a leader in his field and has a busy and high profile practice in serious crime. He has a strong following amongst solicitors both in London and further afield, and a particular reputation for the tenacious defence of grave, difficult and more complex cases. Andrew has very extensive experience in all types of homicide, as well as large scale drugs and other excise conspiracies. In recent years has been instructed in a significant number of high profile terrorism cases. He is the author or co-author of several books on criminal justice issues, and regularly lectures on advocacy and other legal topics, including terrorism and human rights, both here and abroad. He has longstanding involvement with professional training, and with legal sector capacity building projects overseas, particularly in Africa, and is a winner of the Bar Pro Bono Award for this work. Human rights work overseas has included missions to Syria, Sudan and Burma. Andrew served for a number of years as a member of the Bar Council and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, and served as Chairman of the Criminal Bar Association. Since 2010 he has been a trustee of the Kalisher Trust, a charity providing scholarships and other awards to talented Criminal Bar entrants who need financial support.

Zoe Harper

Zoe practises in immigration, human rights and public law, with particular expertise in cases involving trafficking, gender-based violence, mental health and disability. Zoe acts in appeal proceedings and judicial review claims in all areas of immigration and nationality law and is regularly instructed in complex refugee and human rights claims.

Malcolm Hawkes

Malcolm is a renowned and highly-experienced extradition specialist who acts in complex and grave matters such as terrorism, murder and serious sexual offences. He has advised and acted in extradition cases from over 40 countries. Malcolm has particular experience with US and Russian extradition requests; he defended in the first US case involving a suspected member of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Phil Haywood

Prior to being called to the Bar, Phil Haywood qualified as a solicitor and worked as a Legal officer at the Refugee Legal Centre. His practice encompasses advocacy and representation at all levels, including the Immigration Tribunals, where he has represented in numerous cases, and the Administrative Court and Court of Appeal. He is recommended by the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a leading junior in Immigration and Nationality law and accredited under the Public Access scheme.

Kirsten Heaven

Kirsten practises in human rights, public law and civil claims against public authorities. She is a specialist in complex inquests, public inquiries and public law challenges across her practice areas, including in police law. Kirsten has acted in some of the most challenging and complex inquests and inquiries in recent times including in the Hillsborough Inquest for 77 bereaved families, the Shoreham Airshow Disaster Inquest, the Covid-19 Inquiry for the Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru and the Brooke House Inquiry. Kirsten is currently[SB1] lead counsel for the Co-operating Group of Non-police Non-state Core Participants in the Undercover Policing Public Inquiry and represents the family of Valdo Calocane in the Nottingham Inquiry. Kirsten is a specialist in all types of inquest proceedings and related litigation including in the context of deaths in custody, the use of force/restraint, police shootings/firearms operations, mental health detained/non-detained, deaths of children in the care of the state, of detained foreign nationals, clinical negligence related deaths, mass disaster fatalities and controversial and sensitive military deaths (including UK Special Forces). Kirsten also has extensive experience of working on cases involving deaths of women and children in the context of domestic violence and femicide and of children and young people with neurodiversity and ALN. Kirsten is a Develop Vetted Special Advocate appointed by the Attorney General. Kirsten frequently advises Coroners and acts as Counsel to the Inquest. She is a Fee Paid Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and Assistant Coroner for Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot. Trained as a solicitor at Slaughter and May, London, Kirsten specialised in corporate / commercial and EU law and subsequently worked as a government lawyer in public and administrative law, international law (including public international law), war crimes, extradition law and EU law. Kirsten has worked extensively in international human rights law, refugee law and minority rights in the Middle East and the Balkans including in NGOs and at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Kirsten has an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex. Kirsten has long experience of asylum and immigration law and practice in many contexts, including working on sensitive asylum cases both in the UK and overseas. She has a forensic understanding of asylum and immigration law, and also has an interest in international refugee protection and international human rights law. [SB1]NB this will date your profile unless you make a note to revisit it. Suggest unless you wish to revise wholesale, you leave out the word 'currently' so any potential dating is less obvious.

Mark Henderson

Mark specialises in media and communications law and in public, human rights, and immigration law. He has acted in numerous leading cases in these areas spanning the last three decades, frequently on groundbreaking issues. His clients have ranged from very senior politicians to 69 of the survivors and bereaved in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Leading defamation cases have included a Court of Appeal judgment in which he defended the former Leader of the Opposition for answers given on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show. As Standing Counsel for the Labour Party, Mark led its defence in the most high-profile defamation litigation in which it has been involved. He has won extremely large damages against broadcasters, public figures, and most national newspapers in libel, privacy, harassment and data protection claims for claimants including politicians, journalists, actors, activists, NGOs, a TV station, a trade union and a former Guantanamo detainee. He also acts for defendants including non-traditional newspapers, online news outlets and bloggers, trade unions, politicians, activists, political parties, and others who face defamation claims for what they have published online, in print, and on mainstream media, often on issues of high public importance. He litigates cutting-edge issues and advises prominent organisations on data protection and privacy rights. Mark’s public law and standards work includes landmark free speech/Article 10 and privacy/Article 8 judicial reviews and appeals. These include leading freedom of expression authorities from media regulation to public standards codes governing elected representatives. He also advises and acts in media regulation complaints and proceedings, and for participants in high-profile inquiries by major broadcasters. He acts in reporting restrictions disputes, often raising major human rights issues. He has extensive experience of acting and advising on claims in the midst of a media storm and against a backdrop of national controversy. He is accustomed to dealing with urgent instructions, working in multi-disciplinary teams, and can draw on his experience of running strategic litigation in the context of public campaigns and broader communications strategies. He is experienced in advising on and acting in successful mediations, including in the highest profile cases. Mark’s public, human rights, and immigration work frequently raises cutting-edge issues, such as the relationship between judicial review on common law and the Human Rights Act grounds, and the duty of candour and disclosure in the Administrative Court. His public law clients range from detained asylum seekers to corporate bodies. He has developed and acted in test case litigation in the UK (e.g. winning the right to settle in the UK for thousands of Gurkha veterans) and in Europe. He works on test cases in tandem with public campaigns (including the award-winning Gurkha Justice Campaign). He has acted for national and international NGOs in public interest interventions at the highest level. He also deals with interventions in his own cases (including from Amnesty International, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, UNHCR and numerous EU member states). Mark has been instructed to advise, at the highest levels both nationally and internationally, on matters of the utmost political and constitutional importance, such as the right to form a minority government during a hung parliament. He acted in one of the most politically important and sensitive cases ever heard by the UK courts, in which he led its successful defence of the Labour Party National Executive Committee’s ruling on members’ entitlement to vote for the incumbent Leader of the Party in a leadership election.

Megan Hirst

Megan Hirst practices in international criminal law, and international human rights law. She has over 15 years of experience in international institutions and courts, with a particular focus on victims’ representation and the post-conflict protection of human rights. Although Megan has significant experience in various aspects of international criminal proceedings, she has a particular interest in victims’ representation before international criminal tribunals. From 2019 until 2022 she was International Lead Co-Lawyer for victims participating as civil parties in Case 002/02 at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. At the International Criminal Court (ICC), she is representing victims in pre-trial proceedings concerning crimes against the Rohingya in Myanmar, and the opening of an ICC investigation on Afghanistan. She has also previously represented victims in the ICC case against Dominic Ongwen, a former LRA commander in the conflict in Northern Uganda. Previously Megan worked in-house for both the ICC and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on victims’ participation issues, in which capacity she undertook litigation and played a key role in the development of polices and legal frameworks.

David Hislop KC

An extensive career has allowed him to achieve expertise in a number of areas from murder and terrorism to the fine arts of fraud, cross border crime, money laundering and regulatory work. Over the last three years he has specialised predominately in the defence of those charged with murder or the most serious of sexual offences.

Gemma Hobcraft

Gemma practises in health care law, medical law and regulatory law - including professional discipline and court of protection. Gemma is an experienced Barrister practising in regulatory law with a particular focus on health care and human rights. Gemma also has experience in academia – having taught and researched in the field of medical law and ethics, with a focus on biometrics, data, human rights and regulation. Gemma was a lay member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority between 2008 – 2015. Her roles during this time included a term as Deputy Chair and being Chair of the Ethics and Standards Committee. Gemma’s practice is focused on legal issues relating to health and regulation, this includes health care regulatory and fitness to practice cases (from referral through to review and appeal) as well as work in allied areas of health-related law including court of protection work. Gemma has wide ranging experience- including in disclosure and barring matters (particularly challenging enhanced criminal record certificates), judicial review, mental health and education law. Gemma has a particular interest and expertise in medical law and ethics – with an emphasis on issues relating to future proofing regulation relating to AI, data (including biometrics), direct to consumer genetic testing and human rights. She spent three years in academia teaching medical law and ethics – including capacity related issues (as well as criminal law, criminal justice and international criminal law). In academia her research focus was on medical law and ethics, particularly looking at regulating future health technologies. A key focus of her practice and research relates to Article 8 and the right to privacy. Gemma is on the editorial board of the Journal for Law, Technology and Trust and is an Associate for the PHG Foundation – a think tank and charity ‘with a focus on how genomics and related technologies can make healthcare better’

John Hobson

John specialises in Housing Law, Inquests and Administrative & Public Law. Recommended for Social Housing (Northern) in Chambers & Partners 2012-2019. John is a Manchester-based practitioner who regularly undertakes work nationwide. John is instructed across all aspects of housing law, including possession proceedings, homelessness appeals, public law challenges under the Housing Act 1996 (including interim relief), unlawful eviction, succession claims, injunctions/committals, disrepair, tenancy deposits and matters under the Mobile Homes Act 1983. With regards to inquest law, John sits as an Assistant Coroner alongside his busy practice. He has long practised in the inquest/coronial system, with extensive experience of representing the families of those who have died in prison or police custody and those affected by unlawful killing. He regularly acts for other interested parties such as care homes as well local authorities with safeguarding duties in the care sector, by representation at inquests and in an advisory capacity. He is familiar with the specific challenges faced by persons within the care sector who may be navigating the coronial process, from questions as to the scope and reach of Article 2, the provision of statements and attendance at pre-inquest and final hearings. John is licenced under the Direct Access Scheme and can accept instructions directly in appropriate cases across all aspects of his practice.

Lameesa Iqbal

Lameesa is a specialist employment, discrimination, and equality law barrister. She accepts instructions across the full breadth of employment law matters. She has extensive discrimination law experience having previously specialised in appealing Education Health and Care Plans in the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), and representing families whose children had experienced disability discrimination as Senior Director of the School Exclusion Project.

Alice Irving

Alice Irving is a civil and public law practitioner, specialising in housing and social welfare, community care and education. Alice was a finalist for Legal Aid Newcomer of the Year at the LALYs 2021 and is ranked as a Rising Star in Education Law in the Legal 500. Alice receives instructions across all areas of housing law. She has represented vulnerable clients in resisting possession claims, anti-social behaviour injunctions and closure orders. She has experience advising on and litigating disrepair claims, and challenging homelessness decisions. Alice has also provided advice to disabled clients in relation to Disabled Facilities Grants and other avenues for obtaining suitable accommodation. She has particular experience working with clients assessed as lacking capacity to litigate.

Joshua Jackson

Josh has a cross-cutting practice in human rights, public and administrative law, public international law, and civil litigation. At the root of each of Josh’s practice areas is his expertise in international and domestic human rights. Josh is instructed in judicial reviews in a wide range of fields, including climate change and environment; artificial intelligence; equality and discrimination; homelessness and social welfare; and immigration and modern slavery. He has acted in significant cases before international courts, including multiple appearances before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. In addition to his expertise in international human rights law, Josh has experience in issues of State immunity; self-determination; international humanitarian and criminal law; international environmental law; and State responsibility. Josh’s expertise in international law adds a distinctive dimension to his domestic practice, which often involves complex issues at the intersection of domestic and international law. In his civil litigation practice, Josh is instructed in complex international group claims before English courts, as well as domestic claims against public authorities and companies. He is typically instructed in contexts of business and human rights, modern slavery, and environmental destruction. Josh has been appointed as a member of the EHRC’s panel of counsel.

Sam Jacobs

Sam specialises in public law, civil actions against public authorities, and inquests and inquiries. He has been instructed as junior counsel in the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, the Privy Council and in major public inquiries. Sam has significant experience in both private and public law matters, primarily arising out of interactions of individuals with police, prisons, mental health care, and social care. He is regularly instructed in inquests, civil trials, and in High Court matters. He has acted in the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, and the Undercover Policing Inquiry. He acted for the family of Phillipa Day in the inquest which found that her death had been caused by 28 errors and systemic problems within the Department of Work and Pensions and Capita. He has acted in a number of significant public law matters including SG v SSWP (lawfulness of the benefit cap), Moseley v Haringey (on public consultation), JfK v SSHD (provisions for child spies), and AR v Waltham Forest (provision of secure accommodation). In 2019 Sam was shortlisted for Legal Aid Barrister of the Year by the Legal Aid Lawyers Practitioners Group.

Abimbola Johnson

Abimbola has a practice centred on accountability and fairness in the exercise of public and professional power. She specialises in inquests and public inquiries, actions against the police and public authorities, professional discipline and regulation, and the independent scrutiny of policing and other public institutions. Her work frequently involves contested factual evidence, discrimination and race equality, complex medical or expert evidence, institutional decision-making and alleged systemic failings. Abimbola began her career in criminal defence, appearing both alone and as a led junior in complex trials and appeals. She draws on that experience when analysing substantial bodies of evidence, testing the lawfulness of state action and conducting focused examination and cross-examination. She sits as a Legal Assessor for Social Work England and is Chair of the Disciplinary Tribunal at the Insolvency Practitioners Association. From 2021 until March 2026, she chaired the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board for the national Police Race Action Plan.

Christopher Johnson

Christopher’s practice encompasses medical/healthcare disputes, complex personal injury disputes and actions against the police. Christopher is an accomplished trial lawyer. He is regularly instructed in Multi Track trials (including civil jury trials, and trials over three, four and five days). Christopher is instructed in high-profile cases (including, currently, on behalf of a Team GB Olympian and a well-known author) and high value/catastrophic injury cases (he is presently instructed in multiple claims with special damages pleaded at six or seven figures).

Harriet Johnson

Harriet acts in cases involving the most serious allegations of criminal and civil wrongdoing. She is meticulous in her approach to case preparation and is valued by her instructing solicitors for legal and tactical insight that is far beyond her call. An advocate first and foremost, Harriet has earned praise from clients and the bench alike for her ability to, as one Judge put it “spin straw into gold”.

Ben Joyes

Ben is a leading junior specialising in extradition and international criminal law, with particular expertise in complex, sensitive and politically significant cases. He acts principally for requested persons at first instance and on appeal and has an established track record in significant High Court litigation. His cases frequently involve difficult human-rights issues, foreign law, expert evidence and investigation overseas, including proceedings concerning prison conditions, mental health, fair-trial rights, abuse of process and allegations of political or state mistreatment. His wider practice encompasses international criminal law, business crime and cross-border investigations, sanctions, INTERPOL and public and international law. He is a member of the Attorney General’s Civil B Panel and the SFO Advocate Panel and has substantial experience advising government and acting in proceedings before international criminal courts and tribunals.”

Nikila Kaushik

Nikila accepts instructions in public international law and media and information law. Nikila advises and acts for States, individuals, businesses, and NGOs in a wide range of cases. She has recently acted in cases concerning treaty obligations, Statehood and State succession, the law of international organisations, and international humanitarian law. She is a specialist in international criminal law. Nikila has been appointed to the UK Attorney-General’s Public International Law C Panel of Junior Counsel. Nikila’s domestic practice spans all aspects of media and information law, including defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, data protection and harassment. She has a particular interest in open justice and reporting restrictions. She provides pre-publication advice to both print and broadcast media, including for Politico, De Smog, Channel 5, and as a duty lawyer for The Times. Nikila is also instructed in cases at the intersection of her practice areas, acting for journalists and others detained in foreign jurisdictions as part of Doughty Street’s international media team. She is experienced in advocacy before UN human rights mechanisms. Nikila qualified as a solicitor in Australia. Before joining the Bar, she was an Associate Lecturer at the University of Sydney.

Rabah Kherbane

Rabah specialises in judicial review, terrorism and national security cases. His practice encompasses public law, terrorism and murder trials, sanctions, public international law, criminal appeals, asset recovery and media law. He is experienced in high-profile and politically sensitive cases. Rabah’s previous cases include: Terrorism and murder: Allegations of support for or membership of a proscribed organisation; Journalists and academics charged under terrorism legislation; “Foreign fighter” case, where a confession was obtained by ill-treatment overseas; The Gray’s Inn Bomb plot; Bomb hoax at the US Embassy in London; Parole case for London Stock Exchange bomb plot conspirator; Murder trials, including joint enterprise torture-killings, stabbings and multiple casualty shootings. Rabah regularly advises organisations and individuals on terrorism legislation. Rabah previously assisted in the representation of two Guantanamo Bay detainees. Public law: Judicial review challenges on terrorism and national security issues; Acting for the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights as intervener in a claim for judicial review against a proscription decision; Terrorism prevention and investigation measures (TPIMs) and similar proceedings in the High Court; SIAC proceedings; Challenges to the use of Schedule 3 or Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000; Judicial review of categorisation or Parole Board decisions, including for “terrorist offenders”; Expedited or urgent claims for judicial review, including an urgent claim against the refusal of the Director of Public Prosecutions to issue an arrest warrant for war crimes and an out of hours application for a writ of habeus corpus. Sanctions: Compliance and enforcement advice for corporates and law firms, including on counter-terrorism, Russia and Syria sanctions regimes; Challenge to an alleged breach of EU sanctions regulations by Russian businessman resulting in an acquittal in Norway; De-listing petitions before the UN for alleged membership of proscribed organisation. Public international law: Advice on immunities; Proceedings before UN bodies to challenge the arbitrary detention of a former Prime Minister of a Gulf State; Representation for a US national who waived diplomatic immunity. Criminal appeals: Court of Appeal judgment taking the law “one step further” on the right to a fair trial and permissible comment by a trial judge; Successful appeals against conviction and sentence including overturning a finding of dangerousness in a terrorism case. Financial crime and asset recovery: Account freezing orders, including on foreign bribery and corruption; Terrorist account freezing orders; Restraint and civil recovery proceedings linked to multi-jurisdictional criminal investigations. Media: Advice on journalistic activity that may engage Official Secrets Act; Actions for defamation related to allegations of extremism.

Michelle Knorr

Michelle is a specialist practitioner in immigration, asylum, human rights and public law. Michelle is regularly instructed in judicial reviews, First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal asylum and human rights appeals. She has a particular interest in representing clients with mental health problems, disabilities, children and victims of trafficking. She has specialist expertise in family reunification claims for children and vulnerable adults. She also advises in private law actions for false imprisonment and human rights act damages claims.

Yvonne Kramo

Yvonne has developed a busy practice defending in criminal courts across the country. She has acted on behalf of individuals facing a wide range of allegations and has experience of appellate proceedings in the Court of Appeal. A criminal defence practitioner, instructed in cases covering all aspects of criminal law, who often achieves successful outcomes against the odds. Yvonne prides herself on her commitment to her clients and she is regularly instructed in difficult cases which require careful client care.

Matthew Lee

Matthew is a civil and public law barrister with a particular focus on artificial intelligence law and on housing disrepair, housing conditions and dilapidations, areas in which his work has attracted significant professional recognition. He also has a thriving practice in harassment, unlawful eviction, discrimination claims, judicial review, human rights, housing and other property disputes, including cases before the senior courts and increasingly matters in which AI issues arise across traditional areas of practice. Matthew regularly advises on AI issues arising across all areas of practice. He is recommended by Lexology Index for Artificial Intelligence: Contentious and is the founder of Natural & Artificial Intelligence in Law and The AI Law Reports. His work brings a practising barrister’s perspective to the developing law on AI, its use in litigation and its consequences for individuals, organisations and public bodies. His housing conditions and disrepair practice include appearances in two important modern authorities. In Harvey v Heaver [2026] EWHC 1671 (KB), Matthew represented the successful claimants in the first authoritative High Court interpretation of the fitness for human habitation regime under s9A and 10 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. He also appeared for the respondent tenant in Khan v Mehmood [2022] EWCA Civ 791 a leading Court of Appeal authority on general damages for disrepair. Feedback published in Chambers & Partners UK Bar 2026describes him as “the leading barrister in the field of disrepair and housing conditions”. Through his specialist AI law trackers and practice-area registries, Matthew publishes analysis of the cases shaping AI law in the UK and internationally. His work addresses fabricated authorities, AI-generated evidence and deepfakes, privilege and confidentiality, discrimination, human rights and liability for AI-related harm. His research has been cited by the Bar Standards Board in written evidence to Parliament. His UK tracker is also cited, and its data used, in Artificial intelligence & justice, a University of Cambridge research report commissioned by the Nuffield Foundation. His tracker’s contribution to research is acknowledged in UNSW’s GenAI, Fake Law & Fallout, funded by the Australian Academy of Law, and his work is linked as a source in the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice’s AI Justice Atlas. Matthew writes for Counsel and Barrister Magazine. His commentary has been quoted by Legal Futures. He regularly speaks on AI and legal practice. A fuller record is available in his research citations, publications and media archive. Across his practice, Matthew is particularly interested in difficult cases and novel points of law. He works closely with instructing solicitors and clients, with particular attention to cases involving vulnerability, disability and the effective protection of legal rights.

David Lemer

David practises predominantly in immigration, asylum, public law, and employment and as well as general civil litigation. David has been listed as a leading junior in the directories since 2013 and has been appointed as a Special Advocate by the Attorney General. He also sits as a Fee Paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal, (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). David’s general public law practice is wide-ranging with a particular recent focus on procurement issues, claims for and against Educational Institutions, and consultation challenges to hospital and school closures. His experience of regulatory and standards matters has also seen him instructed in statutory appeals on behalf of elected representatives, disqualified for breaches of their Codes of Conduct. As an experienced civil litigator David accepts instructions in a wide range of areas, including unlawful detention matters, Article 1 Protocol 1 damages claims, discrimination claims, actions against the police and defamation actions (both Claimant and Defendant). He is also instructed on a wide range general contractual matters, from successfully representing Jeremy Corbyn MP in the high profile litigation concerning the proper interpretation of the Labour Party’s leadership election rules, to an international dispute concerning the ownership of a Boeing 757 representing Ethiopian Airways, in which he represented Ethiopian Airways.

Jonathan Lennon KC

Jonathan Lennon’s practice encompasses serious and complex crime as well as financial, regulatory and corporate wrong-doing in addition to POCA/asset recovery litigation in the High Court and challenges to investigative orders such as search warrants, Production Orders etc. Jonathan is experienced in handling the most complex briefs and is in demand for a range of cases including murder and terrorism cases. His criminal practice involves a significant amount of defence work in corporate and financial crime. Jonathan’s multi-disciplinary practice means he can bring expertise from one area to another. His civil practice includes, Financial Conduct Authority High Court actions, POCA High Court civil recovery, challenges to; Restraint Orders, Property Freezing Orders, Search Warrants and Disclosure Orders etc. He is regularly instructed in cash forfeiture and Account Freezing Order cases and has appeared at all levels up to the Supreme Court. He has been instructed by Government departments, regulatory bodies, companies and individuals. He is on the CPS Specialist Lists for Fraud and for Proceeds of Crime. Jonathan was junior counsel in the first POCA civil recovery case to reach the Supreme Court (SOCA v Gale) and in the seminal case on disclosure and PII (R v H & C). He was counsel in the leading cash forfeiture case of UKBA v Angus.

Oliver Lewis

Oliver is a human rights lawyer focusing on healthcare law and disability rights. Oliver's public law practice involves judicial reviews of state actions, as well as Human Rights Act claims. He is on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of counsel. His practice includes negligence and other claims involving failures by organisations to provide adequate care and support. His cases often have a discrimination angle under the Equality Act 2010. He has experience conducting confidential independent investigations for healthcare entities.

Natalie Lucas

Natalie has a broad practice spanning extradition, criminal law, inquests, and civil actions against public authorities, with specific expertise in international human rights. Before joining the bar, she qualified as a solicitor at White & Case LLP, where she worked on high-value arbitrations including as part of a team representing clients in one of the world’s largest infrastructure projects worth in excess of USD 2.5bn. More recently, Natalie worked at REDRESS focusing on strategic litigation against torture and financial accountability of perpetrators of human rights abuses and serious corruption. In that role, she co-authored several influential reports on targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions and their impact and contributed to interventions in cases before the European Court of Human Rights and various UN mechanisms.

Shu Shin Luh

Shu Shin practices in all areas of public law. Her practice has a strong human rights, civil liberties, and anti-discrimination focus. Her expertise covers a broad range of subject matters including community care, mental health and mental capacity, health care, education, housing, welfare benefits, human trafficking, immigration and asylum, and deprivation of liberty both in the context of immigration detention and the Court of Protection. She pursues significant public interest litigation on behalf of individuals and organisations. Shu Shin aims to act for her clients in a comprehensive way, advising where possible on the full range of legal issues impacting on different aspects of their lives in the context of judicial review, statutory appeals, and actions against public authorities, where relevant. This depth of experience and breadth of legal knowledge and expertise enables her to have a truly creative approach to a case. Shu Shin is committed to civil legal aid and to supporting individuals to have effective access to legal remedies. She is on the panel of junior counsel for the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She undertakes advisory and consultancy work for non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations and state bodies in the UK and other jurisdictions on legal policy and draft legislation. She acted as the specialist legal advisor to the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its immigration detention inquiry in 2018/ 2019. She also regularly provides training to governmental departments, local authorities, and public interest groups in the UK and internationally.

Karlia Lykourgou

As an experienced court advocate committed to high standards of client care, Karlia achieves excellent results through careful case preparation, informed legal argument, and persuasive advocacy. She is sought after for serious and complex cases involving violence, weapons, trafficking, sexual offences, drugs, theft and fraud; and successfully represents clients at the Court of Appeal, Divisional and Administrative Court. Karlia is able to provide plain, accessible advice to clients at all stages of proceedings on a private or legal aid basis. Direct access instructions are also welcome.

Alasdair Mackenzie KC

Alasdair Mackenzie is an experienced leading junior who specialises in immigration and asylum law and practices generally in public law. Alasdair is regularly instructed as sole or leading counsel in appeals to the Upper Tribunal and the Court of Appeal and in judicial reviews in both the High Court and Upper Tribunal. He appears frequently before the Upper Tribunal and First-Tier Tribunal in all areas of immigration law, including refugee, human rights, family, EEA, student, points-based system, bail and deportation cases. He also appears in judicial reviews of trafficking decisions and age assessments.

Kieran Maidment

Kieran Maidment specialises in criminal law. Kieran regularly appears as leading counsel in all categories of criminal work and in recent years has focused on the representation of Defendants charged with homicid

Louise Mankau

Louise is an employment and discrimination law specialist who has developed a practice covering all aspects of employment and discrimination law. She is regularly instructed in various aspects of employment litigation including all forms of discrimination, whistle blowing claims, TUPE matters, constructive/unfair dismissal and contract law. She is also experienced in employment-related international administrative law matters.

Piers Marquis

Piers Marquis is a committed criminal defence barrister best, but not exclusively, known for his defence of allegations of murder, terrorism and offences related to serious organised crime. He acts as Leading counsel, sole counsel and junior counsel, in cases of a particularly serious or complex nature. Piers firmly and passionately believes in the independence of the Bar and the right of individuals to receive proper representation when faced with prosecution by the state. Consequently in 2020 (as in 2019), he will not be undertaking trial work under the Government’s AGFS Schemes 10 and 11, which he considers to be an unacceptable continuation of a concerted effort to undermine the standards and independence of the Bar. Alongside his work on murder cases, Piers’s practice has taken on an increasingly international dimension through defending a number of allegations of terrorism offences, arising from the conflict in Syria. He has also been increasingly instructed on multi-million pound white-collar fraud and confiscation proceedings. Recent briefs have included large scale white-collar fraud, major drugs importations/high end conspiracies to supply and armed robbery. He is regularly instructed in cases involving Trident investigations of gang related murders and firearms related violence, and cases arising from prolonged police operations targeting organised crime. He was first instructed as leading counsel at only six years call, in the successful defence of one of the "Sequani Six" defendants, in what has been said to be the longest running animal rights trial in British legal history and the first effective trial under s.145 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Piers also specialises in criminal work with a political and civil liberties dimension; with a particular emphasis on freedom of expression and the right to protest. He has defended prominent Animal Liberation Front activists, hunt and badger cull saboteurs/monitors, environmental and anti-arms trade protestors, Student and London “rioters” and was instructed in a large number of the Fathers4Justice cases. He secured the only acquittals in the Bristol Stokes Croft “Tesco Riot” cases and has acted for defendants in the Occupy movement, including the occupation of Trafalgar Square and the eviction of the St.Paul’s camp. He is currently instructed on a pro bono basis for a number of the non-state Core Participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Piers also undertakes inquest work, most recently representing the family of the deceased in relation to controversial circumstances in which police negligence was said to have been a contributory factor to the death. Before being called to the Bar, Piers gained considerable experience running the case preparation section in the criminal department of a solicitors’ firm in the Midlands. He also worked on civil actions against the police and cases involving gypsy rights. He also travelled extensively around the world, funding his travels with work as a scuba divemaster, English teacher and journalist.

Mary-Rachel McCabe

Mary-Rachel specialises in mental capacity and community care law, with a focus on children’s rights cases. Mary-Rachel has a busy Court of Protection practice and regularly acts in cases concerning residence, care and deprivations of liberty. Mary-Rachel has particular expertise in cases involving 16 and 17 year olds in the Court of Protection. Mary-Rachel acts for vulnerable adults, children, their families, and statutory bodies. She is frequently instructed by the Official Solicitor. Mary-Rachel has a particular interest in disability and children’s rights. She regularly acts in urgent judicial review proceedings for children who are street homeless or otherwise in need of support or accommodation. She also acts for children in Human Rights Act damages claims against local authorities, including claims arising out of delays by local authorities in issuing care proceedings. She represents disabled children and their parents in judicial review proceedings against local authorities relating to their care packages.

Catherine Meredith

Catherine is human rights and public law specialist with particular expertise in trafficking, immigration and asylum including immigration detention.

Joe Middleton KC

Joe Middleton is a versatile practitioner with crossover expertise in immigration, extradition, comparative and international law and human rights. In 2015 Joe won the Bar Pro Bono Award for his human rights work around the world. He was particularly recognised for his contribution to the abolition of the mandatory death penalty in several African countries and his work on human rights in Belize Central Prison. Joe’s main areas of work in Chambers are immigration and nationality law, extradition, Interpol red notices, death penalty litigation and other complex constitutional and human rights challenges. In civil work he is often instructed with a view to achieving his clients’ objectives by avoiding litigation rather than pursuing it. Joe is a fluent Russian speaker. He studied in Russia and has acted for many Russian and Ukrainian clients in immigration, extradition and human rights challenges in different courts and tribunals. Former clients include a famous Russian singer (in a complex visit visa application), senior executives of the Yukos Oil Company and a leading Russian shipping company (in asylum and extradition proceedings), and the family of the former President of Chechnya (in an application to the European Court of Human Rights). Joe has appeared in the UK’s domestic courts at all levels. He has also taken cases in the ECtHR, the Privy Council, the UN Human Rights Committee and, in collaboration with local counsel, in various jurisdictions in Africa and the Caribbean, including litigation in the Caribbean Court of Justice. He has acted as pro bono counsel for British citizens sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Kenya, and has appeared as an expert for the amicus curiae in constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court of Kenya. In 2013 Joe was called to the Bar of Belize by the Hon. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. His work in Belize has been featured in a Channel 5 documentary, an episode of Assignment (BBC World Service: see the video trailer here) and in Intelligent Life (The Economist).

Sophy Miles

Sophy practices in all aspects of mental health and disability law, with a focus on cases in the Court of Protection and the inherent jurisdiction, inquests and inquiries.

Maryam Mir

Maryam has experience in a wide range of criminal offences. She has defended in cases of conspiracy to supply firearms, politically motivated offending from terrorism to protest, financial crime, fraud and regulatory matters, serious violence, sexual offences, drugs supply and cultivation with crossover immigration aspects.

Sophie Mitchell

Sophie has a mixed claimant and defendant practice that covers the full ambit of media, data and information law, including: defamation, malicious falsehood, privacy, confidence, data protection, contempt, harassment, injunctive relief and information rights. Consistently ranked in the Legal 500 directory as a leading barrister in media, defamation and privacy, as well as data and information law, Sophie is firmly regarded as having significant experience in her specialisms, enjoys strong market recognition and is seen as a future candidate for silk. The directories highlight Sophie as “exceptionally bright”, and that she “combines this intelligence with a meticulously detailed approach to preparing for cases and a first-class knowledge of her specialisms”. Sophie’s recent private clients have included celebrities with international reputations bringing defamation claims, a senior judge and a member of a royal family. The Legal 500 (2026) highlights her media law advocacy experience: “her cross-examination skills are formidable, and judges trust her submissions”. She has acted as sole counsel successfully at appellate level, in defamation, privacy/data and harassment trials and complex interlocutory hearings. Sophie routinely acts for large organisations, including global companies, and is recognised in the Legal 500 (2026) for giving “robust and commercial advice”. Sophie is well placed to advise on legal developments at the intersection of media/data law and AI technology. Sophie contributes to wider policy and industry discussions on AI governance, online harms and the impact of AI in the legal sector. She recently spoke at the 2026 Westminster Forum alongside senior judges and policymakers. Sophie has significant experience of media, data and information law in the public law context, both for claimants and defendants. The Legal 500 (2026) highlights her “dedication” to human rights. Sophie is on the Attorney-General’s Counsel B-Panel, a competitively selected group of expert lawyers chosen by the UK government to represent it. Sophie is often instructed in highly sensitive matters involving senior officials, and used to handling closed material proceedings. Sophie is experienced in representative actions and group litigation. She was led in one of the largest group actions ever brought against the government, in a trial spanning 223 days. As sole counsel, Sophie has successfully obtained harassment injunctions on behalf of large organisations and public bodies seeking to protect employees in class actions, as well as successfully defending them. Sophie has acted for claimants and defendants in largescale data leak cases, and her advisory work recently included carrying out an independent data compliance investigation concerning high-profile officials in a large organisation.

Rowena Moffatt

Rowena is a public law practitioner whose main areas of practice are domestic administrative law, human rights, EU law and international law. In terms of her administrative law practice, she has particular expertise in immigration and asylum law and community care. Rowena is well-placed to undertake work at the intersection of these areas, including age assessment, trafficking and asylum support judicial reviews. She regularly undertakes Children Act and Care Act judicial reviews. Rowena further regularly undertakes statutory appeal work in the First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) as well as onward appeal to the Court of Appeal. She is one of the authors of the central handbook on immigration and asylum appeals, the EIN Best Practice Guide to Asylum and Human Rights Appeals (EIN, 2018). Rowena regularly represents individuals in immigration detention. She advises and provides representation for individuals seeking immediate release through judicial review as well as civil damages claims for unlawful detention. Rowena is particularly well-placed to provide representation in this area as the author of the 'Enforcement' chapter in the upcoming Jacksons on Immigration Law (4th edn, Bloomsbury). She also represents applicants seeking immigration bail. She also has a substantial advisory practice, including advice to high net worth individuals and businesses on their immigration matters. Rowena has particular expertise in EU law. She is the co-author of EU Law in Judicial Review (OUP, 2014) and various texts on Brexit, including a forthcoming major work on the EU withdrawal legislation. She also regularly gives talks in the area, including at Chatham House (2017, Constitutional Consequences of Brexit) and the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, as well as giving regular seminars at Doughty Street and in house. Rowena also advises and provides representation in international cases and in particular those engaging international human rights. She undertakes international field work, including missions to Ukraine and Azerbaijan with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute. Rowena is recommended by Chambers and Partners, where she is described as a public law specialist "regarded for her ability to undertake the full suite of immigration matters on behalf of both private individuals and large businesses" and with comments including "very bright, thorough and offers excellent knowledge of EU law." Rowena was a member of the JUSTICE Working Party on Tribunal Reform (2018), convenes the Courts and Tribunals Working Group of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, is Case Notes Editor of the Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law, and writes practice notes for Lexis Nexis. During 2010-11, Rowena was judicial assistant to Lord Dyson at the United Kingdom Supreme Court. Between 2012-15, she completed a DPhil in administrative law (Oxford University). Rowena is accredited for direct access, which means she can be instructed directly by anybody without the need to go through a solicitor.

Tim Moloney KC

Tim is the Joint Deputy Head of Chambers. Chambers and Partners describe Tim as "A phenomenal academic lawyer with an incredible grasp of detail." "He is dedicated and passionate, has astonishing recall and attention to detail, and possesses a truly incisive mind”. "A remarkable barrister”.

Krishnendu Mukherjee

Krishnendu Mukherjee is a barrister a specialising in immigration and business and human rights.

Maria Munir

Maria’s practice intersects criminal law and immigration, with a particular interest in issues relating to modern slavery/trafficking, protest, and children and young people. Maria has undertaken Youth Court training to ensure young clients are assisted with the advocacy and support they need at Court. In recognition of the impact of different life experiences, Maria encourages a collaborative, person-centred approach to justice in and out of Court. Prior to coming to the Bar, Maria was Associate Director of an LGBTQ+ charity where they led on community engagement across the breadth of society’s needs. Maria also volunteered with Detention Action to support those in prisons and immigration detention centres with bail, housing, and healthcare issues. Maria has wide-ranging experience in human rights advocacy, from previously delivering workshops to young campaigners, solicitors’ firms, charities and unions, to formerly serving as an Expert to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. Maria is interested in the relationship between human rights, artificial intelligence and digital technology, with prior experience of researching and consulting on these issues.

Cian Murphy

Cian has a broad practice including administrative and public law, inquests, and actions against police and public authorities. He also has experience in community care, health and education, and media law. He has extensive expertise in international human rights law.

Fiona Murphy KC

Fiona Murphy is Joint Deputy Head of Chambers and is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers & Partners 2020 in Police Law and Band 2 in Inquest and Inquiries work.

Rea Murray

She predominantly works in homelessness, residential property disputes, discrimination and equality law, human rights, administrative law and immigration. Her core practice areas allow for a niche expertise in the cross-over between housing and immigration law, in eligibility, NASS accommodation, trafficking and modern slavery. Rea regularly acts in judicial reviews, including urgent and out of hours applications for interim relief, as well as appellate work in the High Court and onward appeals to the Court of Appeal. Rea also has a substantial advisory practice and provides training on Equality Act 2010 damages claims and duties, eligibility, right to rent, and on procedure in judicial review. She has detailed, technical knowledge of housing law having served as the first writer for the Housing Law Reports and, prior to that, as the Deputy Assistant Editor of the Encylopedia of Housing Law and Practice.

Erimnaz Mushtaq

Erim is a specialist criminal defence practitioner who is instructed in serious and complex criminal cases ranging from homicide and serious violence, terrorism, serious sexual offences both recent and historic, large scale frauds, regulatory and financial crime and large scaled drugs cases. Erim is instructed as leading counsel, junior counsel and sole counsel and engages in cases as soon as instructed and assists at all stages of the criminal proceedings. She regularly appears in Crown Courts across the North West, North East, South West and at the Central Criminal Court. Erim gained considerable experience being in charge of her own cases in the Crown Court criminal department of a solicitors’ firm. Having worked for a large solicitors firm before joining the Bar, Erim is experienced in representing suspects at police stations for interview. Erim continues to use this very useful experience and knowledge to provide pre police interview advice to solicitors in complex or serious cases and to apply to exclude evidence wrongfully obtained. Due to her approachable manner, she is regularly instructed to represent clients with mental health issues and youths charged with serious criminal offences. Erim's significant trial experience in financial crime makes her the go to practitioner for complicated proceeds of crime hearings and applications for reconsideration of confiscation orders. She has developed a very strong practice in fraud cases. Erim is also experienced in representing individuals before professional disciplinary proceedings including the GMC. She also has significant experience in coronial law and has represented families of the deceased who have either died in state custody or which has a pseudo criminal dimension. Erim has also represented families of deceased where there is breaches of state responsibility, including hospital deaths. She also has extensive experience of taking cases to the Court of Appeal and is a contributing author to Taylor on Criminal Appeals (2nd ed OUP 2012).

Zia Nabi

Zia specialises in civil and public law.

Benjamin Narain

Ben has been regularly instructed in all areas of criminal law: murder; serious violence; armed robbery; kidnap, blackmail; importation and supply of drugs; fraud, money laundering, sexual offences; child cruelty; ASBOs (imposition and appeals against), football related offences (violent disorder, banning orders). As a led junior Benjamin has been involved in several complex and substantial frauds, conspiracy to supply class A drugs and cases involving serious gang related violence. At Doughty Street he has worked on human rights cases involving animal rights protestors and demonstrations in Parliament Square. He was involved in preparation of the legal submissions in Marper in the House of Lords.

Harj Narulla

Harj is an experienced climate lawyer who acts in a broad range of domestic and international climate litigation. Across his career, Harj has been involved in world-first climate litigation before national, regional and international courts. Harj has particular expertise in climate law and litigation in the fields of human rights, public international law, constitutional law, public law, corporate and commercial law, rights of nature, and Indigenous and First Nations law. Harj is notable at the Bar for specialising in climate change, and brings a wealth of experience from his previous work on strategic climate litigation in the Global South. Across various roles, Harj has been involved in climate litigation in more than 15 countries, across Europe, Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific. As a former international climate negotiator for a Pacific nation and policy advisor to the Australian Prime Minister’s Department, Harj brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective to his advisory and contentious work. He provides advice on climate law and governance to governments, NGOs and international organisations such as the UNFCCC. Harj’s climate practice is also shaped by his roles with leading research institutions. He is an Honorary Research Associate in climate law and litigation at the University of Oxford’s Sustainable Law Programme, where he undertakes practice-oriented work and collaborates with NGOs, government and international institutions. Harj is also a Visiting Senior Fellow in climate law and litigation at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, and teaches an annual seminar on indigenous rights and environmental law at the University of Cambridge. Harj sits on the editorial board of the Climate Litigation in the Global South Project, and is a contributing author to the Adjudicating Climate Change book series. Through his research affiliations Harj collaborates with world-leading experts in climate science, economics and law, which informs his advisory and contentious practice. Harj is known for providing highly innovative advice and developing novel climate litigation strategies that reflect up to date science and global trends in the field. Harj works closely with NGOs, civil society organisations and partner organisations, and is a member of the Bar Council Climate Crisis Working Group, the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Legal Working Group, and sits as a Board Member of the International Institute for Environment and Development. Harj is also a member of the International Expert Group for the British Institute of International and Comparative Law's (BIICL) project on Corporate Climate Litigation, and sits as a climate law expert on Law for Change’s Legal Panel. Earlier in his career, Harj worked as a refugee lawyer on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, and on Lesvos in Greece. He also worked in Indigenous and First Nations law in the Torres Strait Islands in Australia, and trained in environmental law at the Environmental Defenders Office. Harj can be instructed directly in suitable cases under the Bar's Direct Access Scheme.

Benjamin Newton KC

Benjamin is frequently instructed in relation to allegations of financial crime, homicide, and serious sexual offences but has substantial expertise across all areas of criminal law. In addition to criminal trials, he regularly advises on and conducts fresh criminal appeals, and he has experience in extradition, courts martial proceedings, and criminal-related public law. He was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2020 and a judge in the First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health) in 2021.

Amelia Nice

Amelia is a barrister specialising in extradition, human rights and public law, and is ranked in Chambers and Partners as a leader in the field of Extradition at the London Bar. The majority of her work involves human rights related arguments and she has particular expertise in cases concerning children’s rights

Caragh Nimmo

Caragh has a broad public law practice with an emphasis on Equality and Discrimination, Public Inquiries, Community Care and Court of Protection.

Asma Nizami

Asma is an experienced human rights practitioner with specialisms in mental capacity law, immigration and asylum and education law. She has a particular interest in the human rights of vulnerable clients. Asma is ranked in the 2023 edition of the Legal 500 directory as a ‘Leading Junior’ in the fields of Court of Protection/Community Care and Immigration. Asma is registered to accept Direct Public Access work and often accepts pro-bono instructions. Prior to coming to the Bar, Asma was a judicial assistant in the Court of Appeal. She also spent a year as the Assistant Legal Officer at the Free Representation Unit (‘FRU’), working on employment and social security cases and supervising the work of FRU volunteers. She spent several years on FRU’s Management Committee (including a year as the elected Chair) and also volunteered with IPSEA and Haringey Migrant Support Centre. Asma spent several years on the Young Lawyers’ Committee of the Human Rights Lawyers’ Association. Asma is committed to pro-bono work and is currently working pro bono with Safe Passage UK. She volunteers for Bail for Immigration Detainees and was previously on the Executive Committee of Refugee Legal Support (previously Athens Legal Support Project). She has volunteered for Here for Good, providing advice to European nationals seeking advice on immigration status following Brexit.

Kate O'Raghallaigh

Kate specialises in crime, extradition and crime related public law. Kate’s practice encompasses criminal law, extradition and public law in the field of criminal justice. She is a versatile practitioner, being one of the few juniors in the country who specialises in terrorism work and who is dual ranked in Chambers & Partners in the categories of Crime and Extradition. Within crime and related civil work, Kate has particular expertise in terrorism, national security, contempt and the rights of children. She has a strong appellate and judicial review practice and regularly appears alone and led in the Court of Appeal, Administrative Court, and Privy Council.

Tunde Okewale

Tunde Okewale MBE is a leading junior Barrister at the Criminal Bar. An outstanding advocate, he has exceptional presence and skill in front of a jury. Tunde established his practice in general and serious crime. A string of serious and high profile cases have earned him a reputation as meticulous, diligent and . Tunde regularly undertakes appellate work in the Court of Appeal and the Administrative Court. In a case, the first of its kind, Tunde set a precedent by working with a University Pro Bono Society who referred the case of Dwaine George to the Court of Appeal. Tunde successfully overturned his wrongful conviction. Tunde is heavily sought after in areas of business and financial crime. He has advised a number of high profile individuals as well as companies in relation to money laundering and anti corruption regulations. His practice varies and sees him undertaking work in an array of fields. From advising crypto currency company, Stratis Platform, and the creation of alternative hedge funds, to appearing before sporting and professional regulatory tribunals. Tunde is an FA registered intermediary who is building a reputation on advising and representing footballers, boxers and Olympic athletes. His most recent clients include Christopher George, four-time defending national Judo champion of Trinidad and Tobago and Ekow Essuman former Team GB welterweight and undefeated professional boxer. He advises athletes and clubs in relation to brand management, contractual matters, confidentiality and reputation management. His flourishing practice and talents have been recognized by his professional peers when he was awarded the Young Barrister of the Year award and was a finalist for the “Young Legal Aid Barrister of the Year” award. Tunde also writes and speaks regularly on his areas of legal specialty and is happy to take cases on a direct access basis.

Claire Overman

Claire specialises in all aspects of media and information law, including defamation, privacy, data protection and harassment. She is ranked as a defamation and privacy junior in both Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500. She accepts instructions on behalf of claimants and defendants.

Sarah Palin

Sarah has extensive experience in media and information law litigation, acting for both claimants and defendants and has advised a broad range of clients, including government departments, local authorities, police forces, NHS trusts, professional regulatory bodies, television companies, the national and local press, as well as for individuals. Her practice also includes pre-publication advisory work for national newspapers, magazines, broadcasters and major publishing houses.

Marie Paris

Marie is a specialist housing and social welfare barrister. She accepts instructions in housing, homelessness, community care, and related public law matters. She has extensive experience of litigating housing matters in the county court, having joined chambers after spending two years as a duty adviser at South West London Law Centre.

Angela Patrick

Angela is a specialist in public law, civil liberties and human rights. Her practice focuses on public law and civil claims with a human rights element. She acts for a range of individual and institutional clients, including in inquests and in public inquiries. Angela understands the importance of timely, clear and affordable advice and puts the needs of her professional and lay clients at the heart of her practice.

Agata Patyna

Agata specialises in immigration and public law and has particular expertise in asylum and trafficking claims, unlawful detention claims, public law matters concerning asylum support and children’s rights. Agata works across the fields of asylum, immigration, public law and children’s rights. She has a particular specialism in refugee and trafficking claims as well, unlawful detention and age disputes. Described as ‘several years above her call’, she is listed as a Rising Star in Immigration in Legal 500. She is also listed as ‘Up and Coming’ in the Immigration Category of Chambers and Partners and praised for ‘Incredibly thorough preparation for cases and she is very generous with her time.’

Ruby Peacock

Prior to joining the bar, Ruby was a discrimination advisor and caseworker at Suffolk Law Centre where she specialised in acting for clients with mental health conditions and other vulnerabilities. She managed a large caseload, acting for claimants in the Employment Tribunal bringing claims for discrimination. Ruby possesses a wide range of legal research experience, having worked with the Geoffrey Nice Foundation, the Legal Resources Centre (Cape Town), the Mississippi Office of the State Public Defender, and the Women’s Legal Centre (Cape Town). In these roles, she has written reports and publications, delivered training, and drafted submissions, both in legal cases and in response to draft legislation. For example, she drafted arguments in support of a motion for post-conviction relief, which was submitted in the State of Mississippi Court of Appeals (Johnson v Statement of Mississippi, Case Number 24CI1:19-cv-00259C). Ruby has worked and volunteered for a range of human rights organisations, including Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality, Suffolk Stop and Search Reference Group, Amicus, the Death Penalty Project, and Amnesty International.

Rosa Polaschek

Prior to commencing pupillage, Rosa practised as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand and as a foreign qualified associate in England. Her particular expertise is in public law and in business and human rights, across both litigation and advisory work. She has also worked in business and human rights policy at a large NGO.

Frederick Powell

Frederick specialises in the fields of personal injury, clinical negligence and human rights, particularly inquests and actions against the police. He represents vulnerable claimants who have been subject to mistreatment at the hands of state and private organisations, helping them to obtain redress through a range of legal means, including civil claims, inquests, inquiries, and judicial review. He is an experienced trial lawyer, regularly appearing in complex multi-track proceedings as sole counsel. He also has experience of working as part of a team in large cases. He is regularly instructed in high-value claims arising from catastrophic injuries, where the pleaded value runs to six or seven figures. He has been instructed in high-profile cases, such as the Post Office Horizon Litigation, the Katerina Makunova Inquest, and group litigation claims such as the Primodos Case (regarding hormone pregnancy tests which are alleged to have caused devastating birth defects).

Dominic Preston

Dominic Preston is a public law lawyer specialising in housing, community care and Court of Protection work. His housing practice is centred on homelessness, allocations and disputes concerning residential premises, whether rented or leasehold and it necessarily strays into immigration law, community care and child care law, EU law, discrimination law, and human rights law. His Court of Protection work specialises in the cross-over between mental capacity and housing, with a particular expertise in hoarder cases and the related deprivation of liberty issues that arise. His community care work centres on obtaining accommodation and assistance under the Care Act 2014. He appears regularly in the lower courts, the High Court and the appellate courts.

Percy Preston

Percy accepts instructions across the range of media and information law disputes. Since commencing tenancy in October 2025, he has been instructed as both sole counsel and as a junior in a range of defamation, privacy, harassment, data protection and open justice matters. Percy is also developing an extensive pre-publication practice. Over the pupillage year, Percy gained experience across the range of media disputes, including defamation, privacy, harassment, malicious falsehood and data protection claims, reporting restrictions and European and international freedom of expression matters. Prior to pupillage, Percy worked as a copywriter and freelance writer and later as a paralegal at a leading media law firm. During his time as a paralegal, he worked across a range of media disputes and managed his own caseload. Percy has contributed analysis and case briefings on defamation, data protection and privacy law for publications including LexisNexisPSL and the International Forum for Responsible Media Blog (INFORRM).

Louise Price

Louise is a leading junior in employment, education and equalities law and has been ranked in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for over 10 years. Louise is sought after for her experience in all aspects of equalities law both in the employment and non-employment fields. She is regularly instructed in multi-day cases dealing with complex and intricate issues of fact and law, as well appearing in the appellate tribunals and courts, both as a led and sole advocate. She advises and represents clients in all aspects of professional regulation. A highly skilled advocate, she has considerable experience of appearing in fitness to practise proceedings and acting in statutory appeals and the public law challenges which arise from them. Her expertise includes children’s rights and young people’s access to education. This includes conducting statutory appeals concerning special education needs provision and the regulation of schools, higher education bodies and students. She has also brought public law and equalities challenges to the provision of education.

Jonathan Price KC

Jonathan is a highly regarded junior, and a ranked libel and privacy law specialist. He is instructed in several cases of very significant current interest, including Lachaux v IPL and Stocker v Stocker (both in the UK Supreme Court), ABC v Telegraph, and on behalf of the family of the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Laura Profumo

Laura Profumo specialises in civil liberties and human rights, with a particular focus on claims against public authorities, judicial review, and inquest and inquiries. Laura has a thriving and varied practice in inquest and inquiry work. She regularly acts for bereaved families in complex Article 2 inquests and has been instructed on several high-profile public inquiries. She co-represented 34 survivors of child sex abuse in relation to the Nottinghamshire Phase of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). She also recently acted in the Brook House Inquiry, set up to investigate the serious mistreatment of immigration detainees, in which she was part of the counsel team representing several formerly detained persons and the charity, Medical Justice.

Stephen Reeder

Stephen specialises in the allied fields of public & administrative law, housing, mental health (almost solely the Court of Protection), community care & health, and European Convention law.

David Rhodes

Ranked by his peers as a leading junior in criminal law in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500, David has a formidable reputation for meticulous preparation which shines through in his polished courtroom advocacy. David is praised equally for his skill in cross-examination and closing speeches as he is for his persuasive written advocacy. David is a versatile advocate who deliberately maintains an eclectic and diverse practice. Recent instructions range from heavyweight allegations of homicide, serious violence and organised crime, to cases of rape and ‘historical’ sexual offences requiring a delicate touch, to esoteric and intellectually challenging fraud work. In addition to criminal trials, David advises on and conducts fresh criminal appeals and is a contributor to the leading textbook, Taylor on Criminal Appeals (OUP 2012). David also has expertise in crime-related public law, extradition, courts martial, actions against the police and inquests. David has contributed chapters to Taylor on Criminal Appeals, edited by Paul Taylor (OUP 2012): The Law of Public Order and Protest (OUP 2010); and Human Rights in the Investigation and Prosecution of Crime, edited by Jonathan Cooper OBE and Madeleine Colvin (OUP 2009). For many years he wrote a quarterly column, Life in Crime, in the Solicitors' Journal. He also regularly presents seminars on his specialist areas of practice. David is approved as a pupil supervisor by Middle Temple. David is captain of the KBW Cricket Club (‘The Devil’s Advocates’), a wandering team of barrister-cricketers which plays across the south east of England and has toured Europe and the USA. David has acted as a legal consultant to BBC Radio 4 in the production of a courtroom drama series.

Geoffrey Robertson KC

Geoffrey Robertson KC is a Founding Head of Doughty Street Chambers. He has had a distinguished career as a trial and appellate counsel, an international judge, and author of leading textbooks. He has argued many landmark cases in media, constitutional and criminal law, in the European Court of Justice; the European Court of Human Rights; the Supreme Court (House of Lords and Privy Council); the UN War Crimes courts; the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and in the highest courts of many commonwealth countries.

Jennifer Robinson

Jen specialises in media law, public law and international law. Jen has been instructed in domestic and international cases involving media law, public law and international law. She advises media organisations, journalists, whistle-blowers and high-profile individuals on all aspects of media law and reputation management. She has also been instructed in human rights related judicial review cases and has given expert evidence in Parliament and at the United Nations.

Gerwyn Samuel

Gerwyn acts for substantial numbers of Claimants in a wide range of complex multi track clinical negligence and personal injury cases each year. The bulk of his practice consists of cases involving spinal tumours and spinal cord and brain injuries. He also undertakes cases involving brain injury in young neonates arising from birth injuries or meningitis and is frequently instructed in inquests which involve medical or toxicological issues or which raise unusual points of medical law. He is listed in Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.

Zimran Samuel MBE

Zimran Samuel is an experienced human rights practitioner with a wide ranging practice based around children law, mental health law and international law. He is regularly instructed in significant cases involving vulnerable adults and medical treatment decisions brought under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court and in the Court of Protection. Acting for Local Authorities, parents and children, Zimran has had extensive exposure to care proceedings involving children who have suffered from non-accidental head injuries, long term neglect, sexual abuse and manipulated or factitious illness. In respect of international children law, Zimran is a noted specialist on international relocation, child abduction, radicalisation cases, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. He is the author of FGM Law & Practice, LexisNexis 2017. Click here. Zimran has an increasingly international practice and has been instructed to assist in significant cases in Australia, Pakistan, India, Kenya and the United States.

Alison Seaman

From the beginning, Alison’s practice has had state accountability at its heart: accountability for those in detention, for those who claim to have been abused, and for those who have been discriminated against. This has seen her practice develop from mainly mental health and inquest work to include prison law, and now a substantial field of practice for Alison is actions against the police. Alison has further expertise in claims concerning the failure of police to protect victims of domestic violence and failures to conduct effective investigations into reports of serious offences. After nearly 20 years of practice Alison recently completed a PhD at Edinburgh University which gave her the opportunity to consider more deeply how state bodies are held accountable in the UK. The title of her thesis was “Specialist domestic human rights tribunals for the UK within a “differential constitution”. Her research involved assessing how domestic common law courts have approached protecting positive rights, and whether there is a need for a specialist human rights jurisdiction across the UK. Alison’s thesis covered issues of constitutional law, devolution, constitutional theory as well as the domestic protection of human rights. Alison can now bring academic thinking to her practice and a deep constitutional understanding of how the UK’s domestic courts protect rights.

Maya Sikand KC

Maya has a high-profile civil liberties and human rights practice, holding public authorities to account through private and public law claims (including Human Rights Act (HRA), discrimination, and tortious claims against a range of public bodies), death in custody inquests, and public inquiries. She has particular expertise acting on behalf of victims of trafficking and modern slavery charged with criminal offences, overturning their convictions as well as securing both HRA and statutory compensation on their behalf. Maya holds multiple rankings in the legal directories for her expertise in police law, civil liberties and human rights, and inquests and inquiries, and has been recognised in numerous awards for her excellence in those areas, as well as her commitment to legal aid. Maya has a long-established commitment to equality, inclusion, and non-discrimination. Before joining the Bar, Maya completed an MSc in Race & Ethnic relations whilst also working in refuges for women and children fleeing domestic violence and sexual abuse. Maya has been a part-time judge (Recorder) of the Crown Court since 2018.

Mukhtiar Singh

Mukhtiar Singh enjoys a broad employment and commercial practice with a strong client base in London and Kent. He has a particular focus on cases involving whistleblowing; discrimination; and business and commercial ethics.

Shanthi Sivakumaran

Shanthi has a broad public law practice with particular expertise in Public Inquiries and Inquests, Immigration and Asylum Law. Shanthi has experience as Counsel to Inquiry and as Junior Counsel to Core Participants to Inquiries.

Violet Smart

Violet is qualified to accept instructions directly from members of the public via the Direct Access Scheme. She has a broad criminal practice, representing clients in the full range of offences, including drug supply, violence, driving and sexual offences. She is also experienced in representing youths in serious crime, and has a track record of successful diversion for clients in the youth courts. Violet regularly writes updates for the Youth Justice Legal Centre and has an up-to-date knowledge of developments in the law and best practise in relation to children. She has undertaken vulnerable witness training and is often sought after to represent clients with learning and mental health difficulties and autism. Violet is recognised for her attention to detail, tenacity, and client care. Her oral and written advocacy is of the highest standard and she is often instructed to draft standalone applications and advise on novel law. She is invested from the point of instruction and leaves no stone unturned in achieving the best result for the client. She is also experienced in advising on appeals against conviction and sentence, and regularly appears before the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. Violet has a particular interest in IPP sentences and Privy Council cases.

Hannah Smith

Hannah has a broad practice in public and civil law and is regularly instructed in matters concerning immigration, asylum, and accountability of the police and other public authorities. She has appeared unled in the Administrative Court, First-tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, the County Court, and the Coroners’ courts and has been led in High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings. Having previously worked as a solicitor, Hannah came to the bar with extensive experience representing individuals in First-tier and Upper Tribunal immigration, deportation, and social security appeals. She developed expertise in public, immigration, European Union, and European Human Rights Law as a solicitor at the AIRE (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe) Centre, having previously trained and qualified in the public law team of an international law firm. She has contributed to expert third-party interventions before the highest UK and European Courts, and she has collaborated with European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judges to deliver trainings and co-author publications on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Hannah has carried out pro bono work for the Asylum Support Appeals Project, Amicus, the AIRE Centre and the Arizona Capital Representation Project, assisting with criminal appeals and strategic litigation challenging the death penalty.

Jessie Smith

Jessie’s practice encompasses crime (both domestic and international), extradition and public law. She represents defendants charged with a range of serious offences, including murder, war crimes, foreign interference, terrorism, military-grade weapon import/export, modern slavery and protest. Before being Called to the Bar in the UK, Jessie was a solicitor advocate in Australia with a national security focus. She has prepared and advised on numerous terrorism, foreign incursion and INTERPOL matters concerning the Tamil Tigers, Al Qaeda, Al Nusra, the Islamic State, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG), the Iraqi Peshmerga, Chechen militia, Philippine separatist militia, Neo-Nazi groups and intelligence whistleblowers. She was also briefed to argue for the de-proscription of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a terrorist organisation before the federal Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Jessie also acts for victim-survivors. She is currently instructed as an expert witness by Hogan Lovell on behalf of Yazidi women who were taken as slaves by the Islamic State, in proceedings before the UN Committee Against Torture. She is also instructed by Save the Children on behalf of children unlawfully detained in northeast Syria. Alongside legal practice, Jessie teaches the national security component of advanced criminal law at the University of Oxford. She has previously taught criminal law on the LLM programme at the University of Cambridge and was a Managing Editor of the Cambridge International Law Journal. Since joining Doughty Street Chambers as a tenant in 2023, instructions include: R v R-M: trial counsel (led) for a man charged with murder. Acquitted of murder. R v A-L: trial counsel (led) for a man charged with murder. Acquitted of murder. R v C: trial counsel (led) for a man charged with murder. Acquitted of murder. R v T: trial counsel (led) for a man charged with murder. Resolved to a plea of guilty to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility. R v O: trial counsel (led) for a defendant charged with membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation – the PKK – contrary to s11 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Fixed for trial at the Old Bailey. R v AA: trial counsel (led) in a case alleging serious Iranian foreign interference. Fixed for trial at the Old Bailey. R v P: trial counsel (led) for a defendant charged with terrorism support offences, contrary to section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Concerns the law reform campaign led by ‘Defend our Juries' in opposition to the proscription of Palestine Action. Fixed for trial at the Old Bailey. R v A: Trial counsel (unled) for a defendant charged with aggravated burglary and criminal damage in connection with Palestine Action. Fixed for trial in the Old Bailey. R v G: trial counsel (unled) for a defendant charged with export offences connected with military-grade weaponry. Allegation involves the procurement of weapons by a terrorist organisation in Afghanistan. Fixed for trial at Southwark Crown Court. R v L: Counsel (unled) for first far-right offender charged with breach of a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Notice (TPIM). R v C: Trial counsel (unled) for a man charged with terrorism uniform offences, contrary to s13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Concerned the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Michael Spencer

Michael’s expertise covers public law and human rights, immigration, inquests, and personal injury. He is regularly instructed in civil claims, tribunal appeals and judicial review claims, including in urgent applications for interim relief. He is particularly strong on the intersection between immigration law and social welfare issues and has appeared in a number of significant test cases in the higher courts. Michael draws upon his previous experience as a human rights solicitor working in the asylum and social security sectors. Michael also has a busy civil law damages practice, specialising in personal injury, human rights and actions against public authorities. He is an effective trial advocate and represents Claimants in High Court and County Court proceedings, as well as in damages claims transferred from the Administrative Court.

Sarah Steinhardt

Sarah is the joint head of the Housing and Social Welfare Team. Sarah Steinhardt specialises in housing and community care, education and discrimination law, and in related public law. Sarah is particularly noted for her expertise in discrimination in housing and other discrimination outside of the employment field, and she enjoys working proactively and imaginatively to achieve positive outcomes for vulnerable clients. She is astute to public funding issues and costs and always happy to discuss possible strategies at an early stage.

Tom Stevens

Tom is a specialist criminal defence barrister with extensive experience of both Crown Court and appellate advocacy. Tom also has an expanding practice within the field of professional discipline and regulatory law, regularly appearing before a wide range of healthcare tribunals including the GDC, NMC and HCPC.

Laura Stockdale

Laura specialises in defending clients accused of serious criminal offences. She came to the Bar after a successful career as a solicitor in criminal practice in Australia. Laura is a criminal defence barrister who represents clients charged with a wide range of criminal offences in the Crown Court. She is instructed in cases to defend clients accused of serious violence, involvement in drugs and sexual offences. Laura brings a wealth of experience to her criminal practice, having practiced in Australia for several years before moving to the UK. Alongside her general criminal practice, Laura is instructed in financial crime cases. She represents clients subject to account freezing and forfeiture orders and advises clients from the investigatory to post-conviction stages of proceedings. Laura is also instructed in cases before disciplinary tribunals regulating the medical professions, including the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. She represents both registrants and professional regulatory bodies. Laura has a keen interest in international criminal law and human rights law. She previously worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague as part of the team prosecuting Goran Hadžić charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the UK she worked at Rights Watch UK (now Rights & Security International) a non-government organisation focused on the human rights implications of counter-terrorist measures. She also contributed to a project on the limits of police powers to regulate peaceful protests by environmental defenders.

Joe Stone KC

Joe Stone KC has specialised in criminal defence for over 30 years. He was called to the Bar in 1989 and appointed Queens Counsel (QC) in 2013. He represents those indicted with all types of homicide (murder, manslaughter, death by reckless/careless driving and infanticide), large scale international drug conspiracies and top tier organised crime. He is also instructed privately in high profile sex allegations and has secured acquittals in the most complex of cases. His primary focus is trial work and high profile appeals. He is currently instructed on one of the most notorious alleged miscarriages of justice in English criminal history – the Jeremy Bamber case. He has successfully represented over many years those indicted with murder under the joint enterprise rules in major city gang related stabbings, shootings and executions. He has conducted over 200 murder trials and is recognised in the directories as a leader in this field. Joe has a reputation as a committed and tenacious defence barrister with a proven track record in murder defences. He is highly skilled in advancing complex pro-active defences in the most demanding of cases with the most challenging of clients. He has been constantly instructed by high profile defendants (see Homicide and Grave offences category below) He has extensive understanding of the operations of Category A dispersal prisons (HMP Belmarsh, HMP Frankland, HMP Full Sutton, HMP Wakefield, HMP Whitemoor and HMP Woodhill), Close Supervision Centres (CSC) and the Special Intervention Unit (SIU) at HMP Manchester. Given the wide geographical reach of these prisons (London, Newcastle, York, Wakefield, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Manchester) he has extensive experience of the issues surrounding homicide on the prison estate. He has specialist expertise in defending individuals suffering from extreme personality disorders and is knowledgeable on the procedures/systems that operate at the three main high security psychiatric hospitals - Broadmoor, Rampton and Ashworth. He is skilled in presenting highly technical expert evidence to juries in a clear and lucid manner in the fields of forensic psychiatry, forensic pathology and forensic medicine. He has been regularly published in the specialist criminal journals (see Publications)

Adam Straw KC

Adam practices in judicial review, human rights and civil claims against public authorities. He has experience of a wide range of fields, including discrimination, police, prisons, environmental challenges, social welfare, terrorism, children’s rights, immigration and trafficking. He has acted in important recent public law challenges involving the right to life, abortion, deprivation of citizenship, open justice, inquests, assisted suicide, data protection, pensions and welfare benefits.

Sean Summerfield

Sean Sutherland

Sean is a junior barrister specialising in all aspects of media and information law. He has experience of the full range of media law matters, including defamation, malicious falsehood, data protection, privacy, breach of confidence, open justice, contempt and harassment. His previous work at IPSO gives him a detailed insight into media regulation. He has recently written about the growing importance of IPSO’s rules to data protection claims based on ‘unfairness’. This term he will be appearing (led by Fiona Murphy KC, Sam Jacobs and Frederick Powell) in the Supreme Court in XGY v the Chief Constable of Sussex Police [2026], an important media and police law case concerning breaches of privacy and confidentiality during legal proceedings. Sean has acted successfully for both claimants and defendants in several privacy and data protection trials. He also regularly provides pre-publication advice to NGOs, websites and newspapers, including The Times and The Daily Mail. Sean is well placed to act where media law intersects with employment, equality, commercial, human rights, police and public law. His recent work includes advising a website on the legal issues surrounding medical advertising. During pupillage, he also assisted Beth Grossman in Winehouse v Parry [2026], a high-profile commercial dispute over the ownership of the late Amy Winehouse’s possessions. Prior to joining the Bar, Sean served as the judicial assistant to Lord Justices Warby and Underhill in the Court of Appeal, where he worked on high-profile appeals across civil and public law. He also held a research post at the University of Oxford and taught law at King’s College London.

Jake Taylor

Jake is a specialist defence barrister with expertise in defending those accused of the most serious criminal and regulatory offences. Jake provides solutions and secures results for those whom he represents. His approach is guided by an understanding of how each and every case is of the utmost importance. He is renowned for his tireless preparation, clear advice, personable approach as well as fearless and powerful advocacy. In addition, Jake is recommended to doctors and other medical professionals for the specialist advice, expert assistance and representation he provides to those facing misconduct hearings before regulatory bodies, particularly the General Medical Council.

Richard Thomas KC

Richard has extensive experience of complex and high-profile trials and appeals. He regularly appears in cases which engage the interface between criminal, public and civil law, and many of his cases involve an international dimension, arising out of multi-jurisdictional investigations or prosecutions. Richard advises individuals, organisations and companies who are seeking to manage the risks of contravening criminal legislation (in particular terrorism and financial sanctions regimes) and is often instructed at an early stage, challenging investigative measures and helping clients manage an overall strategy. He has a substantial Crown Court trial practice but is a versatile advocate and in recent years has received instructions in the Court of Appeal, Privy Council, Supreme Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Administrative, Queen’s Bench and Chancery Divisions of the High Court. Richard is also regularly instructed in cases in other common law jurisdictions, predominantly in the Eastern Caribbean, but also Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Isle of Man.

Katy Thorne KC

Katy Thorne QC has over 25 years’ experience of defending in the most serious of crime and has a burgeoning inquest practice. She is ranked in both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners and has recently been appointed as an Assistant Coroner. Her specialisms include the most serious violence, including murder and manslaughter, sexual allegations and abuse, child abuse and financial crime. She is frequently instructed in multi handed murders and is “always thorough and well-prepared” (Legal 500) and, with long experience of representing vulnerable or professional defendants, her client care is second to none. She is regularly instructed in heavy fraud and money laundering cases.

Annabel Timan

Annabel is a leading Junior with substantial expertise in serious and complex criminal trials and appeals including Murder, Terrorism, offences under the Modern Slavery Act, Firearms offences and Financial Crime. She is frequently instructed in cases involving a substantial international element, having worked in recent years in France advising a multi – national company on its obligations under the UK Bribery Act, and in Ukraine providing advice and training (to the government of Ukraine, the Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office and the State Security Services) on cooperation with the International Criminal Court and domestic prosecutions for war crimes arising out of the Russian occupation of Crimea and the ongoing armed conflict in the East of Ukraine.

Alex Tinsley

Alex specialises in international human rights law, INTERPOL and extradition. What the directories say “a mega-brain (…) He is completely tuned in to the international law side of things.” – Chambers & Partners (2024) “An absolute expert in issues relating to Interpol, extradition and human rights” – Chambers & Partners (2023) “He is a fiercely clever extradition lawyer” – Legal 500 (2023) “His advocacy and ability to persuade judges is excellent. He has a really comprehensive knowledge of complexities within the law and his understanding of red notices is among the best.” – Chambers & Partners (2023) “Alex brings a depth of insight into extradition cases which is rarely seen. His arguments are thorough, well researched and novel – an incredibly bright advocate.” Legal 500 (2024)

Nicholas Toms

Nicholas Toms specialises in Employment, Discrimination and Equality Law, Discrimination and Professional Discipline and Regulation.

Matthew Turner

Matthew specialises in personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests, actions against the police, and professional discipline. Matthew has a broad civil liberties and human rights practice, with a particular focus on healthcare issues. His core practice includes personal injury, clinical negligence, inquests, actions against the police, and professional discipline (healthcare). He is passionate about representing claimants and bereaved families and is an experienced trial lawyer.

Anthony Vaughan

Anthony is a fearless advocate practising in public law, human rights, and equality law with a particular focus on cases involving immigration, deprivation of liberty and human trafficking. His cases frequently involve complex issues of law and fact, and he is accustomed to formulating legal strategies across multiple proceedings, including judicial review, civil claims, statutory tribunals, crime, extradition, international bodies and foreign courts. He is often instructed as sole counsel or leading junior, and is also happy to be led. He has conducted oral advocacy before courts of all levels, including the Supreme Court. He has been involved in proceedings before the Strasbourg Court, as well as international work before regional human rights bodies. Anthony is on the Equality and Human Rights Commission panel of specialist counsel, and has for many years been ranked as a leading junior by Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 in immigration.

Sarah Vine KC

Sarah is a specialist practitioner who is instructed alone and as a leading junior to defend against a wide range of grave allegations.

Daniella Waddoup

The focus of Daniella’s practice is criminal justice and mental health and capacity. In addition to a busy trial practice in the criminal courts, she undertakes work in related areas, including prison, crime-related public law and mental health law. She also appears regularly in the Court of Protection in applications challenging deprivations of liberty and best interests decisions concerning the care, residence and treatment of individuals lacking capacity.

Adam Wagner KC

Katrina Walcott

Katrina is a Crime Specialist Barrister. Prior to joining the Bar, Katrina was a Criminal Paralegal at Hickman & Rose Solicitors. Katrina assisted Jenny Wiltshire (Head of the Serious and General Crime Team) in a range of high-profile matters such as terrorism, possession of firearms, sexual offences, fraud and bribery, and CCRC appeals (notably, the Stockwell Six appeal) and cases involving young and vulnerable defendants. Katrina attended Crown, Magistrates’ and Youth courts to assist counsel and clients. Katrina’s research memos and analysis were used at trial or as part of advice in some of these cases.

Amos Waldman

Criminal defence specialist with an emphasis on regulatory and financial crime, including high value frauds and money laundering instructions. He is regularly instructed in cases of gravity including allegations of homicide and serious violence, drug importations, armed robbery and firearms offences. He has been instructed in many voluminous, complex and significant cases, both in his own right and as led junior counsel. He has particular interests in Contempt of Court, both Civil and Criminal applications. Amos was a member of the CBA working group who responded to the Law Commission’s Consultation Paper (No. 209) on Contempt of Court. He is admitted to the approved list of counsel for the International Criminal Court. Amos is developing a Court of Protection practice. With particular expertise in dealing with clients who have mental health issues; psychiatric and psychological conditions; including learning difficulties and disabilities; and alcohol/drug addictions.

Liam Walker

Liam Walker is recognised by both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading barrister in crime. Liam is driven by the understanding that every case, in which he is instructed, may have life changing consequences for those involved. He regularly acts as leading junior counsel and is consistently instructed to represent individuals and corporations in the most serious and complex criminal matters, regulatory proceedings, health and safety investigations, inquests and inquiries. As a result of Liam’s commitment to his clients, Liam is regularly instructed to represent individuals with a high media profile. He has acted for internationally renowned recording artists, media celebrities, actors, world-class professional athletes and other professionals whose livelihoods and reputations depend on the outcome of a case. Liam is regularly instructed to defend individuals charged with the most serious offences: murder, attempted murder, terrorism, serious sexual offences and complex fraud. He is the author of Westlaw Insight’s guide to manslaughter and, as an expert in sexual offences, is a speaker for Lexis Nexis on serious sexual offences. Liam provides pre-charge advice to individuals and corporate entities who are known to be under investigation or face the threat of prosecution. He is able to provide multi-jurisdictional advice to those whose professional interests span beyond the UK and EU. Liam Walker advises and represents those alleged to have committed professional misconduct before their regulatory bodies. He represents registrants before regulators including: The General Medical Council (GMC/MPTS), The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and The General Dental Council (GDC). Liam has been instructed to appear and advise upon matters where misconduct of a serious criminal nature has been alleged. He has acted in matters where allegations of dishonesty, sexual impropriety or criminally negligent conduct have arisen. Liam has appeared for families and organisations where unlawful killing, neglect, or police corruption have been alleged. His background in criminal law is an asset in matters where it is alleged that corruption and/or state complicity features. Equally, Liam’s experience with juries has been particularly beneficial in Article 2 inquests held before a jury.

John Walsh

John represents clients in immigration tribunals, parole hearings and special educational needs tribunals.

Aswini Weereratne

Aswini Weereratne has built a diverse practice in challenging areas. Her expertise focuses on the protection of the most vulnerable people, children and adults, in society, usually because of mental disability, or abuse and exploitation, through litigation and advisory work with an emphasis on human rights. She utilises her skills in a wide range of practice areas and cases concerning public and private law issues, welfare and medical treatment cases in the Court of Protection, actions against state bodies, for example, assault and unlawful detention claims, non-recent child abuse claims, inquests and inquiries, reporting restrictions and international law. Aswini also has extensive experience of investigatory procedures, in public inquiries, inquests, and as independent chair of inquiries, tribunals and professional regulatory bodies. She has chaired six independent homicide inquiries. She appears in courts and tribunals at all levels, including the Supreme Court. Aswini acts for NGOs, government bodies, such as the British Council, and individuals, sometimes through a litigation friend, for example, the Official Solicitor. She is conversant with applications and interventions to international human rights bodies, and before higher courts. She undertakes advisory work including on legislative reform and policy. She has advised lobby groups and parliamentarians on legislation and policy, for example, on FGM. She chaired the mental health and capacity overlap topic group for the Independent Mental Health Act Review chaired by Professor Sir Simon Wessely. She is invited regularly to speak at conferences and events at home and abroad. She was deputy chair and chair of the Investigating Committee of the General Pharmaceutical Council from 2014 to 2020, and has been a part-time judge of the first-tier Tribunal (Health Education and Social Care Chamber) since 2001, where she is committed to promoting effective participation and access to justice. She is a qualified mediator and is an enthusiastic advocate of alternative dispute resolution and redress mechanisms. Aswini is able to accept instructions under the Direct Access scheme.

Mary Westcott

Mary is an extradition barrister with a first-rate reputation for her specialist knowledge, advocacy and drafting. She works almost exclusively in extradition, predominantly defending with an excellent track record. She often acts in grave and complex matters, and lectures on extradition and related issues. Her background is in general crime and civil work, providing her with broad experience. Mary also acts in public law proceedings, such as applications for judicial review, habeas corpus applications and statutory appeal proceedings. She advises individuals, requesting judicial authorities and Governments at each stage of the extradition process, including mutual legal assistance matters (such as Interpol Red Notice challenges and removal). In 2010 Mary was invited to act as the legal assistant to the DPP's principal legal advisor. This included assisting and advising on sensitive and very complex cases encompassing double jeopardy, deaths in custody and contentious charging decisions. Before becoming a barrister, Mary studied Philosophy at UCL and spent 2 years working for Labour MEPs in the European Parliament. She also studied Public International Law at the University of Amsterdam (LLM).

Martin Westgate

Martin Westgate has a consistent track record of advice and representation in a wide range of subject areas although he concentrates on public and administrative law, housing and social care. Much of his work is in, and on appeal from, the Administrative Court and he is experienced in professional negligence and costs litigation, particularly in cases related to his main practice areas. His broad based practice makes him an ideal choice for cases that have a multidisciplinary aspect or that are difficult to categorise. Martin is ranked in the 2015 edition of Chambers in the fields of Administrative and Public Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Local Government and Social Housing and in the Legal 500 for Administrative and Public Law Civil Liberties and Social Housing. Commentators note that he “has taken well to silk” and is “a clever man who translates his thoughtfulness into creative and effective legal arguments”. He is described as a “very skilful and formidable advocate” whose wider experience of public law issues enables him to "think out of the box on more challenging cases”. He is leader of the public law and housing and social welfare teams within chambers and vice chair of the Administrative Law Bar Association. His record since taking silk in 2010 continues to demonstrate his range and versatility. He has appeared in a number of leading cases (see below) at all levels up to and including the Supreme Court. Martin is qualified to undertake direct access work. He has been trained as a mediator with CEDR and undertakes and represents in mediations.

Quincy Whitaker

Quincy Whitaker’s work encompasses all aspects of domestic and international criminal justice Human Rights law. Her practice spans the domestic criminal justice process, from challenges to the compatibility of criminal law with human rights law and other judicial review proceedings against public bodies through to obtaining civil redress for victims of state misconduct; civil actions against the police and other public authorities, prisoners’ rights, discrimination claims and victims of trafficking. She has particular interest in disclosure and retention/misuse of data and represents G in the successful challenge to the existing criminal records disclosure scheme (P,G & W v Secretary of State for Home Dept & Secretary of State for Justice [2017] EWCA Civ 321 – Secretaries of States’ appeal to be heard by the Supreme Court in June 2018). She also has practical experience and detailed academic knowledge of international criminal and international human rights law and has taught & lectured widely on the subject as well as appearing at a variety of international tribunals. She has appeared in a number of notable cases involving the death penalty in the Caribbean and has been involved with death penalty litigation in many Commonwealth jurisdictions. She is a founding Director of TWL Legal Consulting which provides consultancy services in the field of international law and the development of legal and judicial systems to governments and NGOs. She has contributed as an International Expert to the development of the CoE’s training programme for legal professionals and has acted as a Senior Criminal Justice consultant for DfID in Kosovo. She has a first class masters degree in International Human Rights Law and has taught undergraduate and graduate degree courses at the LSE, SOAS and the University of North London on Human Rights Law, Administrative Law and Criminal Law. She co-authored (with Keir Starmer QC) ‘Criminal Justice, Police Powers & Human Rights’ (Blackstone’s) and has acted as legal consultant on a number of TV and film projects including the award winning drama documentary ‘Consent’.

Jon Whitfield

Jon specialises in defending cases of homicide, terrorism, regulatory & financial crime (fraud & corruption) and cases involving mental health, medical or forensic issues. Jon advises in medical disciplinary proceedings and sits as a legal assessor on GMC cases, he also sits as a Judge on Mental Health Tribunals. Jon has worked with consistent success in some of the most high profile cases of recent times. He is very much a ''team-player'', willing to do whatever is necessary to prepare and present a case and lead a team throughout this process. He responds well to the pressures of work putting in long hours to assimilate the large amounts of information needed to successfully defend cases of this gravity. His style in court is robust and combative which compliments his intellectual ability to reduce complex evidence to an essential core for the jury. Twenty five years of successful work as a junior were rewarded by his taking Silk in 2010. For many years Jon has been a competitive yachtsman at local and national level. The physical and mental requirements of competitive team-sailing events are commitment, the ability to make good decisions quickly (& justify them), move with events and make good tactical decisions. Exactly the same qualities as are required in dealing with serious and complex crime. Jon has considerable business experience creating pension, financial, managerial and welfare systems for two large London chambers and running much of these structures. This gives him first-hand knowledge of the frameworks within which companies must operate.

Peter Wilcock KC

Peter has a busy and diverse practice consisting of serious criminal trial and appeal work, as well as high-profile public inquiries and inquests with an increasing volume of crime related civil proceedings. He is comfortable both with cases raising difficult legal, factual and evidential matters and is particularly interested in work raising psychiatric issues as he has sat as a Mental Health Review Tribunal Judge for over 20 years. Between 2023 and 2026, Peter jointly led a team of two KC’s and five junior counsel in the Covid Inquiry, representing Northern Irish families (Northern Ireland Covid Bereaved Families for Justice - NICBFFJ) who suffered bereavements during the pandemic. During the Inquiry Peter questioned many of the scientists and UK and NI politicians at the heart of the response to the pandemic and made either opening or closing submissions on behalf of NICBFFJ in all modules in which he was instructed. Peter has acted in the Hillsborough Inquests, in which he represented seven families whose members perished during the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster. He led the questioning relating to the design of Hillsborough stadium, the decision to open the stadium gates, and the subsequent police cover-up on behalf of the 77 families represented by the Hillsborough Family Support Group. He has appeared as junior counsel for “Guiseppe” Conlon in the 1993 May Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the convictions arising out of the 1974 bomb attacks in Guildford and Woolwich, in which he was falsely convicted alongside the “Maguire Seven” on fabricated explosives charges. Other inquests in which Peter has appeared have involved issues of the timely provision of medical assistance, deaths in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, and those in the context of police activity including shootings. Peter’s criminal trial work continues to involve serious and complex crime of all types, including murder (whether planned, spontaneous, or domestic and including cases involving multifaceted scientific or evidential issues), serious sexual offences, organised crime and fraud. Peter regularly appears in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and has appeared in both the House of Lords and Supreme Court. He is regularly instructed in second opinion work particularly because of his enviably high rate of success in persuading the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to refer cases back to the Court of Appeal and the Court of Appeal to quash those convictions. Notable examples include: Hallam (17-year old murder conviction quashed on non-disclosure of evidence basis - 2012); Nealon (attempted rape conviction quashed following new DNA evidence - 2014;Lalchan (conviction for stirring up racial hatred quashed because the prosecution failed to obtain the Attorney General's consent prior to initiating the proceedings, ruling that retroactive consent is invalid - 2022); Layden (initial quashing due to procedural delay in re-arraignment - 2023); as well as the well-publicised ongoing appeals of Danny Major and Kevin Nunn.

Nancy Williams

Nancy has a broad practice that includes court of protection, family law, Inquests and International Human Rights. Prior to joining the bar, Nancy developed extensive international experience. She worked at the International Court of Arbitration in Paris in the common law team, the United Nations Development Programme, Access to Justice Programme in Sierra Leone, Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law. Nancy regularly provides training in her areas of practice.

Louise Willocx

Louise has a busy criminal practice and has a particular interest in cases with a human rights angle and young defendants. Louise combines her domestic criminal practice with extradition and international law, and has extensive experience advising and litigating in international crime and human rights. Prior to coming to the Bar, Louise worked as a judicial assistant at Colombia’s transitional justice tribunal advising on international criminal law in high-profile cases against the FARC leadership. She also worked as a legal assistant for an extradition silk for two years, drafting submissions and conducting research in high profile cases.

James Wood

Enormously experienced, driven, gutsy, calm and determined, James has a broad based crime practice, concentrating on domestic and international criminal trial and appellate work, but also practices in inquests, police actions and inquiries.

Pippa Woodrow

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.

Rachel Woodward

Rachel’s work focuses on representing vulnerable individuals seeking redress against the state and private organisations in healthcare related matters. Rachel is able to bring her expertise in personal injury and clinical negligence matters to the rest of her practice, especially in actions against the police and public authorities. Her work often involves the intersection between issues of negligence and breaches of the Human Rights Act. She is instructed by the Claimant in the case of Lewis-Ranwell v G4S Health Services (UK) Ltd and Others, which was heard in the Supreme Court earlier this year. Rachel has experience of working in Group Litigation matters and is currently instructed in the Hillsborough civil claims for misfeasance and on behalf of multiple groups of claimants in relation to their detention at Manston House Short-Term Holding Facility in 2022. Rachel regularly acts for families in a wide range of inquests and is particularly experienced in cases involving community care, medical treatment and mental health considerations, often where Article 2 ECHR is engaged as a result of the deceased being in custody or detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. Rachel was instructed on behalf of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru in the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry for Module 3, which looked at the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare systems. She represents the families of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley Kumar and Ian Coates in the significant ongoing statutory inquiry concerning the attacks by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham in June 2023. Prior to commencing pupillage, Rachel was a paralegal to a senior junior barrister at a leading personal injury chambers in London, specialising in complex catastrophic personal injury and clinical negligence work. In this role, Rachel worked on multi-track litigation with a particular focus on cases involving traumatic brain injuries. As such, she gained experience working on a wide variety of work, including preparing Schedules of Losses for high value cases. She is able to bring this experience to her current work and is regularly instructed in both fast track and multi-track cases across a full breadth of personal injury and clinical negligence work. Rachel is a contributing author to the APIL Personal Injury, Law, Practice and Precedents text and Munkman on Employer’s Liability.

Keio Yoshida

Keio is an experienced human rights barrister specialising in the areas of inquests and inquiries, public law, media law and the court of protection. Keio has appeared in cases on equality law in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Keio is an expert in international and European human rights law. Keio has acted in groundbreaking cases before domestic, regional and international bodies and courts on women´s rights, environmental rights and LGBTI rights, including the European Court of Human Rights and CEDAW Committee. Keio is frequently instructed in Article 2 jury trials including those in prisons, police custody, and in psychiatric detention. He has experience acting for bereaved families where issues include restraint, self-harm, safeguarding and abuse allegations, drug intoxication. Keio is qualified to practice in England and Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Keio is a published author of two books. Pride and Prejudices: queer lives and the law, on LGBTQ+ rights in the law, and Silenced Women/How Many More Women (with Jen Robinson) on media law, defamation, women´s rights and anti-SLAPP legislation.

Camila Zapata Besso

Camila practises in asylum, immigration, public law, civil liberties and international law.