Rebecca Hill > Chambers of David Josse KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of David Josse KC
5 St Andrews Hill
LONDON
EC4V 5BZ
England
Rebecca Hill photo

Work Department

Rebecca Hill is a leading practitioner in extradition & international crime, judicial review & public law & immigration. Rebecca is ranked as a Tier 1 Junior in the Legal 500.

Position

Rebecca Hill is a leader in the field of extradition and international crime. She primarily acts on behalf of individuals but is also instructed to represent Requesting States and the Secretary of State for the Home Department. She is an expert in Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Human Rights, Asylum and Protection and Financial Crime. This breadth of experience affords Rebecca a unique perspective which she utilises to advise clients comprehensively from the pre-request stage all the way to any possible challenges before the European Court (if required).

Rebecca acts in cases of the utmost gravity and has particular expertise in requests concerning cross-border financial crime, those with a political dimension (including abuse or manipulation by the State) and trans-national criminality such as trafficking of people and narcotics. She has nearly two-decades’ experience regularly appearing before all levels of Court including the Divisional and Administrative Court and raising challenges to the European Court of Human Rights. It is a mark of her ability that Rebecca is regularly instructed to appear against Kings Counsel at first instance and on appeal.

In addition to her extradition practice, Rebecca is appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘B’ Panel of counsel to advise the Government on a range of substantial and complex legal matters. This practice compliments her expertise in asylum and provides invaluable experience in judicial reviews, writs for habeas corpus and other public law challenges which can be deployed independently or ancillary to extradition proceedings.

Rebecca has strong contacts with an international network of lawyers who can offer insight and parallel advice alongside domestic extradition or asylum challenges. She is a strong tactician and will seek to utilise this network to her client’s benefit.

Rebecca has exceptional client care. Chambers and Partners observed ‘Her levels of client care are second to none; she is compassionate, committed and determined to achieve the right result.”

Rebecca is ranked in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.

Career

  • Rebecca was called to the Bar in 2004.
  • Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel: B Panel.
  • Specialist level 3 prosecutor on the CPS Extradition list.
  • Deputy District Judge: South Eastern Circuit.
  • Fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber).

Extradition & International

Rebecca prosecutes and defends in the most serious and complex cases, involving both European and International jurisdictions and raising the full spectrum of issues including technical and human rights arguments. In addition, she is experienced in ancillary Judicial Reviews, habeas corpus applications and submissions to the European Court of Human Rights.

Rebecca is instructed to advise in cases of international individuals ‘at risk’ of extradition and those who have been returned to the UK by ‘import extraditions’. As such her expertise encompasses every area of work in the extradition field.

Rebecca frequently provides training to solicitors on an ad-hoc basis on current legal issues and topics. She has lectured delegates from the Commonwealth Secretariat on the merits and difficulties of the European Arrest Warrant scheme. Her reputation as an extradition specialist had led her to appear as an expert and commentator in the press and on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 News.

Judicial Review & Public Law

Rebecca is appointed to the Attorney General’s ‘B’ Panel of counsel to advise the Government on a range of substantial and complex legal matters. Her appointment to this ‘fiercely’ competitive Panel is reflective of her aptitude and expertise in all areas of public law.

Rebecca is experienced in advising on government policy and in appearing before the UT and Administrative Court in judicial review challenges. She advises on civil claims including those for Unlawful Detention, Asylum Support and under the Equalities Act.

As with extradition, Rebecca’s practice representing Government affords a unique insight and she also represents individuals in judicial reviews, writs for habeas corpus and other public law challenges.

Immigration

Rebecca’s extensive experience in international human rights’ work places her perfectly to represent the interests of clients resisting removal from the UK or seeking entry clearance. Rebecca has represented Claimants in the First Tier and Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). She is ideally placed to advise in cases with linked extradition proceeding or with a political dimension.

Criminal Defence

Rebecca is an experienced criminal barrister, having acted in serious and complex cases including murder, international fraud, child cruelty, ‘professional’ armed robberies (cash-in-transit) and serious sexual assaults.

Memberships

  • Defence Extradition Lawyers Association (DELF).
  • Criminal Bar Association (CBA).
  • Extradition Lawyers Association (ELA).
  • Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC).

Education

  • 2004 Middle Temple Harmsworth Scholar
  • 2004 Bar Vocational Course, Nottingham Law School
  • 2003 LLB (Hons) Nottingham University

Lawyer Rankings

London Bar > International crime and extradition

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

Rebecca Hill5 St Andrews Hill ‘Rebecca is a wonderful advocate and presents her cases with great skill and persuasively.’

With a particular strong extradition practice, 5 St Andrews Hill has a track record of handling Interpol red notices, and represents clients at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and in appeals to the Divisional and Administrative Courts, Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. David Josse KC is instructed in Government of Ukraine v Sivkiv, dealing with issues of extradition during times of armed conflict. Natasha Draycott is representing the requested person in Government of Albania v Seferi, an extradition case regarding offences of drug trafficking with a competing request by the Italian Government. Rebecca Hill successfully persuaded the Administrative Court in Rae v USA that the district judge was wrong to conclude that conditions in county jails in Texas are adequate, requiring specific assurances from the US government.