Merrow Golden > Francis Taylor Building > London, England > Barrister Profile
Francis Taylor Building Offices
FRANCIS TAYLOR BUILDING, INNER TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 7BY
England
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Merrow Golden
Work Department
- Planning and Environment
- Public Law, Human Rights and EU
- Highways, Village Greens and Commons
- Infrastructure
- Local Government
- Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
- Licensing
- Education
Position
Merrow is ranked by Legal 500 as a leading junior at the London Planning Bar (2023) and as a “rising star” at the Environmental Bar (2023, 2022), and by Chambers and Partners as an “up and coming” barrister in Planning (2023, 2022). She has also been ranked as one of the top rated planning juniors under 35 (Planning Magazine 2023, 2020, 2019). Merrow is nominated as Planning and Land Use Junior of the Year, Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023.
Merrow joined Chambers in 2017 and has built up an impressive practice across Chambers’ practice areas, with a particular focus in environmental, planning, public and highways law. She has acted on behalf of local authorities, non-governmental organisations and private developers and welcomes instructions to act individually or as part of a team.
Merrow studied Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge before going on to study law. She has a First Class law degree from City Law School, London, and a masters degree from Columbia Law School, New York. Prior to starting her pupillage, Merrow worked as a Foreign Law Clerk for Justice Edwin Cameron at the Constitutional Court of South Africa and she is a qualified attorney in the state of New York.
Career
Called 2014.
Memberships
- Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
- The Planning & Environmental Bar Association (PEBA)
- Bar Admission: New York
- UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA)
Education
- Columbia Law School, LLM (2014-2015)
- City Law School, BPTC (Very Competent) (2013-2014)
- City Law School, Graduate Entry LLB (First Class – top of the year) (2011-2013)
- St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, BA(Hons) Social and Political Sciences (Second Class, Upper Division) (2007-2010)
Personal
Merrow is a British/American who was born and raised in London with a strong connection to the North Cornish coast. She has a passion for travel and for experiencing different cultures (and cuisines!) but most of all she enjoys spending time with family and friends from all over the world.
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Environment
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Merrow Golden – Francis Taylor Building ‘Merrow is a creative legal thinker.’
Climate change mandates have been a prominent feature of Francis Taylor Building‘s environmental caseload. Richard Honey KC and Conor Fegan successfully represented the defendant in R (Friends of the Earth) v UK Export Finance & Others, a case concerning the UK government’s financing of the construction of a liquefied natural gas plant in Mozambique which allegedly was in conflict with the Paris Agreement. In another matter, Merrow Golden, unled, successfully defended Mansfield District Council, meaning the proposed residential development of over two hundred new homes can go ahead, despite opposition citing alleged disturbance to local nature and wildlife sites.
London Bar > Planning
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2Merrow Golden – Francis Taylor Building ‘Merrow is a very good advocate. She is clear and powerful in the presentation of her client’s case, very well-prepared and effective in cross-examination. A formidable opponent.’
London Bar > Local government (including rating law)
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Merrow Golden – Francis Taylor Building ‘Hard and conscientious work, high legal acumen and excellent written advocacy skills.’