Red Lion Chambers

Joanna Hardy-Susskind is described by the Legal 500 as ‘an absolute star’.

The leading legal directories note that Joanna is ‘excellent,’ ‘leaves no stone unturned’ and is praised for the ‘outstanding results she achieves for her clients’. She works ‘exceptionally hard’. Her legal knowledge is described as ‘second to none’.

The directories highlight Joanna’s ‘winning courtroom manner’ and her ability to take ‘cases by the scruff of the neck’.

Out of court, Joanna is described as ‘down-to-earth’, ‘approachable’, and is particularly praised for her ‘people skills’.

Inside the courtroom, she is considered ‘tactically and legally excellent’. Her advocacy ‘charms judges as effectively as it does juries.’ Joanna is particularly praised for her ‘incredibly effective’ cross-examinations.

The directories consider Joanna ‘a force to be reckoned with’.

Joanna enjoys a high-profile caseload defending very serious allegations.

She is a trusted and popular jury advocate who prides herself on attractive advocacy, no-nonsense advice, a personable approach, and the capacity for sustained hard work.

Recent instructions as sole or leading counsel include double attempted murder [stabbing], attempted murder [shooting], manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, rape, kidnap, child cruelty, firearms, extensive drugs operations and high-level fraud.

Joanna has appeared against, and co-defended with, King’s Counsel.

Joanna is also regularly led by King’s Counsel in murder trials and is known for being a capable and trusted junior in the most challenging of homicide allegations. Joanna is experienced in multi-handed murder trials involving ‘cutthroat’ defences, and single-handed trials involving complex points of law. She has particular experience defending those accused of criminality by way of joint enterprise. She has experience in allegations said to involve firearms, knives, gang evidence and postcode ‘wars’.

Joanna is often instructed to advise as to adequacy of evidence at dismissal stage.

Joanna enjoys ‘case ownership’ and early involvement in the shape of a case. She encourages early conference with a client and their family to map out a strategy and to provide support. Joanna has had recent success in securing bail for clients in the early stages of murder, conspiracy to murder and manslaughter proceedings.

Joanna is often asked to represent professionals and high-profile individuals in the criminal courts. She has represented teachers, police officers, prison officers, nurses and business owners. She is experienced in handling sensitive allegations of misconduct in a public office. Joanna is discreet and skilled in managing cases attracting national media attention.

Joanna is approachable and experienced in representing young and vulnerable defendants. She is proficient in trials involving intermediaries, special measures and the pre-recording of evidence.

Joanna has particular expertise in defending those accused of sexual offending in both the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. The Legal 500 note Joanna’s skill in the face of cases where ‘the jury may have initially taken against her client due to the nature of the allegations.’ Chambers UK note Joanna is ‘particularly able in dealing with sensitive cases’.

Joanna undertook one of the first pre-recorded s28 cross-examination pilot trials. She now accepts a very limited number of such cases per year.

An experienced appellate lawyer, Joanna is regularly instructed to advise and act in first-instance cases involving difficult or unusual points of law. She has successfully appeared before the Court of Appeal on behalf of both appellants and respondents. She appeared before the Lord Chief Justice in the leading authority establishing the correct approach to inconsistent verdicts (F and others [2016] EWCA Crim 550). She was counsel for the successful respondent in a frequently cited authority as to non-defendant bad character (E [2016] EWCA Crim 839). Joanna has successfully argued an extended sentence of eight years was manifestly excessive; it being reduced to a determinate sentence of 40 months (T [2019] EWCA Crim 1378). She is well-versed in Attorney General’s reference proceedings. She has successfully opposed applications by the Attorney General to refer her client’s sentences as unduly lenient (C [2023] EWCA Crim 483). Joanna has successfully argued that an ‘interim’ sentence for murder, served between the commission and conviction dates of separate offending, ought to have been taken into account at the point of the second sentence (D [2021] EWCA Crim 119). Joanna recently secured the release – by way of time served – of a female defendant caught by the ‘five year’ minimum firearms legislation. Joanna successfully argued that the sentencing judge was ‘clearly wrong’ in failing to identify or take account of factors which rendered the case exceptional [S [2024] EWCA Crim 1163].

Joanna is an accredited advocacy trainer for Middle Temple and a pupil supervisor within chambers.

Joanna speaks and writes about the criminal justice system. In 2019 she was listed in the ‘Law and Order’ category of the Evening Standard’s ‘Progress 1000’, a list of the most influential people in London. In 2025, Joanna made her broadcasting debut for the BBC by writing and presenting her ten-episode series: ‘You Do Not Have to Say Anything’ for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Joanna has twice been invited to give evidence on behalf of the profession to the House of Commons’ Justice Committee.

Joanna was educated at her local state school. She went on to read Law at King’s College London where she graduated with First Class Honours. She was awarded a postgraduate scholarship to read for her LLM Master of Laws, graduating with Distinction. She was the recipient of the Harmsworth Scholarship from Middle Temple. Joanna regularly volunteers with the Kalisher Trust to widen access and entry to the profession.

Year of Call: 2010

CPS Panel Advocate (Grade 3)

Criminal bar Association

Law LLB [First Class Honours], King’s College London 2008

LLM Master of Laws [Distinction], King’s College London 2009