‘A set full of heavyweights in this field’, Doughty Street Chambers remain at the forefront of the largest and most complex international human rights and criminal cases, and members of the set regularly appear in front of an array of European and international courts and tribunals. The set’s international human rights specialists include Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, who continues to act for the BBC World Service in appeals to the UN concerning harassment of journalists by the Iranian government; Amal Clooney, who is representing over eight hundred clients in Murad v Lafarge, a case in the US courts brought by Yazidis alleging that the cement company paid off and supplied concrete to Islamic State. Kirsty Brimelow KC, an ’excellent ambassador for the profession’, recently included acting as an independent observer to the trial in Colombia of Santiago Uribe Vélez - brother of former president Alvaro Uribe - who was acquitted on charges concerning his alleged membership of a paramilitary group. Aarif Abraham advised the Lithuanian government on a state referral to the ICC concerning actions Belarusian military and political leaders.
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Profile
Work Department
Position
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.
Career
Year of Call: 1991; Gray’s Inn; Year of Silk: 2011.
Kirsty is the winner of the First 100 years Inspirational Barrister Woman in Law 2018 and Winner of The Advocate International Pro Bono Barrister of the year 2018. She is Head of the International Human Rights Team and former member of the Criminal Bar Association Executive.
"Kirsty is an experienced, committed and hard working silk, who goes the extra mile for clients. Kristy has particular expertise in criminal cases involving issues of international law and human rights, deriving from vast, unparalleled experience in the field. She fights hard for the clients, but is unfailingly courteous, engaging." (Legal 500 2022)
She is the only KC to have represented protestors in both the civil and criminal Court of Appeal; establishing legal precedent.
Languages
French, Spanish.
Memberships
Criminal Bar Association Executive (2003-10); Bar Human Rights Committee Executive; Amnesty; Human Rights Watch; Oxfam; Liberty.
Education
Balshaw’s High School, Leyland; Birmingham University (1990 LLB Hons); Inns Of Court School of Law (BVC)
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The clerks are exceptional. Incredibly responsive and forthcoming.'
- 'Doughty Street Chambers are the go-to set for human rights cases. they have a huge range of barristers who are top of their respective fields. The clerks are extremely responsive and provide a first-rate service.'
- 'Chambers are excellent with a strong clerking team.'
- 'Doughty Street Chambers is one of the best chambers in the world on human rights and international criminal law matters.'
- 'It is the leading chambers for human rights. The barristers are top of their fields and support access to justice.'
- 'Excellent. Doughty Street have stolen a march on the rest of the Bar in this area. They are unrivaled in the sheer quality, complexity and depth and both the legal and geopolitical significance of their work. They now justifiably have a near monopoly on the most significant work.'
- 'The quality from junior to silks is extremely impressive. A stellar set.'