Civil Liberties & Human Rights

John Halford is renowned for his broad public law claimant-focused practice, which ranges from cases where human rights intersect with commercial law to judicial reviews.

"John is an excellent public lawyer who is exceptional in his strategic thinking."

"He is a star in the human rights space."

"John is a star. He is well respected across the board."

A universally respected police law expert, Jules Carey heads the firm's department for actions against the police and state. He brings a wealth of experience to his work, in both domestic and international matters.

"Jules is a highly prominent solicitor in the human rights space."

"Jules Carey is an excellent lawyer. He is a very strategic and creative legal thinker and it is great to work with him."

Tayab Ali is known for his wide-ranging human rights practice which sees him act on matters that intersect with international criminal law and public law in the UK. Recent cases of note include representing individuals who have had their British citizenship stripped, as well as advising on universal jurisdiction.

"Tayab is seriously talented. He is a big-picture thinker who is at the cutting edge of international criminal law."

Anna-Louise Thwaites is a well-regarded practitioner who focuses her practice on actions against the state. She frequently represents bereaved families in high-profile and contentious inquests, following unexpected deaths after contact with the police or psychiatric institutions.

"Anna-Louise is very thoughtful and client-focused."

Alice Hardy acts for individuals challenging unlawful decisions by public authorities, including the police, the Ministry of Justice and local authorities. She has particular expertise in bringing Article 2 and 3 ECHR claims.

"Alice is extremely insightful and can work through issues with razor sharpness. She finds the most practical solutions while showing perseverance, patience and extreme commitment to her client."

"Alice is extremely organised, she is a good leader of her team."

"Her client skills are really impressive, even in difficult situations, and she pays close attention to detail."

Rachel Harger is well versed in representing clients in civil and public law challenges, particularly in contentious inquests and claims relating to immigration detention.

"Rachel is a real trailblazer. She is able to navigate a variety of complexities and does so with real spirit and heart. Her commitment to this work from day one has been really inspirational."

"She is really good in the civil liberties and human rights space."

Emily-Jade Defriend assists clients with civil claims and public law challenges, including those relating to racial discrimination, misuse of private information and failures to investigate.

"She is a great solicitor."

"She is very creative and thoughtful, has great understanding and interest in the technicalities of her cases, and is extremely pleasant to work with."

Shirin Marker is experienced in bringing civil claims on behalf of a range of clients, spanning both domestic and international law cases. She has particular expertise in handling matters that involve issues of gender-based violence.

"Shirin Marker works tirelessly for her clients in extremely difficult circumstances, applying every legal strategy in the book to be able to achieve astonishing outcomes for the client."

"She is very brilliant."

"Shirin is a real pleasure to work with and has great depth of knowledge on human rights issues, which she marries with her public law experience."

Theodora Middleton acts for clients on a wide range of civil matters, including cases relating to protest and immigration detention.

"Theo is very committed and intelligent. She is exceptionally creative in trying to find solutions for clients."

"Theodora is thorough in her explanations and sets out challenges and solutions clearly and concisely."