Alex Gask

Overview

Alex has a broad civil practice, with a particular focus on human rights, encompassing public law, immigration, actions against the police and prisoners' rights. Alex also has experience of criminal defence work in the magistrates and crown courts.

Areas of Practice

Human Rights:

Alex has a depth of experience of both advisory work and representation in the field of human rights. He has a particular interest in the right to protest. His work focuses on the domestic courts, but he has also drafted a number of applications to the European Court of Human Rights.

Alex has been involved in a number of high profile cases concerning the protection of human rights:

• He appeared as junior in the Court of Appeal in Al-Jedda v Secretary of State for Defence [2010] EWCA Civ 758 (detention of terror suspect in Iraq) and in the High Court in Morgan v Ministry of Justice [2010] EWHC 2248 (responsibility under HRA for death in custody).
• He was led by Tim Otty QC before SIAC in a challenge to deportation of a terrorist suspect to Ethiopia.
• He was led by Geoffrey Robertson QC in proceedings relating to Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed.
• They were instructed to appear on behalf of the US media organisations. Alex also has experience of third party interventions in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. He represented the intervener Liberty as junior in the Supreme Court extradition case of Norris v USA [2010] 2 AC 487.

Prison law:

Alex has a wide experience of representing prisoners at adjudications, parole board hearings and in judicial review claims on issues including categorisation, early release and discipline. He has also advised on discrimination claims in the prison context.

Actions against the police and other public authorities:

Alex frequently advises on civil actions against the police involving assault, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and breaches of human rights. He also works on civil actions against other public authorities. He appeared as junior in the Court of Appeal in the case of Iqbal v Prison Officers Association [2009] EWCA Civ 1312.

Immigration:

Alex regularly appears before the AIT at initial appeal and on reconsideration. He has experience of bail applications and of judicial review of immigration detention. Alex also has an interest in asylum support - frequently appearing on a pro bono basis before the Asylum Support Tribunal.

Criminal defence & extradition:

Alex has experience of appearing in magistrates' and crown courts on criminal matters. He is instructed on first appearances, sentencing hearings, mentions and summary trials. He has a particular interest in the right to protest and in working with vulnerable defendants, especially youths.

Prior to joining Doughty Street, Alex spent 5 years as a solicitor and legal officer at the human rights organisation Liberty. During his time there, Alex led on much of the organisation's most significant and high profile litigation. His cases ranged from the magistrates' court to the House of Lords, as well as several challenges before the European Court of Human Rights. He worked on a wide range of issues including the right to protest, sex and sexuality discrimination, breach of privacy by police & local authorities, excessive police powers and the right to effective investigation into inhuman & degrading treatment. Alex also provided training on human rights to solicitors and advisers throughout the UK.

Alex is a member of the Council of Management of CRAE (Children's Rights Alliance for England) and also a Council member at Liberty (NCCL). He is also a member of the Human Rights Lawyers Association.

Year of Call

2008

Email Address

a.gask@doughtystreet.co.uk

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Specialist Teams

Member :

• Actions Against the police
• Community Care & Health
• Criminal Law
• Human Rights
• Immigration
• International Law Group
• Prisoner's Rights
• Public and Administrative Law