Practice Summary

As well as cases involving the police, this area of work includes cases against other parts of the criminal justice system, such as prisons and prosecuting authorities, and also the issue of detention within the immigration system.

Barristers are regularly engaged in damages claims against the police and other public authorities (for torts such as false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office and negligence), as well as in appellate work up to Supreme Court level. Cases under the Human Rights Act feature largely in our work. Several members have a particular expertise in bringing discrimination claims against the police and other public authorities.

Many of us are engaged in related judicial review work, for example in relation to exercise of police powers, refusals by the CPS to prosecute, formal cautioning and determinations of police complaints. Judicial review claims in relation to immigration detention and prison practices and policies are also undertaken.  We have developed an expertise in the operation of the police complaints system and applications to the Home Office for compensation for miscarriages of justice. We act in death in custody cases, both at inquests and in claims for compensation.

There is considerable overlap between the specialist areas within chambers which provides a beneficial multi-disciplinary approach to case work. We are ranked as the stand alone number one chambers for police claimant work by the Chambers and Partners directory (with eleven members listed as leaders in their field in 2013). Members are involved in all the practitioner groups that relate to this area of work, and write frequently in legal journals and published books.

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