‘‘Clients absolutely love her. A fierce advocate, incredibly intelligent and always a calming presence. A real joy to work with." - Legal 500 2024
"Fiona is an exceptional barrister. Her written work is excellent. She is extremely focused on the detail while having a good eye for the big picture. She is highly respected and regarded as a phenomenal barrister." - Chambers & Partners 2024
"Fiona is superb. An expert in her field who is always able to provide advice and advocacy skills of a consistently high level. She is excellent with clients." - Chambers & Partners 2024
"Fiona is just so respected in our world. She is tactically very astute; on her feet she is relentless in the most effective way." - Chambers & Partners 2023
"Her past experience as a solicitor gives her an edge over many other barristers, particularly in areas such as negotiations, costs and procedural issues." - Chambers & Partners 2023
"Clients absolutely love her. A fierce advocate, incredibly intelligent and always a calming presence. A real joy to work with." - Legal 500 2023
“Unrivalled command of her brief. Fearless, real depth of knowledge, innovative thinker, and fabulous drafting skills. Great judgement and people skills, including handling judges and opponents.” - Legal 500 2021
"The person to go to for sound tactical advice. A determined and fearless advocate.” - Chambers & Partners 2020
"Phenomenal: a force of nature. Her output is second to nobody I've ever worked with and her understanding and commitment to the work is really high." - Chambers & Partners 2020
"She is somebody who you have total confidence in because of her tactical awareness and her 'grit your teeth and get things done' attitude." - Chambers & Partners 2020
Fiona specialises in regulatory work including civil claims against public authorities, judicial review and inquest and inquiry work. She has expertise in both private and public law and represents individuals who seek redress for violations of their human rights.
Many of Fiona’s cases are high-profile: she is currently instructed in the ongoing inquests and public inquiries into the controversial deaths following police restraint of Dalian Atkinson, Darren Cumberbatch and Shane Bryant and the police shootings of Jermaine Baker and Anthony Grainger. She represented 70 individuals in relation to phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and is currently representing several women deceived into entering abusive sexual relationships by undercover police officers in relation to their civil claim and before the Undercover Policing Inquiry. She acted for 77 of the families bereaved by the Hillsborough Disaster at the new inquests and is a member of the claimant counsel team in the ongoing group litigation for misfeasance in public office against South Yorkshire Police.
Fiona has a particular interest in remedies to address violence against women and is currently instructed in a number of cases concerning failures by the police to protect victims.
Fiona was one of the founders of leading police law specialist solicitors’ practice, Bhatt Murphy and gained 20 years’ experience as a solicitor conducting complex litigation before transferring to the bar in 2013.
Outside the courts, Fiona has contributed to various inquiries and reviews including the 1997 Butler Inquiry (concerning the handling of deaths in custody by the CPS), the 1997 European Committee on the Prevention of Torture’s investigation into the United Kingdom’s compliance and the United Nations.
Fiona co-presents the annual advanced Actions Against the Police and advanced Inquests Law courses run by the Legal Action Group.
Fiona has specialised in claimant police law since 1992. Her practice includes private and public law, inquests and inquiries. She has been involved in a number of the test cases in this area and has extensive experience of achieving successful trial outcomes and substantial out-of-court settlements. She has extensive knowledge and experience in broader regulatory law contexts including in relation to the medical and nursing professions, prison, probation and immigration services, social services and the building professions.
Her notable cases include successful challenges to the outcome of independent investigations by the IPCC (Green and Rahman) and in respect of failures by the DPP to prosecute police officers (O'Brien and Ahmad), the Court of Appeal guideline case on assessment of damages in police cases (Thompson), securing unlawful killing conclusions at inquests concerning excessive use of state force and police misconduct (Jimmy Mubenga, Hillsborough Inquests and Richard O’Brien) and has secured several six figure compensation awards.
Fiona is an experienced negotiator and has a keen interest in alternative dispute resolution.
Anthony Grainger Inquiry, 2020. Conclusion reached that the fatal police shooting of Anthony Grainger by Greater Manchester Police was in contravention of Article 2.
R (W80) v Independent Office for Police Conduct [2019] EWHC 2215 (Admin) (currently pending before the Court of Appeal) concerns the intersection between the policing Code of Ethics and the purposes of misconduct proceedings; specifically, the role of subjectivity and objectivity in assessing professional conduct.
R (on the application of City of London Police Commissioner) v Independent Office for Police Conduct [2018] EWHC 2997 (Admin). Fiona acted for the interested party, Alfie Meadows, in a successful defence of the decision to institute gross misconduct proceedings against an officer in relation to a serious injury suffered by Alfie in the course of a student loan protest.
R (on the application of Green) v Independent Police Complaints Commission [2016] EWHC 2078. A successful challenge to the outcome of an independent IPCC investigation on irrationality grounds.
The new Hillsborough Inquests, 2016. Fiona held significant instructions on behalf of 77 of the bereaved families including taking a lead in the questioning of emergency response witnesses, representing individual families during phase 2 of the inquests and working within a core team preparing legal submissions. She is currently instructed in the ongoing misfeasance group litigation.
A v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis, 2016. Fiona advised in this claim for assault and battery, false imprisonment and in respect of breaches of the HRA which began when Mr A was thrown through the glass front window of a barber shop by a police officer. The claim resolved with the payment of a substantial sum in damages to the claimant.
V v National Crime Agency (NCA) 2016. Fiona advised in this claim for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution arising from a botched NCA surveillance operation and in which it was alleged that there was a wholesale failure to comply with the Code for the Identification of Offenders. The litigation resolved with the payment of a substantial sum in damages.
Inquest touching upon the death of Azezur “Ronnie” Khan, Senior Coroner for Inner South London, 2016. 21-year old Ronnie Khan was caught in cross fire between rival South London gangs at a funeral in 2011. The inquest jury concluded that a catalogue of individual and systemic failures by the Metropolitan Police - in sharing information and in their risk assessments, planning and deployment of officers - significantly contributed to his preventable death.
Inquest touching upon the death of Logan Peters, Devon & Cornwall Coroner, 2016 Following legal submissions, the Coroner directed the jury that 22-year old Logan Peters had been falsely imprisoned by police officers shortly before he was found hanged. The jury concluded that errors, omissions and failures to comply with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act together with the use of “unreasonable, disproportionate and unnecessary force” contributed to his death. Further, that an unauthorised strip search and the failure to address Logan’s complaint “significantly contributed”.
HJM v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis, 2015. The claimant recovered substantial damages in respect of her deception by an undercover police officer.
Kambana & Others v G4S, 2014. Fiona represented the family of Jimmy Mubenga at the inquest. The jury concluded that he had been “unlawfully killed” whilst under restraint by G4S officers. Fiona was also instructed in the subsequent civil action which was compromised.
R (on the application of Rahman) v Independent Police Complaints Commission, [2013] EWHC 4696 (Admin). Fiona acted for Mr Rahman in this successful judicial review of an IPCC independent investigation report which led to the quashing of the report and ultimately the finding of a case to answer for gross misconduct against the relevant police officer.
Watson Woodhouse v. The Chief Constable of Cleveland, 2013. Fiona secured £550,000 compensation for a firm of solicitors in a claim for malicious procurement of search warrants and misfeasance in public office.
The representation of families at controversial inquests involving allegations of excessive force, malpractice and neglect is a mainstay of Fiona’s practice.
Anthony Grainger Inquiry, 2020. Conclusion reached that the fatal police shooting of Anthony Grainger by Greater Manchester Police was in contravention of Article 2.
Darren Cumberbatch, Inquest, 2020. Resulting in a jury conclusion that Darren’s restraint related death in custody was contributed to by excessive force.
Undercover Policing Inquiry. Fiona is instructed on behalf of several women who were deceived into entering into relationships with undercover police officers and a child born of one of those relationships. She is also instructed on behalf of parents who have suffered the theft of their deceased chlldren’s identities to support officers’ cover “legends”.
Inquest touching upon the death of Azezur “Ronnie” Khan, Senior Coroner for Inner South London, 2016. 21-year old Ronnie Khan was caught in cross fire between rival South London gangs at a funeral in 2011. The inquest jury concluded that a catalogue of individual and systemic failures by the Metropolitan Police - in sharing information and in their risk assessments, planning and deployment of officers - significantly contributed to his preventable death.
Inquest touching upon the death of Logan Peters, Devon & Cornwall Coroner, 2016 Following legal submissions, the Coroner directed the jury that 22-year old Logan Peters had been falsely imprisoned by police officers shortly before he was found hanged. The jury concluded that errors, omissions and failures to comply with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act together with the use of “unreasonable, disproportionate and unnecessary force” contributed to his death. Further, that an unauthorised strip search and the failure to address Logan’s complaint “significantly contributed”.
Inquest touching upon the death of Hannah Evans, Senior Coroner for Warrington, 2016. The inquest jury found that Hannah’s death, while a detained mental health patient, was contributed to by multiple failures in planning her care and ultimately in failing to maintain the designated supervision level.
Inquest touching upon the death of Jimmy Mubenga, 2013. Fiona was junior counsel on behalf of the family of Jimmy Mubenga Following an 8-week hearing, the jury concluded he had been ‘unlawful killed’ whilst under restraint by G4S officers.
Fiona is currently instructed in several private and Human Rights Act claims on behalf of bereaved families and has extensive experience of resolving such claims.
As a solicitor Fiona gained extensive experience in representing the families of those who have died in custody including Richard O’Brien (unlawful killing), Simon Allen (state neglect) and Kevin Jacobs (state neglect).
In 2006, Fiona was commissioned by the Hon Mr Justice Blake to prepare an opinion for his review of the controversial deaths at Deepcut Barracks.
Fiona has a specialist public law practice focusing upon decisions reached by the police and those responsible for police oversight together with public law issues arising from her involvement in inquests and inquiries.
R (W80) v Independent Office for Police Conduct [2019] EWHC 2215 (Admin) (currently pending before the Court of Appeal) concerns the intersection between the policing Code of Ethics and the purposes of misconduct proceedings; specifically, the role of subjectivity and objectivity in assessing professional conduct.
R (on the application of City of London Police Commissioner) v Independent Office for Police Conduct [2018] EWHC 2997 (Admin). Fiona acted for the interested party, Alfie Meadows, in a successful defence of a decision by the IOPC to compel e gross misconduct proceedings against an officer in relation to a serious injury suffered by Alfie when he was struck by a police officer’s truncheon in the course of a student loan protest.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's Application for Judicial Review, Re [2018] HRLR 14. Fiona acted for Humanists UK, led by Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC in the Supreme Court who concluded that the Northern Ireland arrangements denying access to abortion in cases of rape, incest and even fatal foetal abnormality were in violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
R (L) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2016] EWHC 2880 (Admin). A successful application for permission and interim relief in relation to a decision to permit a police officer to retire and thereby escape the reach of disciplinary proceedings.
R (on the application of Green) v Independent Police Complaints Commission [2016] EWHC 2078. A successful challenge to an independent IPCC investigation on irrationality grounds.
R (Rahman) v Independent Police Complaints Commission [2013] EWHC 4696 (Admin). A successful judicial review of an IPCC’s independent investigation report which led to the quashing of the report and ultimately the finding of a case to answer for gross misconduct against the relevant police officer.
Fiona’s work on behalf of bereaved families has also led to her involvement in a number of public law cases as a solicitor including R (Hurst) v HM Coroner for North London [2007] 2 AC 189 (which concerned the coronial jurisdiction to investigate Article 2 systemic failings following the conclusion of a related homicide prosecution and the temporal reach of the Human Rights Act) and R (Keith Lewis) v HM Coroner for Mid and North Division of the County of Shropshire [2010] 1 WLR 1836 (which concerned the means by which jury verdicts should be elicited post-Middleton).
Similarly, her work on behalf of victims of police misconduct led to her involvement in successful challenges to chief officers, the DPP and IPCC including in relation to a decision to permit a senior police officer to retire and thus escape the reach of misconduct proceedings (R (Coghlan) v The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police [2005] ACD 34) and to a decision by the DPP not to prosecute police officers (R v DPP ex parte O’Brien, RCJ 1997).
