Kirsten practises in human rights, public law and civil claims against public authorities. She is a specialist in complex inquests, public inquiries and public law challenges across her practice areas, including in police law. Kirsten has acted in some of the most challenging and complex inquests in recent times including in the Hillsborough Inquest for 77 bereaved families, the Shoreham Airshow Disaster Inquest, the Covid-19 Inquiry for the Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru and the Brooke House Inquiry. Kirsten is currently lead counsel for the Co-operating Group of Non-police Non-state Core Participants in the Undercover Policing Public Inquiry.
Kirsten is a Special Advocate appointed by the Attorney General and acts in cases raising sensitive issues of national security.
Kirsten is a Fee Paid Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and Assistant Coroner for Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot.
Kirsten trained as a solicitor at Slaughter and May, London, specialising in corporate / commercial and EU law and subsequently worked as a government lawyer. Kirsten has worked extensively in international human rights law, refugee law and minority rights in the Middle East and the Balkans including in NGOs and at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Kirsten has an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex.
In her spare time Kirsten combines sheep farming and bee keeping with channel swimming.
“Kirsten has an exceptional eye for detail. Her preparation of cases is meticulous and precise. She builds confidence and trust with the clients.” - Chambers and Partners 2025
“Kirsten provides really brilliant family representation in inquests.” - Chambers and Partners 2025
“Kirsten is super clever and thorough. She has an excellent grasp on detail.” - Chambers and Partners 2024
"She is formidable with her opponents and excellent with clients; someone you definitely want on your side." - Chambers and Partners 2023
“She is really committed to improving the law and taking strategic points.” - Chambers and Partners 2022
"She is highly intelligent, cuts straight to the core issues and is a formidable and fearless advocate, as well as being a pleasure to work with." - Chambers and Partners 2022
"Kirsten is able to break down complex factual issues and formulate convincing legal arguments around those facts. Determined and feisty, Kirsten is not one for backing down or giving up." - Legal 500, 2022
"She's a fierce cross-examiner who is able to cut through to the key issues and save the waffle." - Chambers and Partners 2021
“Really experienced and astute inquest barrister; she’s got very good judgement and identifies key issues quickly.” - Chambers and Partners 2021
“Kirsten is a very formidable advocate, who is very strong when questioning witnesses. I would instruct her in those particularly difficult cases where you know you have to go the extra mile to make your point.” - Chambers and Partners 2021
“She is a powerhouse – she has encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and is very tenacious and a formidable presence in court, particularly in cross-examination” - Chambers and Partners 2021
“Recognised for providing skilful advocacy in civil claims involving deaths in police custody. She is also experienced in sensitive cases including false imprisonment claims, which often have a mental health aspect." - Chambers and Partners 2021
“Excellent with clients. Understands the strengths and weaknesses of a case quickly and has an excellent understanding of the law.” - Legal 500 2021
“She is an incredibly experienced specialist in inquest work for families.” - Chambers and Partners 2020
“She’s a very persuasive advocate, who is quick at getting on top of the facts and is very easy to work with.” - Chambers and Partners 2020
“She has lots of experience and is really good with clients as well.” - Chambers and Partners 2020
Kirsten is recognised in Chambers and Partners as a leading barrister in Inquests and Public Inquiries described as “super clever and thorough: she has an excellent grasp on detail….. she is a powerhouse – she has encyclopaedic knowledge of the law and is very tenacious and a formidable presence in court, particularly in cross-examination."
Kirsten has 18-years’ experience acting in high profile and complex inquests from the Hillsborough Inquest to the Shoreham Airshow disaster Inquest. Kirsten is a specialist in all types of inquest proceedings including in the context of deaths in custody, the use of force/restraint, police shootings/firearms operations, mental health detained/non-detained, deaths of children in the care of the state, of detained foreign nationals, clinical negligence related deaths, mass disaster fatalities and controversial and sensitive military deaths (including UK Special Forces). Kirsten also has extensive experience of working on cases involving deaths of women and children in the context of domestic violence and femicide and of children and young people with autism / neurodiversity / and ALN.
Kirsten is a Special Advocate appointed by the Attorney General and is DV cleared and acts in sensitive national security related inquests. Kirsten frequently advises Coroners and acts as Counsel to the Inquest.
Kirsten is currently instructed as leading counsel representing the Co-operating Group of Non-police Non-state Core Participants in the Undercover Policing Inquiry. Kirsten also represents family members of Valdo Calocane in the Nottingham Inquiry and the family of David Joyce who was shot by Thames Valley Police.
Kirsten has extensive experience in acting in complex civil litigation across a range of her practice areas from claims against public authorities on behalf of: children and vulnerable adults, including with mental health and learning difficulties and autism/ALN, victims of domestic violence and femicide, including failure to protect cases involving the police and national probation service. Kirsten also specialises in protester-related civil actions and high value claims arising from unlawful immigration detention
Kirsten is recognised in Chambers and Partners as a leading junior barrister in Police Law, Claimant (Band 2). Kirsten has expertise in high value civil claims arising out of police contact involving death or serious harm. Kirsten has a particular interest in misfeasance claims against the police after being led by Peter Wilcock KC representing 76 bereaved families in the phase of the Hillsborough Inquest looking at “evidence gathering” by the police during the aftermath of the tragedy – commonly called the cover – up.
Kirsten frequently litigates complex post inquest civil claims.
“Recognised for providing skilful advocacy in civil claims involving deaths in police custody. She is also experienced in sensitive cases including false imprisonment claims, which often have a mental health aspect. “She’s a fierce cross-examiner who is able to cut through to the key issues and save the waffle.” “She is hardworking, dedicated, intelligent and enthusiastic. Instructed in Marcia James v Chief Constable of South Wales, a claim concerning failure to protect and investigate allegations against a man who subsequently raped and assaulted a young girl” – Chambers and Partners 2021
Examples of recent cases include:
Kirsten specialises in human rights and equality law-related judicial review challenges across her practice areas.
"Excellent with clients. Understands the strengths and weaknesses of a case quickly and has an excellent understanding of the law." - Legal 500 2021
Kirsten has a particular interest in cases involving national security issues, sensitive material and closed material procedures. Kirsten regularly acts in sensitive military inquests and related cases including involving UK Special Forces. Kirsten is a Special Advocate and DV cleared. As a solicitor Kirsten spent 3-years as a government lawyer working on public and administrative law, international law (including public international law), war crimes, extradition law and EU law. Kirsten has long experience of asylum and immigration law and practice in many contexts, including working on sensitive asylum cases both in the UK and overseas. Kirsten has a forensic understanding of asylum and immigration law. She also has an interest in international refugee protection and international human rights law. As a solicitor, Kirsten spent a year running a refugee legal aid practice in Cairo providing legal representation to refugees, working specifically with former child soldiers from Liberia and Sierra Leone, survivors of the Rwandan Genocide and victims of torture from Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea whilst also developing strategic litigation before UNHCR.
Kirsten has experience of advising and representing applicants in the Tribunal and the Administrative Court in a wide range of immigration, asylum and deportation cases involving victims of trafficking, unaccompanied children, spouses and other family members and of advising on appeals to the Court of Appeal.
Kirsten also acts for clients in civil claims for unlawful detention in the Administrative Court and claims arising from assaults during the course of removal from the UK. She also specialises in inquests into deaths of foreign nationals both detained and non-detained. Kirsten focused on UK asylum law and practice in her LLM.
Kirsten has an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex with a particular research focus on the extra-territorialisation of asylum procedures in international, European and UK law and the law of armed conflict. Kirsten was awarded the SNELS Human Rights Prize by Anne Owers for the highest distinction.
As a solicitor Kirsten was seconded by the FCO to the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro rule of law/human rights department to advise on war crime trials, minority rights, legal reform, the Serbian draft law on asylum, and training lawyers on litigation before the European Court of Human Rights.
Kirsten provides pro bono legal advice to a leading conservation charity.
Kirsten undertakes pro bono work for Advocate (the Bar’s national pro bono charity), FRU, INQUEST and the College of Law and has helped set up a school for street children in Guatemala City.
