St Philips Chambers

Crime & Regulatory

Vithyah’s practice focuses on all areas of crime, inquests, professional discipline and regulatory law.

Corporate & Financial Crime

Vithyah has a keen interest in corporate and financial crime. She comes to Chambers having worked in the bribery and corruption division of the Serious Fraud Office on a cross-border investigation into a former FTSE 100 company. She currently acts as junior disclosure counsel for a complex fraud case instructed by the CPS Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate (“SEOCID”).

Crime

Vithyah is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend in the Crown Court, Youth Court and Magistrates’ Court. During pupillage, Vithyah prosecuted lists of trials in a wide array of offences including offences against the person, drug offences and sexual offences. Vithyah also undertook secondments with various Chambers in London and Birmingham, exclusively in defence work. Additionally, she was seconded to the Attorney General’s Office where she advised on matters concerning Unduly Lenient Sentences.

Vithyah was awarded the Sir Joseph Priestley scholarship by the Inner Temple to become an Amicus intern in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where she assisted in the defence of clients potentially facing the death penalty.

Vithyah is a Grade 2 prosecutor.

Professional Discipline & Regulatory

Vithyah has a vast and varied experience in professional and regulatory disciplinary work for various bodies. This has included working in the fields of licensing, education and health and safety. She has been instructed in her own right to appeal against licensing decisions by Transport for London. Additionally, she presents as approved counsel for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (“NMC”). She has acted as disclosure counsel for HMRC and is currently acting as disclosure counsel for the Office for Product Safety and Standards (“OPSS”).

In 2019 Vithyah worked within the Regulatory team at Kingsley Napley LLP where she worked on cases concerning the Health and Care Professions Council (“HCPC”) and Teaching Regulation Agency (“TRA”).

Inquests & Inquiries

Before joining Chambers, Vithyah acted as the lead paralegal for government decision-making at the Infected Blood Inquiry (2019-2022). She managed projects and investigations examining the response of government. Additionally, she drafted written requests for compelling evidence under Rule 9 of The Inquiry Rules 2006. This was work that was crucial to the oral evidence heard by the Inquiry. She looks forward to developing this area of her practice.

CPS External Advocates Panel Grade 2

Government Legal Department Junior Junior

Approved NMC Counsel

Tamil

Young Fraud Lawyers Association

Centre for Women’s Justice – Panel Member

Women In Criminal Law

JUSTICE

LLM Human Rights Law (Distinction), University of Bristol (2023)

Bar Professional Training Course (2018)

Graduate Diploma in Law (2015)

BA (Hons) History, School of Oriental and African Studies (“SOAS”), University of London (2014)