Position

Predominantly public and civil law practice arising in the field of criminal justice. Other areas of her practice include international human rights law, private international law, media law, community care law, criminal appeals and appeal to the Privy Council in death row cases. Main areas of practice: human rights; police law; prison law; inquest law; private international law. Recent important cases: R (King) v SSJ [2010] U.K.H.R.R. 1245 (applicability of Article 6 to prison disciplinary proceedings involving punishment of cellular confinement. Permission to appeal granted; R (Iqbal) v Prison Officers Association [2010] QB 732 (false imprisonment claim against POA by prisoners who were confined to their cells during strike by prison officers); R (OOO and others) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (first claim in the domestic courts concerning the duty on the state under Article 4 EHCR to conduct an effective investigation into allegations of treatment by private persons contrary to article 4. In this case the claimants had all been held in domestic servitude as children. Judgment reserved; Mutua and others v Foreign and Commonwealth Office (claim brought by a number of Kenyans against the FCO in relation to allegations of torture arising in the course of their detention by the Kenyan Colonial Administration during the Emergency between 1954 and 1959. Ongoing.

Education

Camden School for Girls; Bristol University (LLB First Class); Sheffield University (MA in Socio Legal Studies Distinction); Bar School (Outstanding, Second Place Scarman scholarship).

Mentions

London Bar

Police law (claimant)

HALL OF FAME1

Phillippa Kaufmann KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Philippa’s advocacy is outstanding. She is equally adept in front of Supreme Court justices as she is cross-examining corrupt police officers. She is an excellent communicator who advances a case very clearly and persuasively.’