Cloisters

Acts for a very wide range of clients, from individuals to organisations, senior bank employees and directors to the low paid, political figures to government, FTSE companies to major trade unions, major football clubs to small sports clubs, charities and accountancy firms, universities, local authorities, and other public bodies. He is frequently involved in test case litigation.

Works across the UK and in Europe. He also undertakes cross - border and international employment and equality issues: for instance, in recent years he has advised on a major Bermuda public sector labour dispute, acted in a cross-Atlantic labour arbitration, advised a pan-European NGO on developing European law, worked up proposals for amendments to the Montreal Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air and advised on the regulatory control of Artificial Intelligence across Europe.

Has appeared in over 154 reported cases in the Industrial Relations Law Reports (more than any other barrister). These include many path-finding appellate cases at the highest level in the UK and Europe. He has been instructed in over 40 cases in the House of Lords/Supreme Court (including four cases in 2013, three in 2016, two in 2017 and 2018).For a list of notable cases see full CV at https://www.cloisters.com/barristers/robin-allen-qc/ 

Called 1974; QC 1994; Bencher, Middle Temple 1994; called to Northern Ireland Bar 2009;  Trustee of the London Emergencies Trust and the Equal Rights Trust; regularly speaks at lectures and seminars; publications include: Comparisons in Equality Law, CUP 2020, ‘Human Rights and Employment Law’, with Rachel Crasnow and Anna Beale of Cloisters, OUP 2018; ‘Family Rights at Work’ with Rachel Crasnow, 2012.

Head of Cloisters 2002 - 2018; Elected member of the Bar Council 2013 - 2021 and Chair of the Equality Diversity and Social Mobility Committee 2013 - 2019; Recorder 2000- 2001; chaired the Home Office Sub-Committee Publicity Committee for the launch of the Human Rights Act 1998; special adviser to Disability Rights Commission 2002-07; consultant to Age Concern and Age Europe 2004-09; Age UK 2012; trustee of the London Bombings Relief Fund 2005-08; 

French.

Founder member of the Discrimination Law Association; chairman of the Bar Pro Bono Unit and Bar in the Community 2000-02; chairman of the Employment Law Bar Association 1996-98.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics MA, Oxford.