Doughty Street Chambers

Edward Fitzgerald KC was named Human Rights and Public Law Silk of the Year in the Chambers Bar Awards 2013, Legal Aid Lawyer of the year in 2009, and Silk of the Year award 2005. In 1998 he was given the Times Justice Human Rights Award. In 2008 he was awarded the CBE for services to human rights. He specialises in criminal law, public law, judicial review and international human rights law.

Edward Fitzgerald KC is a highly acclaimed silk who offers vast experience across the fields of public, criminal and international human rights law. Edward is ranked in the highest Bands of each of his fields in the Chambers and Partners 2022 tables. He is Band 1 in Extradition, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Administration and Public Law. He is listed as a ‘starred individual’ in the area of Crime in 2022, and listed in the ‘international spotlight’ in the area of International Human Rights Law.

Year of Call: 1978; resides Inner Temple; KC 1995.

He is described in the 2022 Guide as “full of energy” and "a brilliant advocate”. As “a formidable opponent” who is “so tough that he can make the totally unpalatable palatable". Edward is regularly called upon to handle the most significant, highly publicised cases. He appears routinely before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court; the Privy Council and the ECtHR. He is highly regarded for his work on behalf of vulnerable individuals.

Edward has represented a number of high-profile, public figures including Silvio Berlusconi in the European Court of Human Rights, Boris Berezovsky and Akmed Zakaev of Chechnya and Ejup Ganic of Bosnia in their respective fights against extradition to Russia and Serbia. Recently he represented Julian Assange in obtaining the ruling of District Judge Baraitser to refuse Julian Assange’s extradition to America on January 4th 2021; and at the High Court where that ruling was reversed. He successfully represented Gary McKinnon (2012), Lauri Love (2018), Robert McDaid (July 2020) and Corey De Rose (2022) in their fight against extradition.

Oxford and Cambridge (BA (Hons) Congratulatory First, MPhil Criminology, qualified in New York and American Law).