Described as ‘an absolute star’ by the Legal 500, Joanna is an accomplished defence barrister in very high demand.
Joanna enjoys a high-profile caseload defending serious allegations. She is a popular jury advocate who prides herself on attractive advocacy, no-nonsense advice, a personable approach, and the capacity for sustained hard work. The ‘outstanding results she achieves for her clients’ have been praised by the Legal 500.
Recent instructions include double attempted murder [stabbing], attempted murder [shooting], manslaughter, death by dangerous driving, rape, kidnap, child cruelty, firearms, extensive drug operations and high-level fraud.
Joanna has appeared against, and co-defended with, King’s Counsel.
Joanna has experience as leading counsel and enjoys working as part of a team. She is also regularly led by King’s Counsel in murder trials and is known for being a diligent, trustworthy, and hardworking junior.
Joanna enjoys ‘case ownership’ and early involvement in the shape of a case. She encourages early conference with a client and their family to map out a strategy and to provide support. Joanna has had recent success in securing bail for clients in the early stages of murder and conspiracy to murder proceedings.
Joanna is often asked to represent professionals and high-profile individuals in the criminal courts. She has represented teachers, police officers, prison officers, nurses and business owners. She is experienced in handling sensitive allegations of misconduct in a public office. Joanna is discreet and skilled in managing cases attracting media attention.
Joanna is approachable and experienced in representing young and vulnerable defendants. She is proficient in trials involving intermediaries, special measures and the pre-recording of evidence.
Joanna has particular expertise in defending those accused of sexual offending in both the Crown Court and Court of Appeal. The Legal 500 noted Joanna’s skill in the face of cases where ‘the jury may have initially taken against her client due to the nature of the allegations.’ Joanna undertook one of the first pre-recorded s28 cross-examination pilot trials and is able to accept a very limited number of such cases per year.
An experienced appellate lawyer, Joanna is regularly instructed to advise and act in first-instance cases involving difficult or unusual points of law. She has appeared before the Court of Appeal on behalf of both appellants and respondents. She appeared before the Lord Chief Justice in the leading authority establishing the correct approach to inconsistent verdicts (F and others [2016] EWCA Crim 550). She was counsel for the successful respondent in a frequently cited authority as to non-defendant bad character (E [2016] EWCA Crim 839). In a recent appeal against sentence, Joanna successfully argued an extended sentence of eight years was manifestly excessive; it being reduced to a determinate sentence of 40 months (T [2019] EWCA Crim 1378). Joanna is experienced in Attorney General’s reference proceedings. She has successfully opposed applications by the Attorney General to refer her client’s sentences as unduly lenient (C [2023] EWCA Crim 483) and has also been led in relation to an unduly lenient minimum term of a life sentence imposed for the offence of conspiracy to murder (W [2017] EWCA Crim 1353). Joanna recently successfully argued that an ‘interim’ sentence for murder, served between the commission and conviction dates of separate offending, ought to have been taken into account at the point of sentence (D [2021] EWCA Crim 119).
Joanna is an accredited advocacy trainer for Middle Temple and a pupil supervisor within chambers. She regularly volunteers with the Kalisher Trust to widen access and entry to the profession.
Joanna is listed in both of the leading legal directories; the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
Joanna came to the Bar from a strong academic background. She read Law at King’s College London where she graduated with First Class Honours. She was awarded a postgraduate scholarship to read for her LLM Master of Laws, graduating with Distinction. She was the recipient of the Harmsworth Scholarship from Middle Temple.
Joanna speaks and writes about the criminal justice system. In 2019 she was listed in the ‘Law and Order’ category of the Evening Standard’s ‘Progress 1000’, a list of the most influential people in London. Joanna has appeared on BBC television and radio. She has twice given evidence to the House of Commons’ Justice Committee.
Year of Call: 2010
CPS Panel Advocate (Grade 3)
Criminal bar Association
Law LLB [First Class Honours], King’s College London 2008
LLM Master of Laws [Distinction], King’s College London 2009