Daniel Carey

Practice Areas

Human Rights

Daniel specialises in human rights claims, often involving an international law element. He also conducts civil claims against corporations in relation to human rights breaches. He has brought cases at all levels of the domestic courts and before the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the EU.

Judicial Review And Public Law

Daniel has substantial experience in public law challenges to local and national government. His successful judicial reviews have included police retention of school children’s data under the Prevent counter-extremism programme; opposing library closures in Surrey, Gloucestershire and Somerset; national consultations on changes to legal aid funding, healthcare access for migrants; national legislation governing retention of the public’s telecommunications information; and numerous instances of unlawful immigration detention, failures to provide asylum support housing; failures to recognise victims of human trafficking and delays in asylum decision making for unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking and others.

Civil Liberties

Daniel acts in civil claims for damages regarding arbitrary detention including military and immigration detention, torture and rendition. He also acts in claims for damages regarding data breaches and breaches of confidentiality by public authorities and others. He acts on behalf of affected individuals as well as non-governmental organisations in these areas. His cases have included seeking compensation for unlawful rendition from Iraq to Afghanistan; the unlawful detention of human rights defenders and investigative journalists in fast track immigration detention; the unlawful immigration detention of torture victims and persons with mental health problems; and the protection of former British auxiliaries in Afghanistan. He has also defended protesters from civil action, including members of the “Occupy” movement.

Data Protection, Information And Privacy Law

Daniel has a particular interest in data protection law under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, E-Privacy Directive and public access to information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. His cases often focus on the crossover between data protection and human rights law. He has brought successful public law challenges and civil claims for damages in areas as diverse as the unlawful sharing of asylum seekers’ confidential information with persecuting authorities in the country of origin; the mishandling of information under the UK’s Prevent Guidance; data breaches by public inquiries; inconsistent responses to subject access requests by public authorities; advising a member of parliament on government data practices; successful legal challenges to unlawful state surveillance and data retention legislation; and access to information regarding the UK’s use of armed drones, amongst others.

Discrimination

Daniel’s work also tackles issues of discrimination. For example, in public law cases regarding the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public authorities to take positive steps to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different groups.

Career

Daniel Carey is a partner who joined Deighton Pierce Glynn in 2013. He is based in our Bristol office. He is ranked as a leading solicitor for administrative and public law and civil liberties and human rights in the Chambers and Legal 500 directories. After several years of being ranked as a “star associate” for both administrative and public law and civil liberties and human rights work, he is now as a ranked partner in the Chambers directory in both areas. He has been recognised as “a fantastic and dedicated lawyer” and “one of the most innovative human rights lawyers out there” who “has a great range of expertise and is really very good at running a large legal team. He is really impressive”.

Previously, Daniel was a solicitor at another leading human rights firm, before which he worked in Guatemala for Peace Brigades International and on US death penalty cases as a volunteer with Reprieve. Daniel received the Law Society New Solicitor of the Year award in 2007 for his work in Guatemala. He also received the Peter Duffy Award from Liberty and JUSTICE in 2009.