Emily-Jade Defriend

Associate, Actions against Police and State.

Emily-Jade is instructed on the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry and is a Recognised Legal Representative for families who are bereaved and for survivors of the fire.

Emily-Jade successfully acted for Shao Jiang in his claim against the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police for false imprisonment, assault and trespass to his property. The claim arose from his arrest after peacefully protesting during the Chinese State Visit in London in 2015.

She was part of the legal team which successfully challenged the Metropolitan Police’s unlawful ban on Extinction Rebellion’s October 2019 uprising. Following the High Court’s decision in the case of Baroness Jones that the banning of the protests in London had been unlawful, the Metropolitan Police Service conceded early that their earlier ban on 8th October 2019 should also be quashed. After the High Court quashed the bans, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges against hundreds of Extinction Rebellion protesters.

Emily-Jade successfully acted for Paul Gambaccini in his claim against the Metropolitan Police Service for a misuse of private information. Mr Gambaccini was awarded substantial damages and an apology.

Other successful cases include overturning the Metropolitan Police Service’s decision not to prosecute a suspect in a case of serious sexual assault.

Emily-Jade has particular expertise in representing clients in claims arising from unlawful stop and searches and wrongful arrests. She has successfully represented a number of clients in claims for assault, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance, racial discrimination, and for breaches of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Emily-Jade joined Bindmans as a solicitor in 2018.

Emily’s current cases include:

Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry

False imprisonment and assault claim against the police for an unlawful stop and search

Negligence and breach of Article 2 (right to life) claim against the police

Inquest into the death of a man who died in police custody

Victims’ Right to Review on behalf of a victim of serious sexual assault

Complaint against the police for racial discrimination and an unlawful stop and search

Article 3 claim against the police for a failure to investigate a complaint of sexual assault

Emily’s recent successes include:

A v Chief Constable of South Wales Police – civil claim for substantial damages arising from an unlawful arrest at a protest and subsequent prosecution.

B v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis – civil claim for substantial damages and an apology for a misuse or private information

Successful Victims Right to Review Challenge, overturning the police’s decision not to prosecute a man suspected of committing a serious sexual offence

Upheld police complaint on behalf of a BAME individual who was unlawfully stopped and searched

Upheld police complaint on behalf of a BAME individual who was unlawfully detained by the police

Police Actions Lawyers Group; Inquest Lawyers Group.

Emily-Jade co-authors The Liberty Library blog. Her recent articles include:

“The rules governing police pursuits must change”

“Police stop and search: ineffective yet harmful”

“Opposing PSPOs”