Farrhat Arshad KC

Practice Areas

Serious Criminal Offences; Criminal Appeals; Prison Law and Crime Related Public Law; Protest Cases.

Career

Farrhat specialises in the areas of criminal defence and human rights. She is instructed in serious crime, including murder, serious sexual offences, protest cases, drugs, firearms and fraud, and in Criminal Appeals. Her civil work centres on Judicial Reviews arising out of both criminal and prison law, including challenges to CCRC decisions and Parole and categorization decisions and appeals by way of case stated. In Appeals, Farrhat is frequently instructed as fresh counsel in out of time appeals to the Court of Appeal in relation to both conviction and sentence. She also undertakes appeals to the Privy Council.

Farrhat is a very experienced appellate barrister, acting in both conviction and sentence matters in the Court of Appeal. She has been described by the Court as presenting cases with, “conspicuous skill”. Her appellate practice also includes applications to the High Court, by way of case stated, to the Privy Council and to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. She has a wealth of experience in challenging indeterminate sentences, both life imprisonment and imprisonment for public protection.

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association

The Howard League for Penal Reform and Liberty.

Publications

Chapter 3, “Appeals to the High Court by way of Case Stated” in the 3rd edition of Taylor on Criminal Appeals, (OUP, 2022).

Education