SILK PROFILE
Hugh Southey KC

Hugh Southey KC

UK Bar 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Share profile
Chambers ranking badge
Matrix Chambers
 Matrix Chambers

Ranked in 4 practice areas

Immigration

London (Bar)

22 years ranked

Civil Liberties & Human Rights

London (Bar)

22 years ranked

Police Law: Mainly Claimant

All Circuits

20 years ranked

Administrative & Public Law

London (Bar)

22 years ranked

About

Provided by Matrix Chambers

Practice Areas

Hugh Southey has led at all levels up to and including 26 cases before the Supreme Court as well as in the Privy Council, the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. Hugh specialises in public law in a wide range of fields including human rights, regulatory, prison law, inquests, crime, extradition, mental health, terrorism, immigration, discrimination and elections. Recent key cases including: R (A) v SSJ [2021] UKSC 37; R (Hemmati) v SSHD [2021] AC 143; R (P) v SSHD [2020] AC 185; R(Stott) v SSJ [2020] AC 51.

Career

Admitted as a solicitor in 1991. Headed the Immigration and Crime Departments at Glazer Delmar. EHRC A list. Deputy High Court Judge. Recorder of the Crown Court. Called in Northern Ireland. Has also litigated in US, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Cayman Islands.

Professional Memberships

Administrative Law Bar Association, Association of Prison Lawyers, Immigration Law Practitioners Association, Mental Health Lawyers Association, Human Rights Lawyers Association, Legal Action, Liberty, Justice.

Publications

Judicial Review: A Practical Guide (3rd Edition: With Amanda Weston, Jude Bunting and Raj Desai) and United Kingdom Human Rights Reports (Editor: 1998 – 2011).

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Immigration - London (Bar)

Band 1
Individual Editorial

Hugh Southey KC is exceedingly popular among top-flight solicitors and specialises in immigration, human rights and asylum matters. His main areas of focus include nationality law and unlawful detention claims, and particularly immigration matters involving the application of EU law. His immigration practice is complemented by his broader prison law expertise.

Learn more about this teamView ranking table

Civil Liberties & Human Rights - London (Bar)

Band 1
Individual Editorial

Hugh Southey KC is a recognised expert in the fields of immigration, human rights and prison law. He demonstrates notable skill in cases concerning mental health, extradition and discrimination, and frequently represents clients before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. Further areas of expertise include TPIM, work before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission and Court of Protection matters.

Learn more about this teamView ranking table

Police Law: Mainly Claimant - All Circuits

Band 2
Individual Editorial

Hugh Southey KC specialises in judicial review challenging police action or inaction, including the disclosure of information or failure to investigate. He has taken on a number of cases scrutinising the role of the Northern Irish police during the Troubles.

Learn more about this teamView ranking table

Administrative & Public Law - London (Bar)

Band 2
Individual Editorial

Hugh Southey KC leads significant challenges to government policy, particularly in the areas of crime, national security and immigration. He is especially proficient at challenging police conduct through judicial review.

Learn more about this teamView ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • He is very clever and creative, never gives up for his clients and has a nice manner with the court.

    ImmigrationUK Bar

  • Hugh encompasses a wider field which involves criminal work such as things like extradition, thus offering broad expertise.

    ImmigrationUK Bar

  • Hugh is well versed in the law and and well prepared for advocacy.

    ImmigrationUK Bar

  • Hugh Southey was extremely knowledgeable, extremely professional and a pleasure to work with.

    Civil Liberties & Human RightsUK Bar

  • Hugh Southey is one of the barristers of his generation before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

    Civil Liberties & Human RightsUK Bar

  • Hugh Southey is everywhere at the moment. He does everything and he does it all very well.

    Civil Liberties & Human RightsUK Bar

Ranked Barristers at Matrix Chambers (243)

All Circuits

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership