Julia Smyth KC

Ranked in 4 Practice Areas

New Silks

Administrative & Public Law

London (Bar)

5 Years Ranked

New Silks

Civil Liberties & Human Rights

London (Bar)

2 Years Ranked

New Silks

European Law

London (Bar)

8 Years Ranked

New Silks

Immigration

London (Bar)

7 Years Ranked

About

Provided by Julia Smyth KC

UK Bar

Practice Areas

Julia has a public law, EU and ECHR specialist, particularly in the fields of social security, EU free movement and immigration.

She frequently appears unled in high-profile cases, and is praised by the legal directories as being “a truly excellent public law specialist,” who is “phenomenally gifted”, “extremely clever and very effective”, as well as “phenomenally hard working” and “approachable and responsive.” Julia won the award for ‘Human Rights and Public Law Junior of the Year’ at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022, and the award for Immigration Junior of the Year at the Legal 500 Awards 2024.

Prior to returning to self-employed practice in 2012, Julia had a successful career as a senior government lawyer. She is recognised by the legal directories as bringing her “experience as counsel for various government departments to claimant work, giving practical insights into how public bodies make decisions on the ground.”

Julia has particular expertise in EU and Withdrawal Agreement law, human rights and civil liberties, social security, health, immigration and free movement law, as well as experience in a broad range of other areas, including education, police pensions, parking regulation and environment law and animal welfare.

Julia was appointed to the Attorney General's A Panel of Junior Counsel until taking Silk, and is now appointed to the Attorney General’s Senior Treasury Counsel (Civil) Group (STCG) – a team of specialist advocates appointed to handle some of the most complex and high-profile government civil litigation.

Professional Memberships

Administrative Law Bar Association

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Immigration - London (Bar)

New Silks

Individual Editorial

Julia Smyth KC is an expert in public law and immigration matters relating to EU law who regularly appears in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Having previously worked within the Government Legal Department, she brings a unique degree of experience to her representation of the Home Secretary in a variety of cases.

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Civil Liberties & Human Rights - London (Bar)

New Silks

Individual Editorial

Julia Smyth KC is an experienced human rights barrister. She boasts deep expertise in representing government departments in matters arising from the European Convention of Human Rights.

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Administrative & Public Law - London (Bar)

New Silks

Individual Editorial

Julia Smyth KC is a go-to barrister to act for and advise central government on a wide range of public and administrative law matters. She has experience handling matters concerning social security, healthcare and transport.

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European Law - London (Bar)

New Silks

Individual Editorial

New silk Julia Smyth of Landmark Chambers offers particularly strong experience defending the UK government in cases through which private individuals assert EU law-derived rights, including those concerning freedom of movement, residence and taxation.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Julia stands out at the Bar; she has been a significantly fast mover. She is an intellectual public lawyer with investment in EU law.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

She's very good. The depth of her knowledge is extraordinary and she is very effective.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

The depth of her knowledge of EU law is unparalleled.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

Julia Smyth really is superb and she will no doubt will have a stellar career as a silk.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia is what the modern bar should want. She is amazingly clever but also down to earth.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia Smyth has an encyclopaedic knowledge of immigration, social security and the EU freedom of movement law.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia has an unbelievably thorough understanding of the full gamut of public work.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia is very sensible, very respected and very reliable.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia has a good eye and good judgement. She is very conscientious and easy to work with.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia gets under the skin of the issues and zones in on the key points like a hawk.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia is technically excellent and inspires the confidence of the court.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia was an extraordinary part of the team. She had a great questioning style.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia is amazingly clever but also down to earth. Judges love her and trust her - she never uses ridiculous points and she is eminently trustworthy.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

She's one of the top people the government goes to for advice on Brexit issues. She is truly excellent, she has a real grip of very fiddly stuff.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

She has a great manner in the court, argues the case well and has good judgement. She knows her brief well and the court trusts her analysis of the law.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia's advocacy excels at making complex points seem simple and obvious.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia stands out at the Bar; she has been a significantly fast mover. She is an intellectual public lawyer with investment in EU law.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

She's very good. The depth of her knowledge is extraordinary and she is very effective.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

The depth of her knowledge of EU law is unparalleled.

Immigration respondent
UK Bar

Julia Smyth really is superb and she will no doubt will have a stellar career as a silk.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia is what the modern bar should want. She is amazingly clever but also down to earth.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia Smyth has an encyclopaedic knowledge of immigration, social security and the EU freedom of movement law.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia has an unbelievably thorough understanding of the full gamut of public work.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia is very sensible, very respected and very reliable.

Civil Liberties & Human Rights respondent
UK Bar

Julia has a good eye and good judgement. She is very conscientious and easy to work with.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia gets under the skin of the issues and zones in on the key points like a hawk.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia is technically excellent and inspires the confidence of the court.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia was an extraordinary part of the team. She had a great questioning style.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia is amazingly clever but also down to earth. Judges love her and trust her - she never uses ridiculous points and she is eminently trustworthy.

Administrative & Public Law respondent
UK Bar

She's one of the top people the government goes to for advice on Brexit issues. She is truly excellent, she has a real grip of very fiddly stuff.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

She has a great manner in the court, argues the case well and has good judgement. She knows her brief well and the court trusts her analysis of the law.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

Julia's advocacy excels at making complex points seem simple and obvious.

European Law respondent
UK Bar

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Silks (KC)

All Circuits

Costs Litigation

David Holland KC

Band 3

Julia Smyth KC

UK Bar Guide 2026

Administrative & Public Law + 3 more rankings

About

Practice Areas

Professional Memberships

Chambers Review

UK Bar

Immigration - London (Bar)

Individual Editorial

Civil Liberties & Human Rights - London (Bar)

Individual Editorial

Administrative & Public Law - London (Bar)

Individual Editorial

European Law - London (Bar)

Individual Editorial

Strengths

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Silks (KC)

All Circuits

London (Bar)

Administrative & Public Law

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