UK UK-wide Civil Liberties & Human Rights

Bhatt Murphy demonstrates a strong firm-wide focus on civil liberties and human rights, often handling some of the highest-profile cases in the field. Its civil liberties work encompasses security services matters, immigration detention and prison law. The team is experienced in supporting victims of domestic violence and hate crimes, particularly in cases arising from alleged procedural failures by the state. In addition, it offers capabilities in human trafficking and mental health-related cases. Recent matters the firm has been involved with include acting in a series of major public inquiries.

Bindmans conducts pioneering human rights legal work at every level of court, both domestically and internationally, on behalf of individual and institutional claimants. The team's diverse practice ranges from freedom of assembly issues and torture claims to environmental law and data protection concerns. Further areas of the department's expertise include anti-terror laws, pre-emptive policing and modern slavery cases. Its international work includes acting in high-profile extradition cases and representing UK residents detained abroad.

Leigh Day serves an international client base of charities, NGOs and individuals in human rights cases within UK borders and around the world. The firm's practice is comprehensive in scope, with areas of focus ranging from the rights of protesters to trafficking. Other areas of strength for the firm include matters related to the 'war on terror' and corporate complicity in human rights abuses. In addition, the team demonstrates expertise in information and data protection law with involvement in high-profile cases of this nature.

Deighton Pierce Glynn demonstrates a highly varied portfolio of claimant-focused work, ranging from damages claims arising in the national security context to immigration detention and trafficking cases. The firm's client base includes activists, NGOs and individual migrants. It offers capability in taking on cases funded by alternative sources including crowdfunding. The team also handles cases and proceedings under the Equality Act concerning discrimination.

Hickman & Rose has a strong focus on representing bereaved families in restraint and death in custody cases, assisting them in bringing civil challenges and proceedings against state entities. The practice also incorporates immigration detention issues. It handles sophisticated international work including matters relating to war crimes and also demonstrates expertise in undercover policing matters.

Hodge Jones & Allen has a strong practice in actions against authorities with several key areas of focus including the representation of political protesters, the victims of miscarriages of justice and individuals involved in military or death in custody inquests. The firm is able to draw upon its resources in criminal, public and police law. It acts in failure to investigate claims on behalf of victims of rape and sexual assault. In addition, the team is highly experienced in judicial review claims and other complaint procedures.

Irwin Mitchell has a nationwide practice with offices and resources located throughout the UK. The team's particular areas of strength within the field of civil liberties and human rights include access to medical treatment, actions against the police and challenges to policy. It is committed to enabling access to justice for vulnerable individuals and disabled clients through local offices. The firm also provides extensive expertise in human rights work arising from the social care and education sectors.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors acted for the appellant in QH (Afghanistan) v SSHD heard before the Court of Appeal. The court held QH was entitled to damages for a breach of his Article 8 private life rights and for a breach of Article 27 of the Dublin III Regulation following his unlawful removal from the UK to Germany as a child.

ITN Solicitors is a diverse practice with a number of high-profile areas of expertise including cases of national security, data retention and international criminal law. The firm operates in the context of both UK-specific matters and international tribunals, including instances of the detention of foreign nationals by British authorities. It acts on behalf of NGOs in civil liberties challenges to business practices and is also sought after for advice on freedom of expression matters and human trafficking cases.

Simons Muirhead Burton represented James Miller in an appeal to the Privy Council against his conviction for attempted murder or, alternatively, against his sentence of 40 years' imprisonment. The appeal related to issues including the trial judge's discretion to the jury, as well as sentencing principles.