"Very bright, she gets on top of issues very quickly..her written work is some of the best I've seen from a junior", "excellent junior who quickly assimilates information and delivers clear advice"
Emily's practice spans administrative, public international, commercial, EU and competition law, with particular expertise in complex judicial review claims, human rights, pharmaceutical regulation and follow-on damages.
She is recommended for administrative and public law and European law (Chambers & Partners and Legal 500) and for competition law (Legal 500), where recent comments describe her as having “extremely good judgement as to which arguments should be run and which should not” and as being “very bright”, as well as "a very capable barrister and a pleasure to work with”.
Emily's practice spans administrative, public international, commercial, EU and competition law, with particular expertise in complex judicial review claims, human rights, pharmaceutical regulation and follow-on damages.
She is recommended for administrative and public law and European law (Chambers & Partners and Legal 500) and for competition law (Legal 500), where recent comments describe her as having “extremely good judgement as to which arguments should be run and which should not” and as being “very bright”, as well as "a very capable barrister and a pleasure to work with”.
She appears frequently in the High Court, Competition Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel. She has recently appeared in several high-profile cases throughout her areas of practice, including:
Emily read law at Oxford University (including a year studying French Law at Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas) and also completed an LL.M at New York University, specialising in public international law and counter terrorism. Before coming to the Bar, Emily taught European Human Rights Law and Roman Law at Oxford University. She has also completed a six month international law fellowship at the American Society of International Law in Washington DC and a secondment in pharmaceutical regulation at Olswang LLP.
Emily practices a full range of administrative and public law, including civil liberties, public international law, human rights and regulatory work. She has acted in some landmark cases in the area, including Miller 1, the term-time holiday case (Platt v Isle of Wight), the voter ID judicial review (Coughlan) and a major climate-change judicial review (Plan B Earth), acting for both claimants and defendants.
She is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel and is recommended in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for administrative and public law.
Emily edits the counter-terrorism sections of the White Book and is the author of chapters on human rights in land law and the nature of ownership in An Introduction to Land Law, Simon Gardner & Emily MacKenzie (4th Ed. Hart, 2015). She is the Member Secretary of the Administrative Law Bar Association and a committee member of the Young Public Law Lawyers Group.
Her notable instructions include:
Administrative law
Human rights
Public and Private International Law
Emily has a diverse commercial practice, with particular expertise in shipping and cases involving questions of international law. Her notable recent instructions include:
Emily has a dynamic and varied practice in EU law. She has expertise in pharmaceutical regulation and Francovich damages: having acted in a claim for them arising out of common agricultural policy funding decisions and in the successful claim in the field of live animal exports in Barco de Vapor v Thanet DC [2014] EWHC 490 (Ch). For details of Emily’s practice in competition law, see that separate section below.
Emily is recommended in both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 for EU law.
Her notable instructions in this area include:
Emily has considerable experience in pharmaceutical regulation and is instructed for clients in both the generic and innovative sector. In 2015, Emily undertook a part-time secondment in pharmaceutical regulation for 6 months at Olswang LLP, during which she worked on several different cases for a major generic pharmaceutical company. She has considerable experience in both UK and EU judicial reviews on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, patient groups and has also acted for the UK regulator, the MHRA.
Chambers and Partners comments that Emily “Attracts attention for her work in important UK or EU judicial review applications on behalf of companies in the pharmaceuticals sector” and that “her practice has taken in significant cases regarding the marketing of pharmaceuticals by the NHS”.
Her notable instructions include:
Emily has a strong practice in EU and domestic competition law and has acted in the European Courts, High Court and Competition Appeal Tribunal, most recently in the Evening Standard merger case. She has particular experience in follow-on damages. For non-competition cases, see the separate “EU law” section above.
Emily is recommended in Legal 500 for competition law.
Her notable instructions in this area include:
Editor of the counter-terrorism sections of the White Book’
A Right to Hope? Extradition to the U.S. and Life Without Parole, American Society of International Law Insights (28 September 2015) (available here)
An Introduction to Land Law, Simon Gardner with Emily MacKenzie (4thEd. Hart, 2015, previously 3rdEd. 2012) - Emily co-wrote the chapters on Human Rights in Land Law and Ownership
Successful challenge to levels of asylum support – R (on the application of Refugee Action) v Home Secretary, U.K. Constitutional Law Blog (8th May 2014) (available at: http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/
The Lawfulness of Detention by British Forces in Afghanistan – Serdar Mohammed v Ministry of Defence,U.K. Constitutional Law Blog (2nd June 2014) (available at: http://ukconstitutionallaw.org/).
Introductory Note to Frederic Hay v. Crédit AgricoleMutuelle Charente-Maritime et Des Deux-Sevres, International Legal Materials (2014)
International Aspects of Asylum Law in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, ASIL Insights, Vol.18, Issue 24 (29 October 2014) (available here)
Education and Employment
2014: International Law Fellow, American Society of International Law (6 months)
2013-present: Tenant, Brick Court Chambers
2012-13: Pupillage, Brick Court Chambers
2011-12: BPTC, BPP Law School (Outstanding, Top Student Award)
2011-12: Non-stipendiary Lecturer in law, Lincoln College, Oxford
2010-11: LL.M International Legal Studies, New York University School of Law (GPA 3.74)
2010-11: Graduate Editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics
2006-10: BA (Hons) Law with French Law, Lincoln College, Oxford (1st class, 2nd in year)
2008-09: Certificat Supérieur de Droit, Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas (mention bien)
Scholarships and prizes
2014: International Law Fellowship, American Society of International Law
2011: Inner Temple major scholarship
2010: NYU Dean's Graduate Award
2010: Wronker Prize for Jurisprudence (Oxford)
2010: Gibbs book award for outstanding performance in Contract, Tort, Land and Trusts (Oxford)
2010: Anne-Marie Drummond Prize for the best performance in humanities final honour school (Lincoln College)
2009: Gluckstein Law Scholarship (Lincoln College)
2008: Lovell's prize to second years at Lincoln College
2007: Sweet and Maxwell prize for best overall performance in Oxford Law Moderations
Memberships
ALBA, COMBAR, ASIL, BEG, JUSTICE, YPLG
Administrative & Public Law
"Very practical, knowledgeable and highly commercial in her advice." Chambers & Partners 2021
"Completely on top of the law, can get to the heart of a case immediately, and can draft extremely well." Legal 500 2021
"She writes really well, gets up to speed very quickly on things and is very easy to work with." "I would certainly work with her again because of her excellent written work and commitment to the case." Chambers & Partners 2020
"She has extremely good judgement as to which arguments should be run and which should not." Legal 500 2020
"Instructed in high-profile public law challenges on behalf of government departments, local authorities and other public bodies. Her recent mandates include constitutional law, education, healthcare and PIL." "Very bright, she gets on top of issues very quickly, and her written work is some of the best I've seen from a junior." "An excellent junior who quickly assimilates information and delivers clear advice." Chambers & Partners 2019
"She is an excellent junior barrister who quickly assimilates information and delivers clear advice." "She is very bright, very pleasant and writes well." Chambers & Partners 2018
Competition
"She quickly establishes the key issues in instructions and provides clear and concise advice." Legal 500 2021
"Efficient and easy to work with." Legal 500 2020
EU Law
"Really fantastic and switched on." Chambers & Partners 2021
"Emily is very good indeed: she is completely on top of the law, can get to the heart of a case immediately, and can draft extremely well. Clients are impressed her." Legal 500 2021
"Gets up to speed very quickly and is easy to work with." "She is approachable and on top of the details, which makes her a good sounding board for the solicitor team." Chambers & Partners 2020
"A very capable barrister and a pleasure to work with." Legal 500 2020 (EU Law)