Emma is further recommended in the directories for civil liberties and human rights, which comment that she “drafts beautifully”, “is absolutely wonderful to work with” and “has a sensational brain” (C&P 2025). Emma has acted in cases in this field before tribunals as varied as the Privy Council and the European Court of Human Rights and has strong experience across a range of complex international and domestic instruments, including the European Convention of Human Rights, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Equality Act 2010.

Examples of Emma’s notable current or recent instructions in this area include:

• Cadogan & Grosvenor & Ors v Secretary of State for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Emma is acting for the Defendant Secretary of State in this high profile challenge to the Leasehold and Reform Act 2024 on the grounds of A1P1 ECHR (in a team led by Sir James Eadie KC, Richard Moules KC and others).
• Jersey Hemp v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Emma acted for the claimant in this A1P1 damages claim, following its transfer to the King’s Bench Division (unled).
• AAA & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department: Emma acted for the lead group of Claimants (which included Detention Action, Care4Calais and the Public and Commercial Services Union) in their successful Article 3 ECHR challenge to the Home Secretary’s policy of removing asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda (in a team led by Raza Husain KC, Phillippa Kauffmann KC and Sam Grodzinski KC) ([2022] EWHC 3230 (Admin) and [2023] EWCA Civ 745).
• R (AT) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Emma acted for the Independent Monitoring Authority before the Upper Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in connection with this landmark case concerning the continued application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights post-Brexit ([2022] UKUT 330 (AAC), [2023] EWCA Civ 1307).
• Ariste v The Queen: Emma was instructed by the Death Penalty Project in connection with this constitutional and human rights law appeal to the Privy Council against a conviction obtained in the Bahamas based on confession evidence (led by Paul Bowen KC) ([2023] UKPC 18).
• Semenya v Switzerland (Application no. 10934/21): Emma represented the South African Human Rights Commission in its first ever intervention before the European Court of Human Rights, in the Caster Semenya case (led by Jeremy Gauntlett QC, Zahra Al-Rikabi and Jennifer MacLeod).
• Inquest into death of baby Harry Richford: Emma acted on a pro bono basis (alongside Jennifer MacLeod) for the family of Harry Richford in this substantial, three week Article 2 ECHR inquest. The Coroner, having heard evidence from 34 witnesses, ultimately concluded that Harry’s death was wholly avoidable and had been caused by numerous gross failings on the part of East Kent University NHS Trust, amounting to neglect. The conclusions reached in the inquest led to the then health minister, Nadine Dorries, announcing an independent investigation into preventable baby deaths at the trust. Emma and Jennifer were awarded Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year Award 2020 for their work on the case.
• Doctors Association UK v Secretary of State for Health: a judicial review seeking a public inquiry into the procurement and distribution of PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic, on the basis of Article 2 ECHR (led by Paul Bowen KC and Tim Johnston).
• Substantial advice in relation to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Statutory Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations (unled).
• Acting for a large group of Iranian individuals and companies bringing claims under the Equality Act 2010 and Blocking Regulation against Metro Bank (led by Maya Lester KC).
• Defending an Equality Act 2010 challenge brought against a financial institution that was seeking to close a customer’s accounts (led by Martin Chamberlain KC and Malcolm Birdling).
• Advising a NGO in relation to a potential access to justice challenge (led by Martin Chamberlain KC).

Many of Emma's competition and public law cases raise crosscutting issues relating EU and EU relations law, with the result that she has substantial experience advising on issues relating to retained and assimilated EU law. She has also acted in a number of cases specifically relating to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement and the rights of EU citizens residing in the UK post-Brexit.

Examples of Emma’s notable current or recent instructions in this area include:

• BHO v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: Emma is acting for the Defendant Secretary of State in this ongoing judicial review related to the compatibility of NHS charging regulations with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement (led by Sir James Eadie KC). 
• R (AT) v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Emma acted for the Independent Monitoring Authority before the Upper Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in connection with this landmark case concerning the continued application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights post-Brexit ([2022] UKUT 330 (AAC), [2023] EWCA Civ 1307) (led by Marie Demetriou KC).
• On The Beach v Ryanair: Emma acted for Ryanair in connection with an application for a lis pendens stay under Article 30 of the Brussels Regulation, raising issues of retained EU law ([2022] EWHC 861 (Ch)) (led by Brian Kennelly KC).
• Fratila v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Emma represented the Independent Monitoring Authority before the Supreme Court in this case concerning the entitlement of those with pre-settled status to certain welfare benefits ([2021] UKSC 53) (led by Marie Demetriou KC). The case raised issues concerning the interaction of the Withdrawal Agreement with retained EU law.
• Soanes & Ors v Food Standards Authority: Emma is acting (unled) for the Food Standards Authority in connection with a series of statutory appeals in the General Regulatory Chamber. She succeeded at a preliminary issues hearing held in June 2024 raising complex issues of statutory construction and retained EU law.
• R (Newby Foods Ltd) v Food Standards Agency: Emma successfully defended the Food Standards Agency in connection with this application for judicial review concerned with the classification of certain food products, raising issues of retained EU law (led by Malcolm Birdling) ([2022] EWHC 1505 (Admin)).
• Heathrow Hub Ltd v Secretary of State for Transport: a judicial review of the Government’s decision to endorse airport capacity expansion by way of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on the grounds of incompatibility with EU law ([2019] EWHC 1069 (Admin) and [2020] EWCA Civ 213; led by Robert O’Donoghue KC).

Emma is regularly instructed in commercial disputes of varying size and complexity. Her commercial cases often raise cross-cutting issues that are a complement to the other areas of her practice, including group litigation and tortious claims arising out of human rights abuses. Highlights of her recent commercial experience include:

• Acting for Sir Alan Duncan KCMG, the former Parliamentarian and Government minister, in connection with an application made by one of the parties in the long running Venezuela gold dispute to cross-examine him on hearsay statements made during his time in Government (unled).
• Defending a substantial professional negligence claim against a tax barrister, brought by over 100 claimants (led by Tom Adam QC). Amongst other things, this litigation yielded an important judgment relating to the selection of sample Claimants in group litigation ([2020] EWHC 1231 (Ch)).
• Acting for NRAM plc (formerly Northern Rock plc) in a £100 million professional negligence claim against Eversheds LLP (led by Tom Adam QC and Tony Singla). The case was chosen by The Lawyer as one of its Top 20 cases of 2018.
• Acting for the Serious Fraud Office in connection with the Tesco Profit Overstatement group litigation in the Financial List (led by Victoria Wakefield QC).
• Acting for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in a successful over-payment of salary claim (unled).
• Acting for Wye Valley NHS Trust in connection with a constructive trust claim against a contractual counterparty (unled).
• Acting for NatWest bank in a successful strike out / summary judgment application for payment under a guarantee and indemnity (unled).

Emma also has substantial commercial law experience as a result of her experience as a solicitor at Freshfields. During her training contract at Freshfields, Emma spent time in both the firm’s commercial litigation and international arbitration teams (as well as assisting on corporate and financial transactional work). After she qualified, she worked on a high-value international commercial arbitration before the LCIA, concerned with the contractual obligations of parents to a joint venture.

Gold at the end of the rainbow? The quantification provisions of the new EU Damages Directive, Competition Law Insight, Volume 13, Issue 6 (10 June 2014) (with Lawrence, Hollway and Howe).

Natural Justice in the CAT – Lessons for the Competition and Markets Authority and Private Parties, [2015] 8 GCLR 25 (with Das).

Questions Left Unanswered by the Great Repeal Bill, ALBA summer conference paper, July 2017 (with Bacon) (available online at https://adminlaw.org.uk/publications/lecture-papers/).

Competition Act Appeals—practice and procedure in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, LexisNexis practice note, July 2018.

Balancing Speed and Safety: the Authorisation of Covid-19 Vaccines and Medicines, Judicial Review, June 2020, DOI: 10.1080/10854681.2020.1780664 (with Stratford and MacKenzie).  

Professional experience:

2016: Called to the Bar of England and Wales

2013-16: Associate Solicitor, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

2011-13: Trainee Solicitor, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Education:

2016: Bar Transfer Test, BPP Law School

2013-15: MA in EU Competition Law, King’s College London

2011: Legal Practitioners’ Course, BPP Law School

2007-10: BA in Jurisprudence (Law), University of Oxford (Hertford College) (First Class, All Souls Prize for Best Performance in Public International Law, Final Honour Schools)

Scholarships and prizes:

Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year, 2020 (jointly with Jennifer MacLeod)

Highly Commended, Law Society’s Excellence in Pro Bono Award (jointly with Jennifer MacLeod and Arnold & Porter LLP)

Pupillage:

Bar European Group Phoenicia Scholar (2017)

Wolfson Scholarship, The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn (2016)

University of Oxford:

All Souls Prize for the Best Performance in Public International Law, Final Honour Schools (2010)

Twice recipient of the Hertford College Book Prize for academic achievement (2010)

Mooting and Advocacy:

Winner of the KCL Essex Court Chambers Mooting Competition (2015) (a four-stage commercial law competition, the final of which took place in the Supreme Court in March 2015 and was judged by Lord Judge).

Winner of the KCL Graveson Moot (2015) (a three-stage annual competition, covering contract, tort and public law. The final took place in the Royal Courts of Justice before a bench of three, including the Hon Sir David Foskett).

Appointments:

Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (B Panel)

Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Panel of Counsel (A Panel)

Professional Memberships:

ALBA, BEG, COMBAR, JUSTICE, Liberty

‘An effective and efficient advocate, and a great asset to the team.’ Legal 500 2021 ‘Calm, measured but fearless when necessary.’ Legal 500 2021

‘Diligent, detail-orientated and pragmatic.’ Legal 500 2021