Practice & Background
Claire is a solicitor (admitted to the Roll in 2002) and former barrister (called to the English Bar in 1999). She has practised exclusively in criminal defence since qualifying as a lawyer and for the last 15 years has been specialised in criminal appeals.
She acts for individuals who seek expert advice on the merits of an appeal against conviction and/or sentence to the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division. She also advises on the merits of applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). She undertakes both publicly funded and privately funded work.
Claire is experienced in dealing with appeal cases where there is a mental health component. She acts for children and in other cases where individuals are particularly vulnerable. She has been ranked in Chambers and Partners (UK Edition) and noted as being “a highly regarded criminal lawyer” (2015 Edition), “one of the top appellate specialists in the country” and “brilliant at case preparation” (2014 Edition).
Claire is an expert contributor to Westlaw Insight UK and has published a number of articles covering a range of criminal law topics. She is a member of the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association and the Howard League for Penal Reform.
Full Biography (PDF)