Introduction
Alex joined Chambers as a tenant in 2017 following the successful completion of her pupillage. She has a busy practice which covers all areas of Chambers’ work, with a particular focus on administrative and public law, competition law and sports law. Alex is regularly instructed both as part of a team and as sole counsel, and has appeared in a range of courts and tribunals.
Alex spent the first year of her practice working at the UK Supreme Court as a judicial assistant to Lord Reed and Lord Briggs. During this time, she assisted the Justices in many high-profile cases across a range of areas of law.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Alex taught Contract Law at Brasenose College, University of Oxford. She graduated from the University of Oxford with a First in Law and French Law, and a Distinction in the BCL. She was graded Outstanding on the Bar Professional Training Course.
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Administrative & public
Alex has extensive academic and practical experience of public and administrative law. As a judicial assistant to Lord Reed, she was involved in high-profile public law cases, including the challenge to Northern Irish abortion law on human rights grounds, and the second benefit cap case.
Since becoming a tenant, she has been instructed in a number of judicial reviews and Human Rights Act claims as both joint and sole counsel. Highlights of her current and recent cases include:
- Acting for the claimant in a successful judicial review of a local authority’s decision to increase council tax contributions for taxpayers on a low income.
- Advising in relation to the human rights implications of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Acting in a successful disability discrimination and Human Rights Act claim in relation to a local authority’s decision to register a child on the child protection register.
- Acting for a young person with special educational needs in a successful appeal against their EHC Plan in the SENDist Tribunal.
- Acting for the claimant in a Human Rights Act claim in relation to a local authority’s failure to secure educational provision for a young person unable to attend mainstream school for mental health reasons.
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Competition
Alex is regularly instructed as junior counsel in high-profile and complex competition litigation, including in two of the Lawyer’s “Top 20 cases for 2019”.
Cases
Highlights of her current and recent cases include:
- Trucks: Acting as junior counsel for a major European truck manufacturer in the Trucks litigation. Alex is involved in both the individual claims and in the claims under the collective proceedings regime.
- NHS v Servier: Acting as junior counsel for NHS Scotland and Northern Ireland in the NHS’s “pay-for-delay” claims against Servier.
- Justin Gutmann v First MTR South Western Trains Limited and others: Acting as junior counsel for the proposed class representative in collective proceedings claims against the operators of the South Eastern and Southwestern rail franchises.
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Sports
Alex is rapidly gaining experience of sports law and has been instructed in a number of high-profile matters. She has particular expertise in matters relating to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations. She also has experience in contractual disputes between players and agents.
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Commercial and regulatory
Alex was instructed by the National Infrastructure Commission in connection with its study into the UK’s model of regulation for energy, water and telecoms (led by Julian Gregory). The Commission’s report was published in October 2019. Advising on this wide-ranging review has provided Alex with a broad understanding of UK economic regulation.
Alex’s other recent regulatory work includes acting for the Civil Aviation Authority in a number of regulatory investigations.
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Public procurement
As a pupil to Valentina Sloane QC and Philip Woolfe, Alex gained extensive experience of public procurement across a range of sectors, including health, defence, travel and culture. She is a member of the Procurement Lawyers Association.
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Information
Alex frequently acts in appeals against decisions of the Information Commissioner, and was until recently a contributing author to the Freedom of Information Journal. She is currently instructed by the Commissioner in its appeal to the Upper Tribunal in Driver v ICO.
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Additional Information
Education and scholarships
- BA in Law and French Law, Brasenose College, Oxford, First Class Honours
- BCL, Brasenose College, Oxford, Distinction
- BPTC, City Law School, Outstanding
Alex has been awarded a number of scholarships, including:
- Lord Mansfield Scholarship (the highest BPTC award from Lincoln’s Inn)
- City Law School Scholarship for Academic Excellence
- Hardwicke Entrance Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
- Barry Nicholas Scholarship for the BCL, Brasenose College, Oxford
- Buchanan Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
- Phoenicia Scholarship, Bar European Group
Pro bono
Alex has worked pro bono for a number of organisations, including the Free Representation Unit and Oxford Legal Assistance.
Memberships
- Administrative Law Bar Association
- Bar European Group
- Procurement lawyers Association
- Publications