Leslie Thomas QC

YEAR OF CALL: 1988, 2003 (COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA), 2008 (ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA), 2014 (NORTHERN IRELAND), 2019 (IRELAND) | YEAR OF SILK: 2014

Leslie is a leading expert in claims against the police and other public authorities, and claims against corporate bodies, with expertise across the full spectrums of civil wrongs, civil litigation, human rights, data and privacy claims.

He is an expert in all aspects of inquests and public inquiries, having represented many bereaved families, in particular where there has been abuse of state or corporate power.

Leslie acts for claimants in judicial review proceedings and other public law proceedings. He regularly acts for clients in the Caribbean region on constitutional law challenges. He has represented claimants in clinical negligence and personal injury claims for the last 20 years. Leslie is currently Professor of Law at Gresham College delivering his lecture series Death, The State and Human Rights.

"A formidable trial advocate who is renowned for acting in high-profile claims against the police, and for representing families at inquests."

CHAMBERS UK, 2021 (POLICE LAW, BAND 1)

"An expert in Article 2 inquiries and is adept at handling public law challenges. He's a brilliant advocate."

CHAMBERS UK, 2021 (CIVIL LIBERTIES & HUMAN RIGHTS)

"A top-notch barrister, who is completely knowledgeable about all areas he specialises in."

CHAMBERS UK, 2021 (INQUESTS & PUBLIC INQUIRIES)

"Ferocious barrister who will go out of his way to fight for justice for his clients and hold the state to account."

LEGAL 500, 2021 (CIVIL LIBERTIES & HUMAN RIGHTS)

"Leslie is a force of nature. A fantastic jury advocate and second to none as a cross-examiner, he gets the core points out and does it in style. Juries love him."

CHAMBERS UK, 2020 (CIVIL LIBERTIES & HUMAN RIGHTS)

If you would like to get in touch with Leslie please contact the clerking team: [email protected] | +44 (0)20 7993 7600

CIVIL LIBERTIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS Leslie has a UK-wide reputation in civil liberties and human rights. He has acted as counsel and advocate in dozens of high-profile Article 2 inquiries, such as the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Independent Inquiry into Child

Sex Abuse, Carl Sargeant inquiry, the legacy cases involving the Provisional IRA and the Anthony Grainger and Azelle Rodney inquiries. His expertise, adroit handling of sensitive matters and dedication to vulnerable clients are widely acknowledged across the country.

INQUESTS AND INQUIRIES

Leslie’s UK-wide practice in civil liberties, police law and inquests has made him the go-to specialist for deaths in custody, shootings, pursuits and restraint deaths. As a result of his expertise and adroit handling of sensitive matters, Leslie was instructed in high-profile cases such as the Birmingham Pub Bombing inquest,

Kevin Clarke inquest, Sean Rigg inquest, Hillsborough disaster inquest, Mark Duggan inquest, the legacy cases involving the Provisional IRA and Christopher Alder inquest. Leslie’s notable experience in ECHR, judicial review and privacy matters proceedings is widely acknowledged in the marketplace.

NOTABLE CASES

Christi and Bobby Shepherd Inquest (Thomas Cook Corfu Carbon Monoxide case) [May 2015]

Leslie represented the families of Christi and Bobby Shepherd who died tragically as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2006 whilst on a Thomas Cook holiday with their father and his partner. More information here, here and here.

Eleanor De Freitas Inquest [March 2015]

Leslie represented the family of Eleanor De Freitas at the inquest into her death. More information here.

The Glenanne murders - Elizabeth MacDonald - Inquest

Leslie represented the family of Elizabeth MacDonald who was murdered by the Glenanne Gang in Northern

Ireland during the troubles. More information here.

Hillsborough inquests [March 2014]

Leslie represented 11 of the 96 families whose love ones died in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster. More information here.

Arsema Dawit inquest

Arsema Dawit aged 15 was stabbed in excess of 60 times and died in 2008. Leslie and Una Morris represented

Arsema’s mother at the inquest into her death which looked at the way the police handled her complaint that she was being harassed by the man who killed her in the weeks before her death. More information here.

Mark Duggan inquest and judicial review

Mark Duggan’s death on 4 August 2011 sparked civil unrest in the United Kingdom. Leslie represented Mark’s family and loved ones. More information here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyVZqX-9tVc

Azelle Rodney public inquiry

Azelle Rodney was killed having been shot six times by Metropolitan Police Officer, Anthony Long. Leslie represented Azelle’s mother at the public inquiry into the death. In 2013, Sir Christopher Holland, the

Chairman, determined that the shooting was an unlawful killing. More information here, here and here.

Medihani v HM Coroner of Inner South District of Greater

Leslie represented the mother of Arsema Dawit in the judicial review of the Coroner’s refusal to hold an

Article 2 ECHR inquiry into the death of a 15-year-old girl stabbed to death by her boyfriend following her reporting her fear of him and threats made by him to the police. The case was reported in ,

The Telegraph and by the BBC.

Sean Rigg inquest, judicial review and civil action

Leslie represented the family of Sean Rigg, who died in 2008 in custody at Police station following restraint. The case was widely reported by the BBC. More information can be found on the Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign website.

Clifford v Hertford Police[2011] EWHC 815 (QB)

Leslie represented the Claimant in successfully claiming damages and substantial costs for malicious prosecution against the police. This case was reported by The Telegraph.

CLAIMS AGAINST THE POLICE AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

Leslie’s UK-wide practice in police law this has made him the go-to specialist for deaths in custody, shootings, pursuits and restraint deaths. As a result of his expertise and adroit handling of sensitive matters, Leslie was instructed in a number of high-profile cases Clifford v Hertfordship Police, R (on the application of Lee) v CC

Essex Police , the legacy cases involving the Provisional IRA. Leslie’s notable experience in ECHR, judicial review and privacy matters proceedings is widely acknowledged in the marketplace. NOTABLE CASES

R (Birks) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2014] EWHC 3041 (Admin)

Leslie Thomas QC represented the Second Interested Party, Marcia Rigg-Samuel, in proceedings brought by a police officer in relation to the refusal of the Commissioner to consent to his resignation pending misconduct proceedings arising out of the death of Sean Rigg. The challenge to the decision failed. More information here.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND PUBLIC LAW

Leslie has notable experience in public law challenges and judicial review of powers of public bodies such as the police, and he often leads on test cases on human rights, policing and privacy.

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW

Leslie has been representing inhabitants of the island of Barbuda in several challenges against the state including a constitutional challenge against the government of Antigua in relation to the Barbudan’s rights to their land. A judicial review under the Antiguan Planning legislation and he has sought an injunction against the airport authorities in Antigua and Barbuda preventing the construction of an international airport.

BACKGROUND

Leslie has been with Garden Court Chambers for most of his professional life. He started his legal career in a commercial set of chambers but soon realised his true passion was representing individuals whose civil liberties/human rights had been violated.

As well as his extensive legal practice, he lectures widely to various organisations including coroners, universities, schools, pressure groups and non-profit organisations. Leslie is currently Professor of Law at

Gresham College delivering his lecture series Death, The State and Human Rights. He is an advocacy trainer for the Inner Temple and organises and conducts training courses for solicitors, barristers and coroners.

He has previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Westminster, Kingston University London and the

Open Universities.

He has a passion for motorcycles and playing the tenor saxophone. He is a competent Russian and French speaker.

PUBLICATIONS

Co-author of the popular practitioners textbook Inquests: A Practitioner’s Guide published by Legal Action

(1st edition 2002, 2nd edition 2008 and 3rd edition 2014)

Drafted the prison legislation for the Maldives, on behalf of the UN in 2005.

TRAINING AND SEMINARS

As well as his extensive legal practice, Leslie lectures widely to various organisations including coroners, universities, schools, pressure groups and non-profit organisations. He is an advocacy trainer for the Inner

Temple and organises and conducts training courses for solicitors, barristers and coroners.

In June 2020, Leslie was appointed as the first black Gresham Law Professor. His first-year lectures on

Death, The State, and Human Rights are available to watch here.

AWARDS

2020 - Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion, Chambers UK Bar Awards 2020

2017 - UK Diversity Legal Awards 2017, Winner, BSN Lifetime Achievement

2016 - Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards, Winner

2014 - Top 100 Lawyers award in the field of 'Campaigners', The Lawyer magazine

2013 - Awarded an LLD Honorary Doctorate in Law from Kingston University for services for civil rights

2013 - Lawyer of the year: Black Mental Health UK journal

2012 - Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards, Winner

APPEARANCES Leslie features in the highly acclaimed film Injustice by Ken Fero. During the film he was followed on the case of Ibrahim Sey, the first fatality in this country following the introduction and use of CS Spray.

In January 2021, Leslie featured in a BBC Panorama documentary ‘I Can’t Breathe: Black and Dead in

Custody’ speaking about police restraint deaths.

He also appeared on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Unreliable Evidence’ programme on ‘Public Inquiries’ presented by Clive

Anderson on 25 April 2018.

Leslie Thomas QC was the legal consultant on the BBC Drama 'Undercover' (2016) directed by Peter Moffat.

In 2015 his successful case against the Hertfordshire Police was made the subject of the book 'Fit Up: Fighting to Clear My Husband's Name' by Faith Clifford.

In 2014, Leslie received 'The Lawyer' (Magazine) Top 100 Award in the field of campaigners. In the same year he was also awarded the title of Queen's (Senior) Counsel.

Leslie Thomas QC was the co-executive producer on 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' (2011) directed by Lynn

Ramsay.

EDUCATION

LLB (Kingston) LLD (Kingston)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG) INQUEST Lawyers Group (ILG) Standards Committee for Public Life for Lewisham Council Elected member of JUSTICE council Former management committee for National Council for Civil Liberties (now Liberty) Former Chair of Central London Community Law Centre’s management’s committee

LANGUAGES Russian French

If you would like to get in touch with Leslie please contact the clerking team: [email protected] | +44 (0)20 7993 7600

57-60 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LJ Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7993 7600 DX: 34 Chancery Lane