Black History Month: Susie Labinjoh’s Lifelong Commitment to Justice and Human Rights

At Hodge Jones & Allen the month of October sees us celebrate Black History Month, a month that fosters reflection, conversation and connection across the firm. This year’s theme is Honouring Our Communities, a theme that recognises the people, places and connections that inspire, support and shape us. The month marks an ideal time to recognise the contributions, achievements and experiences of Black individuals within the legal profession and beyond. This special series of articles sees individuals within the firm talk about what the month means for them, the proudest moments in their career, what inspires them, moves them, and what Honouring Our Communities means to them. The third individual in our series features Partner, Susie Labinjoh.

As Head of the Civil Liberties & Human Rights Team at Hodge Jones & Allen, Susie Labinjoh has dedicated her career to defending fundamental rights, challenging abuses of state power, and securing justice for those who have suffered profound injustices.

Susie’s commitment to this work has deep roots. Having spent part of her childhood in Zambia while apartheid remained in force in nearby South Africa, she witnessed the impact that discriminatory laws and unchecked state power could have on individuals and communities. Those early experiences instilled a lifelong determination to challenge oppression and stand up for those whose voices might otherwise go unheard.

After studying Philosophy at university, Susie worked at a legal aid firm, where she was inspired by the difference lawyers could make to people’s lives. She subsequently completed her Graduate Diploma in Law at the University of Westminster and her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law before joining Hodge Jones & Allen as a trainee solicitor in 1997. She qualified in 1999, became an Associate in 2002, and was made a Partner in 2005. Today, she leads one of the country’s most respected Civil Liberties and Human Rights teams.

Over the course of her career, Susie has become recognised as one of the UK’s leading practitioners in civil actions against the police, prison service and other public authorities. She has represented bereaved families following deaths in custody, challenged unlawful state conduct through human rights and public law claims, and fought tirelessly for victims of miscarriages of justice.

In particular, Susie is renowned for her expertise in compensation claims for miscarriages of justice. She has acted in a number of landmark and high-profile cases, including those involving the M25 Three and the Bridgewater Four, and took the case of R (Hickey & Others) v Independent Assessor all the way to the House of Lords. Since 2005, she has served on the advisory board of the Miscarriage of Justice Support Service, helping to provide free advice and assistance to those wrongfully convicted.

Susie has also been a steadfast supporter of the right to protest throughout her career. She has represented protesters involved in major demonstrations spanning more than two decades, including anti-G20 protests, the Royal Wedding protests, the TUC Day of Action, environmental and anti-racism demonstrations, including Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protests. Her work reflects a long-standing belief in the importance of protecting democratic freedoms and ensuring accountability when those rights are infringed.

Throughout her career, Susie has remained passionate about access to justice and the protection of human rights. She has spoken openly about the importance of the Human Rights Act in safeguarding individual freedoms and balancing the power of the state. Looking to the future, she hopes to see stronger mechanisms for accountability, wider access to justice, and a fairer system for compensating victims of miscarriages of justice.

Susie’s reputation is built not only on legal expertise but on an unwavering commitment to fighting for those who have suffered injustice. Reflecting on what motivates her work, Susie has said: “It’s not about high-profile cases, it’s about ordinary people who suffer injustices at the hands of the state.” That principle continues to define her career and makes her an inspiring figure to celebrate during Black History Month and beyond.

Throughout the month we will be featuring similar articles discussing this year’s theme Honouring Our Communities. October 2026 in fact marks 39 years since the first Black History Month was celebrated in the UK. Across that time, this notable month has evolved from early efforts to spotlight the contributions and achievements of Black people throughout history, including the legal sector, to becoming a vital part of public discourse, education, public history, and the progression of the legal profession over time.