Civil Liberties
If your rights have been infringed or you have suffered injustice at the hands of the State you don’t have to suffer in silence. For over 39 years, we have been at the vanguard of challenging unlawful actions by the State.
Hodge Jones & Allen is ranked in the top three tiers of law firms for Civil Liberties and Human Rights law in the UK (Chambers 2016). Our lawyers have an exceptional track record of holding authorities to account, including police forces, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Prison Service, Coroners, the Ministry of Defence, the Crown Prosecution Service, immigration detention centres and healthcare providers.
Download our Civil Liberties leaflet.
Our mission is to seek accountability from the state and redress for those whose rights have been infringed. We passionately believe in helping clients from all walks of life, irrespective of their resources. Here are the types of cases we can help you with:
Find out more about how we can help by visiting the other Civil Liberties pages in this section.
As well as our offices in Central London, we work in conjunction with Medway and Maidstone Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to offer monthly actions against the police clinics on the first Friday of each month. We offer a free initial twenty minute appointment with one of our solicitors about your case. We are at Medway CAB on Friday mornings and Maidstone CAB in the afternoon. To contact Medway CAB, please call 01634 383 760. To contact Maidstone CAB, please call 01622 752 420 / 757 882.
Hodge Jones & Allen LLP are also working in collaboration with Kent University Law Clinic running another actions against the police clinics in Canterbury. To contact the Kent Law Clinic about an appointment, please call 0808 274 9156.
Our Civil Liberties Solicitors are backed by nearly four decades of experience. Our legal practice and team of London Solicitors have a strong track record of achieving favourable client outcomes. For expert legal advice use our contact form or call us on 0808 250 6017 today.
Our Civil Liberties team is ranked as one of the top 10 firms in the UK for this area of law in Chambers UK 2016 and the Legal 500 2015.
Susie Labinjoh co-heads the firm’s civil liberties team. She is regarded by market sources as “very well prepared, has a good manner with clients and is very experienced,” She specialises in civil actions against the police and public authorities and related human rights claims; including related public law challenges and professional negligence claims. Chambers UK 2016
Jocelyn Cockburn co-heads the firm’s civil liberties team. She is described as a “renowned leader and an expert in the fields of Civil Liberties and Actions Against the Police.” Legal 500 2015
Sasha Barton represents clients in claims for miscarriages of justice, such as failure to investigate and protect. Commentators say: “Her legal analysis is great, she is very bright and always well prepared.” Chambers UK 2016
Our Civil Liberties solicitors have been recognised for their pioneering work on some of the most sensitive and high-profile cases over many years.
We launched the judicial review that helped secure the reopening of an investigation into Stephen Lawrence’s death, and which helped bring about the conviction of two men for his murder.
We won a landmark case in June 2013 at the Supreme Court on behalf of families killed in Iraq in poorly armoured Snatch Land Rovers. The ruling established that the Ministry of Defence has a duty to protect the human rights of soldiers, even when they are on the battlefield.
We are renowned for our work on miscarriage of justice compensation claims, our team has unrivalled expertise in this highly specialised field. We are currently challenging the restrictive eligibility criteria for entry to the statutory scheme for compensation for miscarriage of justice in the Court of Appeal.
Our lawyers have represented clients in all of the major protests in recent years, including the G20, Critical Mass, TUC day of action, UK UnCut, anti – Dsei and Dale Farm protests.
All of our lawyers are passionate about their work and have a reputation for fighting tenaciously for their clients no matter what obstacles they face. Several of our solicitors have achieved notable recognition for their outstanding work:
Jocelyn Cockburn:
Natalie Sedacca:
Sasha Barton:
Whatever your needs, our team of highly experienced Civil Liberties lawyers can provide you with the help and advice you need. The steps to take to get the advice you may need:
We’ll ensure that the solicitor you deal with is the right match for your specific situation, helping you find the best possible resolution during a stressful and often sensitive time.
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Jocelyn Cockburn Partner 
Susie Labinjoh Partner 
Sasha Barton Partner 
Alice Hardy Partner 
Nancy Collins Partner 
Natalie Sedacca Senior Associate 
Clair Hilder Senior Associate 
Cormac McDonough Solicitor 
Lucy Cadd Solicitor 
Saoirse Kerrigan Solicitor 
Joanna Bennett Solicitor 
Sarah Flanagan Solicitor 
Remyhs Baker Trainee 
Claire Brigham Legal Assistant 
Theo Richardson-Gool Paralegal Although your son may feel he was mistreated this doesn’t necessarily mean he will be able to claim compensation. If your son is over 18 then he will need to make a complaint himself, but this should be relatively straightforward with the support of a specialist police complaints solicitor.
The decision rests with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who will be given a copy of the investigation report and other evidence.
If he has a strong case, then he will be entitled to claim damages. The amount of damages varies depending on the severity of the complaint.
Yes, and you need to act quickly since the time limits are strictly enforced. If you are making a claim under the Human Rights Act then you need to issue your claim within a year of the incident. If your claim relates to negligence, then the time limit is three years. For other claims, the time limit is normally six years.
Funding a legal action through the courts yourself can cost a lot of money. You may be eligible for public funding (‘Legal Aid’) for your case against the police if you meet the Legal Services Commission’s financial criteria. Alternatively, if we think you have a strong case, we may be able to agree a no win no fee agreement with you.
We can help you deal with the initial investigations and inquest before the Coroner’s Court. We can also help you request the relevant information, such as witness statements, to enable a thorough investigation to be carried out.
