Civil Liberties & Human Rights Solicitors

ANTI BNP: Hodge Jones & Allen represented three protesters who were arrested whilst taking part in a counter-demonstration against a rally by the British National Party outside of the Houses of Parliament on 1 June 2013. The police placed conditions on the counter-demonstration and arrested the claimants for breach of these conditions. Two of the claimants were prosecuted and the third sustained serious injuries. There were questions over whether the conditions were lawful and/or properly communicated to those attending the demonstration. All three have received damages from the defendant.

PUBLIC INQUIRY: Our human rights lawyers were instructed by almost forty residents of Grenfell Tower, the surrounding walkways and local flats to represent them at the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. Our human rights lawyers have worked closely with the housing team to prepare proposed terms of reference for the inquiry, to draft core participant applications and to advise our clients on the inquiry process. We represent bereaved family members and survivors.

PROTESTORS BRINGING CLAIMS AGAINST THE POLICE: Anti-English Defence League – We represented over 60 protesters who were arrested after participating in a demonstration against the English Defence League through Tower Hamlets in 2013. Among the claims were misfeasance, on the basis that the police arrested for intelligence gathering purposes, rather than a genuine belief that the protesters had committed an offence. The police have accepted that there is an issue over the legality of the arrests.

SNATCH LAND ROVERS: Hodge Jones & Allen represented four relatives of servicemen who were killed when travelling in Snatch Land Rovers in Iraq, described as ‘mobile coffins’ by British soldiers, since 2007. The case finally reached its conclusion with a financial settlement in December 2016 and the receipt of a negotiated apology in May 2017. The apology is significant as the MOD had not acknowledged failings in relation to Snatch (and did not admit liability) but in the apology they recognised that steps should have been taken sooner to replace Snatch Land Rover vehicles from theatre which could have saved lives.