I am a solicitor who specialises in representing bereaved families at inquests and in civil claims following the death of a loved one in prison or police custody. I currently work alongside Jocelyn Cockburn. I also work on actions against the police, with a particular interest in challenging the police when young people have been poorly treated. I am an accredited police station representative, advising members of the public who have been arrested or have been asked to be interviewed by the police. The majority of the clients that I work with rely on legal aid funding.

I joined Hodge Jones & Allen as a trainee solicitor in 2017 and worked with Nigel Richardson in Criminal Defence, Jacqueline Major in Family law and Jayesh Kunwardia in Social Housing before concluding my training with Alice Hardy in Civil Liberties.

Before switching careers, I worked for a youth work charity and listened to the concerns and challenges of young people in the inner-city before informing and advising politicians and the wider public. I co-authored a report on the risks faced by thousands of girls associated with gangs that featured on all major news outlets including the front page of the BBC website. Previously, I worked in central government as an economist in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I worked closely with 10 Downing Street to prepare the Prime Minister and other Ministers for G8 and G20 Summits.

Client comments

• “The advice I received was well reasoned and directed at achieving the best possible outcome. My lawyer was able to ease my concerns, set out the options, and constructively guide me though what ended up being a lengthy process. I felt I could trust my lawyer, and felt confident about the discussion we made on the case. In the end the result was a good one.
  Also the work he has done on the case to share documents so we always know what was going on with the case at different times was A*
  Thank you Aston Luff from Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors. From me, my mum and my sister for the hard work that u did on the case to make the inquest run smoothly and to get justice for the family at its hard time. It was like we have someone fighting for the small people. thanks so much Aston and all the very best for the near future.”
• “Aston was the [trainee] solicitor that dealt with my case. He was absolutely amazing, he was understanding, empathetic, and overly helpful and informative through each stage of my case . Aston is so professional with a great ability to connect on a human level, he’s like a friend at your side fighting your corner to get the best outcome for you. I deeply feel Aston is a great solicitor and is /will be an asset to any firm he decides to work at. I wish him great success in all his future endeavours. Thank you, Aston.” Rosemarie Farmer

Professional Comments

• “Big up Aston – he’s been amazing with the clients, on top of every part of the papers and generally an enormous help in discussing ideas and tactics. A brilliant addition to your team.” Tom Stoate of Garden Court Chambers 
• “Aston was absolutely all over the facts, and the important issues, from the outset. He really helped me get on top of the important stuff in the inquest…. That attention to detail, and the ability to identify what mattered and what didn’t, continued throughout the trial. If I was floundering trying to remember where a detail was he was immediately, or very soon, able to find it. The thing people don’t appreciate is that having someone you can trust who is able to find this stuff quickly, enables you to focus on the actual advocacy and to hit back at a witness quickly. It really is so important for a case. He was fabulous.

  “His judgment was superb. He was able to tactfully push me to think about issues and question my judgment on certain matters, and make me think about things differently. Sometimes I stayed with my view, sometimes he changed my view, but his ability and judgment was fantastic, and definitely got the best out of me. He’s got a lovely manner and has a way with people which is unusual for people with his obvious academic ability. He doesn’t get your back up at all. That combination means he can get the best out of counsel. A great skill to have. He had his eye on the civil case, but not too much. The process of the inquest is an important one for closure for the family.…. He was truly dedicated and committed – going to extraordinary lengths to get this case properly presented….. His dedication shone through especially compared to the other lawyers in the case (paid much much more no doubt).

  “So, all in all I really, really do want to commend him and thank him for his ability, his dedication and his commitment. His contribution was immense and the family should be eternally grateful to HJA for allocating him to the case. I certainly am.” Katy Thorne QC of Doughty Street Chambers.

Memberships & Appointments 

• The Police Action Lawyers Group
• The Inquest Lawyers Group

Career

• Solicitor and Trainee Solicitor – Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors (2017 – Present)
• Political and Advocacy Officer – XLP (Urban Youth Work Charity) (2013-2016)
• Economist, International Development Team – Foreign and Commonwealth Office (2011-2012)

Education

• BPP (Holborn) – Legal Practice Course (2016-2017), Distinction
• BPP (Waterloo) – Graduate Diploma in Law (Part-Time) (2014-2016), Distinction
• University of Bath – Economics and International Development BSc (2009-2013), 1st Class