Barrister Profile  

Clara joined Arden Chambers in 2016 and accepts instructions in all areas of chambers’ work. Before joining chambers, Clara worked at the employed Bar for the Government Legal Service, where she attended hearings before the County Court and High Court and provided legal advice for a large central government department in the areas of: public law and judicial review, government functions and policy, information law, international law, EU law, corporation tax and insolvency.

Prior to pupillage, Clara read Law at Pembroke College, University of Oxford, and was awarded the Harmsworth (Major) Scholarship by the Honourable Society of Middle Temple for the BPTC. After completing the BPTC, Clara worked in the litigation department of a leading international law firm in Toronto through the prestigious Middle Temple Harold G Fox Scholarship, where she gained exposure to a range of commercial disputes, arbitrations and large-scale class actions. The scholarship included a one-month placement at the Ontario Court of Appeal where Clara provided judicial assistance in both criminal and civil appeals.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Clara’s practice covers all aspects of anti-social behaviour under Part I of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Clara undertook a secondment at a large local authority where she regularly dealt with anti-social behaviour and gang injunctions, committals applications, public law defences, discrimination and legal capacity issues.

Housing

Clara represents both claimants and defendants in all areas of housing law. She has experience of possession claims, homelessness, succession, assignment, unlawful eviction, subletting, disrepair, warrant suspensions, bedroom tax, injunctions, discrimination and public law defences. Clara currently provides Court of Appeal case summaries for Housing Law Week.

Real Property

Clara accepts instructions from both social and private landlords and tenants in all matters relating to commercial and residential property. She has dealt with cases involving contractual tenancies, tenancy deposits, trusts and guardianship, leasehold forfeiture, boundary disputes and party walls. She also has experience of dealing with the transfer of freehold and leasehold properties, assents, statutory declarations, trusts and easements in the context of relationship breakdowns and probate. Clara has advised in matters involving suspected property fraud and rectification and indemnity applications to the Land Registry.

Public Law

Clara has a particular interest in public law, equality and human rights having gained a wealth of experience in these areas during her time at the Government Legal Service. At HMRC she conducted Human Rights Act analyses of new Finance Bill measures, provided legal advice on the department’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and dealt with discrimination claims made by members of the public. She has also dealt with judicial reviews and legitimate expectation in the context of government policy and the publication of both internal and external HMRC guidance.

Local Government

Clara’s experience at the Government Legal Service provides her with a strong government background. She has dealt with a range of matters in a government context, including functions and powers, government policy, statutory instruments (SIs), statutory interpretation, state aid, the four freedoms of the EU, and judicial review. She has also advised the government on information disclosure in cases involving government data sharing, trusts, domestic court orders and cross-border enforcement of foreign judgments.

Education

Clara accepts instructions in all areas of education law, including special educational needs challenges and school admission and exclusion appeals.

Regulatory

Clara accepts instructions in all areas of regulatory law relating to chambers’ core practice areas. Clara has represented clients in the General Regulatory Chamber tribunal and has dealt with housing enforcement and property licensing matters. During pupillage, Clara assisted in regulatory cases involving appeals against decisions of the General Medical Council.

Public Access

Clara is qualified to accept instructions through the Public Access scheme.

In 2016 Clara participated in the Bar Council Exchange Programme to Seoul, South Korea and was awarded an international grant from the Bar Council Scholarship Trust.

Clara has provided pro bono legal advice and representation in employment tribunals as a FRU (Free Representation Unit) Representative in claims involving unfair dismissal, disability discrimination, gross misconduct, redundancy and breach of contract.

Before commencing the BPTC, Clara spent three months in Thailand working as a legal intern for an NGO through the Oxford University International Internship Programme (OUIIP). She worked on grassroots human rights projects in affiliation with the United Nations, Chiang Mai University Law Faculty and various charity organisations.

Clara can speak fluent Korean and obtained the Law DPSI in 2011, a professional legal interpreting qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute of Linguists. She has previously been instructed to provide interpreting services for public bodies such as the Home Office, local authorities and the NHS.