Called: 2019
Qualified to accept Public Access instructions
Licensed to Conduct Litigation
Introduction
Lucia is a barrister specialising in extradition, crime, and international law with over 10 years experience working for various clients and actors at national and international level. She also lectures in Oxford on topics of international, EU and human rights law and policy.
In her domestic practice, Lucia is regularly instructed to defend clients in extradition proceedings before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court and the High Court. In her defence extradition practice Lucia often utilises her language skills and country knowledge, for example, regarding Slovakia and Czechia.
Following her secondment at the CPS Extradition Unit, Lucia is on the Extradition Prosecutor Panel (Level 2). During her secondment, as a senior crown prosecutor, Lucia represented Requesting States in extradition proceedings.
Lucia also defends and prosecutes in the Magistrates’, Youth and Crown Courts and her practice extends to a full range of criminal offences. She is on the CPS General List (Level 1). She has frequently appeared before regulatory panels.
In her international practice, Lucia accepts instructions in the areas of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, human rights, and EU law. Lucia’s expertise also includes a niche developing area of law of business and human rights.
Current work
Apart from her domestic practice Lucia has been involved in several international high-profile matters, amongst others, the current situation in Yemen and cases pending before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, and other work such as advising INGOs on data protection issues.
Current situation in Yemen
Lucia contributed to the drafting of a communication submitted to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague contending that an investigation should be commenced into the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed in Yemen. In this communication, it was argued that the ICC has jurisdiction over the existing situation in Yemen, which is a non-Party to the Rome Statue of the ICC, utilising the previous similar successful arguments regarding the ICC jurisdiction over the crimes with cross-border elements deployed by Guernica 37 in the case of Rohingya refugees fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh. Lucia contributed to the Rohingya ICC communication in her previous role as an associate.
Lucia also took charge in drafting a submission to the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of the Metropolitan Police (SO15), which contended that an investigation regarding the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Yemen should be opened in England against specified individuals relying on the principle of universal jurisdiction.
Kosovo Specialist Chambers
Lucia has been working on various cases Chambers has been instructed in before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. For instance, she drafted submissions, participated in reviewing the evidence and in considering issues such as the admissibility of the evidence.
Previous experience
Lucia completed 18 months criminal law pupillage in another leading London based set. During her pupillage Lucia practised in the areas of general crime, youth court work, and extradition. Lucia contributed, in several posts, to the Extradition Hub on CrimeLine. She also worked on cases with international law elements such as human trafficking and complaints brought before the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
Prior to her pupillage, Lucia gained a wide variety of legal work experience at national and international level, including lecturing in Oxford in the areas of international, human rights and EU law and policy.
Whilst doing her PhD in Oxford, she took up a position as an assistant lawyer to the legal adviser of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in France, where she worked on many pressing human rights and international law-related issues such as the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the accession of the European Union to the European Convention of Human Rights, and foreign terrorist fighters.
Previously, Lucia worked at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg in Chambers of Advocate General Juliane Kokott and Judge Daniel Svaby, and as a senior paralegal in the crime team in a firm of solicitors in Oxford, where she headed Crown Court unit, ran her own Crown Court caseload, and represented clients in the police station.
Education
PhD in International and European Law, Oxford Brookes University (Oxford, UK)
BPTC, University of Law (London, UK)
Certificate in Law, War and Human Rights, London School of Economics (London, UK)
LLM in International and European Law, Jean Moulin University (Lyon, France)
LLB, Oxford Brookes University (Oxford, UK)
Memberships
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum (DELF)
Association of Young International Criminal Lawyers
Appointments and Awards
CPS Extradition Panel (grade 2)
CPS Panel (grade 1)
Publications
CrimeLine
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Case comment: good news for the future of the “forum bar”?
https://crimeline.co.uk/knowledge-base/case-comment-good-news-for-the-future-of-the-forum-bar/
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Prison conditions and extradition proceedings in the time of coronavirus
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Remote justice: extradition proceedings in the time of coronavirus
International, human rights and EU law
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It’s about Human Rights, Stupid!
https://verfassungsblog.de/its-about-human-rights-stupid/
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The new Directive on intra-corporate transferees: Will it enhance protection of third-country nationals and ensure EU competitiveness?
http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-new-directive-on-intra-corporate.html
Expertise
Extradition & Mutual Legal Assistance
Rule of Law Development
Government Advisory Work
Public International Law
Atrocity Crime Prevention
International Criminal Law
Anti-Corruption & Bribery
Languages
English
Slovak (native)
Czech (fluent)
French and German (business)