Jules Carey, partner at Bindmans LLP and Head of our Actions against Police and State team, has been named Lawyer of the Year for Human Rights (London) in The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom 2023 edition.

Jules leads a busy and diverse practice, which spans a wide range of human rights cases including undercover policing abuses, police surveillance and the full range of actions against the state private and public law challenges, where they have exceeded or abused their powers. He represents journalists, activists, politicians and action groups in what are often extremely complex claims. Recognised in both the Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 directories as a leader in his field, Jules is commended for his ‘incredible energy, verve and vigour’ and his ‘incredibly strategic’ approach, as well as his impressive client care and negotiation skills.

Jules’ recent reported cases include:

• Representing Great Britain Sprinter Bianca Williams and Portuguese sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos in relation to allegations of dishonesty and discrimination against Metropolitan Police officers following a stop and search. Read more here.
• Successfully representing frontline NHS nurses Karen Reissmann and Patricia Gallagher, together with his colleague Emily-Jade Defriend, in a compensation claim against Greater Manchester Police. Ms Reissmann was fined £10,000 by the police for organising a small, peaceful, socially distanced protest against the 1% pay rise for NHS staff, and Ms Gallagher was arrested and fined £200 for contravening Covid-19 regulations by attending the protest. Read more here.
• Representing Andy Aitchison, an NUJ journalist who was unlawfully arrested and issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by Kent Police. Andy had been taking photographs of activists protesting outside a military camp where asylum seekers were being detained. Jules and his colleague Rachel Harger brought Judicial Review proceedings and civil claims for his arrest and treatment by police officers. The Kent Police agreed to pay substantial compensation and withdraw the fine, and the Chief Constable of Kent Police provided a letter in which he ‘unreservedly’ apologised to Andy. Read more here. 
• Successfully representing Extinction Rebellion in the High Court against the Metropolitan Police, who had banned the movement from protesting in London, and assisting the organisation with the navigation of Covid-19 regulations, enabling Covid-aware protesters to exercise their rights to protest, and avoid arrest. Read more here.  
• Acting on behalf of Julian Cole, who suffered a broken neck and severe spinal cord injury, leaving him almost completely paralysed and severely brain damaged. Civil claims for damages and other relief remain ongoing.

The Actions against Police and State team at Bindmans are best known for acting in high-profile, ground-breaking, legally complex cases. The team are highly experienced in advising on deaths or serious injury after contact with the police, or in cases of overzealous or discriminatory policing where human rights are being breached.