My time at Matrix Chambers has undoubtedly been the most insightful legal experience I have undertaken.
The core highlight of my time at Matrix was shadowing Edward Craven KC and Florence Iveson in their representation of Mr Mustafa Al-Hawsawi, a Guantánamo Bay detainee bringing a case against four United Kingdom intelligence agencies. Mr Al-Hawsawi, through the non-governmental organisation REDRESS, alleges these intelligence agencies were consistently complicit in his dehumanising torture at Guantánamo. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a special court established to provide a right of redress to those suspected of having experienced human rights violations by secretive intelligence agencies, held this open hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice. We were privileged to arrive in alignment with the start of this trial.
As an aspiring barrister with a particular interest in public law, human rights, and extradition, this case shone an incriminating light on the brutal attitudes towards “High-Value Detainees” in Guantánamo post-9/11 and, despite the complex legal terminology, Edward Craven KC and Hugh Southey KC made submissions with the utmost clarity and eloquence, denouncing the “blind eye” that United Kingdom agencies turned to information obtained using cruel torture. I particularly enjoyed listening to Lord Justice Singh’s interventions on these barristers’ submissions, as the President of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and a founding member of Matrix Chambers, Lord Justice Singh has an exceptionally academic, principled, and impressive quality to his speech.
The extent to which my knowledge of public and international law has broadened in shadowing this case is astounding. Particularly, the application of criminal law principles to international law in the quest to define an organisation’s “complicity” interested me. I am sincerely excited to see where this case lands. Compounding this academic experience was the social aspect, particularly the friendliness and approachability of Matrix’s barristers, such as Edward and Florence, who answered my many questions with care and attention.
Another highlight of my placement was shadowing the Legal Services Support (LSS) team at Matrix. Sonder Li and Dan Rudd took special time to take us through the mechanics of legal research – for example, Sonder taught us how to use Westlaw, while Dan demonstrated how the LSS team creates bundles for barristers. One enlightening session took place on the first day, during which Sonder taught us how to identify, read, and extract the most important principles from a case. We examined R v Hallam, a leading case on protest law, as well as the balancing act courts must undertake in human rights cases. Sonder’s intellectual ability to patiently guide us through the various legal tests used in such scenarios was exceptional, demonstrating the sheer talent at Matrix.
One of my favourite experiences at Matrix was undertaking court runs with Iona Elkington. Despite being busy, Iona was very attentive to us, offering endlessly helpful advice on applying to university, even going so far as to provide us with sheets explaining the English legal system as well as the LNAT. Iona guaranteed we felt comfortable and listened to throughout the entire experience. Furthermore, Theo Lyons, Front of House at Matrix, was also a pleasant and familiar face to see each morning, and he diligently ensured we knew what we were doing at every stage.
My time at Matrix Chambers will stay with me as I endeavour to become a barrister. The people at Matrix are approachable and lovely, and they want the best for your professional growth. Thank you to everyone I met.