
- Contact:
- clairedarwin@matrixlaw.co.uk
- Practice Team:
- practiceteamm@matrixlaw.co.uk
Claire Darwin is a highly regarded specialist in Employment and Discrimination Law. She undertakes related work in the fields of Commercial, Public, Education, Human Rights and EU Law.
Claire was one of eight barristers shortlisted for The Lawyer’s Barrister of the Year Award 2020, for which she received a Commendation in November 2020. She was named as one of the UK’s “Hot 100 Lawyers” by The Lawyer magazine in January 2020, and was shortlisted for Employment Junior of the Year in the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2020. In 2019 she was shortlisted for both Employment Junior of the Year and Public Law Junior of the Year in the Legal 500 UK Awards.
Claire is recognised as a leading barrister for Employment, Education, and Public Law by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. The Legal 500 2021 lists her as one of the top twelve leading employment juniors at the London Bar. According to recent editions of the Directories, Claire is a “go-to barrister” who “has a completely forensic understanding of her cases” and “always gives it her all.” The Directories highlight that she is a “fearsome advocate”, “an excellent cross-examiner” and “insightful, sharp and responsive.”
In June 2017 Claire was appointed to the Attorney General’s A Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown, a small panel of barristers appointed to advise and represent the UK government in its most complex civil and EU cases. She has also been appointed to the Attorney General’s Panel of Special Advocates, and to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Panel of Preferred Counsel. Claire was called to the Bar of Ireland on 19 July 2018, and is a member of the Law Library of Ireland.
Claire’s advocacy experience includes over 30 reported cases, including cases in the European Court of Human Rights and the UK Supreme Court. A selected list of her significant cases is available here.
Claire is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to clients, including advice and representation services, Claire needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes her client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which she is instructed. To read Claire’s privacy notice in full, please see here.
“She is absolutely phenomenal in the way she’s always on top of the detail and the law.” “She’s very forensic, pragmatic and client-friendly.” ” She is super responsive, really quick to embrace the unusual areas of law and cuts through the issues very quickly.” “She is incredibly bright and very detailed in her paperwork.” (Chambers UK Bar 2021)
“Great to work with: she’s very thorough, pro-active, approachable and clear.” “Claire fights hard for her clients and has had some tremendous successes. She doesn’t leave a stone unturned.” “Insightful, sharp and responsive.” (Legal 500 2021)
“She has a complete forensic understanding of her cases and will fight to the end.” “She’s prepared to get off the fence and provides very clear and straightforward advice.” “Very knowledgeable in the field, able to come up with very novel points and a good person to have on the team.” (Chambers UK Bar 2020)
“Tenacious and up for a fight; always gives it her all.” (Legal 500 2020)
“Highly experienced advocate who is well known for her strength in discrimination cases and claims concerning TUPE.” “Darwin has a track record of acting in high-profile cases.” “Her decision-making is first class.” “A very good advocate who has very good judgement.” (Chambers UK Bar 2019)
“A go-to barrister who is highly inventive and responsive.” “She is responsive, supportive, inventive, enthusiastic and empathetic.” (Legal 500 2019)
“Forensic and incredibly thorough.” “She’s very approachable and has good rapport with clients. Detailed in her research, she gives clear advice and is always available to speak about cases.” (Chambers UK Bar 2018)
“A highly regarded junior with a fast-developing and varied practice.” (Legal 500 2017)
‘Claire Darwin is widely respected within the market for her expertise in employment and discrimination law, often with human rights and public law elements. She is praised as “responsive, approachable, supportive, imaginative and decisive”. (Who’s Who Legal 2018)
“She is very good for technical discrimination matters”. (Legal 500 2017)
“Highly experienced advocate who is commended by clients for her extensive attention to detail and preparation for her cases. She’s a fearsome advocate and is very approachable.” (Chambers UK Bar 2017)
“Exceptionally bright and hardworking, and undoubtedly one of the leading lights on TUPE and discrimination.” (Legal 500 2016)
“An experienced appellate advocate, who is well known for the strength of her advocacy.”; “A well-prepared adviser and an excellent cross-examiner.” (Chambers & Partners 2016)
“She is incredibly pragmatic and proactive in approaching cases.” (Chambers & Partners 2016)
“She genuinely cares about her clients and their cases, and is not afraid to push boundaries.” (Legal 500 2015)
“A very quick thinker on her feet, she is a rising star at the set.” “A really strong advocate, she knows when and when not to be aggressive.” (Chambers & Partners 2015)
“She is confident and assertive, and takes a proactive approach to case strategy.” (Chambers & Partners 2015)
“Very reliable, and particularly strong in discrimination claims.” (Legal 500 2014)
“She’s very responsive and diligent, particularly on TUPE and discrimination claims.” (Chamber & Partners 2014)
“I would not hesitate to recommend her. She adopts a very proactive approach.” (Chamber & Partners 2014)
“Claire Darwin is a very bright and hardworking junior.” (Legal 500 2013)
“Claire Darwin is frequently instructed in Employment Tribunal and appellate matters by leading firms.” (Chambers & Partners 2013)
“Claire Darwin is gaining an increasing reputation for her appellate work, and has recently appeared before the ECHR.” (Chambers & Partners 2013)
“Recommended juniors include the ‘commercially minded’ Claire Darwin.” (Legal 500, 2012)
“Confident and assertive, she is a real star in the making.” (Chambers and Partners 2012)
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