"One of the brightest, 'outside the box' strategic legal minds in the legal profession."
Danny specialises at the interface between crime, civil liability, human rights and public law, with additional focus on public international law. He advises private individuals, NGOs and companies, as well as UK and foreign state organisations seeking to comply with human rights and humanitarian law obligations.
His investigatory and advice work in relation to the public sector includes the operation of the rule of law in a number of foreign states, including in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
His work with corporate clients has especially come to focus on their identifying and maintaining policy initiatives to promote dignity, wellbeing, safety and security.
Danny has co-authored publications on inquest law, human rights law and crime, including the human rights chapter in Archbold and INQUESTS – A Practitioners Guide (LAG 2014). Danny sits as a Temporary High Court Judge in Northern Ireland. He is an ADR Group Accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator.
Danny is a leading expert in the country on inquests and public inquiries, especially where the subject engages the right to life or matters of human dignity. His cases include Middleton that establishes the approach to verdicts where the inquest engages Article 2 and Keenan v UK that concerns the ill-treatment of prisoners with mental illness. He has been involved in major inquiries in England and Northern Ireland concerning policing, the armed services and institutional child abuse. He has also acted for bereaved families and other victims in a number of private investigations into wrongful death and ill- treatment. He recently acted for 300 bereaved and surviving residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. He currently represents the Disabled People’s Organisations in the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Danny has particular expertise in judicial review proceedings concerning controversial decisions by Government, policing, security services or other regulatory bodies. He has appeared in many of the landmark cases concerning counter-terrorism policy and legislation, as well as challenges relating to the investigation of war crimes in Iraq and Northern Ireland. He most recently acted in proceedings brought against the Metropolitan police in relation to its investigation of Downing Street parties conducted in breach of the Covid regulations.
Danny has worked on a number of large actions against the Security Services and police in England and Northern Ireland, including those adjudicated upon under the Justice and Security Act 2013, where the courts rely on ‘closed evidence’. He also does wrongful death and ill-treatment claims arising in the private sector, especially where the issue involves a broader human rights perspective. This includes carrying out internal investigations of companies, and NGOs, to establish whether tortious or other non-compliant conduct has occurred in order to assist ADR and organisational development.
Danny has acted in all areas of serious crime throughout his career including terrorism, corruption, health and safety and homicide. His work generally involves allegations that require an appreciation of social and political context. He is noted for his advice to clients seeking either to initiate proceedings because of human rights ill-treatment, or to take pre-emptive steps to prevent prosecution where defences can be established early. He is also well known for his work on historic miscarriages of justice, and related investigations. He was a scrutiny advisor to the Wiltshire Police in its investigation of Edward Health and part of the team that sought to reopen investigations into massacres in Colonial Malaya in Batang Kali, and in the ‘Murder Triangle’ in Northern Ireland. He also acted on the Shrewsbury 24 appeal concerning the quashed 1973 convictions of pickets from the Building trade.
2008 Awarded the Chambers and Partners Junior of the Year award for Human Rights and Public and Administrative Law
2010 Short listed for the Justice Human Rights Lawyer of the Year
2011 Short listed for the Chambers and Partners Junior of the Year award for Human Rights and Public and Administrative Law
Inquests: A Practitioners Guide 3rd Edition (2014), co-author with Leslie Thomas KC, Adam Straw KC and Daniel Machover
Archbold Criminal Practice and Pleadings, contributing editor (Human Rights chapter)
Emmerson and Ashworth, Human Rights and Criminal Law (2nd Edition), contributing editor (Chapters 4, 14 and 18)
Owen and Smith, Asset Recovery, contributing editor to 1st Edition (Introductory chapter)
“A Common Law of Human Rights: History, Humanity and Dignity” (2016) 4 EHRLR 378
“Torture and Modernity” (2013) 5 EHRLR 494
“Torture and the Common Law” (2006) 2 EHRLR 180
“From Due Deference to Due Process: Human Rights Litigation in the Criminal Law” (2002) 2 EHRLR 218
Butterworths Guide to the Police Act (1998), co-author with Ben Emmerson KC
Danny is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to his clients, including advice and representation services, Danny needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes his client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which he is instructed. To read Danny’s privacy notice in full, please see here.
"Danny undertakes high-profile and complex work."
"He is tireless in his determination to get to the heart of an issue and to unpick complex legal challenges. He is thoughtful and collegiate in his approach and cares deeply about the needs of his lay clients. His advocacy is eloquent and forceful."
"He is very energetic in his advocacy and very compelling."
"Danny combines an efficient working manner with an exceptional ability to process information quickly and produce high quality written submissions. He is very good at leading at team, and has a great manner with clients."
"He argued really, really eloquently and did a superb job." "Danny is a fantastic lawyer - he brings an insightful and forensic approach to criminal law."
"Danny is a superbly effective barrister."
"Danny is incredible with clients, he is really hard-working and charming." "He is an accomplished practitioner, a forensic and sharp advocate." "Danny is holistic in his approach, deals with complex concepts and formulates them in a reasonable way."
"He is very personable, very passionate, extremely smart and a delight to work with." "He is really enthusiastic and sensitive to what clients want; he is very inclusive in terms of thinking through the issues and looking for input from all members of the team."
"The go-to barrister for when human rights, public law and criminal law overlap." "He is real talent, with good judgement that you can trust."
"A bit of a superbrain who is able to get to the issues that matter in double quick time."
"Danny is a very gifted human rights lawyer, who is highly intelligent and produces excellent written arguments." "He is a details person, has a phenomenal brain."
"One of the brightest, 'outside the box' strategic legal minds in the legal profession."
"Highly conscientious and extremely thoughtful about the work set, taking extraordinary care to understand the facts and to apply the law. Danny has an excellent manner with clients and is a very good leader of a group.."
"Danny brings a pragmatic, incisive and level-headed approach, jettisoning superfluous arguments to focus on those points that had the best chance of persuading the court. He marshalls voluminous and complex evidence meticulously and over the course of a day presents arguments to the Court of Appeal succinctly and persuasively."
"He is massively creative and pushes boundaries. He is also really engaged with clients, passionate and super collaborative." "He advocates with passion and persuasion, and you never come out of a hearing thinking you weren't heard."
"A personable and conscientious leader who undertakes an enormous amount of superb-quality work. He is very good at working in difficult cases under huge time pressure."
"I can’t speak highly enough of his meticulous preparation." "Danny thinks of the big picture, gets into the detail and is incredibly creative." "One of his USPs is his imaginative ideas; he always has initiatives up his sleeves."
"His academic ability and the respect that judges have for him are phenomenal." "A forceful advocate."
"His client care is absolutely phenomenal, and he is exceptionally good at working as a team and a great team leader. He'll listen and engage on points and take the time to discuss it with you." "Very enthusiastic, highly creative and full of ideas. He has a very good knowledge of the law and is something of a dynamo."
"Fantastic both for his writing and oral advocacy. He commands the respect of the court and goes the extra mile to win the client’s confidence."
"Danny is extremely driven, hardworking and clever. He is unafraid of the difficult questions and pursues points relentlessly."
"He has an absolute mastery of the law, a total grasp on the relevant material, and is incredibly good on his feet. He commands the respect of the court and goes the extra mile to win the client’s confidence."
"He is able to dissect huge volumes of facts and paperwork like nobody else in the profession. Take that with his knowledge and experience of human rights challenges and he is truly exceptional." "He's outstandingly hard-working and committed and gives excellent client care."
"Danny is a very effective advocate. He's incredibly hard-working, understanding and empathises with his clients." "A fantastic person to work with in terms of his energy, commitment and enthusiasm. He's very good at collating astonishing amounts of information and incredible in terms of the quality of his output"
"He's amazing at going through evidence and is fearless in following clients' instructions. He has a deep sense of compassion and works incredibly hard." "There's no one else in the country with as much experience of the overlap between criminal proceedings and public inquiries. He brings with him a history of all the law on individual rights in contentious deaths and state-organised public inquiries." "Very good at thinking strategically, seeing the wider political picture and incorporating that in an appropriate way in our strategy."
"He has an excellent manner with clients and is very, very knowledgeable.” “He is a really impressive, meticulous and well-prepared advocate. He is very well read in human rights jurisprudence, both nationally and internationally.” “He applies himself completely, does all the preparation and gives the best possible advice. He is formidable at every turn."
"Danny is an extremely impressive advocate whom judges enjoy listening to.” “He has a forensic awareness like nobody else and can take on the biggest cases. Nothing is too complex for him."
"Fiercely intelligent and committed to the client’s interests.” “He is a five star barrister with enormous expertise in inquiries and inquests."
"One of the brightest, 'outside the box' strategic legal minds in the legal profession."
Legal 500 2022
Contact Danny: dannyfriedman@matrixlaw.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7404 3447
Contact Danny's Practice Team (Team T): TeamT@matrixlaw.co.uk
Danny specialises at the interface between crime, civil liability, human rights and public law, with additional focus on public international law. He advises private individuals, NGOs and companies, as well as UK and foreign state organisations seeking to comply with human rights and humanitarian law obligations.
His investigatory and advice work in relation to the public sector includes the operation of the rule of law in a number of foreign states, including in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
His work with corporate clients has especially come to focus on their identifying and maintaining policy initiatives to promote dignity, wellbeing, safety and security.
Danny has co-authored publications on inquest law, human rights law and crime, including the human rights chapter in Archbold and INQUESTS – A Practitioners Guide (LAG 2014). Danny sits as a Temporary High Court Judge in Northern Ireland. He is an ADR Group Accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator.
Danny is a leading expert in the country on inquests and public inquiries, especially where the subject engages the right to life or matters of human dignity. His cases include Middleton that establishes the approach to verdicts where the inquest engages Article 2 and Keenan v UK that concerns the ill-treatment of prisoners with mental illness. He has been involved in major inquiries in England and Northern Ireland concerning policing, the armed services and institutional child abuse. He has also acted for bereaved families and other victims in a number of private investigations into wrongful death and ill- treatment. He recently acted for 300 bereaved and surviving residents in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. He currently represents the Disabled People’s Organisations in the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Danny has particular expertise in judicial review proceedings concerning controversial decisions by Government, policing, security services or other regulatory bodies. He has appeared in many of the landmark cases concerning counter-terrorism policy and legislation, as well as challenges relating to the investigation of war crimes in Iraq and Northern Ireland. He most recently acted in proceedings brought against the Metropolitan police in relation to its investigation of Downing Street parties conducted in breach of the Covid regulations.
Danny has worked on a number of large actions against the Security Services and police in England and Northern Ireland, including those adjudicated upon under the Justice and Security Act 2013, where the courts rely on ‘closed evidence’. He also does wrongful death and ill-treatment claims arising in the private sector, especially where the issue involves a broader human rights perspective. This includes carrying out internal investigations of companies, and NGOs, to establish whether tortious or other non-compliant conduct has occurred in order to assist ADR and organisational development.
Danny has acted in all areas of serious crime throughout his career including terrorism, corruption, health and safety and homicide. His work generally involves allegations that require an appreciation of social and political context. He is noted for his advice to clients seeking either to initiate proceedings because of human rights ill-treatment, or to take pre-emptive steps to prevent prosecution where defences can be established early. He is also well known for his work on historic miscarriages of justice, and related investigations. He was a scrutiny advisor to the Wiltshire Police in its investigation of Edward Health and part of the team that sought to reopen investigations into massacres in Colonial Malaya in Batang Kali, and in the ‘Murder Triangle’ in Northern Ireland. He also acted on the Shrewsbury 24 appeal concerning the quashed 1973 convictions of pickets from the Building trade.
2008 Awarded the Chambers and Partners Junior of the Year award for Human Rights and Public and Administrative Law
2010 Short listed for the Justice Human Rights Lawyer of the Year
2011 Short listed for the Chambers and Partners Junior of the Year award for Human Rights and Public and Administrative Law
Inquests: A Practitioners Guide 3rd Edition (2014), co-author with Leslie Thomas KC, Adam Straw KC and Daniel Machover
Archbold Criminal Practice and Pleadings, contributing editor (Human Rights chapter)
Emmerson and Ashworth, Human Rights and Criminal Law (2nd Edition), contributing editor (Chapters 4, 14 and 18)
Owen and Smith, Asset Recovery, contributing editor to 1st Edition (Introductory chapter)
“A Common Law of Human Rights: History, Humanity and Dignity” (2016) 4 EHRLR 378
“Torture and Modernity” (2013) 5 EHRLR 494
“Torture and the Common Law” (2006) 2 EHRLR 180
“From Due Deference to Due Process: Human Rights Litigation in the Criminal Law” (2002) 2 EHRLR 218
Butterworths Guide to the Police Act (1998), co-author with Ben Emmerson KC
Danny is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to his clients, including advice and representation services, Danny needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes his client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which he is instructed. To read Danny’s privacy notice in full, please see here.
"Danny undertakes high-profile and complex work."
"He is tireless in his determination to get to the heart of an issue and to unpick complex legal challenges. He is thoughtful and collegiate in his approach and cares deeply about the needs of his lay clients. His advocacy is eloquent and forceful."
"He is very energetic in his advocacy and very compelling."
"Danny combines an efficient working manner with an exceptional ability to process information quickly and produce high quality written submissions. He is very good at leading at team, and has a great manner with clients."
"He argued really, really eloquently and did a superb job." "Danny is a fantastic lawyer - he brings an insightful and forensic approach to criminal law."
"Danny is a superbly effective barrister."
"Danny is incredible with clients, he is really hard-working and charming." "He is an accomplished practitioner, a forensic and sharp advocate." "Danny is holistic in his approach, deals with complex concepts and formulates them in a reasonable way."
"He is very personable, very passionate, extremely smart and a delight to work with." "He is really enthusiastic and sensitive to what clients want; he is very inclusive in terms of thinking through the issues and looking for input from all members of the team."
"The go-to barrister for when human rights, public law and criminal law overlap." "He is real talent, with good judgement that you can trust."
"A bit of a superbrain who is able to get to the issues that matter in double quick time."
"Danny is a very gifted human rights lawyer, who is highly intelligent and produces excellent written arguments." "He is a details person, has a phenomenal brain."
"One of the brightest, 'outside the box' strategic legal minds in the legal profession."
"Highly conscientious and extremely thoughtful about the work set, taking extraordinary care to understand the facts and to apply the law. Danny has an excellent manner with clients and is a very good leader of a group.."
"Danny brings a pragmatic, incisive and level-headed approach, jettisoning superfluous arguments to focus on those points that had the best chance of persuading the court. He marshalls voluminous and complex evidence meticulously and over the course of a day presents arguments to the Court of Appeal succinctly and persuasively."
"He is massively creative and pushes boundaries. He is also really engaged with clients, passionate and super collaborative." "He advocates with passion and persuasion, and you never come out of a hearing thinking you weren't heard."
"A personable and conscientious leader who undertakes an enormous amount of superb-quality work. He is very good at working in difficult cases under huge time pressure."
"I can’t speak highly enough of his meticulous preparation." "Danny thinks of the big picture, gets into the detail and is incredibly creative." "One of his USPs is his imaginative ideas; he always has initiatives up his sleeves."
"His academic ability and the respect that judges have for him are phenomenal." "A forceful advocate."
"His client care is absolutely phenomenal, and he is exceptionally good at working as a team and a great team leader. He'll listen and engage on points and take the time to discuss it with you." "Very enthusiastic, highly creative and full of ideas. He has a very good knowledge of the law and is something of a dynamo."
"Fantastic both for his writing and oral advocacy. He commands the respect of the court and goes the extra mile to win the client’s confidence."
"Danny is extremely driven, hardworking and clever. He is unafraid of the difficult questions and pursues points relentlessly."
"He has an absolute mastery of the law, a total grasp on the relevant material, and is incredibly good on his feet. He commands the respect of the court and goes the extra mile to win the client’s confidence."
"He is able to dissect huge volumes of facts and paperwork like nobody else in the profession. Take that with his knowledge and experience of human rights challenges and he is truly exceptional." "He's outstandingly hard-working and committed and gives excellent client care."
"Danny is a very effective advocate. He's incredibly hard-working, understanding and empathises with his clients." "A fantastic person to work with in terms of his energy, commitment and enthusiasm. He's very good at collating astonishing amounts of information and incredible in terms of the quality of his output"
"He's amazing at going through evidence and is fearless in following clients' instructions. He has a deep sense of compassion and works incredibly hard." "There's no one else in the country with as much experience of the overlap between criminal proceedings and public inquiries. He brings with him a history of all the law on individual rights in contentious deaths and state-organised public inquiries." "Very good at thinking strategically, seeing the wider political picture and incorporating that in an appropriate way in our strategy."
"He has an excellent manner with clients and is very, very knowledgeable.” “He is a really impressive, meticulous and well-prepared advocate. He is very well read in human rights jurisprudence, both nationally and internationally.” “He applies himself completely, does all the preparation and gives the best possible advice. He is formidable at every turn."
"Danny is an extremely impressive advocate whom judges enjoy listening to.” “He has a forensic awareness like nobody else and can take on the biggest cases. Nothing is too complex for him."
"Fiercely intelligent and committed to the client’s interests.” “He is a five star barrister with enormous expertise in inquiries and inquests."