Sam joined the Civil Liberties Department at ITN Solicitors in August 2021. He trained at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, where he worked for three years on a mixture of Claims Against Public Authorities, Inquests, Prison Law and Immigration Detention cases. Sam graduated with an LLB from the University of Warwick in 2017 and went on to complete an LLM in Professional Legal Practice at Birmingham City University, graduating in 2018.
Sam’s experience representing Claimants in claims against public authorities includes claims against the police, Ministry of Justice, Home Office and healthcare providers. Among other issues, these claims include unlawful arrests, false imprisonment, excessive use of force, human right breaches and other failures to protect those is state custody. Sam’s clients include activists who have had their protest rights unlawfully interfered with, victims of discrimination, those detained under immigration powers, and bereaved families following preventable deaths in state custody.
Recently, Sam has secured compensation for clients detained within the prison estate, including the victim of an assault by prison staff and the victim of a data breach. In inquest proceedings Sam recently represented a bereaved family in an Article 2 inquest, which resulted in a jury finding that serious failings contributed to a self-inflicted death at HMP Chelmsford.
Sam has a particular interest in representing clients living with mental health conditions who have suffered injury, or have been unfairly treated, after coming into contact with the criminal justice system or other public authorities.
Sam is a member of the Association of Prison Lawyers, Police Action Lawyers Group, Inquest Lawyers Group, and Young Legal Aid Lawyers. Through his involvement with these organisations Sam regularly contributes to government consultations and inquiries relating to the state’s obligations to protect and uphold civil liberties.