Natasha Jackson

Call: 2015

Natasha is ranked as a leading barrister in her specialism of public, administrative and human rights law. She also practices in related areas of environmental and planning law.

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Public and Administrative

Practice Summary

Natasha is a public law barrister, with a practice focused on human rights, administrative law, constitutional law and immigration. She has appeared in cases in the Supreme Court, Privy Council and Court of Appeal (led and unled), and has significant advocacy and public inquiry experience.

Natasha is regularly instructed in high-profile and test cases for a range of individual claimants, NGOs, companies, regulatory clients and Government, and is appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel of Junior Counsel.

She also acts as counsel to the Iraq Fatality Investigations, an Article 2 inquiry chaired by Dame Anne Rafferty into civilian deaths in Iraq involving British forces. She has led the counsel team since 2021, and conducted the questioning of witnesses at the live-streamed public hearings.

Some recent cases include:

Asylum support: Natasha has acted as junior counsel to a group of asylum seekers in a claim successfully challenging widespread and systemic breaches in the asylum support system: R (SXK, K, NY and AM) v SSHD [2023] EWHC 1876 (Admin). She also acts, as led and sole counsel, to claimants who have been refused or denied asylum support.
Afghanistan litigation: Natasha is instructed in cross-Government litigation concerning the relocation of Afghan citizens to the UK, including in cases with a national security dimension. Reported cases include: R (KA) v (1) FCDO (2) SSHD (3) SSD [2022] EWHC 2473 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Divisional Court), R (LND1) v (1) SSHD (2) FCDO [2024] EWCA Civ 278.
Withdrawal Agreement / EU law litigation: Natasha has acted in a number of the leading cases concerning the interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement and EU law in the wake of Brexit. Reported cases include: Celik v SSHD and (1) Aire Centre (2) Here for Good (3) Independent Monitoring Authority [2023] EWCA Civ 921, Siddiqa v ECO and (1) Independent Monitoring Authority (2) Aire Centre & Here for Good [2024] EWCA Civ 248, (1) Akinsanya (2) Aning-Adjei v SSHD [2024] EHC 469 (Admin), R (Mendes) v SSHD [2020] EWCA Civ 924. Her advice is also regularly sought on various aspects of the Retained EU Law Act.
Mental health responsibilities: Natasha appeared as junior counsel in the Supreme Court in a case concerning the responsibility for funding after-case service for those detained under the Mental Health Act: R (Worcestershire County Council) v SSHSC [2023] UKSC 31. She is also a contributor to the second edition of ‘NHS Law and Practice’ (LAG, forthcoming).
Public / Art 2 / Art 3 Inquiries: Natasha is expert in the investigative duties arising under Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR, and on jurisdictional issues related to those duties, and regularly advises on and litigates these issues. She acts as counsel (leading the counsel team) to the Iraq Fatalities Investigations. She is also instructed on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Legality of Covid legislation: Natasha has experience acting in constitutional motions from Commonwealth jurisdictions concerning the scope and application of constitutional rights. She recently acted on behalf of the Attorney-General of Trinidad and Tobago in the landmark linked appeals relating to the constitutionality of the Coronavirus Regulations 2020 and the scope of the legislative savings provisions contained in the Constitution: Suraj & Ors v AG of Trinidad & Tobago [2022] UKPC 26.
Ombuds / regulatory: Natasha acts as standing council to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA), the Ombuds scheme for the higher education, and has advised and acted in a number of judicial review claims against OIA decisions. She has also been instructed in judicial review proceedings against the Charity Commission, following her successful high-profile representation as junior counsel to Camila Batmanghelidjh, the CEO of the children’s charity Kids Company, in the 10-week directors disqualification trial arising out of the charity’s collapse: Re Keeping Kids Company [2021] EWHC 175 (Ch).

Natasha has a strong international dimension to her work. In addition to regular instructions in the Commonwealth Caribbean and Privy Council, she advises (often pro bono) on a broad range of issues under private international, international humanitarian and human rights law. In 2023, she acted as a Trial Observer the Bar Human Rights Committee in the Israeli military courts in the Occupied West Bank. She is a member of the Geoffrey Nice Foundation working group on the role of international judicial mechanisms in post-conflict society and holds an Inner Temple Pegasus Scholarship to work with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in Beirut on transitional justice and engagement (cancelled due to COVID-19).

Natasha is a Governor at The Bridge School, a special needs multi-academy trust in Holloway. Prior to joining the Bar, she worked at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Switzerland and for the United Nations Development Programme. She also taught Public and Constitutional Law at the London School of Economics.

She speaks Spanish (including study at the University of Havana), French (conversational) and Levantine Arabic (conversational). She is currently learning Italian.

Public and Administrative

Natasha has a broad public law practice, acting for individual claimants, NGOs, companies, regulatory clients and Government departments. She also has experience bringing and appealing claims by constitutional motion in Commonwealth jurisdictions and in matters on appeal to the Privy Council. Her advice is regularly sought on strategic and test-case litigation.

Natasha is on the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel. She taught Public and Constitutional Law at the London School of Economics until 2023.

Further information about Natasha’s specialisms can be found in the tabs on the right of this page.

Human Rights and Civil Liberties

Natasha is a human rights specialist, and she regularly acts in cases concerning the ECHR, civil liberties and constitutional rights.

Some recent examples of her work include:

Asylum support: Natasha has acted as junior counsel to a group of asylum seekers in a claim successfully challenging widespread and systemic breaches in the asylum support system, alleging breaches of the statutory scheme and of Article 3 ECHR: R (SXK, K, NY and AM) v SSHD [2023] EWHC 1876 (Admin). She also acts, as led and sole counsel, to claimants who have been refused or denied asylum support.
Public / Art 2 / Art 3 Inquiries: Natasha is expert in the investigative duties arising under Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR, and on jurisdictional issues related to those duties, and regularly advises on and litigates these issues. She acts as counsel (leading the counsel team) to the Iraq Fatalities Investigations. She is also instructed on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the Covid-19 Inquiry.
Afghanistan relocation: Natasha is instructed in cross-Government litigation concerning the relocation of Afghan citizens, including in cases with a national security dimension. Reported cases include: R (KA) v (1) FCDO (2) SSHD (3) SSD [2022] EWHC 2473 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Divisional Court), R (LND1) v (1) SSHD (2) FCDO [2024] EWCA Civ 278.
EU law rights: Natasha has acted in a number of the leading cases concerning the interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement and EU law in the wake of Brexit. Reported cases include: Celik v SSHD and (1) Aire Centre (2) Here for Good (3) Independent Monitoring Authority [2023] EWCA Civ 921, Siddiqa v ECO and (1) Independent Monitoring Authority (2) Aire Centre & Here for Good [2024] EWCA Civ 248, (1) Akinsanya (2) Aning-Adjei v SSHD [2024] EHC 469 (Admin), R (Mendes) v SSHD [2020] EWCA Civ 924.
Constitutional rights: Natasha has experience acting in constitutional motions from Commonwealth jurisdictions concerning the scope and application of constitutional rights. She recently acted on behalf of the Attorney-General of Trinidad and Tobago in the landmark linked appeals relating to the constitutionality of the Coronavirus Regulations 2020 and the scope of the legislative savings provisions contained in the Constitution: Suraj & Ors v AG of Trinidad & Tobago [2022] UKPC 26.
Protest and free speech: Natasha has acted in various cases, in particular concerning protests against asylum seekers (including obtaining the Stradey Park injunction), regarding free speech and freedom of assembly.
Property rights JR: Natasha has acted on behalf of commercial clients in a range of sectors to challenges impacting commercial interests and A1P1 rights. Some examples include instructions on the constitutional law elements of the litigation concerning property interests in the MOD’s service estate in R (Annington Property Limited) v SSD [2023] EWHC 1154 (Admin), as well as instructions concerning telecoms licensing.
International Rights: Natasha has acted as a Trial Observer the Bar Human Rights Committee in the Israeli military courts in the Occupied West Bank. She has also advised NGOs on issues including the application of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to the conflict in West Papua and the international status of that conflict, and on state engagement with the ICRC. Her work as counsel to the Iraq Fatality Investigations involves advising on the application of the Geneva Conventions to the circumstances investigated.

Before joining the Bar, Natasha held the Richard Sandbrook Fellowship at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in Switzerland, advising on the RED+ conservation and social justice programme. She also worked as a Legal Intern for the UNDP, researching judicial transparency and the rule of law.

International

Natasha has a strong international dimension to her practice.

She has experience in bringing constitutional claims in Commonwealth jurisdictions and in the Privy Council. She recently acted on behalf of the Attorney-General of Trinidad and Tobago in the landmark linked appeals relating to the constitutionality of the Coronavirus Regulations 2020 and the scope of the legislative savings provisions contained in the Constitution: Suraj & Ors v AG of Trinidad & Tobago [2022] UKPC 26.

Natasha acted as a Trial Observer for the Bar Human Rights Committee in the Israeli military courts in the Occupied West Bank (2023). She has also advised NGOs on issues including the application of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to the conflict in West Papua and the international status of that conflict, and on state engagement with the ICRC. Her work as counsel to the Iraq Fatality Investigations involves advising on the application of the Geneva Conventions to the circumstances investigated.

She also has experience in matters raising issues of jurisdiction and conﬂicts of law, and appeared in the Supreme Court in the leading case on insurance jurisdiction under Brussels I: Keefe v (1) Mapfre Mutualidad Compania De Seguros Y Reaseguros SA (2) Hoteles Pinero Canarias SL. Natasha has also advised extensively on the private international law implications of Brexit on cross-border litigation and has substantial experience litigating under the Athens and Montreal Conventions on behalf of major tour operator clients.

Immigration

Natasha acts for claimants and intervening parties in a range of immigration, asylum and unlawful detention matters and regularly appears in the Immigration Tribunals and High Court.

She is experienced in asylum appeals under domestic and European refugee law and regularly works in camps and clinics in Athens, Calais and Dunkirk. She is a repeat volunteer with RLS Athens, offering legal advice on family reunification and asylum to clients in Greece, and has provided advice through the Ukraine Advice Project UK. Natasha has also represented detained clients pro bono through Bail for Immigration Detainees.

Some examples of recent work include:

Asylum support: Natasha has acted as junior counsel to a group of asylum seekers in a claim successfully challenging widespread and systemic breaches in the asylum support system, alleging breaches of the statutory scheme and of Article 3 ECHR: R (SXK, K, NY and AM) v SSHD [2023] EWHC 1876 (Admin). She also acts, as led and sole counsel, to claimants who have been refused or denied asylum support.
Afghanistan relocation: Natasha is instructed in cross-Government litigation concerning the relocation of Afghan citizens, including in cases with a national security dimension. Reported cases include: R (KA) v (1) FCDO (2) SSHD (3) SSD [2022] EWHC 2473 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Admin), R (CX1) v (1) SSD (2) SSHD [2024] EWHC 94 (Divisional Court), R (LND1) v (1) SSHD (2) FCDO [2024] EWCA Civ 278.
EU law rights: Natasha has acted in a number of the leading cases concerning the interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement and EU law in the wake of Brexit. Reported cases include: Celik v SSHD and (1) Aire Centre (2) Here for Good (3) Independent Monitoring Authority [2023] EWCA Civ 921, Siddiqa v ECO and (1) Independent Monitoring Authority (2) Aire Centre & Here for Good [2024] EWCA Civ 248, (1) Akinsanya (2) Aning-Adjei v SSHD [2024] EHC 469 (Admin), R (Mendes) v SSHD [2020] EWCA Civ 924.
Social security: Natasha has acted in a number of claims at the intersection between immigration and social benefits law. She has experience in post-Brexit claims for Universal Credit, and on the scope of the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse concession.
Trafficking: Natasha has acted on behalf of victims of trafficking in respect of curtailment to benefit payments.

Public Inquiries

Natasha has substantial experience in inquiries and inquests, acting as counsel to core participants and as leading junior inquiry counsel. Her advice is regularly sought on the design, procedure and terms of reference for non-statutory public inquiries.

Natasha has been instructed as counsel to the Iraq Fatality Investigations since 2017, acting as leading junior counsel since 2021. In this role, Natasha advises on all matters relating to the substance and procedure of the non-statutory inquiry, including on the requirements of Article 2, issues of disclosure and evidence, ICC and AG prosecution undertakings and matters of anonymity. She additionally advises the Inspector on matters of International Humanitarian Law as they arise.

As Counsel to the Iraq Fatality Investigations, Natasha has been instructed on the following matters:

Investigation into the deaths of Radhi Nama and Mousa Ali: Inquiry concerning the deaths of two detained civilians and various allegations of ill treatment at a British army base near Basrah in May 2003.
Investigation into the death of Ahmed Jabbar Kareem Ali (Ongoing): investigation concerned with identifying whether there was a systemic practice of ‘wetting’ as a law-enforcement mechanism in the post-war phase of British Occupation in 2003.
Investigation into the death of Saeed Radhi Shabram Wawi Al-Bazooni: inquiry concerned with the death by drowning of a teenage boy in the Shatt-al-Arab canal near Basrah in May 2003. Baroness Hallett’s report into the death of Saeed Shabram was laid before Parliament and published in September 2020.
Investigation into the death of Tariq Sabri Mahmud: inquiry into the death of a prisoner of war being transported between coalition forces during the Iraq war. Sir George Newman’s report into the death of Tariq Sabri Mahmud, laid before Parliament and published in March 2019.

Natasha is currently instructed in the Covid-19 Inquiry on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

National Security

Natasha acts in a range of cases raising matters related to national security. She is familiar with Closed Material Proceedings in the High Court and in SIAC.

Planning and Environment

Since joining Landmark in 2021, Natasha has been acting in planning and environment matters connected to her specialist practice areas. She also acts in planning inquiries on behalf of a range of clients.