Imogen Sadler

Imogen has significant public law experience, having completed her pupillage at the Government Legal Department (‘GLD’), and has worked across all stages of judicial review proceedings, from advising clients at the pre-action stage, to assisting in preparation for an appeal.

She is often instructed by government departments and has acted as sole counsel for the Department of Work of Pensions, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.

Police Law

Imogen has a keen interest in police law and has represented parties in a wide range of matters, in particular in applications for Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Sexual Risk Order and Stalking Protection Orders.

Immigration

In her first six, Imogen worked in GLD's immigration litigation team. She has advised on both statutory appeals and judicial reviews of immigration decision, and also volunteers for the charity Bail for Immigration Detainees, representing detainees in their applications for immigration bail. Recent cases include:

• Department for Work and Pensions v Information Commissioner & Slater (EA-2022-0240; [2023] UKFTT 350 (GRC)) – Assisted with this appeal against the decisions of the ICO that DWP could not rely on the prejudice to commercial interest exemption contained in s.43(2) FOIA to withhold information about contractual deductions applied to its contractors.

• Angell & Ors v Secretary of State for Health and Social Care [2023] EWHC 495 (Admin) – Assisted with this major judicial review regarding the roll of out of 5G

Public Inquiries

Imogen has extensive experience in the field of public inquiries and has experience both in working for inquiries and also for core participants. She has experience in all parts of the inquiry process including drafting and responding to rule 9 requests, rule 10 requests, oral hearings and responding to warning letters, and is currently instructed as second junior counsel to the Undercover Policing Inquiry and was previously junior junior counsel to the Inquiry for the Brook House Inquiry. Before starting pupillage she was lead paralegal for a major Core Participant in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Inquests

Imogen has a busy inquest practice and frequently accepts instructions for inquests including Article 2 inquests, both led and as sole counsel. Recent cases include:

• Inquest touching on the death of Thomas Brotherton: instructed by the Ministry of Justice as sole counsel in this inquest regarding the death of a prisoner in a prison segregation unit.

• Inquest touching on the death of Jack Zarrop: instructed by the Metropolitan Police Service as sole counsel in this complex inquest regarding the death of a prisoner by suicide. The prisoner had previously spent time in police custody.

• Inquest touching the death of Harris T and others: assisted with drafting and case preparation for this high profile inquest, which concerned the murder of four individuals by a man who was on probation.

• Inquest into the death of Thomas Huntley: assisted with drafting and case preparation for this inquest into a death in prison, which concerned issues regarding healthcare and safer cells in custody.

Imogen has a keen interest in election law recently appeared in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Counsel (led by Timothy Straker KC) in Dayal v Jagnuath [2023] UKPC 37 a high profile election law case regarding how bribery and treating were to be determined under Mauritian law.

She has appeared as sole counsel for local authorities in election law matters and often writes articles on the subject for Arena Magazine. She also has assisted senior members of chambers on a number of legal opinions on election law matters. Recent cases include:

• Dayal v Jagnuath [2023] UKPC 37 (led by Timothy Straker KC) – acted in this high profile case which sought to challenge the election of the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the basis of alleged bribery and treating.

• Birch v Jaspal & Ors and Birch v Wolverhampton City Council & Hibbert – acted as sole counsel in these two matters concerning an electoral registration appeal against a decision made by the Council.

Imogen has a keen interest in local government law, having completed a secondment to the legal department of a local authority in which she advised and assisted on matters relating to homelessness.

She also has experience of acting in a wide variety of matters including anti-social behaviour injunctions, possession proceedings and section 204 appeals. She has also appeared in a number of cases which involve equality and human rights arguments.