Neurodivergence Webinar Series: Witness Handling

This session will explain how there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and give attendees the tools to help identify barriers to participation at the earliest stage, formulate reasonable adjustments and manage responses to requests for accommodations. It will also cover questioning techniques which facilitate and hamper best evidence and the role of intermediaries.

Speaker Panel

Amanda Weston KC, Garden Court Chambers
Amanda is a leading public and administrative law silk. She co-authors Judicial Review: A Practical Guide (Lexis Nexis) and is a member of the ‘A’ Panel of preferred Counsel who act for the Equality & Human Rights Commission. Amanda has acted in hundreds of asylum and human rights appeals including in high-profile and sensitive cases and those involving extradition. Her cases include gender and sexuality cases, complex political and religious cases and appeals for children and vulnerable adults. Amanda also acts in cases in the Family Division, Administrative Court and appeal courts where the rights of children and young people are in play. Her particular areas of ‘crossover’ expertise involve safeguarding, local authority corporate parenting duties, education and disability, deprivation of liberty, immigration and citizenship matters.

Sam Robinson KC, Garden Court Chambers
Sam is a highly regarded criminal defence silk with a practice consisting of murder, complex conspiracy and fraud. He is well known for his excellent witness handling and imaginative and persuasive closing speeches. He has an excellent rapport with lay clients and is often instructed as a result of his being requested by defendants who have observed him in court. He is exceptionally skilled in the preparation and presentation of multi-handed cases. As an advocate, he is particularly sought after for his ability to successfully navigate the evidence in chief of the most challenging defendants. He understands that success is routed in the preparation. A process which begins long before the first question is asked.

Thalia Maragh, Garden Court Chambers
Thalia has maintained a criminal defence, human rights and constitutional law focused practice for over 20 years both at the Jamaican and English Bars. She has appearance before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in many cases and has advised on numerous appeals.  Thalia has a growing international practice, appearing in the Privy Council and advising on the merits of appealing to the Privy Council, particularly cases which raise constitutional law issues. She has also appeared before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as junior counsel to Leslie Thomas KC. As well as delivering legal training for the Ogiek community in Kenya, Thalia is currently instructed on the Barbuda runway challenge heard by the Privy Council, representing Jacklyn Frank and John Mussington.

Neurodivergence in the Justice System

Our webinar series, 'Neurodivergence in the Justice System', will cover a range of practice areas, recounting the experiences and examining the challenges faced by neurodivergent people involved in the justice system in England and Wales, whether as witnesses, defendants, lawyers or otherwise. These webinars will bring together experts from legal practice, academia, policy and other professionals to consider the flaws in the current system, identify instances of best practice and propound changes that could be made to improve access to justice, equality and diversity in the courts. Our previous and upcoming webinars in the series are available here.