Melanie Simpson QC is one of thirty women appointed to silk in 2020. Her high-profile criminal defence cases, often involving multiple defendants, attract extensive media interest and Melanie frequently provides legal expertise to media organisations. Melanie’s parents were young adults when they came to the UK from Jamaica as part of the ‘Windrush’ generation. Her father was a bus conductor and her mother worked in a factory. Melanie went to grammar school but felt isolated as one of very few black pupils there. She left at 16 and worked for Rape Crisis and Women’s Aid. This experience brought her into […]
John Mehrzad QC was appointed silk in 2020 after just thirteen years’ practice at the Bar. He practises in employment, commercial and sports law with a focus on domestic and international sporting arbitrations and High Court business protection litigation. In terms of sports law, John mainly acts in financial disputes between clubs, managers, players and agents, and on regulatory matters, including disciplinary and equality issues. Amongst other roles, John is a leader in conducting independent reviews in sport, for example, UK Athletics’ handling of allegations concerning Alberto Salazar. John recalls as a ten-year old seeing the beautiful lawns and buildings […]