Select an area of expertise to find out more about our experience.
Find out more about our barristers and business support teams here.
Select an area of expertise to find out more about our experience.
Find out more about our barristers and business support teams here.
Conor’s practice includes public/ human rights, police, data/ information, inquests/ inquiries and firearms law.
Conor Monighan is a diligent barrister who delivers high quality work in complex cases. His clients range from private clients to regulators and state bodies (including the police and the Government). The quality of his oral submissions have been praised by the Divisional Court.
He acts in sensitive and high-value cases before a range of courts and tribunals, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court as leading counsel.
Recent instructions include:
Public law cases:
Major public inquiries:
Data/ information law cases:
Sensitive cases (e.g. involving firearms/ Public Interest Immunity):
Inquests:
As a junior in demand, Conor often opposes senior members of the Bar. He is known for his personable approach and client care, leading to repeat instructions.
Conor is on the Executive Committee of the Human Rights Lawyers’ Association (“HRLA”) and the UK’s leading human rights blog has published over fifty of his articles.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Conor has a strong public/administrative law practice and is always pleased to assist clients with such cases. The quality of Conor’s oral submissions (in a significant judicial review) have been praised by the Divisional Court. His proficiency is such that he has been instructed as leading counsel in an ongoing public law challenge.
Conor has particular strength in sensitive cases and human rights claims. He is on the Human Rights Lawyers Association’s (“HRLA”) Executive Committee and the UK’s leading human rights blog has published fifty of his articles.
He maintains his knowledge of the field through his long-standing membership of the Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA), the HRLA and the Young Public Law Group (YPLG).
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
X
Leading counsel in an ongoing public law case concerning the sex offender regime.
Z
Defending a judicial review permission decision before the Court of Appeal (as sole counsel).
Judicial review concerning the test for Public Interest Immunity vis a vis Closed Material Proceedings (led by Charlotte Ventham KC). The Divisional Court praised the quality of Conor’s oral submissions.
Chief Constable of Humberside v Morgan [2024] EWHC 2859 (Admin)
Challenge concerning the lower court’s alleged power to suspend injunctive orders pending an appeal and the impact of the ECHR on the closure order regime (led by John-Paul Waite)
Commissioner v Kingston Upon-Thames Crown Court [2023] EWHC 1938 (Admin)
Judicial review concerning the availability of Closed Material Proceedings (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Malik [2023] EWHC 3213 (Admin)
Leading authority on costs awards against public bodies and the correct test for Stalking Protection cases (led by Russell Fortt).
As a police law specialist, Conor has experience of the full range of police law including: civil actions, judicial reviews/ appeals by way of case stated, data claims, inquests, high-profile/ complex civil applications made by the police (e.g. SPOs) and firearms cases.
Conor has particular expertise in sensitive cases, including where there are Public Interest Immunity issues and/ or a counter-terrorism element.
Judicial Reviews/ Appeals by way of Case Stated
Conor has been instructed in a number of nationally significant judicial reviews on behalf of police forces. These include:
Civil Claims & Operational Policing
Conor regularly represents Forces in civil claims. For example, he recently advised on a novel DSD style case arising from an allegedly deficient investigation into a potentially prolific rapist. Conor has advised on wrongful arrest claims, s.59 CJPA applications, search warrant matters, PII/ CMP applications etc.
Firearms
Conor is a leading firearms barrister – please see the tab below for more information.
Civil Applications
Conor has considerable expertise in civil applications made by the police (e.g. SPOs). He is often instructed in high-profile and complex cases, particularly where there is a PII/ CMP element. Recent examples include:
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
X
Leading counsel in an ongoing public law challenge concerning orders to manage sex offenders.
Z
Defending a judicial review permission decision (as sole counsel in the Court of Appeal).
Judicial review concerning Public Interest Immunity and Closed Material Proceedings (led by Charlotte Ventham KC). The Divisional Court praised the quality of Conor’s oral submissions.
Chief Constable of Humberside v Morgan [2024] EWHC 2859 (Admin):
Public law case concerning the power of lower courts to suspend their own orders pending an appeal and the impact of the ECHR on the closure order regime (led by John-Paul Waite).
R (Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis) v Kingston Crown Court [2023] EWHC 1938 (Admin)
Important judicial review concerning the availability of Closed Material Proceedings (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Malik [2023] EWHC 3213 (Admin)
Leading authority on costs awards against the police, building upon Perinpanathan (led by Russell Fortt).
POCA case
Acting for the Interested Party in a judicial review concerning the limits of the High Court’s power to issue quashing orders.
Conor regularly advises on data protection/ information law issues throughout his practice. He is well-versed in the realities of data protection litigation and regularly trains other lawyers on the subject.
Although Conor’s practice in this field is broad, recent examples of his work includes:
He is a regular contributor to 5 Essex Court’s ‘Data Brief’, which sends monthly updates to clients working in this fascinating field.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Conor is regularly instructed to represent IPs at inquests. Conor has particular expertise in Article 2 ECHR inquests, drawing upon his role on the Executive Committee of Human Rights Lawyers (‘HRLA’).
Cases of note include:
As part of Conor’s inquest practice, he regularly contributes towards 5 Essex Court’s ‘Inquest Authorities Index’ – available here.
Conor is an experienced junior, having acted in:
Conor can assist with the full range of public inquiry work. He has experience of preparing witnesses, writing inquiry submissions and drafting Rule 9 responses – including for the Government, a well-known former Secretary of State and private clients.
He believes in the importance of properly preparing witnesses and recently assisted a key witness whose evidence was praised by the Chair. Conor has particular expertise in sensitive and high-profile matters.
He is currently acting for a private client in the Post Office/ Horizon IT Inquiry.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Conor is a leading firearms and explosives licensing barrister. He is regularly instructed in significant, sensitive and high-profile firearms/ shotgun appeals and frequently opposes KCs.
Given his expertise, Conor is usually instructed in complex/ high-profile cases. He acts for a very large number of clients across the country in this field.
He is frequently instructed in numerous Public Interest Immunity firearms appeals, having been counsel in both Chief Constable of Cambridge v the Crown Court at Peterborough [2025] and Commissioner v Kingston Upon-Thames Crown Court [2023] – i.e. the two leading authorities on firearms appeals and the availability Closed Material Proceedings.
Conor regularly advises senior officers on gun licensing and has been invited to join the National Firearms Licensing Working Group in light of his expertise.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Chief Constable of Cambridge v the Crown Court at Peterborough [2025]:
Leading authority on Public Interest Immunity and Closed Material Proceedings firearms cases (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
Commissioner v Kingston Upon-Thames Crown Court [2023]
Junior counsel in the most significant firearms case for many years (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
Mr R v Commissioner
Believed to be the first case in which an appeal was refused following a successful Public Interest Immunity application.
H
Firearms appeal brought by an Appellant with extreme-right wing sympathies, necessitating the involvement of Counter-Terrorism Policing.
A
Appeal brought by a domestic abuser (successfully opposed a KC who specialises in the field).
B
Succeeded in an appeal brought by a paedophile, having cross-examined a retired High Court judge who supported the appeal.
X
Instructed in firearms appeals brought by two members of the aristocracy who are household names.
The latest highlights from our Data Protection and Information Law experts are now available. The…
Discover moreName: Conor Monighan Role: Barrister and Executive Committee Officer of the…
Congratulations to Charlotte Ventham KC and Conor Monighan, both of whom have been…
Instructing Conor
Please contact Dan Waple if you have any questions or wish to instruct us.
Click here to view
The High Court has handed down its judgment in Chief Constable of Humberside Police v…
Discover more
