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, information, inquests/ inquiries, firearms and employment law.
Conor Monighan is a diligent barrister who delivers high quality work in complex cases. His clients range from private clients to state bodies (including the police).
He acts in sensitive and high-value cases before a range of courts and tribunals, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court.
Recent instructions include:
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 is on the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Conor has a strong, and rapidly expanding, public and administrative law practice.
He has particular strength in sensitive cases and human rights claims. Conor 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.
Conor 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.
R (Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis) v Kingston Crown Court [2023] EWHC 1938 (Admin)
Significant 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 (led by Russell Fortt).
K
Judicial review re the refusal of a Public Interest Immunity/ Closed Material Proceedings application (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
B
Ongoing challenge concerning an alleged power to suspend injunctive orders pending an appeal (led by John-Paul Waite).
P
Judicial review concerning the limits of the High Court’s power to issue quashing orders.
Z
Defending a judicial review permission decision before the Court of Appeal (as sole counsel).
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, 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 Forces. This includes:
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 relevant tab 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.
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).
B
Ongoing appeal by way of case stated concerning the ability of the Magistrates’ Court to suspend protective civil orders pending an appeal to the Crown Court.
POCA case
Acting for the Interested Party in a judicial review concerning the limits of the High Court’s power to issue quashing orders.
Z
Defending a judicial review permission decision (as sole counsel in the Court of Appeal).
Conor has experience of a wide range of data protection and information law matters, including under the UK GDPR, DPA and FOIA. He is well-versed in the practical realities of data protection legislation and enjoys working in this fascinating area of law.
Although Conor’s information law practice is broad, recent examples of his work includes:
He is a regular contributor to 5 Essex Chambers’ ‘Data Brief’, which sends monthly updates to clients working in this interesting field.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
Conor is regularly instructed to represent IPs at inquests. He has experience of coronial proceedings arising from a range of contexts, including police custody, NHS care and prisons.
Cases of note include:
As part of Conor’s inquest practice, he regularly contributes towards 5 Essex Chambers’ ‘Inquest Authorities Index’ – available here.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
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 has a long-standing interest in employment law which, giving him a strong understanding of the field. He has represented a variety of clients, including in redundancy, unfair dismissal and discrimination claims.
Conor provides a high level of care to clients and clear tactical advice from the outset. For example, he was recently instructed to undertake a 10-day reasonable adjustments claim in light of his performance at preliminary hearings.
He has been an active member of ELBA (the Employment Law Bar Association) for many years and wrote his Masters’ Dissertation on unfair dismissal law.
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.
He is instructed in numerous Public Interest Immunity cases, having been junior counsel in Commissioner v Kingston Upon-Thames Crown Court [2023] – the leading authority 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 reflection of his expertise.
Conor’s clerks can be contacted on 020 7410 2000.
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.
K
Ongoing judicial review arising from the Crown Court’s refusal to grant Public Interest Immunity in a firearms appeal (led by Charlotte Ventham KC).
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.
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Instructing Conor
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