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Leila Ghahhary is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Canada and practises in public inquiries and inquests, administrative and public law, regulatory law, civil liberties, human rights and international law.
She is consistently ranked by the Legal 500, Chambers & Partners (UK and Canada) and Canada’s Benchmark Litigation.
Leila is routinely instructed in complex, high-profile, sensitive and nationally significant, matters. She acts for central government departments, regulators, public authorities, local authorities, NGOs, corporations, senior government officials and high-profile individuals.
Leila is appointed onto the Attorney General’s Public International Law Panel of Counsel, the Attorney General’s Civil Panel of Counsel, the Equality and Human Rights Commission Panel of Counsel and the Panel of Specialist Advocates in Health and Safety and Environmental Law.
She has been instructed in many major public inquiries and inquests, acting for government departments, public authorities, senior government officials, bereaved families and as Counsel to inquiries.
Notable Public Inquiries:
Alongside her domestic practice Leila has an international practice encompassing public international law, international human rights law and international criminal law. Leila was appointed onto the Attorney General’s Public International Law Panel of Counsel in 2026. She is also the Senior Legal Adviser to an international NGO, advising and acting across a wide portfolio of international work which operates at the intersection of international litigation, diplomacy, policy, accountability and government engagement. Her work includes advising and acting on complex legal and strategic matters involving accountability for atrocity crimes, universal jurisdiction, international justice, United Nations mechanisms, international law reform and multilateral engagement. This work brings together governments, parliamentarians, diplomats, international organisations, academics and civil society to advance accountability, strengthen legal frameworks and support survivor-centred justice in multiple jurisdictions. Leila also works with leading international law firms on complex multi-jurisdictional matters. Her international practice is characterised by strategic international legal and diplomatic engagement on some of the most significant contemporary issues in international justice and accountability.
Between 2022 and 2023 Leila undertook a Master of Laws at Columbia University. Her scholarship focused on public international law, global governance, international criminal law and international human rights. During her time at Columbia Leila was an appointed Editor for the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, a Board Member of the Columbia Society of International Law and she received the Parker School of Foreign and Comparative Law: Certificate of Achievement in International and Comparative Law, recognising her extensive scholarship in the field of international law. During her time in New York Leila also completed an externship with UN Women at UN Headquarters, undertaking work relating to the UN’s Women, Peace and Security mandate and engagement with the Security Council and broader UN mandates including General Assembly, Secretary General, and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Prior to joining the independent Bar, Leila spent a decade in house in local government. This role involved advising and representing the authority across a wide range of common law, statutory and corporate functions of a local authority on public law, regulatory, civil and criminal matters, including inquiries, inquests, environmental protection, health & safety, licensing, trading standards, food safety, housing, revenue, social care & health, planning, highways, education, fraud, data protection, freedom of information, and human rights law. Many aspects of this work engaged European law. This work involved advising and representing the local authority on administrative and key decision-making processes, civil and regulatory matters, panel proceedings and on the implementation of various statutory regimes. Her experience in local government involved the implementation, administration and application of public law at all stages and levels of local government.
Ranked as a leading barrister by Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners in this area. Leila has an extensive practice in complex public inquiries and inquests of national and international significance. This work frequently involves voluminous and sensitive evidence, national security issues and sensitive material, parallel political or criminal processes, and intense public and media scrutiny.
Leila routinely represents government departments, public and private organisations, individuals, bereaved families and acts as Counsel to inquiries. Her experience in this area brings a deep understanding of the legal, procedural, and strategic complexities involved. Leila’s work draws on her broader experience across public, regulatory, civil, criminal and international law, and her cross-jurisdictional practice in the UK and Canada.
Representative Cases
Ranked by Chambers and Partners (Canada) in this area. Leila has an extensive public law practice acting for government departments, public bodies, corporate entities, individuals and public and private organisations on a wide range of public law cases. Her public law work frequently engages issues of policy implementation, the lawful exercise of statutory powers, and human rights compliance.
Representative Cases
Leila’s regulatory practice complements and informs her public law and inquiry work, particularly in matters involving systemic regulatory failure, corporate decision-making and questions of public accountability.
Leila has over two decades of experience in this area and acts for government departments, regulatory bodies, public and private organisations, corporate entities, and individuals, before a range of courts, tribunals, and administrative panels. Leila acts in large, complex regulatory investigations in a range of enforcement and administrative proceedings. Such proceedings ordinarily involve large volumes of material, highly technical issues and the need to navigate specialist areas of law, often involving novel points which can give rise to complex legal arguments, appeals, and connected litigation such as judicial reviews or appeals.
Leila has also acted on behalf of regulatory bodies and individuals in professional disciplinary proceedings.
Representative Cases
Acting for local authorities and police authorities in licensing panel and appeal hearings.
Leila’s international practice encompasses public international law, international criminal law, international human rights and aspects of European law.
Leila’s work encompasses a wide portfolio of advice and advocacy on matters of public international law, international criminal law, and international human rights. This includes engagement with domestic and international accountability mechanisms such as universal jurisdiction proceedings, UN institutional processes, special procedures, advisory committees, working groups, governments and their agencies, to pursue accountability mechanisms and influence the development of domestic and international law and policy; advising on legal, strategic, and policy matters; engaging in multi-stakeholder initiatives involving governments, parliamentarians, UN officials, diplomats, academics, and civil society across multiple jurisdictions and the UN system in New York and Geneva; and managing discrete projects in support of international accountability work. Leila’s international work has also included matters concerning ICJ proceedings and proceedings before courts and tribunals in Canada.
22 July 2026
We are delighted to announce that Robert Cohen, Alex Ustych, Robert Talalay, Alice Meredith, Lissy Verrall-Withers, Paige Jones, Jack Palmer and…
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We are delighted to welcome Leila Ghahhary, who joins 5 Essex Chambers as a tenant…
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Instructing Leila
Please contact Dan Waple if you have any questions or wish to instruct us.
“A formidable advocate whose brilliance and sophistication sets her apart. Leila is an elegant, engaging advocate who has a commanding presence in court.”
“Enormously talented; her ability to assimilate information, deal with complex issues, and to convey matters to clients and witnesses in a way that they understand is second to none.”
“Leila’s judgement and instincts are incredible, she is right about everything”
“Her work ethic is phenomenal, and she never loses sight of the human aspect of matters. She will be very well prepared and on point. She gets to the crux of matters and is very persuasive.”
“Leila has significant experience in Public Inquiries and it shows. She is attentive and produces excellent written work.”
“As a result of her tireless efforts, no stone was left unturned. She can work to impossible deadlines and never complains. She is clear in her advice and she never shies away from difficult decisions.”
“She is extremely good at getting to the crux of issues and she is very thoughtful and driven.”
“She gets to grips with the details very quickly.”
“The quality of Leila’s output is exceptional.”
“Leila has excellent judgment and insight and is able to think through particularly difficult problems with ease and good humour. She is particularly skilled at being able to see the big picture in matters where it is often easy to get lost in granular detail, and she is also an absolute pleasure to work with, including under highly stressful and pressured conditions.”
“Leila Ghahhary is a skilled advocate who has represented both public authorities and the bereaved in numerous inquests and inquiries, including the Hillsborough inquests. She also appeared on the Gosport Independent Panel. Leila is good with clients and her written advice is really comprehensive. She is bright, thorough, meticulous and highly engaging.”
“Leila’s written advice is comprehensive yet succinct and written in a way that is accessible to both lay and professional clients. She has a commanding courtroom presence and is clear in her oral argument and submissions; one of the go-to counsel for inquests operating on the Northern Circuit.”
“She is a highly skilled advocate and has a commanding presence in court. She’s always thoroughly well prepared.”
“She has a very good presence when performing on her feet and she got on well with the client. She was very accessible and approachable, and the end result was really good.”
“Leila is a superb leading junior in inquests and inquiries. She is a highly skilled advocate who presents well-reasoned arguments, captures the attention of the tribunal and always considers the bigger picture. She is meticulous in terms of approach and a fantastic team-player who will take on board the views of others.”
“Leila is incredibly approachable and communicative, and it is very easy to develop a positive working relationship with her. Her written and oral advice is both concise and comprehensive, and provided in a manner which is appropriate to the recipient, be that a lay or professional client. She is brilliant on her feet and has a commanding presence in court.”
“Her attention to detail is fantastic and she is very proactive. She is also easy to get hold of.”
“Offers exceptional support, quickly grasps the key issues and complexities in the case and adopts a methodical and thorough approach.”
“Leila is a fantastic addition to any team. Her attention to detail and knowledge of niche regulatory areas is worth its weight in gold. Leila is refreshingly hard working and gives masses of time and attention to any job.”
“A skilled advocate with excellent experience in this field. She has represented both public authorities and the bereaved in numerous high-profile inquests and inquiries, including the fresh Hillsborough inquests. She also appeared on the Gosport Independent Panel.”
“I would not hesitate to recommend her as she is excellent with clients and has a commanding presence on her feet in court. Leila Ghahhary is extremely bright, thorough and meticulous; her analytical skills are second to none, as is her knowledge of public and regulatory law. She is very sharp, delightful with solicitors and clients, and determined and fair in court. She’s also meticulously well prepared.”
“A ‘commanding and authoritative presence on her feet’, Leila Ghahhary is also one to watch in this area of practice.”
“Leila is an exceptional find! She has a background in local authority work which ideally suits some of the issues that arise in inquests and inquiries. Leila is an extremely competent advocate, compelling and impressive on her feet, always meticulously prepared and provides her clients with utmost confidence.”
“Leila is becoming a true expert in this field. Her background is superbly suited to the difficult and unusual regulations that appear in many cases. She is an absolute delight to work with and often has razor-like insight into complex cases. Her client care is second to none and she is always a real help.”
“She has good judgment and a commanding presence in court.”
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