Amy Mannion KC

Amy is a highly regarded practitioner in the public inquiries field, and has ranked by both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 for a number of years. Amy has been instructed in a number of public inquiries for a range of clients. In recent years:

• For the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in the Undercover Policing Inquiry.
• For a central government department in the Covid Public Inquiry.
• For Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in the public inquiry into events at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (arising from secret filming by BBC Panorama).

Public Inquiries quotations about Amy in the directories include:

“Amy is a Silk in all but name.  She is meticulously prepared and a fount of knowledge.  An outstanding barrister.” (Legal 500 2025)

“Amy has this wonderful ability to be granular and strategic. She can dig down into the detail while still retaining focus on how things should be in months ahead.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

“Her work is amazingly good. She provides very good strategic advice and she is so efficient. Her advice to clients is very good in terms of content and speed.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

“Her grasp for what clients want is incredible. She holds the whole thing together.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

“Amy has an excellent manner – she is incredibly clear and concise; she is tactful, and knows when to push and when not to push certain points.” (Chambers & Partners 2024)

“Her judgement is impeccable.” (Chambers & Partners 2024)

“Amy is one of the smartest people at the Bar; she picks up the facts quickly. She is very skilled in dealing with the inquiry chair and is very supportive of other women at the Bar.” “Clients like her and respect her and she is an excellent advocate.” (Chambers & Partners 2023)

“She is a great performer in the inquests and inquiries space.” “Her submissions are clear, persuasive and extremely well delivered.” (Chambers & Partners 2022)

“She has an incredible manner in court and she has a really good rapport with the chair. She’s a first-class advocate and barrister.” “She has her eyes on the ball and her stamina separates her from others.” “I can’t sing her praises highly enough. She can sort out the most complicated problems.” (Chambers & Partners 2021)

“She has a sound analytical mind, is excellent on strategy and is very popular with the client. She has the respect of the Inquiry.” “She was extremely hard-working and very knowledgeable. She’s also someone with a lovely style of advocacy.” (Chambers & Partners 2020)

Amy is well known for her indirect taxes and duties work. She is sought after for her advisory work, and acts in all levels of tribunal and up to the Supreme Court. Due to her strong public law practice, Amy is often instructed in public law cases concerning tax matters, both for taxpayers and for HMRC.

Amy has been described by Chambers & Partners as a “skilled junior with a strong public law and indirect tax practice”. Indirect tax and duties quotations about Amy in the directories include:

“Her contribution is invaluable. You can have the utmost confidence in her abilities.” (Chambers and Partners 2024)

“Operates at a high level and really understands her brief.” (Chambers and Partners 2023)

“She is incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable.” (Chambers and Partners 2022)

“Absolutely superb, she is hyper-intelligent and really hard-working.” (Chambers and Partners 2021)

“Exceptional; she is super bright and always derives the key facts from a wealth of material very, very quickly.” “She goes through a case in great forensic detail.” (Chambers and Partners 2020)

Selected Cases

• HMRC v Yorkshire Agricultural Society [2025] UKUT 4: for HMRC in significant UT case on the correct approach to the VAT exemption for fundraising events.
• Jersey Choice Ltd v HMT [2024] UKSC 5: Successful in the Supreme Court (and before that, the Court of Appeal and High Court) in strike out of claim for Francovich damages arising from the removal of a VAT relief.
• OWD Ltd and another v HMRC [2019] UKSC 30: Successful in the Supreme Court on case concerning the Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme managed by HMRC. Consideration of the correct approach to injunctive relief in cases where there is dedicated appeal scheme before the Tribunal which does not provide for suspensive relief.
• Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Ltd v HMRC [2017] UKSC 26: Supreme Court determined second ground of appeal and referred primary ground to the CJEU. VAT case concerning partial exemption special methods. Led by Owain Thomas KC

Amy is a strong public law practitioner, with particular expertise in judicial review arising in context of regulatory, disciplinary, tax, duties, policing and prisons decisions, those concerning inquiries and reviews, and those with a criminal law background or context. Amy also has a wealth of experience in judicial review injunction matters.

Chambers and Partners has described Amy as a “skilled junior with a strong public law and indirect tax practice” (Indirect Tax) and noted that Amy “handles judicial review challenges to the decisions of inquiry chairs” (Public Inquiries and Inquests).

Selected Cases

• Moss v Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames [2021] EWHC 1032: Successful for claimant in judicial review against local authority.
• OWD Ltd and another v HMRC [2019] UKSC 30: Successful in the Supreme Court on case concerning the new Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme managed by HMRC.
• R (oao X Ltd & Y Ltd; ABC Ltd) v HMRC [2017]: Court of Appeal consideration of the correct approach to injunctive relief in cases where there is dedicated appeal scheme before the Tribunal which does not provide for suspensive relief. Arises out of new Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme.

Human rights issues arise across Amy’s practice areas. For example:

Selected Cases

• Moss v Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames [2021] EWHC 1032: Successful for claimant in judicial review against local authority. Leading case on the citizen’s inspection right found in s.26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
• OWD Ltd and another v HMRC [2019] UKSC 30: Supreme Court consideration including whether the application process for the HMRC-managed Alcohol Wholesalers Registration Scheme (AWRS) breached article 6 ECHR.
• R (oao X Ltd & Y Ltd; ABC Ltd) v HMRC [2017]: Arguments in Court of Appeal consideration of the correct approach to injunctive relief pending an appeal including arguments concerning article 6 and article 1 of the First Protocol.

Amy has experience of immigration law at first instance and upon appeal. She is usually instructed in immigration judicial review claims, but appears at both levels of the Tribunal as well as in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Selected Cases

• Amy was leading counsel for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in the public inquiry into events at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (arising from secret filming by BBC Panorama).
• Yalcin v SSHD [2024] 1 WLR 1626: considering deportation of a foreign criminal sentenced to more than four years imprisonment and the public interest under s.117C of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Amy has particular expertise in cases concerning policing and crime.

Selected Cases

• Amy is counsel for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service in the Undercover Policing Inquiry and has developed a wide and deep understanding of police law and practice through the varied work of the inquiry.
• Moss v Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames [2021] EWHC 1032: Successful for claimant in judicial review against local authority. Leading case on the citizen’s inspection right found in s.26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.