Paula Kelly

Public Law and Human Rights

Paula accepts instructions in all areas of public and administrative law as well as human rights. She is a member of the Attorney General’s ‘Junior Junior’ Panel. Recent highlights include:

• Represented the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in In the matter of an application by the Secretary for Northern Ireland for Judicial Review [2025] UKSC 47, in respect of a claim for Public Interest Immunity in a Troubles-related legacy inquest (led by Oliver Sanders KC).
• Advising on Maxwellisation and pre-publication matters of the forthcoming Operation Denton report.
• Advising on claims arising out of R(HM) v Secretary of State for Home Department [2022] EWHC 695 in relation to the Home Office’s policy of seizing and downloading data from the mobile phones of migrants arriving by small boats.
• Acted in a successful application to strike-out a claim for false imprisonment on limitation grounds.
• Represented the Ministry of Justice in a case about the extent of the Probation Service’s duty to service users.

She has acted in or assisted in all stages of judicial review in cases spanning inquests, prisons, immigration, social care, public consultations and politically sensitive matters involving deprivation of citizenship and peerage nominations.

In her previous political role, Paula advised on a variety of Bills, Select Committee inquiries and reports, and policy areas. She developed expertise in legislative drafting and policy design. She can advise on parliamentary privilege, the legislative process, parliamentary procedure and devolution.

Paula also studied international law under Philippe Sands KC and graduated first in the year in Public International Law in her LL.M.