Michelle Harris

Practice

Michelle’s Criminal Defence expertise far exceeds that which her call date would suggest. She has undertaken work at all levels, having maintained a Crown Court practice since her pupillage. Her work has covered the full spectrum of criminal activity including murders, rapes and many, many drug supply cases. Michelle is known for her legal acumen and has won dozens of ‘Abuse of Process’ cases. She particularly enjoys identification cases; or cases that allow for half time legal submissions. Michelle has a friendly disposition and believes that Defendants have the right to be treated with dignity.

Michelle also does Human Rights law and has a long standing Immigration practice. Additionally, she is perhaps the best known specialist Boat Dwellers & Inland Waterways Barrister; and has been widely published on this subject.

Michelle has won cases at the High Court and Court of Appeal; but maintains that she normally does it right the first time….

In addition to her work at the bar, Michelle is an elected member of Bar Council and sits on the Remuneration Committee, the Legal Services Committee and the Young Bar Committee. She is also an active member of the Bar Union.

Michelle has assisted various grass-root organisations by a mixture of pro-bono roles including being a Company Director and sitting on a National Council.

Michelle is in Ramallah, Palestine until late December 2006 on behalf of the Bar Human Rights Committee – on a project funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – to train Palestinian lawyers on International Human Rights Law as well as providing hands on assistance.

Full information on Michelle Harris can be found at her website www.michelleharris.info

Publications

'Boat Dwellers and Human Rights', and 'Tenancies, Moorings and the European Convention'.; Published in the New Law Journal, Butterworths-On-Line, Practical Boat Owner, NABO News, Soundings, FFT News and 1 Pump Court News.

Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
National Association of Boat Owners
Residential Boat Owners Association
Inland Waterways Association
Cotswolds Canal Trust
Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway Trust
Friends, Families and Travellers

Other Legal Activities

Michelle has done considerable pro-bono work. As part of that, her past roles have included being on the National Council for National Association Boat Owners and a Company Director for Friends, Families and Travellers.

Specialisms

Immigration
Inland Waterways Law
All areas of Criminal Defence