Jessica Boyd

Jess has acted as junior counsel in a number of high profile Public Law cases since she started practice. She was junior counsel for one of the Claimants in litigation against the Government by former British detainees of Guantanamo Bay, and acted for Liberty in the Court of Appeal hearing of a preliminary issue in relation to that litigation concerning the use of secret evidence. She has represented the claimant in judicial reviews brought by the Equitable Members Action Group and the Law Society, has acted for appellants in a number of immigration appeals, and has acted as sole counsel for claimants in the Upper Tribunal and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Tribunal. Jess has advised on a wide range of public law issues, including in relation to public service pensions and recoupment of fees paid by the Legal Services Commission.

• Darrell v Board of Inquiry
  Jess acts as junior to Lord Lester QC for the interested party, HSBC, in an on-going judicial review brought in Bermuda relating to allegations of discrimination brought by the Claimant.
• Brough v Law [2011] EWCA Civ 1183
  The Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Upper Tribunal in relation to the proper construction of paragraph 16(1) of Schedule 1 to the Child Support Act 1991. Acted as sole counsel for the successful appellant in the Upper Tribunal, which overturned a previous line of authority, and as junior to Dinah Rose QC in the Court of Appeal.
• Association for Group and Individual Psychotherapy and Ors v Health Professions Council
  Acts for the Respondent as junior to Michael Fordham QC in a judicial review relating to the HPC’s proposals concerning the regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists.
• Mint Apparel Limited v HMRC
  Acted as counsel for HMRC in the Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery), defending an application brought by Mint Apparel.
• Al Rawi & Ors v Security Service & Ors
  Acted as junior to Michael Fordham QC for one of the appellants, Martin Mubanga, in claims brought by former detainees of Guantanamo Bay against various British Government departments. The claims ultimately settled.
• R (Law Society of England and Wales) v The Lord Chancellor [2010] EWHC 1406
  Acted as junior to Dinah Rose QC and Javan Herberg in a successful judicial review of the Government’s new scheme for awarding costs in criminal cases.  
• R (March) v Secretary of State for Health [2010] EWHC 765
  Acted with Michael Fordham QC for a haemophilia sufferer who contracted HIV and hepatitis C from an NHS blood transfusion, in a successful judicial review of  the Government’s decision not to award compensation at a level equivalent to Ireland.
• R (Equitable Members Action Group) v HM Treasury [2009] EWHC 2495
  Acted as junior to Dinah Rose QC and Javan Herberg for former Equitable Life pension holders in a successful judicial review of the Government’s Response to the Ombudsman’s Inquiry into the collapse of Equitable Life.

Jess frequently represents both claimants and respondents in the Employment Tribunal, in unfair and wrongful dismissal and discrimination claims.

• Karunakaran v Tesco
  Acted for the successful Claimant in an unfair dismissal case.
• Molyneaux v IBM
  Acted for the respondent in an unfair dismissal case. Judgment awaited.
• A v IBM
  Acted for the respondent in an unfair dismissal case. Discrimination elements of the claim have been struck out.
• Griffiths v Contemporary Dance Society
  Acted for the successful respondent in an unfair dismissal case.
• Lombard v TP Bennet
  Acted for the respondent in an unfair dismissal case. Procedural unfair dismissal found.

Jess has a wide ranging commercial law practice, which has included drafting and advisory work in relation to international trade, insurance and oil refineries. She appears frequently in the County Court in small scale commercial matters.

• Jess is currently acting as junior to Robert Howe QC in relation to a claim brought by investors in relation to property development in the Caribbean.

Jess spent three months seconded to Ofgem at the beginning of her practice and has since advised and/or acted for Ofgem, Ofcom, the Health Professions Council, the BBC and the FSA.  She has represented the GMC in front of the Interim Orders Panel of the General Medical Council, and has acted for a Headteacher before the General Teaching Council.

• Sky and Ors v Ofcom
  10-week CAT hearing brought by Sky and others concerning the regulation of Pay TV. Judgment awaited.
• AGIP v HPC
  Acts for the Respondent in a judicial review brought by the Association for Group and Individual Psychotherapy.
• GTC v Christopher Raymond, July 2011
  Represented a Headteacher accused of unacceptable professional conduct at a hearing before the General Teaching Council.

Jess appeared as junior counsel for Ofcom in a lengthy CAT hearing of appeals by Sky, the Premier League, BT and Virgin Media relating to the regulation of pay TV, and has advised Ofcom in relation to the auction of spectrum for use of 4G mobile technology.

• Sky and Ors v Ofcom
  10-week CAT hearing of appeals brought by Sky and others relating to the regulation of Pay TV. Awaiting judgment.

Sport, Media & Entertainment

As a pupil, Jessica was involved in a number of sports and media cases. These included ongoing disputes between McLaren and the FIA in relation to the Brazilian Grand Prix and the conduct of an investigation into McLaren’s 2008 car, a breach of contract claim by a football agent against a player, and a number of disputes relating to copyright. Jess has since done substantial drafting and advisory work in matters relating to invasion of privacy and defamation, and has acted for Ofcom in a number of cases relating to broadcasting.

• Sky and Ors v Ofcom
  10-week CAT hearing relating to the regulation of Pay TV. Judgment awaited.
• Hoppr Entertainment Ltd v Ofcom
  Acted for Ofcom in a proposed judicial review brought by a broadcaster of adult entertainment programmes. Permission to seek judicial review denied on the papers.
• Brierley v Ofcom
  Acts for Ofcom in a proposed judicial review brought in relation to the Channel 4 programme Embarrassing Bodies with reference to the Broadcasting Code. Permission decision awaited.

Scholarships and Prizes:

• College Scholarship (Clare College, Cambridge)
• Greene Cup for General Learning (Clare College, Cambridge)
• Kennedy Scholarship (Harvard University)
• Graduate Prize Fellowship at the Centre for Human Values (Princeton University)
• Princess Royal Scholarship (CPE year) (Inner Temple)
• Peter Taylor Scholarship (BVC year) (Inner Temple)

Other Information:

VAT registration number:  936650603