Jess took silk in 2022. Her expertise spans administrative law and human rights, telecommunications, competition law, media law and regulation, and the intersections between these fields. She undertakes advocacy at all levels and has appeared a number of times in the Supreme Court in. She is ranked in one or both of the leading legal directories in the fields of Administrative/Public/Regulatory Law, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Media and Communications, Telecommunications, Competition and EU law. Recent comments include:

  • "Great to work with, incredibly client-friendly and is a real asset on regulatory/licensing cases where she can bring her substantial administrative law experience."- Legal 500 UK, 2023
  • "Jess is an extremely accomplished advocate when it comes to competition law, quickly understanding the markets, the competitive dynamic and the regulatory context. She understands her client’s needs, not only in terms of the law itself but the commercial context in which it is sought; her elevation to silk recently was richly deserved. "- Legal 500 UK, 2023
  • "She is a real standout; an excellent practitioner."- Chambers UK, 2023
  • "a superb mind, produces really amazing drafting and a real knack of getting to the issues...takes clients into matters on a fighting stance"- Chambers UK, 2023
  • "drafts like a dream and produces taut, elegant and persuasive advocacy"- Chambers UK, 2023

Previous comments include:

  • “Stars of the Bar: 5 Years’ Call and Under”- Chambers UK
  • “Boyd has the ability to take indigestible material and make it lucid, even when handing the most complicated cases ever seen.”- Chambers UK
  • "She matches significant intellectual fire-power with a capacity for hard work which is truly something else; she is remarkable” - Chambers UK
  • "Ofcom favourite"- Chambers UK

Experience

Shortlist

Public & Regulatory

Jess has a broad public law practice, encompassing civil liberties, human rights, commercial judicial review and all aspects of regulatory and administrative law. She acts regularly for claimants and defendants at all levels, and has appeared in the Supreme Court in cases relating to the principle of equal treatment, the status of torture evidence, regulators' costs and tax disputes. 

Cases

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EU & Competition

Jess appears in CAT and High Court competition-related disputes. She also acts in EU-related telecomms and pharmaceutical matters and claims for judicial review.

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Media & Entertainment

Jess has considerable expertise in broadcasting regulation and in disputes relating to Article 10 ECHR and freedom of expression. She has acted in a number of Article 10 cases before the European Court of Human Rights. She is regularly instructed by Ofcom and has defended judicial reviews brought by the Russian and Chinese state broadcasters among others. She advises and acts in a wide range of other entertainment-related matters, including invasion of privacy, defamation, licensing and the national lottery and the regulation of pornography and gambling.

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Telecommunications

Jess has considerable experience of telecomms regulation and is regularly instructed by Ofcom, the Phonepaid Services Authority and industry parties. She has acted for Ofcom in major judicial reviews relating to spectrum auctioning and licence fees, has advised on complex regulatory issues concerning premium rate services and internet regulation, and appeared in a number of cases in the Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to the telecomms regulation. 

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Civil Liberties & Human Rights

Jess has acted in a number of high-profile human rights cases, including cases in the Supreme Court relating to Article 1 of the First Protocol, the status of evidence that may have been obtained by torture, and Article 10. She has particular expertise in matters that fall in the intersection of media regulation and freedom of expression, and is currently acting in a number of Strasbourg cases concerning Article 10. She also has expertise in privacy/Article 8 and discrimination issues, including the application of the Public Sector Equality Duties. In the past, she acted in challenges arising out of the detention of British nationals and residents in Guantanamo Bay, and claims brought by both Iraqi nationals and British soldiers relating to the activities of the British military in Iraq. 

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Professional Discipline

Jess has advised or acted in relation to matters of professional discipline arising out of decisions of the FSA/FCA, the General Medical Council, the General Teaching Council, the Renewable Energy Consumer Code and the PSA Code of Practice.

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Achievements

Education

MA Hons (Cantab), Philosophy, (Double Starred First); PhD, Philosophy, Princeton University; Diploma in Law, City University, (Distinction); Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, (Outstanding)

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)

Selected earlier reported cases

Public & Regulatory

  • Brough v Law [2011] EWCA Civ 1183
  • R (Law Society of England and Wales) v The Lord Chancellor [2010] EWHC 1406
  • R (March) v Secretary of State for Health [2010] EWHC 765
  • R (Equitable Members Action Group) v HM Treasury [2009] EWHC 2495

Civil Liberties & Human Rights

  • Al Rawi & Ors v Security Service & Ors [2010] EWCA Civ 482
  • Darrell v Board of Inquiry

Professional Discipline

  • GTC v Christopher Raymond, July 2011

News

VAT registration number: 936650603

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+44 (0)207 5831770

Clerks

Staff