Miriam Smith Commended for Pro-Bono Work
Miriam Smith was ‘highly commended’ in the category 'Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’ in Advocate's 2019 Bar Pro-Bono Awards. The award was announced by the Chair of the Bar Council at this year’s Annual Bar Conference, and presented to Miriam by the President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale.
Miriam was recognised for her involvement in a number of complex quasi criminal cases. These included:
- Securing permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal in a criminal injuries compensation case concerning the test for re-opening an award where the victim’s injury persists over time. Miriam’s client was held at gunpoint during a burglary and continues to suffer from PTSD 10 years after the event. She will be led by Ben Douglas-Jones QC in the Court of Appeal.
- Representing the family of a teenager who died following a prolonged period of restraint by members of the public at the pre-inquest review. Miriam successfully argued that Article 2 was engaged on the facts and that the Coroner was obliged to sit with a jury.
- Advising a victim of repeat domestic violence on a Victim’s Right to Review following a CPS decision not to prosecute, where she could only liaise with the client via a referring charity.