About Public Interest lawyers

Phil Shiner, Solicitor

Phil Shiner leads the team at Public Interest Lawyers. He is a lawyer with an outstanding national and international reputation for his work on issues concerning international, environmental and human rights law.
 
Phil has practised as a solicitor in the UK since 1981. He has written extensively on international and human rights law, and has spoken at many conferences around the world on issues arising through PIL's work.
 
In recent years, Phil has acted in some of the most important judicial review cases to be brought in his areas of expertise, including Al-Skeini v UK, Al-Jedda v UK, Rose Gentle v Prime Minister, Gurung and Mohammed, Pascoe, Mortell, and Al-Sweady v Secretary of State for Defence.  He also represents the victims in the Al-Sweady and Baha Mousa Public Inquiries and in the ongoing judicial review proceedings relating to the detention of families and children for immigration control purposes.
 
In March 2010, he also led the team to success in the European Court of Human Rights in Al-Saadoon and Mufdhi, in which it was held that the UK's decision to transfer two individuals to the Iraqi authorities - despite High Court and Strasbourg orders requiring the contrary - breached their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.  He recently led the PIL team to Strasbourg for hearings on Al-Skeini and Al-Jedda.  The Grand Chamber's judgments are expected by the end of 2010.

Phil and his team of lawyers are currently acting for over 130 former detainees who allege that they or their family members were unlawfully detained, ill-treated, or killed by UK Forces in Iraq.  In Ali Zaki Mousa, the Secretary of State for Defence is coming under significant pressure to announce a full public inquiry into the many allegations of systematic abuse.  He is also leading the challenge of Bethany Shiner and others against the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police over the use of "kettling".

Phil is a visiting professor at London Metropolitan University and a visiting fellow at London School of Economics. He was made "Human Rights Lawyer of the Year" in 2004 by Liberty and Justice.  He has been shortlisted for Law Society Legal Personality of the Year 2011.