Anna Moradi

In statutory and non-statutory inquiries, Anna is available for instructions from inquiry teams and core participants. She represents individuals in independent investigations. For security clearance details, please contact her clerks. Her work includes:

• Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan (Junior Counsel, On-going)
• Undercover Policing Inquiry (Second Junior Counsel, On-going)
• Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry (On-going)
• Independent investigation into sexual abuse (On-going)
• Undercover Policing Inquiry (2022 – 2023)
• Independent investigation into sexual abuse (2020)

Anna’s inquests experience includes a wide range of disciplines and services including primary care, general and emergency medicine, nursing and midwifery, psychiatry, pharmaceutical and social care. She welcomes instructions in associated human rights and civil claims. Her work includes:

• Request for inquest in matter concerning sepsis, severe disabilities and social care (Family Counsel, on-going)
• Inquest concerning pneumonia, sepsis, and liver disease (Family Counsel, on-going)
• Inquest concerning mental health and social services and self-inflicted death (Family Counsel, on-going)
• Inquest concerning community mental health and self-inflicted death (Family Counsel, 2024 – Narrative conclusion with no finding of suicide or misadventure; factual finding of GP failure)
• Inquest concerning COVID-19 (Family Counsel, 2024 – Narrative)
• Judicial review claim concerning new inquest (Family Counsel, 2023 -challenged decision withdrawn pre-action)
• Inquest concerning midwifery, neonatal and obstetric care (Family Counsel, 2023 – Prevention of Future Deaths report published concerning NHS Trust)

Anna welcomes instructions in abuse, torture and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority claims, and safeguarding in sports matters. She has expertise in issues of human trafficking, modern slavery, sexual abuse and torture. She has acted for a multitude of human trafficking and modern slavery victims in immigration detention cases and CICA claims. Between 2020 and 2022, she led Harrow Law Centre’s ‘Victims of Crime’ department, representing CICA claimants. Her work includes:

• Sexual abuse claim against major institution (On-going)
• Advice on abuse and HRA 1998 claims against two local authorities (2024)
• Advice on abuse claim against local authority and school (2024)
• Advice on sexual abuse claim against school (2024)
• Advice on HRA 1998 claim against local authority (2024)
• Advice on sexual abuse claim against local authority (2024)
• CICA claim concerning rape (secured highest available award)
• Out of time CICA claim concerning multiple rapes in the context of cross-border human trafficking for sexual exploitation (secured highest available award)

Anna’s seminars on human trafficking, modern slavery and torture include:

• ‘Victims’ Code: ways forward for reform’, Harrow Law Centre, 2021
• ‘Strengthening accountability through the Specialized Criminal Chambers in Tunisia: principles and recommended practices on the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of sexual and gender-based crimes’, International Commission of Jurists, 2021
• ‘Criminalisation of young victims’, Law Centres Network Annual Conference, 2020
• ‘Indicators of sexual exploitation of children and young people’, Harrow Association of Somali Voluntary Organisations, 2020
• ‘Human trafficking and modern slavery indicators’, Romanian and Eastern European Network, 2020
• ‘Criminal exploitation of youths’, Harrow Law Centre, 2020
• ‘Improving access to justice for victims of exploitation – II’, Harrow Law Centre, 2020
• ‘Improving access to justice for victims of exploitation – I’, Harrow Law Centre, 2020
• ‘Defending clients who may be human trafficking / modern slavery victims’, Sonn Macmillan Walker, 2018

Anna specialises in cases involving detention, torture and healthcare. She acts before regional and international human rights and diplomatic mechanisms. She has considerable experience representing individuals and families before the UK’s Foreign Office, the UK Foreign Minister, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Committee Against Torture. Her work includes:

• Communications before Foreign Affairs Department abroad: on behalf of individual detained in the Middle East (On-going)
• Communications before the UK Foreign Office: on behalf of individual detained and tortured in Asia (On-going)
• Communication before UN Special Procedures and UN Special Rapporteurs: on behalf of individual detained in Asia (On-going)
• Communications before the UK Foreign Office: on behalf of British national arbitrarily detained and tortured in the Middle East (2020 – 2022: repatriated)
• Communication before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention: on behalf of British national arbitrarily detained and tortured in the Middle East (2021 – 2022: secured finding of arbitrary detention. Repatriated)
• Communication before the UN Committee Against Torture: on behalf of individual at risk of torture in Europe (2023 – 2024: Respondent State withdrew removal order)
• Communication before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: on behalf of victim group concerning rights to land and natural resources in Africa (On-going: secured seizure)
• Legal expert to the Council of Europe: Opinion on Article 3 and 5 ECHR standards in response to the EU Pact on migration and asylum (2024)
• Advice on proposed EU Regulation on the protection of adults deprived of their legal capacity (2023)
• Advice on the criminalisation of forced sterilisation at EU level (2023)
• Advice on EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime concerning alleged torture in Middle East (2022)
• Legal expert to the Council of Europe: drafted and presented codifying document on international laws concerning administrative detention conditions (adopted by Member States in May 2023 and co-authored by former European Court of Human Rights judge, Judge Ledi Bianku)

• Finalist, ‘Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’ (2024)
• Winner, ‘Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’, Advocate (2022)
• Finalist, ‘International Pro Bono Barrister of the Year’, Advocate (2022)
• Scholar, Prince of Wales Scholarship, Gray’s Inn – £16000 (2015)
• Recipient, Performance Award, University of Law – £1000 (2015)

• BPTC, University of Law (2015 – 2016)
• MA Legal and Political Theory, University College London (2014 – 2015)
• LLB, School of Oriental and African Studies (2011 – 2014)

• Equality and Human Rights Commission – Panel of Counsel (2024 – 2028)
• International Criminal Court – List of Assistants to Counsel (On-going)

“Thank you for today. You are really across this case in such detail.” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“You continue to do an immense job.” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[A]n amazing effort Anna” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“You have argued eloquently”– Client (2024)

“As always, you have gone above and beyond what we would expect and that made all the difference … your flexibility and dedication set a high standard” – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[Anna] demonstrated an exceptional level of expertise, thoroughly understanding our … needs and the challenges [faced]. Her responses to our enquiries were meticulous, providing strong legal arguments crucial for … negotiation success. … [S]he revealed remarkable professionalism by delivering timely advice, further contributing to our [success].”  – Client (2024)

“[Y]ou did a great job today.  … we did much better than expected.’ – Instructing Solicitor (2024)

“[Anna is a] reliable junior for cases [involving] individuals and communities suffering serious human rights violations.” – Lead Counsel (2024)

“This is such an incredible outcome in an extremely difficult case … but we won because you cared and worked so hard on this.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“[D]uring the hearing it was clear she left no stone unturned and fought tooth and nail to put my case forward. I couldn’t have asked for better representation. Sound advice and a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom.” – Client (2023)

“[Anna] … was super thorough in going through the case documents and she was able to flag potential issues and highlight further documentation we needed. She provided advice to the client in a clear and compassionate way and she was especially considerate of our client’s vulnerabilities … She was extremely communicative and easily reachable throughout the case – it was an absolute pleasure to work with her! Our client was truly delighted with the outcome and with all of [Anna’s] work on his case.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“The preliminary work you carried out for my client was … extensive [and] shows that you really care about the client’s situation … [The client] is very lucky that a hearing was scheduled for the day that you were [available] as without your hard work and deep understanding of the law I can very much imagine things would have turned out differently.” – Instructing Solicitor (2023)

“[Anna] proved to be a Godsend to our family […] [F]or everything she has done for us […] we are eternally grateful. She is a shining beacon in the legal industry.” – Client (2022)

“[Anna] always makes herself available to assist with our most complex and often, last minute requests […] [She] has been disarmingly proactive when approaching a case, carrying out a meticulous review of evidence and ensuring that all legal arguments are considered and evidenced. […] We are consistently impressed by [Anna’s] dedication to her casework. […] All our legal staff agree that she is a marvel” – Instructing Solicitor (2022)

“[We] work with numerous … barristers … but [Anna’s] conduct stood out. … [Anna] has been communicative, personable and reassuring …  I was extremely well impressed by her commitment to the client [and] dedication to the case [and] her ability to grasp complex information in a short period of time. …  [W]hen engaging with the client following the hearing, he told me that he was very grateful to have [Anna] fighting for him and that he felt that that made all the difference” – Instructing Solicitor (2022)