Background
Amalia is a solicitor in our Bristol office and has worked at DPG since 2016. Previously, she worked as a welfare rights adviser at a charity and has a longstanding commitment to advocating for clients’ rights. She specialises in inquests and actions against state bodies, in particular, representing people in prison and those affected by prison.
Expertise
Inquests
Amalia represents bereaved people and families throughout the inquest process and assists them to bring compensation claims in relation to the death of a loved one in state custody. She works on cases involving deaths which occur while a person is in prison or shortly after their release from prison.
Amalia is frequently instructed in the difficult time soon after someone has died and is experienced in advising about the early stages of investigations. Amalia is also proficient in resolving preliminary procedural issues, including appealing decisions that a person is not recognised as a ‘family member’ for the purpose of legal aid funding and securing ‘Interested Person’ status in complicated circumstances. Amalia regularly makes representations to Coroners to ensure that investigations are compliant with Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights and for an inquest to be heard with a jury.
Amalia has a strong record uncovering and identifying failings which contributed to a person’s death. She also works hard to achieve comprehensive jury conclusions. These findings are often critical of state bodies and have highlighted failures amounting to neglect.
Amalia understands that when state failings cause a person’s death, their significant others want system change so that people are not failed in the same way. Amalia works tenaciously to advocate for lessons to be learnt and to persuade Coroners to exercise their power to issue a prevention of future deaths report at the conclusion of an inquest, for example:
- Prevention of future deaths report issued to HMP Lowdham Grange (Serco) about serious irregularities in retention and disclosure of evidence.
- Prevention of future deaths reports issued to HMP Birmingham and HMP Hewell about shortcomings in the implementation of ACCT procedures (national self-harm safeguarding policy) and inadequate handover of risk-pertinent information when a person transfers to a different prison. BBC coverage.
- Prevention of future deaths report issued to HMP Lewes and the Ministry of Justice about inadequate processes for facilitating a first night telephone call and the national telephone switchboard failing to log and escalate welfare concerns raised by family members.
- Prevention of future deaths report issued to Devon Partnership NHS Trust about insufficient access to medical records for independent doctors to carry out risk assessments and inadequate knowledge about options following Mental Health Act assessments. Local press coverage.
- Prevention of future deaths report issued to HMP Lowdham Grange (Serco) and Minister for Prisons about various safeguarding failures and the lack of duty of candour by the prison and staff. INQUEST coverage.
- Prevention of future deaths report issued to HMP Lowdham Grange (Serco, Sodexo and Ministry of Justice) and Minister for Prisons about serious ongoing failures relating to handover of prison, including the lack of candour at the inquest. Read more and watch ITV NEWS about this significant inquest into the deaths of 3 men at Lowdham Grange, who all died in March 2023. The Ministry of Justice was also fined by the Court in relation to disclosure problems, read the BBC Coverage ‘Government fined at inquest in ‘extraordinary step.‘
Recent casework
Amalia has significant expertise in representing families at inquests into self-inflicted and drugs/alcohol related deaths at HMP Lowdham Grange. In 2023, the prison became the first to transfer from being managed by one private company (Serco) to another (Sodexo). However, in 2024 the Ministry of Justice took over running the prison. Amalia has built a detailed knowledge of the long-standing issues at the prison and the complications arising from the handover of responsibility. Watch Amalia talking about this work on Channel 4 News and read her article in Inside Time.
Claims against prisons
Amalia undertakes a wide range of work for people in prison, including data protection claims and cases involving inadequate access to healthcare. She has built a detailed knowledge of national policies and procedures and has a solid understanding of systemic issues. Amalia also assists with potential legal action following assaults, use of force or other serious incidents in prison.
Personal data and information rights
Amalia assists people who have had their data rights breached by the state, ensuring that information held is accurate and claiming compensation for the harm that they have suffered. Amalia also utilises freedom of information law to gather evidence to support her clients’ cases.
Complex public and private law claims
Amalia thinks creatively and uses the full extent of the law to assist her clients to enforce their rights. She skilfully and strategically manages concurrent public law challenges (judicial review proceedings) and private law compensation claims. Many of these involve multiple and interrelated state bodies.
My work
“I work with people who want to achieve truth, justice and accountability when they, or their loved ones, are failed by state bodies.
The people I represent have been let down by prisons, police forces, healthcare organisations and government departments. My role is to help them navigate the legal system. I listen to people’s experiences and why they have come to a lawyer for advice. I assist them by gathering information, carefully considering their options and advising on potential legal challenges.
I recognise that litigation is a difficult process, and it can be frustrating due to delays and other systemic barriers. I appreciate that it can be daunting to bring a claim against large and well-funded state bodies. I try to integrate trauma-informed ways of working with my clients to minimise the stress involved.
Throughout a case, I do my best to explain what is happening and why. I aim to give people clear and practical advice so that they can make informed choices about how to achieve their objectives and assert their rights.”
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