Claire Bostock has over 12 years' experience of working as a criminal defence lawyer. She is former barrister (called in 1999), requalifying as a solicitor in 2002.

Her practice focuses almost exclusively on heavy weight criminal appellate work and she has experience of and particular expertise in:

• Fresh evidence appeals.
• Cases involving defences of insanity, diminished responsibility and provocation.
• Serious and complex criminal matters involving murder, manslaughter, sexual abuse, gang related violence and large scale drug importations.
• Cases involving young people whose trials took place in adult courts.
• Cases involving developments in forensic science and other forms of expert evidence.
• Other appellate work involving the European Convention on Human Rights.
• Applications to and referrals from the Criminal Cases Review Commission
• Miscarriages of justice cases including cases involving serious procedural errors and non-disclosure.
• Compensation claims against the Home Office for miscarriages of justice.

Claire is ranked in the Crime section of Chambers & Partners Directory 2012, which notes her "clear communication and adroit analytical skills in getting to the fundamentals of a case".

She is regularly instructed by clients nationwide seeking a second opinion on the merits of a criminal appeal against conviction and/or sentence or an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Claire's reported appellate cases include:

• R v Ubolcharoen [2009] EWCA Crim 3263 - Successful fresh evidence appeal against convictions for sex trafficking. No retrial ordered.
• R v Jones - Successful appeal against a conviction for assault on the basis that the trial judge had usurped the role of the jury when summing up the case. No retrial ordered.
• R v Leighton - Case referred to the Court of Appeal by the CCRC and the appellant's convictions for sexual assault were set aside on the basis of fresh evidence relating to the complainant's credibility and non - disclosure of evidence. No retrial ordered.
• R v Brooks - Sentence of IPP set aside on the basis that it was wrong in principle and appellant resentenced to a determinate prison sentence.
• R v Lewis - Sentence for attempted murder deemed to be manifestly excessive.
• R v Carey - Sentence in the case of a youth deemed to be both unlawful and manifestly excessive.

Claire has a wide experience of other general criminal cases in the Crown Court, Magistrates' Court and Youth Court as well as acting in a reported judicial review of the Metropolitan Police and other judicial review cases. Her wider interests in criminal casework include public order and political cases and those involving vulnerable adults and children.

A former nurse, Claire studied for her undergraduate law degree (European Legal Studies) at the University of Westminster and the University of Paris X (LLB and Diploma in French law). She completed her professional legal training at the Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Vocational Course) and BPP School of Law (Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test)

Claire is a member of the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association, the Howard League for Penal Reform, Liberty and the Haldane Society.