Amy Woolfson

Year of Call: 2017

Amy has an established practice encompassing professional discipline and regulatory law, extradition, and family law.

Our specialist clerks can be contacted by email on clerks@5sah.co.uk or phone on 020 7332 5400. To contact our Chambers Director directly in relation to a specific members’ practice, please email dscothern@5sah.co.uk

To contact Amy Woolfson directly please email amywoolfson@5sah.co.uk

"Amy is a thorough, intelligent, and measured advocate. Her case preparation is meticulous."

The Legal 500 2024.

"Amy is an excellent advocate. She secures incredible results, and always has a strong grasp of the papers and the issues at hand."

The Legal 500, 2025 | Professional Disciplinary and Regulatory Law

Overview

Amy is a versatile and intellectually able barrister. Amy is recognised as a Rising Star in The Legal 500 for her work in Professional Discipline & Regulatory. She represents registrants and regulators at the full range of professional disciplinary hearings, at all levels of seriousness. Amy has a growing defence extradition practice. She also accepts instructions in family law and crime. 

Instructing solicitors say:

"Amy is bright, pro-active and creative in her case preparation, and has excellent client care skills."

Client Testimonials

"Amy has a natural ability to absorb information very quickly and make very good decisions on trial strategy."

Client Testimonials

"She possesses a confidence beyond her years, combined with humility and a personable nature that I know my clients appreciate."

Client Testimonials

Professional Discipline & Regulatory

Amy is recognised as a Rising Star in The Legal 500 for her work in Professional Discipline & Regulatory. She has extensive experience as a case presenter, having acted for a wide range of regulators including the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the General Dental Council (GDC), General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Social Work England (SWE). Her case experience includes those with allegations of serious sexual misconduct, and those with vulnerable witnesses.

In her defence practise, Amy represents professionals facing allegations of the utmost seriousness, including dishonesty and serious sexual misconduct. Clients say:

"Your expertise and determination were pivotal to my case's favourable outcome.

Your professional demeanour and dedication to my case truly went above and beyond my expectations."

Amy has represented regulated professionals in inquests, and in criminal matters.

Education

Amy has had notable success in education law matters. She regularly acts for parents seeking to challenge exclusions in the private and state sectors. Amy has also been instructed to represent parents facing prosecution under the Education Act 1996 for failing to comply with School Attendance Orders. Amy is currently acting pro bono for a family challenging the named school in an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Extradition & International

In her extradition practice, Amy represents clients at all stages of proceedings at Westminster Magistrates Court and advises on appeals to the High Court.

Amy is currently instructed in political corruption case as junior to Ben Keith.

 

Interpol

Amy is experienced in advising and making submissions to INTERPOL in respect of Red Notices and diffusions. Amy is co-author, with Ben Keith, of the Interpol chapter in The Practitioner’s Guide to Global Investigations (Ninth Edition).

Family & Children

Amy has a growing family law practice. In private law proceedings, she has acted for both applicants and respondents in child arrangement order cases, and in respect of occupation/non-molestation orders. Amy has acted in applications to remove children from the jurisdiction and in applications for transfer of tenancy under the Family Law Act 1996. 

In public law matters, Amy has acted in Care Order cases and matters touching upon Special Guardianship Orders.

Additional information

Amy had a varied and successful career before coming to the Bar, including working in industry, serving as an adviser and election agent to a Member of Parliament, and conducting research into the reform of the Official Secrets Acts for the Law Commission.

Direct Public Access

  • Amy is qualified to receive instructions directly from members of the public. 

Professional Appointments and Memberships

  • CPS Advocate Panel Member Grade 2.
  • CPS Extradition Advocate Panel: Level 1.
  • Government Legal Department, Junior Junior scheme.

Education

  • LLM, Harvard Law School.
  • BPTC (Very Competent), BPP Law School.
  • LLB Hons (First Class), Open University.

Awards

  • Advocacy Award, Criminal Bar Association.
  • Kennedy Scholarship, Kennedy Memorial Trust.
  • Queen Mother Scholarship, Middle Temple.
  • Excellence Award, BPP Law School.

Professional Memberships

  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL).

Cases of Note

Regulatory and professional discipline

NMC v OL

Defending a nurse accused of sexually assaulting a patient – ongoing

HCPC v CA

Representing the HCPC in a case concerning allegations of coercive and controlling behaviour and serious sexual assault, following his acquittal in the Crown Court

NMC v MM

Defending a nurse accused of dishonestly covering up a serious clinical incident – no case to answer

NMC v CR and TR

Representing the NMC in complex fitness to practice matter concerning independent midwives

NMC v KT

Defending a nurse accused of falsifying observations of a highly dangerous patient – no misconduct

GDC v KG

Defending a trainee GP accused of dishonesty

R v AO (Woolwich Crown Court)

Defending a pharmacist accused of assaulting his wife

Education

Securing the return of a student to a major public school following serious allegations of bullying

Representing a family in a contractual dispute with a public school following the successful appeal of their child’s exclusion

Representing a family challenging exclusion from a state school

In the First Tier Tribunal, representing a family challenging the named school in an Education, Health and Care Plan