Overview
Eleanor is a British barrister specialising in international criminal law and human rights. She acts in a range of Chambers’ practice areas including general crime, extradition & international law, and public inquiries & inquests.
She is a dedicated advocate, who argues passionately on behalf of her clients and is able to clearly and persuasively put across complex legal arguments both in her written and oral advocacy.
Eleanor currently represents a client in a high-profile and complex case before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague. She has previously worked on the prosecution team at the International Criminal Court on the Darfur situation, and for the defence at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in relation to the 2005 bombing that killed the former Prime Minister of Lebanon. Eleanor is adept at drafting complex arguments and working with the vast volumes of evidence that are typical of cross border cases.
Eleanor appears at the Magistrates and Crown Courts in the UK and recently acted for an Albanian defendant on a multi-handed conspiracy to supply a drug of class A at Bristol Crown Court.
Alongside court work, she provides advice to NGOs and victim communities in relation to human rights abuses of minority groups in China. She prepares legal submissions and drafts correspondence on behalf of NGOs to the United Nations Special Rapporteur mechanisms in relation to the state sanctioned regime of forced organ harvesting in China. She is also involved in law reform in the UK on the issue.
Here’s what some of those who have worked with Eleanor have to say about her:
Additional Information
- Eleanor’s international and domestic criminal practice is complemented by her previous career as a commercial litigation and arbitration solicitor in private practice in London.
- Eleanor is fluent in Spanish.
Articles & News
- Epoch Times Article on Chinese Regime’s Attempt to Suppress Reporting on Forced Organ Harvesting in China: Human Rights Lawyer Decries Chinese Regime’s Attempt to Suppress Reporting on Forced Organ Harvesting (theepochtimes.com)
- International Legal Responsibilities of Medical Transplantation Institutions: Eleanor Stephenson | OHRH (ox.ac.uk)
Education
- University of Nottingham: Biochemistry and Chemistry.
- BPP Law School: Graduate Diploma in Law.
- BPP Law School: LPC.
Languages
- Fluent in Spanish
Extradition & International
International Criminal Law
Eleanor has significant experience of working on both the prosecution and defence in international cases at the International Criminal Court, Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the ECCC in Cambodia. Eleanor’s cases often involve multiple charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity and several modes of liability. She has also acted on contempt cases at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers which has involved issues such as the operation of the defendant’s right to freedom of opinion and expression, the protection of whistle blowers in relation to the disclosure of confidential information, police incitement, standards pertaining to prosecution investigations at the international level, witness intimidation and retaliation, and obstruction of official persons performing official duties. She is appointed to the list of assistants at the International Criminal Court and as co-counsel at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.
Extradition
Eleanor has a keen interest in extradition law and accepts instructions in this area. She has previously assisted clients in challenging Interpol Red Notices and has acted in the capacity of an expert in relation to a Chinese extradition request from a European country.
Criminal Defence
Eleanor welcomes instructions on a wide variety of criminal matters before the courts of England and Wales. She recently acted on a 6-week trial at Bristol Crown Court on a multi-handed organised crime case regarding the supply a drug of class A and is now instructed on the appeal.
Criminal Prosecutions - Private & Public
Eleanor welcome instructions in public and private prosecutions.
Inquests & Inquiries
Eleanor accepts instructions in relation to public inquiries and inquests.
Professional Memberships
- Criminal Bar Association (CBA).
- Delf Extradition Lawyers' Forum (DELF).
Cases of Note
Specialist Prosecutor v. Hysni Gucati and Nasim Haradinaj
Currently defending Mr Gucati at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers case in the Hague in relation to 6 charges including witness intimidation and retaliation and the obstruction of criminal proceedings.
The Prosecutor v. Abd-Al-Rahman
Prosecuting defendant Abd-Al-Rahman at the International Criminal Court in the pre-trial stages of proceedings in the lead up to the confirmation of charges hearing.
Ayyash & others
Worked on the Sabra defence team.
The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen
Worked on the defence on the case of Dominic Ongwen at the International Criminal Court involving over 70 criminal charges and 8 modes of liability.
REX v Ergys Dashi & others
Acted for Mr Dashi in a multi-handed organised crime conspiracy in relation to the supply of drugs of class A at Bristol Crown Court.
JSC Mezhdunarodniy Promyshlenniy Bank and State Corporation ‘Deposit Insurance Agency’ v Sergei Viktorovich Pugachev & others
Acted for the minors and potential beneficiaries in a contentious trusts case against a Russian Oligarch in the High Court in London.
Acting for the Kazakh government in relation to the billion-dollar Ablyazov fraud arising out of the City Almaty in pursuing the fraudsters across multiple jurisdictions
Monitored extradition proceedings at Westminster Magistrates Court, made applications to revoke asylum granted by UK authorities, and applied for European arrests warrants.
LCIA Ensco v Petrobras and Samsung Heavy arbitration
Acted for the Respondent Brazil state run oil producer Petrobras in the LCIA Ensco v Petrobras and Samsung Heavy arbitration in London in relation to a US$400 million contract and bribery and corruption case.
Multi-Defendant fraud
Represented one of 17 defendants in a Thai fraud case while practising at Clyde & Co LLP in London.
