5SAH are delighted to announce that both Anna Leathem and Rebecca Thomas have accepted offers of tenancy to join chambers, following the successful completion of their pupillages.

Anna Leathem practises in criminal, extradition, and family law. She regularly appears in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts and is developing a Crown Court practice. Anna also has experience of professional discipline and regulatory cases.

Anna has a busy defence practice and has experience in dealing with young and vulnerable defendants in the youth courts and has completed specialist training with the Youth Justice Legal Centre. Anna also prosecutes regularly for the CPS, the Probation Service and has been instructed in Private Prosecutions.

Anna is keen to develop her extradition practice and accepts instructions in this area. She has been instructed to act on behalf of clients facing extradition to a number of different countries. 

Prior to commencing pupillage, both Anna and Rebecca worked as paralegals at Sonn Macmillan Walker Solicitors. In her paralegal role, Anna assisted the head of litigation in a variety of matters including murder, serious violence, drugs conspiracies, sexual offences and proceeds of crime. She prepared cases for trial in both the Crown Court and the Magistrates’ Court and gained particular experience in tackling vast amounts of evidence in multi-handed organised crime cases.

Rebecca Thomas prosecutes and defends in a wide range of criminal cases. She has a growing practice in private children and domestic abuse proceedings and welcomes instructions in family public law cases. She also accepts instructions in the areas of extradition and regulatory & professional discipline and has a growing family law practice. 

Rebecca has a busy criminal defence practice and regularly appears in the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts. Rebecca has dealt with a wide range of matters and welcomes instructions in cases with a quasi-criminal jurisdiction, for example applications for Sexual Risk Orders. She also has experience prosecuting a range of matters in the Crown Courts. She regularly deals with appeals against conviction or sentence and has a growing trial practice. Rebecca also has a developing private prosecution practice, having been instructed on behalf of private prosecutors in trademark offence matters.

Rebecca has been instructed in a variety of family law matters, including occupation orders and non-molestation orders. She has experience acting for both applicants and respondents in child arrangement order proceedings. 

Prior to commencing Pupillage, Rebecca worked on criminal defence and regulatory cases as a paralegal to a senior partner at Sonn Macmillan Walker Solicitors. In particular, Rebecca has litigation experience defending clients facing prosecution by Local Authorities in respect of housing offences.  

Many Congratulations to you both and welcome to 5SAH Chambers.