Criminal Appeals: Past Mistakes and Future Challenges

Please join us for our joint CALA and APPEAL in-person conference.

This year’s event will focus on past mistakes and future challenges.

Recent years have seen a significant number of miscarriage of justice appeals. At the same time, there are a number of key reforms in the pipeline that will affect the fairness of our justice and appeals system.

This conference will bring together key speakers involved in unpicking past mistakes and those working on future reforms.

It will also place a spotlight on some of the most vulnerable people in the criminal justice system, including women and people serving IPP sentences, and provide practical pointers and updates for practitioners.

Refreshments will be provided throughout the day. Lunch will also be provided.

When: 7th November 2026, Registration 09.30 - 16:30, followed by drinks

Where: BPP Law School, Holborn (in-person only event).

Cost: £25 for members / pupils / students / trainees and £50 for everyone else including non-members.

Agenda*

Morning session

Welcome by Campbell Malone

Failures at the Court of Appeal: Justice Delayed

• · Chair: David Emanuel KC
• · Speakers: Matt Foot, Keir Monteith KC

Exposing Error: Media and Campaigns in the Pursuit of Justice

• · Chair: Emma Torr
• · Speakers: Jon Robins, Bronagh Munroe, Roxy Legane

Women fighting for Justice

• · Chair: Claire Bostock
• · Speakers: Pragna Patel, Seema Misra, Clare Wade KC and Harriet Wistrich

Afternoon session

Wrongful Convictions: Lessons for Young Practitioners

• · Chair: Alannah Burdess
• · Speakers: Henry Blaxland KC and Tejal Roma-Williams

Future Challenges in Criminal Appeals

• · Chair: Tom Wainwright
• · Speakers: Dame Vera Baird KC, Alix Beldam KC, Andrew Thomas KC and Rob Kaye

IPP Sentences: Ending the Legacy of Injustice

• · Chair: Greg Stewart
• · Speakers: Farrhat Arshad KC, Laura Janes KC (Hon), and Donna Mooney UNGRIPP

Criminal Appeals Legal Update

• · Farrhat Arshad KC

Closing remarks

• · Steve Bird

Drinks!

*may be subject to change...

Full list of speakers

List of speakers

Confirmed speakers so far include:

• Farrhat Arshad KC, Doughty Street Chambers

• Dame Vera Baird KC, Interim Chair, CCRC

• Master Alix Beldam KC, Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division

• Steven Bird, Solicitor, Hodge Jones and Allen

• Henry Blaxland KC, Garden Court Chambers

• Claire Bostock, Solicitor, Shaw Graham Kersh

• Alannah Burdess, Pupil at Foundry Chambers

• David Emanuel KC, Garden Court Chambers

• Matt Foot, Co-director, APPEAL

• Dr Laura Janes KC (Hon), solicitor, GT Stewart Solicitors

• Dr Robert Kaye, Law Commission

• Roxy Legane, Director, Kids of Colour

• Campbell Malone, former Chair of CALA

• Seema Misra OBE

• Donna Mooney, UNGRIPP
• Keir Monteith KC, Garden Court Chambers

• Pragna Patel, Co-director, Project Resist

• Jon Robins, Journalist and Lecturer at Brighton University

• Gregory Stewart, solicitor, GT Stewart Solicitors & Advocates

• Andrew Thomas KC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association

• Emma Torr, Co-director, APPEAL

• Clare Wade KC, 25 Bedford Row

• Tom Wainwright, Garden Court Chambers

• Tejal Roma-Williams, City Law School

• Harriet Wistrich, Director, Centre for Women's Justice

Join CALA as a member

To make use of the conference discount for members, make sure you use or renew your CALA membership. See https://www.cala.org.uk to download an application form and email it to [email protected].

Membership is open to everyone involved or interested in criminal appeal work, regardless of stage of qualification.