Alexandra Agnew

Alexandra is a Managing Associate in the Private Department. 

Alexandra predominantly works for high profile and high net worth individuals, their families and their businesses, as well as charities, NGOs and politically exposed individuals. Her work encompasses a range of complex, high-value commercial disputes with a particular interest in political and equestrian issues (of which she has an in-depth knowledge, with a personal background in Eventing).

Alexandra's work often engages issues of civil fraud, breach of contract, employment law and discrimination. She also regularly acts for clients in relation to complaints against schools and reputational matters, such as defamation and harassment.

In the political field, Alexandra is experienced in advising on public law issues and political litigation. She was part of the team working on Gina Miller's successful 2019 judicial review case into the legality of the Prime Minister's prorogation of Parliament and advised whistleblowers in relation to their disclosures to the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding widespread antisemitism in the Labour Party. She has worked closely with political organisations and fledgling political parties advising them on a range of issues, from corporate structure and financial reporting obligations to registration with the Electoral Commission. Alexandra regularly advises individuals in relation to disciplinary matters and investigations by regulators, such as the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and the Registrar for Consultant Lobbyists.  

Alexandra is a member of the Purpose litigation team and led the Global Youth Climate Inquiry, which was presented at COP26.

Before joining Mishcon, Alexandra worked as an intern for the charity Reprieve in the United States. She gained experience in both state and federal court and she continues to provide pro bono advice for Reprieve's clients on an ad hoc basis. Alexandra is a legal mentor for SPITE (Sharing and Publishing Images to Embarrass), a pro bono project that advises victims of revenge porn. She also works as a mentor for the SPITE for Schools initiative; supervising law students delivering workshops to local secondary schools on the dangers of sharing intimate images.

Key Experience

Public law and judicial review

• Acting for 51 institutional investors in a judicial review challenge of provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act, and in a related claim for compensation against the UK before the European Court of Human Rights.
• Acting for Gina Miller in the landmark judicial review claim in the Divisional Court and Supreme Court appeal [R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union], successfully establishing that the Government could not trigger Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union without an authorising Act of Parliament.
• Advising the grandchildren of Ruth Ellis in relation to their successful application for a conditional pardon.
• Acting for a US based client intervening in judicial review proceedings before the Court of Appeal regarding the UK's obligations under the Paris Agreement.
• Advising on public law matters involving central government decision-making, consultation processes, select committees and public inquiries.

Political litigation and consultancy

• Advising clients (including Ministers and members of the House of Lords) on investigations by Parliamentary Standards Commissioners.
• Acting for a high-profile politician in relation to breach of contract and defamation allegations regarding material provided in confidence for the purpose of writing a book.
• Advising in relation to the formation of political parties, including the successful formation of The Independent Group (later Change UK).
• Acting on inter-party disputes, including challenges to candidate selection processes.
• Acting for the Jewish Labour Movement in relation to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's investigation into antisemitism in the Labour Party.
• Running the Global Youth Climate Inquiry and chairing a panel event at COP24 to discuss the Inquiry's report.
• Advising on public affairs and law reform campaigns, including Jumpstart – an ongoing campaign for defibrillators to be installed in all new cars.

Commercial litigation (including Equine law)

• Acting in a family dispute, spanning over 20 jurisdictions, worth over £3bn.
• Acting for clients involved in a high-profile family dispute regarding the future ownership and control of the family business, including interim relief applications and allegations of harassment and defamation.
• Acting for a client in relation to the purchase of a top-level showjumper, including in relation to illegal profits arising out of agents' fees.
• Acting for a Paralympian in relation to a dispute with their sporting regulatory body.
• Advising in relation to misrepresentation disputes regarding the sale and purchase of competition horses.
• Acting for an eminent surgeon in relation to whistleblowing claims and coronial inquests arising out of institutional mismanagement at the NHS Trust where she worked.
• Acting in a family dispute, spanning over 20 jurisdictions, worth over £3bn.
• Advising both individuals and private members clubs in relation to membership disputes.
• Successfully securing delivery up of artwork for multiple clients, including as part of a complex settlement process.
• Acting for various clients in relation to shareholder dispute issues, including in relation to unfair prejudice allegations, challenging Board decision-making, document production obligations, summary judgment applications and other forms of interim relief.

Education

• Acting for clients in relation to the withdrawal of their child from a high-profile private school following allegations of sexual assault.
• Acting for a university student in relation to urgent judicial review proceedings seeking to challenge a university's grading decision which had the effect that the student would be unable to commence the new term pending the outcome of an appeal.
• Advising clients in relation to the temporary or permanent exclusion of pupils from schools.
• Acting for clients following a compulsory referral to social services by their child's school.
• Advising clients in relation to the provision of SEN care by schools.

Articles and Publications

• VAT on independent school fees: a legal analysis of the judicial review claim R (ALR and others) v Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Holding War Criminals to Account: The Challenges Presented by Information Warfare