Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice: Seminar Law, Procedure and Trial Strategy when Defending Climate Protestors

Julian Lynch is a barrister at Cornwall Street Chambers and the Deputy Head of the Criminal Team, called to the Bar in 2009. He specialises in serious criminal defence and prosecution work in the Crown Courts, with extensive experience across a broad range of  offences including homicide, serious violence, sexual offending, and fatal road traffic cases. Julian completed his pupillage at 13 Kings’ Bench Walk and holds a BA in History from Corpus Christi College, Oxford, before retraining for the Bar. He also undertakes legal academic writing and teaching and is Public Access accredited. In addition to his advocacy practice, Julian spent a year on secondment as a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the CPS, equipping him with detailed insight into prosecutorial decision-making and procedure. He is a member of Gray’s Inn and the Criminal Bar Association and sits on the CPS Advocate Panel (Grade 4) and the RASSO panel.

Overview

This talk examines the legal and strategic challenges involved in defending climate change activists associated with groups such as Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, and Insulate Britain in criminal proceedings. Drawing on practical experience at the criminal 
Bar, Julian Lynch will explore how protest-related cases are charged, managed, and contested from first appearance through to trial, with particular attention to recent legislative and appellate developments reshaping the policing and prosecution of protest. The talk will critically examine the extent to which contemporary protest trials continue to allow space for jury-centred moral evaluation, or whether that space has been progressively constrained by evolving doctrine, procedure, and judicial control.

Key Themes

• Criminal offences commonly arising from climate protest

• The legal role of the defences of necessity, lawful excuse and human rights 
arguments (Articles 10 and 11 ECHR)

• Evidential challenges and the relevance of protest motivation and climate 
evidence

• Jury dynamics and narrative framing

• Trial advocacy and defence strategy in protest cases