Jocelyn Cockburn acts for families of soldiers killed in Iraq

Who?Jocelyn Cockburn, 40-year-old civil liberties partner at London firm Hodge Jones & Allen.

Why is she in the news? ­Acting for several families of soldiers who were killed in poorly armoured Snatch Land Rovers during the Iraq war. Cockburn wrote to Sir John Chilcot, who is chairing an inquiry into the Iraq war, asking him to examine whether the government placed soldiers’ lives at risk by not providing adequate funding for more heavily armoured vehicles. She asked for specific questions to be put to the prime minister about requests for funding made to him as chancellor of the exchequer in the period to 2006. Gordon Brown told the inquiry last week that money had been made available at every point when requests were made for new equipment.

Thoughts on the case: ‘The families have long asked why vehicles designed for low-risk, post-conflict activities are being used in high-risk situations. It has not been easy to get a straight answer to this question. The Ministry of Defence has maintained that Snatch are ‘essential to operations’. We asked the defence secretary to institute a public inquiry into the use of Snatch in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, which he refused to do. We judicially reviewed this refusal on the basis that he had not taken into account all relevant considerations in reaching his decision. We were successful at the permission stage in the High Court, which forced the defence secretary to reconsider his decision. Although he again refused to set up an inquiry, he did suggest that the families “urge” the Chilcot inquiry to investigate the matter.’

Dealing with the media: ‘I have found the media to be very supportive. When you are in a case against the state you need all the tools you can get. In this case the publicity has been every bit as important as the legal argument. The government often reacts to public pressure more decisively than to court rulings and that has happened here – since being questioned at the Iraq inquiry the prime minister has announced that Snatch Land Rovers are to be removed from theatre in Afghanistan.’

Career high: ‘Bringing the case that extends the protections provided by the Human Rights Act 1998 to armed services personnel sent abroad to fight on our behalf.’