Who? Johanna Walsh, partner, Mishcon de Reya.

Why is she in the news? The firm is acting pro bono for the Criminal Bar Association, which is involved in a high-profile dispute with the Ministry of Justice over legal aid funding.

Thoughts on the case: ‘The case is really about the barristers that are in the news this week – members of the criminal bar who are striking following years of legal aid cuts and continued government delays in introducing the urgent fee increases recommended by Sir Christopher Bellamy QC. Huge numbers of barristers, particularly at the junior end, have left the criminal bar, unable to continue working long hours for fees which often amount to lower than the minimum wage. This exodus has compounded the backlog of almost 60,000 Crown court cases and poses a real threat to the criminal justice system. It is in all our interests to come together as a profession to support the CBA. Mishcon has sought to do that since the CBA action began, through our pro bono representation. This week, we submitted a letter before claim to the Ministry of Justice in connection with a proposed claim for judicial review of the refusal to apply any increase in fees for existing legal aid cases. This followed our writing to the MoJ and the Information Commissioner’s Office about the MoJ’s request for the names of striking barristers to be provided to them and to the justice secretary.’

The Ministry of Justice said it is ‘categorically untrue’ that the justice secretary or department requested the names of any barristers.

Dealing with the media: ‘The media has been an important part of the CBA’s days of action. The speeches outside the Royal Courts of Justice, by Jo Sidhu QC and junior members of the bar, emphasised the urgent need to improve the criminal justice system and ensure access to justice for everyone. This government has had a difficult relationship with the profession, not helped by their descriptions of branches of the profession as “lefty” and “activist lawyers”. Hopefully the strike coverage will go some way to changing public perception.’

Why become a lawyer? ‘I wanted to become a lawyer from an early age – it’s hard to remember why but I am delighted that I did.’

Career high: ‘It’s always rewarding to win a case, especially where the authorities are persuaded no action should be taken against a client. Being the subject of a criminal investigation is stressful and unpleasant and it’s great if you can win with minimal disruption to a client’s life.’

Career low: ‘Probably long hours spent reviewing old documents in a warehouse for a disclosure exercise.’

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