Alexia Zimbler
This is my personal website – not affiliated to any chambers or university and contains only my personal views, opinions and insights into my career at the Bar spanning over 25 years. In 2020 I started a new chapter of my career by returning to academia and I am hoping that from now on, both my chosen professions will be able to work harmoniously, encouraging new ideas and providing opportunities to enhance each other and me.
I have been a Practising Criminal and Family Law barrister since 1995 and involved in advocacy teaching and training since 2000 . Since joining City University in 2020 to teach on the Bar Vocational Studies course I hope to help improve standards of advocacy, provide a mentoring platform to students and pupils and to take the opportunity to reflect on my own practice whilst I continue to acquire knowledge and skills. The move to teaching has been the perfect opportunity to use my many years of experience to show the future generations of barristers and lawyers what a fulfilling career awaits them and how to make the most of the opportunities they have. Ultimately I would like to undertake some qualitative research into trial advocacy, and how changes in court advocacy need to evolve with societal fluctuations so that it can positively influence those who act as jurors.
Profile:
I was Called to the Bar in 1993 and have been practising full time since 1995. I have been lucky to have the opportunity to work on the Western, Northeast and Southeast circuits, gaining experience and connections.
I started my academic career at Imperial College, London, believing that a career in science and research was where my talents would be put to best use. However on completing my degree I realised that for the time being I was on the wrong path so I undertook a Law Conversion course at City University (known now as the GDL) and then went to study the Bar at the Inns of Court School of Law. I started as a pupil at 2KBW in 1994, my pupil master being David Jenkins, a wonderful and very talented advocate and criminal barrister who convinced me that the Criminal Bar was the right place for me to practice.
After 8 years learning the ropes on the Western Circuit, appearing at courts across Hampshire including the IOW, my family [husband’s job!] moved to Durham and I was lucky to be able to pick up my practice at Broad Chare Chambers (now Dere Street) in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here I spent much more time prosecuting, especially serious sex offences, and reaching the highest prosecutorial level (Grade 4). A further 8 years of amazing opportunities including expanding my practice to include Family Law (children in care) before my family once again moved – this time to Kent.
Joining Maidstone Chambers I quickly forged strong contacts with local solicitors and built up a busy defence practice; soon being instructed to defend murder, serious violence, armed robbery, drugs matters and serious sexual offences, including rape and child abuse. I did continue with the prosecuting work but as my defence practice increased, my prosecuting was squeezed and the CPS decided that my years of experience were not sufficient for them! No complaints from me however as I was busy defending and fitting in family work whenever possible, as well as bringing up my own family- 2 teenage daughters who needed my attention.
During my early career I became involved in advocacy training, and this led me to becoming a pupil supervisor. I continued with the advocacy training in the Northeast and ended up becoming a ‘trainer of trainers’, as well as an External Examiner for the BSB and an advocacy assessor for the CPS. In the last few years before Covid I became involved in Child and Vulnerable Witness training and now act as a trainer for the course being rolled out to all barristers throughout the country
Important Citations:
My first ‘proper’ case authority related to the sentencing of repeated shoplifting. This was before sentencing guidelines came into effect and for a short while this case was the ‘guideline’ for persistent offending.
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2004/3358.html
This case was my first murder trial where I was not being led by a QC. A particularly gruesome murder of an inmate by 2 others. The appeal related to sentencing provisions for murder cases where the defendant was already serving a sentence under the IPP provisions.
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2016/1047.html
In this more recent case my client was on trial for manslaughter following a group attacking a man at the Stratford Shopping Centre and he being stabbed by one of the group (who pleaded guilty to murder). I was being led in this trial but on appeal against conviction I was asked to represent the defendant alone. It was a really interesting appeal point relating to the use of the defence statement by the prosecution. Although the court upheld my argument, they ultimately decided that the conviction was not unsafe.