Lorraine has specialised in Employment and Commercial Law since about 2000. For over 15 years of that, over 50% of her work was for Respondents and about 15% for Claimants. Her work was both contentious and non-contentious, covering areas such as the Equality Act, TUPE, ERA, Trade Unions and Health and Safety.
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Barristers in England and Wales are regulated by the Bar Standards Board
Lorraine offers training to national and local Employment Law firms, and their client organisations. Lorraine has appeared before the Employment Tribunal in most parts of the country and before the Employment Appeal Tribunal on multiple occasions. Lorraine has had her success reported in the press on several occasions.
Lorraine’s client base has included the police, local authorities, national companies and organisations, charities, and medical professionals, as well as individuals on minimum wage and agency staff. In 2022, Lorraine acted for individuals and Union clients involving multi-claimant actions in Employment Tribunals across the country and gave advice in high-value claims.
Lorraine has spent a significant number of years in the field of professional negligence and more specifically legal professional negligence. She represented over 10,000 claimants in claims of professional negligence against their former solicitors being heard in the High Court concluding in 2015.
She has advised in claims against Solicitors and Barristers alike, and has successfully advised individuals in relation to professional financial negligence in claims against Lending institutions and Brokers.
Lorraine also represents local NHS Trusts in employment disputes in the North West region. The largest case was over a period of three weeks and involved a large number of witnesses and claims of historical disability discrimination spanning several years. Procedurally it was complex as a result of significant adjustments to the Tribunal process.
Immigration
Lorraine provides specialist advice in the areas of European law and specifically in rights for workers, nationality issues, immigration applications (both under Appendix FM and the points-based system), deportation, and human rights, and has acquired significant experience in this field.
Lorraine's five years appearing on a regular basis in the High Court in the complex and high profile case of Kimathi & Ors v The Foreign And Commonwealth Office [2018] EWHC 2066 (QB) (02 August 2018) http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2018/2066.html
Her most recent appearance in the High Court is in the case of Riash, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2020] EWHC 2834 (Admin) (30 October 2020). http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2020/2834.html.
Member of Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)
Qualified as an Accredited Mediator, School of Mediation, London
Member of Social Entitlement Chamber
Member of Team at HJT Training, London providing training to lawyers and professionals
Judicial Support Network
Council of Immigration Judges
Medico-Legal Society-Liverpool
Member of Woman in the Law UK
1. This is a privacy notice that describes how, why and for how long I will process or keep your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’).
2. The GDPR governs how an individual’s personal data is used, and your rights in relation to that data.
3. I, Lorraine Mensah, have been instructed by you or your litigation friend (usually a parent), through your solicitor or agent, or via the Bar Pro Bono Unit.
4. It is necessary for me to process your personal data in order for me to provide you with legal services, for example:
5. Processing means anything done to data such as: recording, organising, adapting, altering, copying, consulting, transmitting, combining, erasing or storing it.
6.The processing for the purposes listed above will take place in accordance with either Article 6(1)(a) GDPR or Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, depending on how you instructed me.
7. If you have instructed me on a direct access basis, or engaged a solicitor (or legal agent), to assist you in bringing or defending a claim then the processing is necessary to perform a contract to which you are a party (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR). To give effect to that contract (i.e. to bring a claim) it is necessary for me to process your personal data for litigation purposes.
8. If I am assisting you on a pro bono basis, it will be necessary for me to seek your consent to be able to represent you (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). In this scenario, you will be sent a consent form.
Recipients of your data
9. I may also be required to share your data with others, depending on the nature of your case. This may include:
(i) Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;
(ii) Your solicitors, or agent representing you, through whom I have been instructed;
(iii) Potential witnesses, experts and other persons involved in the case;
(iv) Solicitors, barristers, or other legal representatives;
(v) Ombudsman and regulatory authorities;
(vi) Education and examining bodies; and
(vii) Current, past or prospective employers.
Special Categories of Data
10. In some cases I will have been given your personal data that is within the ‘special categories’ of data described in GDPR Article 9(1). For example, personal data that reveals your race, ethnicity, sexual preferences, political or religious beliefs, trade union membership or health. There are also restrictions for processing information regarding criminal convictions.
11. This type of personal data will only be processed where it is necessary in order to represent you in your legal claim, or advise on the prospects of a legal claim.
Retention
12. I will retain your personal data for no longer than is necessary, and where it is possible, I will anonymise your data.
13. How long your personal data is kept will depend on a number of factors. The retention period will be reviewed when the service I am providing you with is complete. However in general, I am obliged by the Bar Code of Conduct to retain records of my cases, and by HM Revenue and Customs to retain records for 6 years.
14. Once your case has concluded and fees have been paid, I shall retain only the personal data necessary for the following purposes:
(i) The legal and professional obligation to retain information relating to my cases;
(ii) To check for any potential conflict of interests that may arise in the future when I am instructed on other cases;
(iii) For use in the defence of potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes;
(iv) To refer back to in future cases which raise similar legal, factual, or procedural issues.
15. The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14 (ii), (iii), and (iv) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. That is, for the purposes of legitimate interests that are not outweighed by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.
16. The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14(i) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(c) GDPR. That is, the processing is necessary for me to comply with a legal obligation.
Your Rights
17. Where processing of your personal data was based on your consent (see paragraphs 6 and 8) you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of the processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
18. Withdrawal of your consent to process such data will most likely mean that I am no longer able to provide you with the legal services you seek.
19. You may request confirmation that your personal data is being processed by me and details about the personal data, the source, the processing, the purposes of the processing, the recipients and the retention period.
20. You may request a copy of your personal data that is being processed by me. You may also request rectification (i.e. correction) where there are inaccuracies in the personal data.
21. You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time, to processing of your personal data in paragraph 14 of this privacy notice. Should you object, the processing will only continue where there are compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests.
22. Where the processing or retention of your data is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, it will not be possible to object.
23. You have the right to request that your personal data is erased where any of the following apply:
(i) The personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed;
(ii) You withdraw your consent where the basis of processing was based on consent and where there is no other ground for the processing;
(iii) Where your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests override the legitimate interests of processing in paragraph 14;
(iv) The personal data has been unlawfully processed; or
(v) The personal data have to be erased to comply with a legal obligation.
24. You have the right to request that your personal data is restricted from processing, so that it is simply stored, for the following reasons: as an alternative to deletion; so that it can be corrected; for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; to verify if a legitimate ground exists (paragraph 14).
25. Where it is necessary to correct your personal data, or you have requested the restriction or erasure of your personal data, I shall endeavour to contact the recipients of the personal data, unless this involves disproportionate effort.
Security
26. I take appropriate physical and technical procedures to safeguard your personal data to prevent it from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way.
Complaints or Queries
27. If you have any questions regarding this privacy notice, or how I use your personal data please email me: mailto: lorraine.mensah@tbgbarrister.co.uk, or my clerks: clerking@thebarristergroup.co.uk telephone 01823 247 247.
28. I shall aim to respond as soon as possible, and within 30 days.
29. You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe I have not handled your request in an appropriate manner. For information on contacting the ICO please go to: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
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If you’d like to work with Lorraine Mensah or any of our other specialist barristers, send us your details and we’ll get back to you.
