Helena Spector

Year of call:

2019

Education:

2015 - Clare College, University of Cambridge MA Hons. Social Anthropology

2017 - Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge MRes Hons. Social Anthropology Distinction

2018 - City, University of London Graduate Diploma in Law Highest mark awarded for criminal law

2019 - City, University of London Bar Professional Training Course Outstanding

Career:

2019 - Pupil at Red Lion Chambers, London

2020 - Level 1 prosecutor

2021 - Tenant at Red Lion Chambers, London

2021 - Part-time barrister secondment at the Serious Fraud Office

2021 - Tenant at Park Square Barristers, Leeds

Appointments:

Junior Junior Counsel Panel, Government Legal Department -

Junior Junior Counsel Panel, Bank of England -

Grade 2 prosecutor -

Memberships:

South Eastern Circuit North Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association

Awards:

2014 - Clare College Scholars’ Award, University of Cambridge

2015 - Clare College Scholars’ Award, University of Cambridge

2017 - Trinity Hall Bateman Scholar, University of Cambridge

2017 - Academic Scholarship, City, University of London

2018 - Academic Scholarship, City, University of London

2018 - Inner Temple BPTC Exhibition Scholarship

2018 - Inner Temple Duke of Edinburgh Award

Ranked as a Rising Star in the Legal 500 (2024), Helena has a diverse practice across inquisitorial law. She has been instructed in a wide range of sensitive and high-profile cases, including deaths by suicide in community care, deaths in custody, deaths relating to domestic abuse and the sudden deaths of young people.

Helena is an incredible junior. She is persuasive, knowledgeable and utterly committed.’ Legal 500 (2024)

Notable cases include:

Inquest into the death of JA [2023] – Led junior – Led by Craig Hassall KC in an inquest involving a young adult who died as a result of an allergy. The inquest is likely to involve issues of adequate allergen labelling and the role of food delivery platforms, including Deliveroo.

Inquest into the death of OS [2023] – Led junior – Instructed on behalf of the family a complex case involving the death of a baby whilst at private nursery. The factual matrix of the case involves arguable neglect and failings across the regulatory landscape of private nursery provision.

Inquest into the death of DH [2022] – Sole junior – Represented the family in a ten day Article 2 inquest concerning psychiatric care and treatment.

Inquest into the death of NR [2022] – Sole junior – Instructed as a sole junior in a complex case concerning issues of mental health, capacity and out-patient care.

Inquest into the death of SR [2022] – Led junior – Led by Craig Hassall KC in an inquest involving the death of a young child whilst at a nursery. The case is likely to involve an examination of the policy, regulation and training around safe weaning.

Inquest into the death of CC [2022] – Sole junior – Instructed on behalf of a prison healthcare provider in a seven day Article 2 inquest before a jury. The case concerned a death in custody in which medical evidence was inconclusive. The inquest raised issues of substance misuse in custody, accidental substance ingestion and potential causative failings by the prison supervisory regime.

Helena’s experience in inquests involving nuanced or borderline forms of state non-intervention means that she is well-versed in complex arguments relating to Article 2, causation and neglect.

Helena is currently instructed as junior counsel to the Covid-19 Inquiry.

Helena has an excellent academic record, obtaining a Double First and Distinction from the University of Cambridge, graduating with the highest mark awarded for Criminal Law in the Graduate Diploma for Law and graduating with the grade of ‘Outstanding’ from the Bar Professional Training Course.