Desirée Artesi of Thomas More Chambers specialises in Privy Council appeals and constitutional and administrative law. She sits on a number of regulatory Tribunals in the professions and industry. She also sits on a number of Boards including the School of Law, Brighton University, and the Editorial Board of Counsel magazine. Desirée is civic minded and is a past candidate for Common Councillor in the Ward of Farringdon Without and a Freeman of the City of London. Desirée is an equity champion on issues affecting Black barristers; and a mentor to young people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds irrespective of race.
It’s been five years since the groundbreaking QC competition in which six Black women barristers, including the 2025 Chair of the Bar, took silk. Yet today, the number of Black KCs remains ‘critically low’. Desirée Artesi talks to Baroness Scotland KC, Allison Munroe KC and Melanie Simpson KC about the critical success factors, barriers and ideas for embedding change
Desiree Artesi meets Malcolm Bishop KC, the Lord Chief Justice of Tonga, who talks about his new role in the South Pacific and reflects on his career
What progress are we making on fair distribution of work? How do we move from intention to action? Desiree Artesi reports from the Bar Conference debate
Colonial anachronism or the highest and most independent legal expertise? A case for constitutional change or a continued and complementary role for the Privy Council? Desiree Artesi analyses the arguments
The multi-faceted barrister bringing entrepreneurial spirit to her life, career and charitable work chats to Desiree Artesi about how we can break more barriers at the Bar
An exit interview with Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar for 2020. Roundly praised by Bar rank and file for her leadership during an incredible year, she takes an unusual breather to talk to Desiree Artesi about the milestone moments of her tenure
By Gifty Edila
Reports from the Annual and Young Bar Conference 2019
We need to have a different conversation if we’re serious about recruiting more black judges: our first non-white High Court judge talks to Desiree Artesi about finding new sources of potential, energising diversity efforts and coaxing out reluctant role models
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
Why were some Caribbean nations given such dramatically different constitutional frameworks when they gained independence from the UK? Dr Leonardo Raznovich examines the controversial savings clause
