Claire Mitchell
Claire Mitchell KC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Occupation(s) | Kings Counsel, Criminal Defence Advocate |
| Employer | Compass Chambers |
| Known for | Campaign for posthumous pardons for witches of Scotland |
Claire Mitchell is a Kings Counsel working in Scotland. She has a particular interest in constitutional, human rights and sentencing questions.
Career
[edit]She has an honours degree in law from University of Glasgow and became a QC (now KC) in 2019 and was called at the Bar in 2003. Before that she was a solicitor in private practice since 1996.[1][2]
Mitchell was President of the Scottish Criminal Bar Association from 2016 to 2018.
Mitchell represented Sheku Bayoh’s family in 2023 and highlighted the issues of racism which shaped the case.[3][4]
She represented Scottish Covid Bereaved group[5] in the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry[6][7]
She supports the use of new technology to ensure business continuity for law courts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic [8] She said “Covid has forced us all well past where we thought we would be in 2021. We are now seeing the benefits of investing in technology. Measures which increase efficiency save money which can then be reinvested in measures which increase efficiency – it’s a virtuous circle.”[8]
Mitchell leads the 'Witches of Scotland' campaign with Zoe Venditozzi to seek posthumous justice for women historically convicted and executed as witches in Scotland.[9][10] The campaign used Twitter as its main channel to reach the public and a petition to the Scottish parliament as a way to influence policy makers.[10][11][12]
Mitchell hopes that laws used to dispense historic pardons can be used in these cases, as they have been done for the people in Salem, Massachusetts.[12][13]
She is the author, with Zoe Venditozzi, of the book 'How to Kill a Witch: A Guide For The Patriarchy' [14][15] drawing on experiences of their campaign for official recognition of the miscarriage of justice in Scotland's historical witch trials. The book was launched in May 2025 in Edinburgh.[16] Mitchell wore an outfit styled in the Witches tartan.[17] In 2022, Mitchell and Venditozzi were made Doctors of Laws by the University of Dundee in recognition of their work[18]
Other roles
[edit]She is on the panel of the Bloody Scotland book club [19][20]
She is one of the legal experts involved in the 2021 TV series Murder Island, based on a drama written by Ian Rankin.[21][2]
Recognition
[edit]She received a "Special Recognition Award" in 2013 from Law Awards of Scotland.
References
[edit]- ^ "Claire Mitchell QC - Compass Chambers". www.compasschambers.com. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ a b Young, Jacqueline Wake (19 October 2021). "Murder Island: Behind the scenes with legal expert Claire Mitchell QC". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ Media, P. A. (2023-06-27). "Family's anger over claims Sheku Bayoh 'author of his own misfortune'". STV News. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "Sheku Bayoh: inquiry breaks for summer after almost 60 days of evidence". Fife Today. 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/16204239/M2A-opening-submissions-SCB-16-01-24.pdf.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ News, S. T. V. (2023-10-26). "Scottish Government has not handed over any WhatsApp messages to Covid Inquiry". STV News. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Media, P. A. (2023-10-03). "Covid bereaved families want 'answers, accountability and apology'". STV News. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ a b Garavelli, Dani (22 February 2021). "The New Normal: Claire Mitchell QC on why digital devices must revolutionise courts post Covid-19". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "Lawyer of the Month: Claire Mitchell QC". Scottish Legal News. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ a b "Claire Mitchell QC seeks posthumous justice for Scotland's 'witches'". Scottish Legal News. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "Holyrood committee backs pardons for 4,000 executed for witchcraft". Scottish Legal News. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ a b Robertson, Aileen (3 September 2020). "Top lawyer at forefront of campaign to pardon people accused of witchcraft backs call for memorial in Fife". The Courier. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "BBC World Service - Newsday, The fight for justice for Scotland's 'witches'". BBC. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "Book". Witches of Scotland. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "HOW TO KILL A WITCH by Claire Mitchell, Zoe Venditozzi | Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "The Witches of Scotland are on the march with a new book and their fight for justice". The Scotsman. 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ Kuta, Sarah. "See the New Tartan Pattern Created to Honor Women Accused of Witchcraft in Scotland Between 1563 and 1736". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "University to honour Eilish McColgan, Witches of Scotland campaigners and Malawi Vision Champion | University of Dundee, UK". www.dundee.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
- ^ "Bloody Scotland Book Club". Bloody Scotland. 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ Bloody Scotland Book Club: May, 27 May 2021, retrieved 2021-10-29
- ^ "Scots lawyers in new Ian Rankin series for Channel 4 – Murder Island". Scottish Legal News. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07.