Rita Dias

Rita accepts instructions in all areas of public law and human rights, including judicial review proceedings and claims under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Recent highlights of Rita’s work in this field, as a pupil, include:

• Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council [2023] EWCA Civ 1416: A landmark decision of the Court of Appeal, concerning Article 6 ECHR, confirming that the Court has the power to order parties to engage in alternative dispute resolution in appropriate circumstances (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Abbasi and another v Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and another 2023/0052: A Supreme Court appeal concerning the privacy and free speech implications of restricted reporting orders in the context of ‘end of life’ care cases (assisting Tom Cross and Raphael Hogarth).
• A judicial review claim concerning the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman and the scope of responsibility of principals under s.39 FSMA for acts/omissions of appointed representatives (assisting Stephen Kosmin).

Rita practises in all areas of public international law. For example, during the course of her pupillage she assisted Remi Reichhold, counsel for Mauritius, in relation to the ICJ advisory proceedings on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change.

Rita specialised in public international law during the course of her studies, including both International Law of the Sea and International Economic Law on the BCL. She was a quarter-finalist in the global rounds of the 62nd Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, as part of the University of Cambridge team.

Rita accepts instructions across the full range of commercial and statutory employment law.

Her recent experience in this area, as a pupil, includes:

• Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent) v Public and Commercial Services Union (Appellant) UKSC 2023/0075: The first case to reach the Supreme Court on the meaning and application of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. The case concerns whether a union, as a third party to the relevant employment contracts, can enforce a term providing for a facility for “check-off” arrangements (assisting Daniel Stilitz KC).
• Guy Carpenter v Howden: High Court team move litigation against Howden and certain former employees of Guy Carpenter (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Gagliardi v Evolution Capital Management LCC[2023] EWHC 1608 (Comm): A claim concerning the first post-Brexit anti-suit injunction enforcing an employee’s right to be sued in England (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Aon v Howden: High Court team move litigation against Howden and certain former employees of Aon (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Employment Tribunal proceedings for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination (assisting Hannah Slarks).

Rita practises across a broad range of commercial litigation. She has a particular interest in cases raising issues of private international law.

Her recent work in this area, as a pupil, includes:

• Commercial Court fraud proceedings, raising complex issues of private international law (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Guy Carpenter v Howden: A High Court conspiracy and economic tort claim in the “team move” context involving alleged breaches of directors’ duties, fiduciary duties and misuse of confidential information, as well as breaches of employment duties (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Gagliardi v Evolution Capital Management LCC[2023] EWHC 1608 (Comm): A claim concerning the first post-Brexit anti-suit injunction under s.15C of the CJJA 1982 enforcing an employee’s right to be sued in England (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Aon v Howden: A High Court conspiracy and economic tort claim in the “team move” context involving cross-border issues (assisting Amy Rogers KC).
• Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Respondent) v Public and Commercial Services Union (Appellant) UKSC 2023/0075: The first case to reach the Supreme Court on the meaning and application of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. The case concerns whether a union, as a third party to the relevant employment contracts, can enforce a term providing for a facility for “check-off” arrangements (assisting Daniel Stilitz KC).

Rita accepts instructions in information and data protection matters, including advisory work and litigation under the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Recently, as a pupil she assisted with:

• Experian v Information Commissioner [2024] UKUT 105 (AAC): Proceedings relating to an enforcement notice issued to the Appellant in respect of its data processing activities, these being undertaken whilst providing data services to clients in support of their offline marketing activities (assisting Robin Hopkins).
• Harrison v Cameron and ACL [2024] EWHC 1377 (KB): A High Court claim for a data subject access request, concerning questions relating to the definition of “controller” and “mixed personal data” (assisting Robin Hopkins).

Rita accepts instructions in all areas of sports law.