Matrix barrister to head death row team for Reprieve

Senior junior Julian Knowles, whose former clients include General Pinochet and Siôn Jenkins, will maintain his practice while providing leadership of Reprieve’s death penalty casework on a pro bono basis.

Knowles has wide experience of Caribbean and international death penalty law and has appeared ­regularly in Privy Council cases over the past decade.

“Reprieve is unique,” said Knowles. “These cases ­couldn’t be more important and the legal issues are ­complex - that combination is exciting for any lawyer.”

Knowles will lead a team of four lawyers, which is ­currently undertaking an EU-backed project to produce a census of all Council of Europe nationals who are sitting on death row.