Laura Chapman has extensive experience in acting for individuals who have suffered harm and had their human rights breached by the state and its agents.
Laura specialises in representing people who have been failed by state bodies, particularly by the police and prison service. She advises individuals in civil claims for compensation, police complaints and public law challenges. Laura has also acted for the bereaved families of those who have died in state custody or following contact with the state, during inquest proceedings.
Laura is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of her clients and using the law as a means to help people achieve accountability, and compensation, where their rights are infringed. She is passionate about ensuring that the law remains accessible to all and capable of being utilised to hold the state to account.
Prior to joining Hickman & Rose, Laura worked as a solicitor at a number of law firms specialising in actions against public authorities and civil liberties. During this time, she also worked on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry on behalf of a group of the bereaved, survivors and residents.
Before qualifying as a solicitor in 2022, Laura worked at a law firm specialising in criminal defence and volunteered for LIBERTY, Prisoners Advice Service and Hackney Community Law Centre. These experiences exposed Laura to the realities of how various state bodies cam abuse their power and can act in conjunction with one another to do so. Laura adopts a holistic approach to her practise and is committed to ensuring that the legal process provides an opportunity for individuals to reclaim their power.
Laura is a member of the Police Action Lawyers Group (PALG), the Inquest Lawyers Group (ILG) and Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR).