Martha Spurrier | |
|---|---|
 Spurrier in 2016 | |
| Born | 1986 (age 37–38) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Godolphin and Latymer School |
| Alma mater | Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge |
| Occupation(s) | Barrister, human rights campaigner, former director of Liberty |
| Spouse | Jesse Nicholls |
Martha Spurrier (born 1986) is a British barrister and human rights campaigner. She was the director of the advocacy group Liberty from 2016 to 2024. [1] [2]
Spurrier was educated at Godolphin and Latymer School in London, and then at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where she graduated with a BA (Hons) in history. [1] [3] She took a law conversion course at City University London, and then the bar professional training course at BPP University. [3]
Before joining Liberty from June 2016, Spurrier worked as a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, of which she remains an associate tenant. [3] [4] She is the author of Freedom to Write: A User's Guide (English PEN, 2012). [4]
In 2015, she was one of the three joint founders of the "Act for the Act" campaign (with Caoilfhionn Gallagher and Fiona Bawdon), a crowdfunded advertising campaign to tell positive stories about the Human Rights Act 1998. [5] [6]
She took up her post at Liberty at the end of May 2016, taking over from Shami Chakrabarti. [7] She was replaced as director by Akiko Hart in January 2024. [2]
In July 2018, Spurrier was awarded the "Hero Award" at the 20th Annual ISPA [a 1] Awards by the ISPA Council for challenging the Investigatory Powers Act in the High Court. [8]
She is married to fellow barrister Jesse Nicholls. [9]
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