Gretta SCHUMACHER

Gretta is developing a broad commercial litigation and arbitration practice in line with Chambers’ profile. Throughout her pupillage, she has worked and gained experience in a range of practice areas, including public international law, arbitration, civil fraud, banking, insurance, conflict of laws and shipping.

Gretta has specific expertise in public international law, public and administrative law, and international and domestic human rights litigation. Prior to joining Essex Court, Gretta was Senior Legal and Policy Officer for the UK-based NGO Rights and Security International (formerly Rights Watch UK), where her work focused on the international law and human rights implication of the UK’s national security, military and counter-terrorism policies. In the course of that role, she conceptualized and led on interventions on behalf of the NGO in the European Court of Human Rights, including appearing before the Grand Chamber in Hanan v Germany. Domestically, Gretta assisted and lead the NGO in domestic administrative law and judicial review proceedings, at both the High Court and Supreme Court levels. She was a lead researcher on a significant report published by the NGO as to the repatriation of European nationals detained abroad, who are associated with foreign terrorist groups. She was also involved in extensive advisory work, parliamentary and legal briefings, both domestic and international, representing the NGO at the EU and at OSCE events. Her interest in these areas of law is enduring.

Prior commencing post-graduate studies, Gretta qualified in New Zealand, where she practiced for three years as a junior barrister in commercial and administrative law in one of New Zealand’s leading sets. There, she appeared both led and un-led in a variety of commercial, public, administrative and criminal matters, including appearing as junior counsel in a number of commercial High Court trial, and at various levels of the New Zealand Courts. She also worked as a judges’ clerk to the New Zealand Court of Appeal for two years.

Gretta studied at the University of Auckland, where she graduated second in her cohort and went on to read for the Bachelor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford, where she obtained a distinction and a subject prize.