APL ANNUAL CONFERENCE, LONDON 30 JAN 2026

Booking has now closed. Please contact administrator@associationofprisonlawyers.co.uk for any further enquiries.

When: Friday 30 January 2026 from 10:30 am to 18:00 pm 

Where: The conference will take place at Reed Smith, 1 Blossom Yard, London E1 6RS. The nearest rail and tube station is Liverpool Street, London.

Cost of tickets: £150 for non-members; just £100 for members (reduced to £70 for bookings of three or more from any one firm).

The conference fee includes refreshments.

AGENDA

  • 10:30 to 11:00 Registration with Tea/Coffee
  • 11:00 to 11:15 Welcome and Keynote speechLaura Janes, Chair of APL, Sarah Sackman MP, Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services
  • 11:15 to 12:15 Parole BoardAlexandra Marks (Chair of the Parole Board) and Cecilia French, (CEO of the Parole Board). Chair: John Turner, Reece Thomas Watson
  • 12:15 to 12:30 Break
  • 12:30 to 13:00 Managing public hearings Dean Kingham (Reece Thomas Watson) and Yasmin Karabasic (SL5). Chair: TBC
  • 13:00 to 13:30 Legal aid updateMatthew Doddrige (LAA)  and Emma McClure (SL5). Chair: Euan Edwards, The Johnson Partnership Solicitors
  • 13:30 to 14:30 Lunch
  • 14:30 to 15:15 Allegations trainingAndrew Sperling (SL5) and Sally Middleton (Birnberg Peirce). Chair: Stephanie Davin, Doughty Street Chambers
  • 15:15 to 15:30 Tea/Coffee
  • 15:30 to 1630 Case law updateHamish Arnott (Bhatt Murphy)  and Stephen Tawaih (33 Bedford Row). Chair Anna Spencer, Howard League for Penal Reform
  • 16:30 to 1635 Comfort break
  • 1635 to 1730 Progression for people on IPP sentences – David Bourne (HMPPS IPP Lead), Marc Conway (UNGRIPP) and Elizabeth Rantzen (Parole Board, tbc). Chair  – Laura Janes
  • 1730 to 1830 Close and drinks

Book your tickets via this link.

Admin