Tinessa Kaur

Tinessa Kaur has undertaken her first and second six pupillage with 4BB Chambers.

Since starting her pupillage, she has been awarded the Young Pro Bono Barrister of the Year Award 2024 by Advocate Bar Pro Bono Awards and was the first Sikh Woman to win such an award.

Whilst in her second six, Tinessa successfully obtained bail for a highly vulnerable client at St Albans Magistrates Court, where the CPS submitted that there were no suitable conditions that could be imposed on a previous occasion. She made representations to the CPS representative in Court and offered a condition that would be suitable and appropriate in the circumstances.

Additionally, during a first appearance in Saturday Court at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, her careful analysis of a witness statement, she successfully made representations to the CPS to withdraw charges of common assault and threatening with a knife in a public place.

Tinessa is developing a robust Youth Court practice and recently persuaded a Court and YOT to allow a Referral Order to continue under a 6-week review period despite her young client’s serious breaches and low-level compliance. Her commitment to Youth Court work comes from her experiences and community work with young people.

She has also started Prosecuting and Defending in the Crown Court. Her Crown Court practice has included  PTPH, Bail Variations, Bail Applications, Bench Warrants, Committal for Sentences and Appeals against Conviction. Tinessa has recently finished her first Crown Court trial in the form of an Appeal Against Conviction at Lewes Crown Court.

Tinessa has developed a specialist practice in Breach of Probation hearings and trials. She appears in both the Magistrates and Crown Court and is regularly instructed by Essex Legal Services. Through her careful analysis of the case and tactical approach, she successfully cracked a trial by persuading the Defendant through his legal representative to admit to 2 out of 3 breaches.

Prior to starting Pupillage, Tinessa worked as an In-House Advocate Lawyer with the London Borough of Hackney, undertaking cases involving care proceedings, Deprivation of Liberty and some criminal disclosure matters affecting young people in care.

Furthermore, she worked with Prosecuting organisations such as the Financial Conduct Authority and the Serious Fraud Office as a Paralegal assisting with high-profile financial crime matters, including the LIBOR scandal. She also gained invaluable criminal law experience while voluntarily working as a Criminal Paralegal for THB Legal and ABV Solicitors.

Tinessa’s first six supervisor was Joseph McKenna and her second six supervisors are Philip Misner and Charles Digby.