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Practice areas

International Law
Criminal Law
Civil Law
Extradition
Immigration Law
Tax Law

Lucia Coerman

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Year of Call: 2018

Lucia has a broad practice specialising in crime, immigration, asylum and public law. She is particularly recognised for her work in cases with an international or human rights dimension, and for her ability to navigate the intersection between criminal and immigration law.

She regularly appears in the Crown Court, defending clients in serious and complex criminal matters, alongside her practice in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and appellate courts. Her recent criminal work includes successful outcomes in trials involving allegations of firearms offences, sexual assault, and burglary, including cases resolved at half-time following successful legal submissions. She is known for her careful case analysis, strategic approach to evidence, and confident courtroom advocacy.

Lucia is frequently instructed in cases where criminal proceedings overlap with immigration or public law issues, including deportation appeals, trafficking and modern slavery claims, and extradition matters. Her cross-disciplinary expertise allows her to identify and pursue multiple avenues to protect her clients’ rights and achieve the best possible outcomes.

Alongside her criminal practice, Lucia maintains a strong immigration and human rights practice. She has secured successful asylum claims for clients from a range of jurisdictions, including Honduras and Iran, and is increasingly instructed in complex Article 8 family life and Article 3 medical cases. She also advises in domestic violence matters involving applications for indefinite leave to remain and has been instructed in judicial review proceedings concerning visa refusals and certified claims. Her recent work includes acting in a modern slavery case involving trafficking and exploitation by a visa sponsor, as well as appeals before the Upper Tribunal.

Lucia is often instructed to represent vulnerable clients and is known for her empathetic, down-to-earth, and approachable manner. She builds trust quickly and provides clear, realistic advice, ensuring her clients understand their position at every stage. She is diligent and committed, combining meticulous preparation with determined advocacy.

She is also regularly invited to speak on panels addressing international law, reparations, and asset recovery as mechanisms for redress.

Notable Cases

  • Ongoing KS v MPS

    Junior being led on an appeal via case stated on the definition of “qualifying offender” under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, relevant to free-standing, civil applications, for the imposition of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders.

  • R v Z (2025)

    Lucia’s clients’ case was thrown out pre-arraignment. She made successful applications to exclude almost all the evidence in her client’s case, including hearsay evidence and a confession obtained in breach of PACE. The Crown was forced to discontinue the case as there was insufficient evidence left to rely on for a realistic prospect of conviction.

  • R v P (2024)

    Lucia made a successful application of no case to answer for her client who was charged with being drunk in charge of a child under seven. Through thorough cross examination she revealed serious shortcomings in the investigation.

  • R v M (2024)

    Lucia’s client obtained a very favourable sentence, a conditional discharge, after pleading guilty to spitting in the face of several police officers. Lucia set out her client’s vulnerabilities in a delicate manner, after very brief consideration the Judge decided to impose the lenient sentence.

  • R v W (2024)

    Lucia’s client was acquitted of sexual assault after she demonstrated that the complainant’s evidence was not credible enough for a conviction.

  • R v P (2024)

    Lucia’s client was acquitted of a s.20 GBH where her client fractured the ankle of his sister. The defence successfully raised self-defence.

  • MSIM v SSH (2024)

    Lucia’s client succeeded in his appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal. While the judge made a finding that her client was not credible, she succeeded on technical legal point.

  • KM v SSHD (2024)

    Lucia’s client was afforded asylum following meticulous preparation of the case which involved demonstrating the client’s credibility through independent external evidence.

Memberships

Inner Temple

Awards

Inner Temple: Sir Josephy Priestley Award
Inner Temple: Internship Scholarship
University of Law: Law of Organisations Award

Qualifications

Accredited Mediator
Qualified Solicitor

Education

BPP University, BPTC
University of Law, GDL
Fudan University, Diploma in Chinese Language and Culture
University of Edinburgh, LLM International Law
Leiden University College, BA Liberal Arts & Sciences, Major in Global Justice, Minor in Arabic

Languages

Dutch (C2)
French (C2)
German (C1)
Luxembourgish (C1)
Spanish (B2)
Swedish (B1)
Mandarin (A1)
Arabic (A1)

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