Kristen Bender is a Prison Law Solicitor covering the Northwest. Kristen specialises in Human Rights, Civil Liberties, Prison and Public Law. Kristen uses her considerable experience and advocacy talents to represent those in society in need of a voice – life sentenced prisoners, residents of secure healthcare facilities and their families.
Kristen also represents HNW individuals and their families and those with a media profile requiring a sensitive and confidential approach.
Kristen grew up in the USA and obtained her BA from Michigan State University followed by her Juris Doctorate from the American University in Washington, D.C. She first qualified as a lawyer in the United States in 1991 before working for a federal judge in the capital as a prosecutor trying serious criminal cases through investigation, grand jury procedure and jury trial to verdict. Kristen also worked in the US as a professor specialising in criminal advocacy, criminal justice public policy and human rights issues.
Kristen relocated to the UK in 2002 when she qualified as a solicitor. She is a frequent advocate before the Parole Board of England and Wales and has also appeared before the Scottish Parole Board.
Kristen is acknowledged by Chambers and Partners, a directory which ranks lawyers in the UK, as a leading individual in the field of civil liberties, commenting that she is “very busy and very good at spotting points for judicial review and running with them”. She is an internationally experienced lawyer with a pan-European interest in states and their commitment to human rights.
Kristen is a member of the Association of Prison Lawyers, Liberty, the American Bar Association, the Advocacy Section of the Law Society of England and Wales and the Howard League for Penal Reform.
Kristen also delivers training and supervision for other professionals and has provided training to psychologists involved in Parole Board practice. She has delivered training to the Parole Board for England and Wales as well as other lawyers via the Association of Prison Lawyers.
Recent and notable cases
Kristen Bender recently represented a client serving a life sentence imposed when he was just 15 years old. In a significant High Court judgment, Kristen successfully argued that her client had made exceptional progress since 2019 during his time in custody — resulting in a one-year reduction to his tariff.
This was an outstanding and unusual result from the High Court which will allow our client to be considered for Parole a year earlier than initially imposed by the Trial Judge. The High Court accepted our arguments that our client’s progress in custody was “exceptional” and as a young offender his minimum term should be reduced by 12 months. It is rare for the High Court to reduce a young offenders minimum tariff and we are delighted for our client who will now move into the parole stage of his life sentence.
Under UK law, children sentenced to life imprisonment are entitled to have their sentences reviewed to account for their capacity to mature and rehabilitate. Kristen’s advocacy ensured that this principle was upheld, giving her client a meaningful step forward in his journey.
Testimonials
You have gone above and beyond, and I honestly could never thank you enough. You have done everything you possibly could have done, and it’s such a contrast to what I see around me. You are a blessing to the people you work with. You’ve kept me motivated when I had nothing left, given me advice when I needed guidance, listened when I just needed to vent, and—most importantly—spoken to me like a person. That alone means more than words can express.
AB