Braxton Handa

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Braxton Handa (Pupil)

Braxton Handa (Pupil)

Year of call: 2023

Prior to commencing pupillage, Braxton was a karate instructor for six years at Bonsu Karate. She completed her undergraduate law degree at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), specialising in European and Spanish law. Braxton was selected to complete her final year at the University of Helsinki (Finland), specialising in Public International Law.

Upon returning to the UK, Braxton obtained the highest national mark in the Law Conversion Masters and a scholarship for the BPC. Thereafter, Braxton became the duty advocate at Durham and Gateshead County Courts, where she advocated on behalf of numerous families, preventing them from homelessness. She successfully defended vulnerable clients including veterans, single parents and victims of domestic violence.

Crime

Prior to commencing pupillage Braxton volunteered at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, participating in traffic, GAP, remand and trial courts. During her first six Braxton assisted Leading Counsel in multi handed murders and attempted murders. She has also observed rape, drug, assault trials and complex sentences.

Cases
R v Akram et al [January 2026] - Leeds: Braxton drafted complex case summaries for defence Counsel in a mutli-handed murder involving seven defendants. Braxton was able to summarise volumes of disclosure and evidential weaknesses in the context of joint enterprise and self-defence.

R v Charville et al [November 2025] - Newcastle: Braxton assisted the prosecution in a multi-handed murder trial that involved the victim being fatally attacked in his home with machetes. She assisted with the drafting of CCTV schedules, taking notes of evidence and preparing complex sentencing notes to assist Leading Counsel.

R v Mohammed, Nadim & Lewis [October 2025] - Bradford: Assisted Leading Counsel with notes of evidence in the prosecution of attempted murder that involved the victim being shot in the face with a sawn-off shotgun and stabbed repeatedly. Braxton was commended by HHJ Rose for her conduct throughout the trial.

Family

During her BPC, Braxton specialised in family law advocacy with Northumbria University. She is accredited in Family Law and Child Protection from Imperial and Cambridge Academies. She has marshalled Judges at Newcastle, York, and Teesside Family Court, observing both public and private law proceedings.

Public Law
During her first six Braxton prepared public law orders, position statements in cases involving multiple respondents and skeleton arguments for Non-Molestation Orders, Prohibited Steps Orders and Specific Issues Orders.

Braxton has observed complex proceedings including applications for Forced Marriage Protection Orders, Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders, lengthy Adoption Orders, and Multi-Jurisdictional care proceedings.

Private Law
Braxton has drafted child arrangement orders and applications to vary in lengthy private proceedings. During her first six, she observed fact finding and welfare hearings of cases involving multiple allegations of sexual violence and a Specific Issues Order application to relocate children to Germany.

Sports Law

Braxton is a qualified Shotokan Karate instructor with Bonsu Karate and a qualified Rugby Union Referee with Central Yorkshire Referees Society.

Braxton’s background in sports has led to her current involvement in a live discrimination claim issued against a national governing sports body. Her role has involved drafting Data Subject Access Requests, ET1 Particulars of Claim, submissions on issues of jurisdiction and time limits in the context of the Equality Act 2010.

Braxton is keen to develop a practice in sports disciplinary proceedings and discrimination.

Background

Education
Complutense University of Madrid, Spain: Spanish & European Law: First-Class Honours
University of Helsinki, Finland: Public International Law & Human rIghts - Distinction
University of Law, UK: Law Conversion Masters - Distinction
Northumbria University, UK: BPC Masters - Distinction

Awards & Scholarships
Northumbria Bar Scholarship: Recipient of a full-fee waiver scholarship award, based on merit, intellect, advocacy, ethics and character.
Faculty Pro-Vice Chancellor Award: Recognised in Northumbria University's Law Faculty for outstanding academic achievement and exceptional results throughout the year.
Trinity Chambers Prize: Awarded the Trinity Chambers Prize for the Best Performing Bar Student at Northumbria University.
DM Harish International Moot: Awarded the runner-up award for best overall speaker in a moot concerning International Genocide and Human Rights.

Accreditation
Imperial Academy - QLS Level 5 Family Law, CPD Accredited
Cambridge Open Academy - QLS Level 3 Mastering Child Protection: Safeguarding Children, CPD Accredited
Judicial College Learning - Domestic Violence Training

Professional Membership
The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
Grade 1 CPS Prosecutor

Languages
English, Spanish & French