Laura Cooper

Laura is a specialist youth justice lawyer who has been at the Youth Justice Legal Centre since 2015, becoming co-lead in 2019. She has practised as a solicitor advocate since 2011 and has experience of representing children at the police station, youth court, and Crown Court.

Laura oversees the YJLC national advice line for lawyers, youth offending teams, families, children, and other professionals which provides accurate expert knowledge on youth justice law and practice. Laura regularly presents at events on youth justice issues, feeds into the broader youth justice policy work of the charity, and writes legal updates and best practice legal guides for the YJLC website. 

Laura previously worked for a criminal defence firm in London where she focused on representing children. She has volunteered for Reprieve in Houston, Texas, and at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.