Karen Squibb-Williams, a practicing criminal barrister has been recruited to raise the profile of The Forensic Society and to bring significant legal skills, knowledge and contacts into the organisation. Many of you will know of Karen as she has spent the last ten years as national lead for prosecution policy for forensic science and expert witnesses based at CPS HQ in London. As a well-respected lawyer and strategic policy adviser she has experience of the forensic science landscape and the criminal justice system at the very highest level.

A quick summary of her activities includes: advising successive Attorney Generals and DPPs; providing legal guidance for CPS nationally; as Chair of the DNA Specialist Working Group established by the Forensic Science Regulator; as a member of the Home Office Forensic Transition Board, dealing with the closure of the Forensic Science Service; by contributing to the Law Commission’s consultation about expert evidence; as a member of the Home Secretary’s Pathology Delivery Board; by giving oral and written evidence to both Science and Technology Select Committee inquiries into government decisions about the Forensic Science Service; as a member of the ACPO Forensic Science Portfolio Board and by being involved in a number of Metropolitan Police and ACPO ‘Gold Group’ Strategic Reviews of high profile cases involving forensic science, particularly Low Template DNA, fingerprints and retention of body parts.