The ICCA academic team
Dedicated to providing the most successful Bar training course for the next generation of barristers, the ICCA academic team has many years’ experience both in education and in professional practice at the Bar.
Lynda Gibbs KC (Hon)
Dean
Lynda was called to the Bar in 1993 by the Middle Temple and practised in criminal and family law on the Midland Circuit before embarking on a legal academic career. She became Dean of the ICCA in 2019 and leads post-qualification and Bar training.
Lynda was appointed KC Honoris Causa in 2020 in recognition of her work to promote a fairer justice system for children and vulnerable people, and to improve Bar training. She sits as a fee-paid Judge in the Mental Health Tribunal.
Chris Kessling
Vice-Dean
Chris was called to the Bar in 1992 by the Middle Temple. He was in full-time practice as a criminal barrister for 21 years, working mainly across the East Midlands, specialising in serious criminal offences, both for the prosecution as a Grade 4 prosecutor and for the defence.
Chris has overall responsibility for applications and admissions to the ICCA Bar Course, as well as the extensive programme of ICCA outreach visits and activities. Since joining the ICCA in 2019, Chris has undertaken facilitator training for Advocacy and the Vulnerable and works closely with the Dean to deliver high-quality post-qualification training. He continues to follow his passion for advocacy and Bar training to the highest level.
Jane Hutton
Director of Online Learning
Jane was called to the Bar in 1999 by Gray’s Inn. Following practice at the Criminal Bar she joined the University of Law as a lecturer in 2006. During her time there she taught on, assessed and designed a number of aspects of the criminal BPTC and was Criminal Team Leader.
Jane joined the ICCA in 2018 as a Bar Course designer. She was appointed as one of the first Heads of Online Learning at the College in 2019, and earlier this year became Joint Director of Online Learning, responsible for online learning College-wide.
Patrick Ryan
Director of Online Learning
Patrick was called to the Bar by Inner Temple in 2003, and was a criminal practitioner on the Northern Circuit for 7 years.
In 2011 he began teaching on the Bar Course at Manchester Metropolitan University, where at various times he was Associate Course Director and head of the civil advocacy and professional ethics modules.
Patrick joined the ICCA in 2018 as a Bar Course designer. He was appointed as one of the College’s first Heads of Online Learning in 2019 and in 2021 became Joint Director of Online Learning. In addition to his role at the College, Patrick is a Northern Circuit advocacy trainer.
Barnaby Pinfield
Bar Course Leader
Barnaby was called to the Bar in 2001 by Lincoln’s Inn. He initially started in family practice before branching out to have a fully mixed practice.
After leaving the Bar, Barnaby worked on an inquiry in Northern Ireland looking into the adequacy of a murder investigation following a death in 1997. In 2017 he was appointed an Associate Professor at the University of Law.
Barnaby is an accredited advocacy trainer, sits as a fee-paid judge in the First Tier Social Security Tribunal and acts as a standard setter on the Bar Training Civil Litigation paper.
Alexandra Frith
Alex was called to the Bar in 1993 by Lincoln’s Inn, and joined Westgate Chambers in Brighton, where she remains a tenant.
Alex began her teaching career on the Bar Professional Training Course at Kaplan Law School before moving to the University of Law in 2014 and then joining the ICCA in 2019.
Alex is also the author of A Practical Approach to Landlord and Tenant (now in its 8th Edition).
Andrea Ursprung
Andrea was called to the Bar in 2001 by Middle Temple and became a member of 17 Bedford Row after her pupillage completed in 2003. She left the Bar in 2008 and worked briefly as a property litigator before moving into legal training.
Andrea began her teaching career on the Bar Professional Training Course at Kaplan Law School. She then taught Land Law at BPP for over four years after which she joined the ICCA in 2018 initially as a Course Designer.
Andrea is also an associate examiner in Civil Litigation for the BSB and sits as a Senior Member of the Valuation Tribunal of England. She continues to be a door tenant at Field Court Chambers “just in case” she ever decides to return to the self-employed Bar.
Michelle Fawcett
Michelle Fawcett was called to the Bar by Inner Temple in 1993. Michelle was in full-time practice as a criminal barrister for 25 years, working mainly across London and the South-East. As a Grade 4 prosecutor, Michelle appeared as both Leading and Junior Counsel in complex and high-profile cases over the years. Her work has received extensive media coverage.
In 2018 Michelle worked for a London city firm, specialising in private prosecutions. She has worked as a full-time tutor since 2019, using her experience as a well-established criminal law barrister to teach Professional Ethics, Advocacy and Oral Skills on the Bar Training Course (BTC) and the BTT (Bar Transfer Test). She became Teaching Lead for Conference Skills in 2020.
Michelle joined ICCA in 2022 as a Bar Course Tutor. She has been appointed Lead Tutor for Conference.
Peter Asteris
Peter was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn, in 1996 and remains a practising barrister at Pump Court Chambers. He was in full-time practice as a criminal barrister for 27 years, both in London and on the Western Circuit.
He appeared as both Leading and Junior Counsel in numerous murder trials, serious sexual offences trials and OCG cases, including a number of high-profile cases over the years. He has extensive experience in providing complex training modules to various police forces and other investigative agencies.
Peter joined ICCA in 2024 as a Bar Course Tutor and continues to practice at the Bar.
Dennis Kavanagh
Dennis was called to the Bar in 2003 and practised criminal law appearing in several murder trials, heavy fraud/financial crime and appellate work. He was commended in Chambers & Partners for his particular skill in cross-examination and has also worked in private prosecutions and legal education. He now undertakes voluntary advisory work principally in public law and joined ICCA in 2024 as a tutor in both criminal and civil advocacy.
Sean Smith
Sean was called to the Bar in 1995 by Gray’s Inn.
He practised exclusively in crime throughout London and the South East, both at the Employed and Self-Employed Bar. He began his teaching career in 2022 at the University of Law, where he taught on the Bar Course. He moved to ICCA in 2024.
