Published: 3rd July 2025 Public Law Project (PLP) has appointed five new trustees to its Board. Drawn from legal, academic, and charitable fields, these senior leaders are Flora Alexander, Melanie Carter, Khatija Hafesji, Joe Tomlinson, and James Whiting. Together with their colleagues on the Board of Trustees, these new appointees will guide PLP’s work towards our vision of a society that is fair, inclusive and secured by a just and confident state. The newly appointed trustees are: Flora Alexander, the Executive Director of International Rescue Committee UK, has over 20 years in senior roles in global non-governmental organisations. Previously Flora was the Global Chief of Advocacy at UNICEF and Chief of Staff at Save the Children UK. Melanie Carter is a senior public lawyer, partner at Stone King, and Co-Founder of the Public Law Solicitors Association. Melanie has been ranked by Chambers and Legal 500 as a Band 1 leader in public & administrative law. Khatija Hafesji is a barrister at Monckton Chambers, ranked as a Rising Star and Up and Coming Junior across three practice areas. Khatija also brings governance insight from her role as Senior Independent Trustee at Become, a national charity for children in care. Joe Tomlinson brings leading research experience as a Professor of Public Law at the University of York. He has worked extensively in the charity sector, with the government, in Parliament, and with legal practitioners, including the judiciary. James Whiting is the CEO of Doughty Street Chambers and Co-Chair of the Legal Practice Management Association. James was previously the CEO of Malaria No More UK and the Managing Director of Friends of the Earth. Jonathan Senker, Chair of PLP’s Board of Trustees, said: “As we begin to put our new strategy into action, we have further strengthened the Board – recognising how vital providing the best governance and empowering support for our leadership team will be in enabling PLP to achieve yet more into the future. “We were overwhelmed by the calibre of applications we received, and even amongst such an impressive field, Flora, Melanie, Khatija, James and Joe stood out for the level of insight, expertise and commitment to our purpose they demonstrate. “We’re excited to welcome these brilliant new members of our team and are looking forward to fully drawing on their skills as we progress our work to promote fairness through public law.” Shameem Ahmad, CEO of PLP, said: “We are delighted to welcome such exceptional trustees who are at the forefront of public law and the charity sector. “Now more than ever, it is crucial for organisations like PLP to work with marginalised communities towards a fair and inclusive society which is enabled by a just and confident state. “Our trustees will bring their experience to ensure that PLP acts with equity, expertise, collaboration, and courage as we challenge systemic injustices and deliver our new strategy. Together we will continue to play our part in protecting and advancing the frontiers of public law for us all.” About PLP Founded in 1990, PLP is a national legal and social justice charity dedicated to defending fundamental rights, holding power to account, and advancing public law as a cornerstone of a fair and well-functioning society. PLP’s legal challenges have played a pivotal role in successful cases and demonstrated the power of public law in protecting rights and demanding accountability. Recent work has included challenging the government’s Rwanda immigration policy, securing justice for the Windrush generation, and scrutinising the use of AI in public decision-making.