Anna Medvinskaia

Anna has extensive experience acting on behalf of businesses and regulators in this area, particularly in the field of e-commerce. Examples of recent work include:

• representing a major social media platform in proceedings brought against it by a consumer.
• advising a social media platform on the application of EU consumer law to apps intended for business use.
• advising a social media platform on its price variation practices.
• advising a major e-commerce platform in relation to an investigation under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 and a host of other consumer measures;
• drafting legal submissions on behalf of an online retailer in response to a trading standards investigation under the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008;
• Representing (led by Jonathan Kirk KC) a major online auction house in a claim for judicial review in relation to the scope of the ‘public auction’ exemption in the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
• advising charities and educational establishments on the applicability of consumer protection law.

Anna also has significant expertise in the Primary Authority scheme. She acted as sole counsel on behalf of Newcastle City Council in a judicial review of the BIS Better Regulation Delivery Office’s endorsement of advice given to Greggs plc by Newcastle City Council: R. (Kingston upon Hull City Council v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills [2016] EWHC 1064 (Admin)

Anna advises on a wide range of advertising matters, including compliance with the CAP Code and the BIS Pricing Practices Guide. She has also been involved in drafting submissions before the Independent Reviewer of ASA Adjudications and was instructed in judicial review proceedings against the ASA.

Anna regularly acts on behalf of banks and financial institutions in interim applications and trials, particularly in the fields of insurance mis-selling and consumer credit.

She was seconded to the FCA in 2017, where she advised on the applicability of the temporary permissions regime to various aspects of the FCA Handbook.

Anna is a contributing editor to The Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law (Sweet & Maxwell, 2018).

Labelling – Anna has significant experience of labelling issues, including nutrition, allergen and origin labelling, as well as the labelling of specific products, such as alcoholic drinks and meat products. Anna is also an expert in the EU’s Novel Foods regime and regularly advises businesses on its implications for their products.

Food safety and hygiene – Anna regularly prosecutes and defends food businesses in criminal proceedings under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 and other related legislation. She has expertise in the provision of allergen information and durability indications.

Anna is a member of the Food Law Group.

Anna has significant experience in this sector. Examples of work in this area include:

• Advising a major online travel agent on the use of unfair terms (Consumer Rights Act 2015) and unfair commercial practices (Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008);
• Advising the Civil Aviation Authority on the application of the ATOL Regulations to consumers in the Crown Dependencies;
• Advising the Department for Transport on the implications of the REUL Bill on consumer protection in the aviation sector.
• Acting for the CAA in relation to proposed judicial review proceedings by an online travel agent in relation to the interpretation of the ATOL Regulations.
• Advising the CAA on the impact of a no-deal Brexit on organiser liability under the Package Travel Regulations and on compensation claims under Regulation 261/2004;
• Advising the CAA on passenger use of emotional support dogs on aircraft under Regulation 1107/2006;
• Advising the CAA on proceedings under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002 against a tour operator (in relation to breaches of the ATOL Regulations and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008);

• Jet2.com v Civil Aviation Authority [2020] EWCA Civ 35 (led by Sam Grodzinski KC and Tamara Oppenheimer KC): acting for the CAA in a leading case on legal professional privilege, arising out of judicial review proceedings brought by Jet2 in respect of a CAA press release criticising the airline.

• Jet2.com Ltd v Civil Aviation Authority [2019] EWHC 336 (Admin); [2019] 2 WLUK 270 (led by Sam Grodzinski KC and Iain Macdonald): acting for the CAA in judicial review proceedings brought by Jet2 in relation to a CAA press release criticising the airline.

• Gahan v Emirates [2017] EWCA Civ 1530 (led by Iain MacDonald): representing the Civil Aviation Authority in the Court of Appeal.

Anna has experience of general commercial disputes, including the sale and supply of goods and services, insolvency, insurance and agency disputes. Anna also has experience dealing with jurisdictional issues and is well-versed in the law of privilege. Recent cases include:

• Representing the HMRC in a dispute relating to a regulated entity’s claim to legal professional privilege.
• Acting (led by Sam Grodzinski KC and Tamara Oppenheimer KC) for the CAA in a leading case on legal professional privilege: R (on the application of Jet2.com Ltd) v CAA [2020] EWCA Civ 35
• Successfully acting for a fund management company in relation to the recovery of a loan made to a business associate of the company director.
• Representing an insurance intermediary in a High Court claim for the recovery of unpaid commission.
• Advising a private equity firm in relation to the acquisition of a portfolio (led by Stephen Neville).
• Advising a US tech company in relation to a potential claim against a competitor.

Gough Square Chambers retains No 1 spot in Consumer Law and gains 7 new rankings in The Legal 500

October 10, 2023

Gough Square Chambers and Anna Medvinskaia win at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023

October 4, 2023

Gough Square Chambers Shortlisted for 6 Group Litigation and Consumer awards at The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023

July 13, 2023

Chambers & Partners ranks Gough Square as Number 1 for Consumer Law

November 3, 2023

• “Anna carves out very clear, winning arguments when handling technically complex consumer finance claims.” Chambers and Partners, 2024
• “Anna is a fantastic advocate.” Chambers and Partners, 2024
• “Anna Medvinskaia is a pleasure to work with and is highly responsive. Her legal advice is excellent, and shows great understanding of the commercial context of a case.” Chambers and Partners, 2024
• “Someone you want on your side.” Chambers and Partners, 2024
• “Anna is a compelling advocate.” Legal 500, 2024
• “Anna’s advice is pragmatic, concise and easy to understand.” Legal 500, 2024
• “Generally good with detail and technical legal advice.” Legal 500, 2023
• “Diligent, intelligent and personable.” Chambers and Partners, 2023
• “Tenacious, diligent and gets great results” Legal 500, 2022
• “A very good junior who really gets the job done.” Chambers & Partners, 2022
• “She has great attention to detail and looks beyond the more obvious line of arguments.” Chambers & Partners, 2021
• “An expert on consumer law issues, and her written and oral advocacy is clear and persuasive.” Legal 500, 2021
• “Anna is a rising star. She’s very experienced.” Chambers & Partners 2020
• “A very able consumer lawyer” Legal 500, 2020
• “Has detailed technical knowledge and adopts a client-friendly approach” Chambers & Partners, 2019
• “A pure consumer law expert” Legal 500, 2019
• “Anna is absolutely outstanding. She is very technical with excellent legal acumen, but also very friendly and approachable. An all-round superstar.” Chambers & Partners, 2018
• “She knows her stuff, is very sensible and her written work is of a very high quality.” Chambers & Partners, 2018

• Co-author (with Professor Riefa) of the ‘Consumer Law on the Internet’ chapter in ‘Gringras: The Laws of the Internet’ (Bloomsbury Professional, 2022)
• Contributing editor, ‘The Encyclopedia of Financial Services Law’ (Sweet & Maxwell, 2018)
• Contributing editor,’Consumer and Trading Standards: Law and Practice’ (‘the Pink Book’) (LexisNexis, 2018)
• EU law editor, Miller: Product Liability and Safety Encyclopaedia (LexisNexis, 2018)
• Westlaw Insight articles: Consumer Credit: Hire and Hire Purchase Consumer Credit: Classes of Agreements; Product Liability: Energy Appliances
• Contributing editor: ‘Modern Financial Regulation’ ( Jordan, 2013)
• Case reports in the International Law Reports, Cambridge University Press (Nos. 148 and 149)

• Called Lincoln’s Inn, 2008
• Sunley Scholarship, Continuing Education Fund and Scholarship to the International Criminal Court
• LL.B (Hons), London School of Economics
• LL.M, University of Cambridge

Anna’s Privacy Notice may be viewed here: Privacy Notice