Isotta Reichenbach
Isotta’s practice consists of general crime and fraud & financial crime. She is a trained Youth Court advocate with extensive experience representing clients who are vulnerable due to their age or personal circumstances.
She also has a developing quasi-criminal practice, appearing before the County Court in civil matters and non-CPS proceedings. Isotta also has experience of football-based disorder and defending against the imposition of football banning orders
Prior to joining chambers, Isotta worked within a variety of disciplines. She is a trained portrait painter; she has co-authored and illustrated a series of award-winning children’s science books; has set up various charitable initiatives across London and has consulted the government on criminal justice reform and social cohesion.
Whilst studying for the Bar, Isotta volunteered for the Prisoners’ Advice service, providing legal assistance to prisoners in England and Wales.
Specialist Areas
Cases
Notable Cases
R v JW – Represented a woman in POCA enforcement proceedings convicted for her role in a £2.5 billion Cryptocurrency money laundering operation. Isotta successfully resisted an application from the Crown to activate the client’s 7-year default sentence for failing to comply with the confiscation order.
R v YI – represented a vulnerable child refugee who had been charged with over 20 counts of dwelling burglary. The Crown disclosed evidence which purported to show YI scaling multiple buildings at night and selling the items online that had been stolen. Isotta secured the child a remand into local authority accommodation following an appeal to the Crown Court. She later secured them bail after arguing successfully against the Crown’s application to extend the custody time limits, despite further burglary charges being laid against YI on the same day. The Crown also disputed YI’s age and Isotta worked with multiple agencies throughout the Merton age assessment process.
R v HT – secured a 2 year suspended sentence for a woman convicted of running a sophisticated class A drug line. The sentencing judge accepted the defendant played a ‘significant role’ in the operation, however was persuaded to depart drastically from the sentencing guidelines starting point of 4 years and 6 months’ custody. The sentence was imposed prior to the new changes coming into effect from the Sentencing Act 2026.
R v LW- successfully argued an abuse of process in the Youth Court in relation to a teenager who had squirted bleach over a vulnerable member of the public. Their co-defendant received a caution, however LW was prosecuted. The court agreed there should be parity and therefore stayed proceedings. Given an Abuse was found, the Crown were unable to offer a caution to LW and thus they walked free from court.
R v FD – successfully defended a civil case brought against a gambling company for failing to comply with GDPR regulations.
Professional Memberships
- Middle Temple
- Grade 1 CPS Counsel
Awards Qualifications and Other
- Daniel Lett Bar Scholarship (Christ’s Hospital Old Blues) 2023
- Cunningham Scholarship (Middle Temple) 2023
- Academic and Hardship GDL bursary (Guild of Freemen) 2021
- The Paddington Development Trust ‘Tech For Good’ award 2021
- The Lady Edwina Grosvenor Criminal Justice Reform Scholarship, 2019;
- American Society of Plant Biology’s BLOOME prize, 2016;
- University of East Anglia Academic Excellence scholarship prize, 2014
- Freedom of the City of London, 2014