Damien Welfare

Damien Welfare is a retired barrister, formerly at Cornerstone Barristers. In his practice, he specialised in Information Law, covering advice and representation on complex matters of Data Protection, Freedom of Information (‘FOI’) and the nvironmental Information Regulations (‘EIR’). He continues to provide well-received training seminars in these fields.


Damien came to the Bar in 2001, following a career in local government, and became involved in Information Law from the inception of the FOI and EIR regimes in 2005. The book ‘Cornerstone on Information Law’ and the many examples within it, are informed by his experience as a trainer, where he emphasises a practical approach, his former practice as a lawyer, and from having worked in the public sector. The book also reflects his particular interests in the EIR, which he considers have been over-shadowed by the FOI regime, despite the former’s breadth of application; and in the interpretation of the revised GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, as the UK regime for data protection following Brexit.