Claire Mitchell KC is a Scottish advocate and lawyer known for her work in constitutional law, human rights, and sentencing. Mitchell was educated at the University of Glasgow, and began her legal career as a solicitor in private practice in 1996. She became King’s Counsel in 2019 and has appeared in major cases before both the Privy Council (the same council that used to oversee witch trials) and the UK Supreme Court, and influences key aspects of Scottish legal practice. In addition to her courtroom work, she has served in leadership roles such as President of the Scottish Criminal Bar Association, and regularly provides legal training. Mitchell also earned a Special Recognition Award at the Law Awards of Scotland early in her career.

Mitchell co-founded the Witches of Scotland Campaign with Zoe Venditozzi on International Women’s Day 2020. The campaign stems from her interests in justice, women’s rights, and Scottish history. The campaign seeks a legal pardon, a formal governmental apology, and a national memorial for the nearly 4,000 people, predominantly women, who were accused and executed under the Witchcraft Act of 1563. Under Mitchell’s leadership, the campaign secured a formal state apology from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in 2022, the first such recognition in 300 years. They continue to lobby for posthumous pardons and broader remembrance in Scotland. Mitchell also co-hosts the Witches of Scotland podcast with Venditozzi, and brings legal, historical, and cultural insights to broader audiences. She co-authored How to Kill a Witch to document the trials and their ongoing relevance. Her work emphasizes how these injustices permeate both historical and modern systems of power and exploitation.

Zoe Venditozzi is a writer, educator, and campaigner based in Scotland. She was born in Lancashire and raised in North East Fife, and studied at the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow. Her debut novel, Anywhere’s Better Than Here, was shortlisted for The Guardian’s “Not the Booker” prize in 2013. Venditozzi also works as a Support for Learning teacher and leads creative writing workshops, utilizing her literary skills to enhance education and encourage community engagement. Venditozzi’s involvement in the Witches of Scotland campaign began through her friendship with Claire Mitchell. Under Venditozzi’s influence, the campaign has taken a creative and narrative-driven approach to public engagement, using storytelling, symbolism, and grassroots activism to raise awareness of past injustices.

Venditozzi and Mitchell were both awarded honorary Doctor of Law degrees by the University of Dundee in recognition of their work.