Rupert Bowers KC KC > Doughty Street Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile

Rupert Bowers KC KC

Work Department

Position

Rupert leads the chambers Business Crime & Investigations team in Doughty Street maintaining a practice in financial crime and extradition, and data protection and information rights, with expertise in ancillary matters associated with criminal investigations and data breaches.

Rupert is one of the country’s leading experts in challenging search warrants of all types, seizures of property and information and in challenging asset freezing orders. He is one of only a few KC’s with experience not just of heavy trial and appellate work in the criminal courts, but with vast experience of judicial review and other applications in the civil courts. His breadth of knowledge across different jurisdictions is his strength. He was the only criminal silk in the case of Lucas v Security Service [2017] 1 All E.R. 283 (Click here) which challenged the lawfulness of the mass interception of communications data by GCHQ before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (Click here), a case with many parallels with the recent transnational operation targeting the use of EncroChat. Rupert was instructed in the lead EncroChat case (Click here and here).

Rupert also practices in sports regulation and discipline which has included cases before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Rupert only acts for a small number of high net-worth private clients and companies at any one time which allows him to focus on their particular needs, and when involved in criminal cases he tends to act for those who engage him at the investigative stage.

What the directories say 

Financial Crime –

“He thinks outside the box and shows tenacity and real skill when finding those subtle and un-obvious points.”

(Chambers and Partners, 2021-22)

“He is tenacious and tactically astute. His clients have confidence in his advice, which is provided in clear terms even in the most complex of circumstances. He is fearless in the face of novel points because he has done his homework.”

(Chambers and Partners, 2020)

 “A leader in the field so far as public law challenges to invasive warrants are concerned; his knowledge in this area is encyclopaedic.”

(Chambers and Partners, 2019)

Business and Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations) –

“He has an impressive knowledge of criminal proceedings and search warrants as well.”

(Legal 500, 2019)

Fraud: Crime –

“A confident advocate.” 

(Legal 500, 2021-22)

“Strong on his feet, with an excellent court presence”

(Legal 500, 2020)

“An accomplished advocate with excellent communication skills”

(Legal 500, 2019)

Career

Called: 1995; Gray’s Inn. Year of Silk: 2015.

Rupert was ranked as a leader in his field in the Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 publications before taking silk and has been ranked every year since being in silk.

Publications of note: co-author of Blackstone’s Guide to the Terrorism Act 2006 published in September 2006 (Oxford University Press); article for the Covert Policing Review (issue 2 2006) – ‘Intercepting Terrorists’ with Hugo Lodge; consultant on the College of Law DVD ‘Financial sanctions, bribery and corruption’ released 2009; consultant on the report ‘Silence on Violence: Improving the Safety of Women’ (March 2011) prepared by the Greater London Authority. The report tackles the issues relating to policing prostitution and the safety of sex workers.