The Legal 500

Position

Barrister specialising in high-profile cases, mainly commercial fraud eg prosecuted the directors of the Israel-British bank; prosecuted first substantial commodity fraud case in England; espionage case involving Cuban spies; successfully defended in the Barlow Clowes case and a further SF0 prosecution relating to trade bills of exchange; successfully defended in the Wickes plc fraud case; counsel for Belgian government in Heysel Stadium extradition; first English silk to be instructed in capital drugs appeal in Singapore and in the War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague relating to former Yugoslavia. Also various reported leading cases in judicial reviews; practises in fields of tax investigations, financial services, company and commercial, disciplinary and regulatory, and health and safety, and accepts direct access instructions. Also an accredited mediator and ACIArb. In 2003, persuaded SF0 to abandon proceedings against a defendant they had extradited from Germany and caused to be held in custody for a year. In 2004, successfully defended in a US$80m investment fraud prosecuted by the SFO. In 2005, successfully defended in a Health and Safety prosecution involving multiple deaths from Legionnaires Disease in a hotel. In 2006 successfully defended in a 23-count investment fraud prosecuted by the SFO. In 2006 upheld £12m fraud conviction in Court of Appeal. In 2007 successfully appealed to High Court in various disciplinary cases. In 2008 successfully judicially reviewed the General Commissioners of Inland Revenue.

Career

Bencher of Inner Temple and member of the Bar Council. Called 1968; from 1979 to taking silk was Standing Counsel to the Inland Revenue; Crown Court Recorder 1987; appointed Queen’s Counsel 1989; Deputy Chairman of IMRO membership tribunal panel 1992-2001; member of Appeal Committees of ICAEW 1998 to 2004; chairman of disciplinary tribunals for the AlDB since 2005; lectured extensively on commercial fraud and money laundering in England and abroad. Publications: ‘The Inland Revenue and the Criminal Law’, Journal of Criminal Law (No 477, 1989); ‘SF0 Abuse of Process’ (1992 Sol Jo 241); ‘The Impact of Money Laundering in the Pacific Rim on the United Kingdom’ The Criminal Lawyer November 1994; ‘The Fruits of the Crime’, NU (No 882, 1995); Criminalising Artificial Tax Avoidance’, NLJ (No 118, 1998); ‘Juries in Fraud Trials’, (1998) NL3 118; ‘The Whole Truth’ Accountancy Age 30 April 1998; ‘Analysis: R v Charlton and Others’ (1999) ‘Journal of Money Laundering Control’ 197; ‘Value Billing’ Taxation Practitioner, April 1999; ‘A Guide to the Money Laundering Legislation’ (2004); ‘Journal of Money Laundering Control’ vol8 no 1; chapter ‘The Importance of Jury Trials’ in ‘Social Justice: Criminal Justice’ 2006; ‘Trial by Jury under Attack’: ‘Counsel’ Magazine April 2008; chapter ‘What is the Criminal Law For’ in ‘Advancing Opportunity: routes in and out of Criminal Justice’; contributor to Law Channel’s Money Laundering Training Video for Solicitors, 2004; member of advisory board of ‘Journal of Financial Crime’; ‘Journal of Money Laundering Control’; and formerly of ‘European Financial Services Law’; former author of two Archbold practical research papers.

Languages

French.

Member

Revenue Bar Association; COMBAR; Criminal Bar Association; Administrative Law Bar Association; Financial Services Lawyers’ Association; Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers; Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association; Public Access Bar Association; Proceeds of Crime Lawyers’ Association.

Education

St Paul’s School, London (foundation scholar); Pembroke College, Oxford (MA).

Leisure

Opera, ballet, theatre, art, reading, playing real tennis, watching cricket, former international fencer.

Practice Areas

Administrative and public law; Financial services; Mediation