Mr Gordon Cole KC > Exchange Chambers > Liverpool, England > Barrister Profile

Exchange Chambers is praised as a ‘veritable Northern powerhouse’ with an ‘array of highly-respected practitioners’. The crime team in chambers defends and prosecutes at all levels, covering the entire spectrum of serious crime, including murder, financial crime, alleged serious sexual offending and drug offences. The set is home to John Jones KC, who has a thriving practice working exclusively for the defence in serious crime, fraud, money laundering, and insider trading cases; he acted for the defendant in a gangland murder case concerning the execution-style murder of a rival drug dealer in a public street in broad daylight in Liverpool. Gordon Cole KC has a well-established and varied practice, having acted in murder and manslaughter cases, and Ben Myers KC has substantial expertise in high-value fraud and money laundering cases. The set also houses Richard Littler KC, who has significant experience in cases concerning terrorism, fraud, and organised crime – he is acting for a defendant in a drug importation case stemming from the interception of 350kg of cocaine, 90kg of heroin and 150kg of cannabis. Mark Rhind KC is strong in high-value MTIC and tax fraud cases. Imran Shafi KC also primarily defends in serious and high-profile cases regarding murder, terrorism, and drug conspiracies – he represented a woman who was acquitted on charges concerning her alleged membership of an extreme-right group planning violence using, among others, 3D-printed firearms. Turning to the set’s juniors, David Birrell was sole counsel for a defendant who played a leading role in a case concerning the supply of 180kg of Class A drugs, involving a significant amount of Encrochat evidence. James MacAdam was appointed to the circuit bench in September 2023 as was Ian Harris in October 2023.