Dr Aparna Rao > Chambers of Miranda Moore KC and Julian Christopher KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Dr Aparna Rao

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Position

Barrister. Specialist areas include:

• Murder and Manslaughter
• Drug Offences
• Theft and Dishonesty
• Business Crime & Financial Services
• Serious Sexual Offences
• Driving Offences
• Fare Evasion

Career

Aparna qualified in Australia in 2009. She worked at the equivalent of the Supreme Court, as an Associate to the Hon Justice Dyson Heydon AC QC, Justice of the High Court of Australia (the final appellate court in Australia). She has also taught as a Lecturer in Law at the Australian National University in Canberra.

In 2013, Aparna cross-qualified and was called to the Bar of England and Wales. Her practice in England and Wales has focused on serious fraud and high profile crime. She is regularly instructed by both prosecution and defence on a range of matters, including offences involving violence, handling stolen goods, theft, motor vehicle offences, and sexual offences. Additionally, Aparna has undertaken junior work in several murder trials at the Old Bailey. She has worked extensively on the prosecution of Rolf Harris (historic sex offences), confiscation proceedings following large-scale money laundering convictions, and one of the very few cases of corporate manslaughter brought in the UK (Mobile Sweepers Ltd).

Aparna has security clearance and is frequently instructed in confidential and sensitive matters involving public interest immunity and legal professional privilege.

Memberships

Aparna appears on the CPS list as a Grade 1 prosecutor.

Aparna has security clearance and is frequently instructed in confidential and sensitive matters involving public interest immunity and legal professional privilege. She has recently acted for HM Treasury, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and for HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Aparna is a registered public access practitioner and welcomes instructions from members of the public.

Education

In 2013, Aparna completed her Doctorate in Law at Magdalen College, Oxford. She was supervised by Professor Colin Tapper (author of Cross and Tapper on Evidence) and Peter Mirfield (editor of The Law Quarterly Review). Her doctoral thesis included an exhaustive study of more than 500 Court of Appeal decisions dealing with evidence of the defendant’s bad character (s 101 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003). Her research is a valuable resource in her daily criminal practice.

During her time at Oxford, Aparna tutored in several undergraduate law subjects, and edited the Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal.

While completing her undergraduate studies, Aparna was elected President of the Australian National University Students’ Association (student union) in 2005. This was a full-time role as a student advocate and representative, with ultimate responsibility for the association and its activities.