2 HARCOURT BUILDINGS > London, England > Set Profile

2 Harcourt Buildings
TEMPLE
EC4Y 9DB
England

London Bar > Crime Tier 4

2 Harcourt Buildings, with ‘a broad range of quality advocates‘, is gaining a reputation for being ‘a prominent defence practice‘ as well as an established prosecution set. Catherine Donnelly is well-known for handling high-profile homicide and serious sexual offences cases. Jane Osborne KC balances defence and prosecution work, primarily prosecuting homicides, including those involving young people alleged to have connections to gangs. Edward Franklin is ‘an intellectual heavyweight’ with ‘an easy command of complex legal principles’ - he has considerable experience in complex multi-handed cases.

Leading Silks

Jane Osborne KC – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Jane has an excellent legal brain. Her written and oral submissions are of a very high standard. She has a comprehensive knowledge of her brief. Her cross-examination is suitably concise and effective. Her final speeches are very jury friendly and effective.' 
Ranked: Tier 4
Ranked: Tier 4
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Ranked: Tier 2
Tom Nicholson –2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Tom is a good lawyer. He is hard-working and a pleasure to work with.'
Ranked: Tier 2
Sam Barker – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Sam is an excellent lawyer and a naturally gifted advocate.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Edward Franklin – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Edward is an intellectual heavyweight. It is apparent from his excellent drafting that he has easy command of complex legal principles. His advocacy is measured and all the more forceful for that. He has mastered the art of emphasis by understatement, and can convey to better effect with a few short words that which many struggle to achieve when addressing courts at great length.’
Ranked: Tier 4
Jenny Burgess – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Jenny is a class act. She is meticulously prepared and knows her cases inside out. She is a confident, engaging advocate who gets straight to the point with legal arguments. She is reasonable in the points she takes and is very persuasive. Her closing speeches are also great.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Testimonials

‘Keith Poynter is really good and very straightforward to deal with. Gary Wright is a really nice guy and a very helpful clerk. They’re both really safe pairs of hands.’

‘Keith Poynter is a top clerk and a natural leader. He is extremely responsive, always available and great at sorting diary issues. He is widely respected by solicitors, counsel and other clerks. He is ably assisted by Gary Wright who complements his proactive approach.’

‘2 Harcourt Chambers has now developed into a set with a prominent defence practice. Historically, they have had a reputation as being a prosecution set but are now conducting complex and high-profile defence work.’

‘A premier league set in every respect.’

‘2 Harcourt Buildings is an outstanding chambers. It has a national reputation for conducting the most serious prosecutions, and is a ‘go-to’ set for two counsel cases. At the junior end it is arguably the most experienced and able set of criminal juniors at the Bar.’

‘A fine chambers with a broad range of quality advocates. A top set.’

‘A set whose clerks are always happy to assist where they can. Both senior and junior members are popular and sought-after.’

London Bar > Fraud: crime

Leading Silks

Jane Osborne KC – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Jane assimilates case papers rapidly and has a clear grasp of the details. She gives important strategic advice from the outset of her instructions and is very pragmatic and forthright with clients when necessary.’
Ranked: Tier 4

Leading Juniors

Dominic Hockley  – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘Dominic is bright, diligent, knowledgeable and has very good judgement. He has excellent interpersonal skills which allows him to gain the trust of instructing solicitors, clients, opponents and judges alike. He has extensive experience in dealing with heavy fraud cases and is able to deal with factually complex matters with ease.’ 
Ranked: Tier 3
John Ojakovoh – 2 Harcourt Buildings ‘John is highly intelligent, has a good eye for detail and is very thoroughly prepared. He is liked by judges and extremely effective in cross-examination.’
Ranked: Tier 4

2 Harcourt Buildings is an outstanding set of criminal barristers, with counsel of the highest quality at every level. Members of chambers prosecute and defend in the full range of criminal cases and are noted for their dedication, commanding courtroom performances, and sound advice.

Members of 2 Harcourt Buildings regularly appear in cases involving homicide, terrorism, bribery and corruption, fatal and non-fatal non-accidental infant head injury, rape, serious, prolific, and historic sexual offences (including institutional abuse), and drug dealing on a massive scale. In addition, chambers has a particular specialism in cases investigated under Serious and Organised Crime Command, and the National Crime Agency. Regular instruction in the most heavyweight of criminal cases, combined with a tradition of retaining two counsel cases within chambers whenever possible, provides the juniors at 2 Harcourt Buildings with experience far beyond their call, enabling them to command the respect of opponents and judges alike.

Recent cases include: Operation Strey – prosecution of 7 of the most wanted organised criminals and was the most significant NCA investigations of modern time.  We have also prosecuted retired senior MET police officers of huge quantities of serious sexual offence, the Bishopsgate robberies/stabbings, Lord Patten’s son in law for a gangland shooting and are about to prosecute the Exeter private school attempted murders by a current student and the missing head murder in Boscombe.

Work undertaken
Crime: Members of 2 Harcourt Buildings regularly appear in cases involving homicide, terrorism, bribery and corruption, fatal and non-fatal non-accidental infant head injury, rape, serious, prolific, and historic sexual offences (including institutional abuse), and drug dealing on a massive scale. In addition, chambers has a particular specialism in cases investigated under Operation Trident or by the Flying Squad, Serious and Organised Crime Command, and the National Crime Agency.

Financial crime:  Barristers at 2 Harcourt Buildings specialise in high value and complex financial crime.  Members of chambers are well known for their advisory skills, their performance in court, and their ability to process, assimilate and present the large quantities of information often involved in such complex cases.

Members of 2 Harcourt Buildings regularly appear in fraud and financial crime cases involving allegations in all areas but particularly including multi million pound banking fraud, diversion fraud, investment and boiler room frauds, tax fraud, duty evasion, money laundering allegations, bribery and corruption charges, cyber-crime offences, and immigration fraud.  Instructions come from all areas, but particularly cases prosecuted by the Specialist Fraud Division of the CPS, the SFO and the FCA, and investigations conducted by HMRC.  Members of chambers are experienced in conducting private prosecutions and are alert to the particular challenges such proceedings can present.  Barristers at 2 Harcourt Buildings are frequently instructed for the outset of an investigation, providing advice pre-charge, through to the conclusion of proceedings, including dealing with restraint and confiscation.

The presentation of evidence electronically at trial is something chambers as a whole is familiar with.  Junior members of chambers often appear as junior counsel and learn by example how to present and manage complex investigations and trials.

Recent cases include: Operation Elaborate – the biggest anti-fraud operation as described by the Metropolitan Police, Operation Maclura the highly sensitive prosecution of an ex solicitor and the defrauding of the LAA with links to the Iraqi War, Operation Barbados – currently the biggest MTIC carousel fraud and Operation Volcanic – largest benefit fraud in this country.

Professional discipline: 2 Harcourt Buildings is establishing a reputable inquests and public inquiries practice. Members of chambers act for bereaved families, medical professionals and state Interested Persons in Article 2 inquests heard before juries. Members are able to bring their expertise in criminal law to inquests involving evidence from the police, the prison service and the probation service, as well as a high standard of advocacy developed in the Crown Courts.

Members have advised the Metropolitan Police Service in relation to a potential judicial review arising from whistle-blower evidence concerning a historic inquest into a sensitive police shooting, and advising on, and drafting grounds of, the judicial review of the decisions made by Coroners during the course of inquests.

Members are regularly sought after to represent both the council and registrants before the General Dental Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council. Members have been instructed in the full array of proceedings including lengthy substantive hearings before the Conduct and Competency Committee, hearings before the Health Committee, restoration applications, registration appeals, and fraudulent/incorrect entry cases

Recruitment: Chambers prides itself on offering structured, challenging and fulfilling twelve-month pupillages to high quality applicants. Chambers aims to prepare all pupils for a successful career within our chambers and actively seeks to recruit junior tenants from amongst their number.

Department Name Email Telephone
James Dawes KC [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Paul Cavin KC [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Head of Chambers Jane Osborne KC [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sean Brunton KC [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Kate Blumgart KC [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Mark Paltenghi [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Mark Gadsden [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Jane Carpenter [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sarah Gaunt [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Toby Fitzgerald [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sally Halkerston [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sally Thompson [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Nicholas Alexander [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Catherine Donnelly [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Fer Chinner [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Paul Casey [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Christopher Stimpson [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Tom Nicholson [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sally Mertens [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Edward Franklin [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Jenny Burgess [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Duncan Cooke [email protected] 020 7353 2112
John Ojakovoh [email protected] 020 7353 2112
James Caldwell [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Dominic Hockley [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Natalia Constantine [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Sam Barker [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Imogen Nelson [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Amy Oliver [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Charles Drinnan [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Mahesh Karu [email protected] 020 7353 2112
William Goss [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Page Nyame [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Joe Weeks [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Julian Jones [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Chris Moran [email protected] 020 7353 2112
Photo Name Position Profile
James Dawes photo James Dawes
Catherine Donnelly photo Catherine Donnelly Specialist in homicide and child sex abuse. Criminal Defence Criminal Prosecution – Grade…
Edward Franklin photo Mr Edward Franklin
Dominic Hockley photo Dominic Hockley Dominic has a reputation for fearless advocacy and sound legal advice. He…
Mahesh Karu photo Mahesh Karu Mahesh is a dedicated advocate with a drive to ensure his clients…
Tom Nicholson photo Tom Nicholson Tom is a leading specialist criminal barrister, whose reputation is built on…
Page Nyame photo Page Nyame Page is a highly regarded junior specialising in corporate crime and public…
Jane Osborne KC photo Ms Jane Osborne KC Jane has a leading criminal practice in complex prosecution and defence work…
Keith Poynter : Senior Clerk
Gary Wright : First Junior Clerk
Amanda Copas : Second Junior Clerk
Clare Wright : Third Junior Clerk

CLIENT: Gerard Maye Legal
TESTIMONIAL: This set is outstanding in all respects; calibre of counsel, top-flight individuals with clerks who ‘are unmatchable in service and client care.