25 Bedford Row

25 Bedford Row is an innovative set which specialises in every aspect of modern defence advocacy, acting in the very highest profile cases. Chambers is consistently assessed as a centre of excellence.

The set: 25 Bedford Row is widely recognised as the leading defence chambers in its core practice areas, due to its client-focused, high-quality service. Its reputation for excellence is best demonstrated by its involvement in almost every recent major criminal trial, whether in fraud, organised crime or murder. Chambers are renowned heavy-weight defenders in all aspects of financial and white-collar crime. Members frequently defend large-scale prosecutions brought by the FCA, SFO and NCA. Advice is provided at every stage including pre-charge, post-charge and investigation. Chambers’ criminal expertise includes quasi civil-crime such as POCA proceedings, high-value restraint proceedings, data protection law, the legality of search warrants, costs law, civil actions and civil liberties (including actions against the police) and all aspects of regulatory law (including professional disciplinary and environmental law). The excellence extends to the high quality of its clerks’ room and staff team who have a justified reputation for their knowledge, efficiency and integrity.

Areas of expertise
Criminal: Experts in defending serious crime, including homicide, organised crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and extreme sexual violence. Several members of chambers act for UK nationals facing criminal prosecutions in other jurisdictions. Chambers’ private client specialists are renowned for their success in ‘reputational management’ and their ability to mitigate the impact of criminal charges on clients’ careers and personal lives.

Fraud and financial litigation: Specialists in defending individuals and corporations against allegations of business crime and fraud, including cross-jurisdictional proceedings. Representation is provided at every stage in both the criminal and civil aspects of this discipline from the preliminary stages, including restraint, right through to appeal, confiscation and civil recovery/injunction. Chambers offers specific advice on regulatory compliance, risk management and corporate governance/training.

Professional disciplinary and regulatory: Members regularly defend individuals appearing before professional bodies, disciplinary tribunals and regulatory authorities. Our clients include healthcare professionals, solicitors, police officers, accountants, sports players and sports organisations. Chambers practice in all aspects of contentious regulatory work acting for employees, directors and companies.

Environmental law and health and safety: Experienced in health and safety investigations and prosecutions, acting in respect of allegations of corporate manslaughter and other prosecutions where serious injury has been caused. Experts advise and appear in relation to the full spectrum of environmental law, including waste management offences.

Inquests and Public Inquiries: Members of our team cover all aspects of coronial law with members advising and representing bereaved families, individuals, statutory bodies and corporate entities in cases covering a vast range of complex legal and factual issues. Our barristers have represented interested persons in lengthy and high-profile inquests attracting intense media scrutiny. Expertise in challenging the decision of the Coroner in the High Court and via judicial review proceedings arising from inquests in the Administrative Court. Involved in significant public inquiries, including those involving alleged failings by both corporate and statutory bodies.

Civil liberties and human rights: As a ‘defence only’ set, protecting civil liberties is a fundamental cornerstone of chambers’ ethos. Members have extensive experience acting for persons facing human rights infringements including actions against the police and public authorities, extradition law, international law, mental health, prisoners’ rights, inquests, public inquiries and public and administrative law. Chambers is routinely instructed in significant public inquiries, judicial review and appellate cases and challenges to public body decisions.

International work: Chambers works at the forefront of international criminal law. Members act and advise in all aspects of international criminal law (including human rights breaches), and regularly act for individuals, governmental organisations and NGOs in a wide range of jurisdictions. Its work includes defending war crimes (often in international war tribunals) and other human rights abuses, defending the extradition of high-profile individuals, defending offences against states, including espionage and terrorism, and defending overseas freezing and forfeiture orders.