2 Hare Court

Ralph Pickering specialises in criminal law, inquests, and public inquiries. He also has experience in the fields of professional discipline, sports law, consumer and trading standards, and resisting civil orders.

He regularly represents defendants in the Magistrates’ Court, Youth Court and Crown Court. His practice spans the full range of the criminal spectrum. He has represented individuals in Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings following large-scale drug supply conspiracies and has successfully represented Defendants on trial for serious violent offences, including armed robbery and attempted Grievous Bodily Harm.

Ralph has also been seconded to the Law Officers’ Department in Jersey, providing advice on a range of criminal matters, including complex financial crime, serious sexual offences and large-scale drugs importation.

He has particular experience in the field of public inquiries and has been instructed as junior counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Afghanistan since its opening in 2023. He is also a sought-after junior in inquests and has been instructed to represent medical practitioners in a broad range of inquests including Article 2 ECHR and jury inquests.

Prior to coming to the bar Ralph worked as a stage actor, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is also a fluent Russian speaker.

Year of call: 2021.

Languages: English; Russian

CPS Advocates Panel – Level 1; Middle Temple.

Russian Studies, BA Second Class Honours (Upper Division), University College London (2014); Russian and East European Studies, Master of Science, University of Oxford (2015); Graduate Diploma in Law with Commendation, City, University of London (2018); Bar Professional Training Course, City Law School.