Set Profile > Chambers of Jonathan Laidlaw QC > London, England

Crime Tier 1

2 Hare Court 'boasts an impressive range of counsel and is able to offer a range of suitable options in relation to any enquiry'. Traditionally regarded as a prosecution set, chambers continues to receive Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) instructions for some of the most serious cases, but it also handles high-quality private defence and prosecution work, too. Recent instructions include Julia Faure Walker prosecuting three individuals for a sex trafficking conspiracy, including the "sale" of a prostitute for €10,000 in a case with issues as to the admissibility of Romanian intercept evidence. Turning to defence highlights, Martin Hicks QC and Scott Ivill represented a man who was acquitted of an alleged manslaughter after his brother died of a heart attack in the family home during a supposed exorcism. Also of note, Brendan Kelly QC defended Xeneral Webster, a 19-year-old drill musician who was acquitted of murder but received a 17-year sentence for manslaughter on a plea of guilty; this case is believed to be the first conviction for an acid attack killing in the UK. Turning to the juniors' unled work, Gudrun Young successfully represented well-known feminist activist Linda Bellos, who was privately prosecuted by a transgender rights activist for a supposed public order offence after indicating that she would defend herself against violent attack – the private prosecution was taken over and discontinued by the CPS.

Fraud: crime Tier 1

2 Hare Court is a 'very strong' and 'talented' set with 'an impressive range of counsel'. Recent highlights include new silk David Whittaker QC successfully defending a businessman against two counts of alleged fraud and money laundering after £500,000 was found in his car at the time of his arrest and then at his home address. Meanwhile, Angus Bunyan successfully prosecuted businessmen Terrence Mitchell and Andrew Meikle, who were convicted of running an investment scam by offering investors a fixed interest plan with a guaranteed rate of return; the money was instead used by the defendants for personal means.

Business and regulatory crime (including global investigations) Tier 2

Financial crime forms a core area of 2 Hare Court's expertise; recent highlights  for its members include Jonathan Kinnear QC successfully representing the Serious Fraud Office in the prosecution of shipping company FH Bertling, including six directors and employees, over an oil project in Angola; the defendants were convicted of paying bribes to a local state oil official to secure shipping contracts worth $20m.

Inquests and inquiries Tier 2

Licensing Tier 2

Professional disciplinary and regulatory law Tier 2

2 Hare Court is 'a very strong set' with 'flair', and houses an 'excellent group of barristers with extensive experience in professional disciplinary work'. Healthcare is a core sector of expertise for the set, with members handling work for doctors, dentists, opticians, and osteopaths, and has also been active in the veterinary space. Andrew Colman defended a practitioner of Vaser liposelection (a form of liposuction) against 28 allegations – divided into over 100 sub-heads – of misconduct. However, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service tribunal found only six of the sub-heads amounted to misconduct, and only two to have a basis of impaired fitness to practise; the tribunal decided to take no action by way of sanction. Also of note, Tom Day acted for the General Optical Council in a misconduct case brought against an optometrist accused of harassment; the defendant was erased from the register. In March 2019 Andrew Hurst was appointed to the circuit bench.

Sport Tier 3

Health and safety Tier 4

2 Hare Court houses ‘a strong cadre of health and safety counsel’. Noteworthy instructions include Jonathan Laidlaw QC acting for cladding company Harley Facades in the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. Laidlaw QC also acted for Pret a Manger following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse; the teenager collapsed and died on board a flight in July 2016 after having an allergic reaction to an "artisan" baguette purchased from the sandwich chain. Pret has announced it will include full ingredient labelling on all its products following Ednan-Laperouse’s inquest, while the government is considering a legislative change.

Set overviews: England and Wales

Counsel at the ‘classy’ 2 Hare Court are ‘a cut above’ in the fields of criminal and professional discipline and regulatory law. Solicitors note it has ‘strengthened considerably its private prosecutions’ offering of late; its expertise in the field of health and safety law; and its ‘respected’ experts in the licensing and sport arena. The ‘first-choice’, ‘forward-thinking’ set boasts ‘an impressive range of clever, accomplished counsel’ who ‘instinctively understand the needs of the client’. In recent chambers news, Alison Levitt QC, the founder of Mishcon de Reya LLP’s white collar crime practice, has joined the set, while Narita Bahra QC, Zubair Ahmad QC, and David Whittaker QC took silk in 2019, further strengthening chambers at the senior end. Meanwhile, the junior ranks have been bolstered by the arrival of Merry Van Woodenberg and Nneka Akudolu, formerly of Foundry Chambers and 187 Fleet Street Chambers respectively. Leaving chambers, Andrew Hurst was appointed to the circuit bench. Chambers has a ‘strong’ clerking team which is ‘modern in its outlook’ and ‘recognises that the traditional flow of work is not going to apply in every case’. The team is led by director of clerking Julian Campbell, who is ‘widely recognised as being amongst the best in the business’ and ‘provides an extremely slick and professional service’. All the clerks are ‘attentive, quick’, and ‘efficient in sending through information and truthful regarding availability’. Senior practice clerk Ben Heaviside is an ‘A+ clerk; approachable, reasonable, and accommodating’. The ‘exceptionally efficient, prompt, and friendly’ Tara Shah has moved to Twenty Essex. Offices in: London