Set Profile > Red Lion Chambers > London, England

Inquests and inquiries

Proceeds of Crime Act and asset forfeiture Tier 1

Business and regulatory crime (including global investigations) Tier 2

Viewed as 'strong' in the field of business crime, Red Lion Chambers' members are adept at prosecuting and defending cases involving corruption, bribery, and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigations. Recent highlights include Trevor Archer representing the SFO in a corruption case concerning alleged payments made to a public official in South Korea to secure contracts for seismological equipment to monitor earthquakes and nuclear weapons tests in North Korea over a 13-year period.

Crime Tier 2

Red Lion Chambers, among a range of criminal experts, has number of members with specific strengths in sexual offences and modern slavery matters, and handles a strong mixture of prosecution work as well as challenging defence instructions. Kate Bex QC successfully represented the defendant, a solicitor, in the second-ever prosecution under the Female Genital Mutilation Act. Rosina Cottage QC represented the Crown Prosecution Service, successfully defeating an appeal against conviction brought in the name of publicist Max Clifford, who died three years into a prison sentence for indecent assault. Among the juniors, David Malone prosecuted two gang members involved in the production of drill music videos on YouTube for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH), and successfully applied after their conviction for the first criminal behaviour order targeting drill music. Elsewhere, Paul Evans represented a man named in the press as a former president of the Sussex chapter of the Hell's Angels, who was acquitted of GBH with intent. Sally-Ann Hales QC was appointed to the circuit bench in May 2018.

Fraud: crime Tier 2

Red Lion Chambers' Gillian Jones QC is acting in a long-running private prosecution concerning alleged international property fraud and forgery of company documents set, while Jane Bewsey QC prosecuted in Operation Twilight, a case concerning six defendants charged with tax fraud by claiming tax relief on a film scheme which never resulted in a film being made.

International crime and extradition Tier 2

Financial services regulation Tier 2

Tax: corporate and VAT/indirect tax Tier 2

Health and safety Tier 3

Leading Sets Tier 3

Fraud: civil Tier 3

Sport Tier 4

Professional disciplinary and regulatory law Tier 4

Environment Tier 4

Crime

Red Lion Chambers is home to a wide range of criminal barristers, who both prosecute and defend across the spectrum of both public and private work. Notable recent work examples include Simon Spence QC prosecuting in a three-defendant murder case concerning the beating to death of a homeless man following a perceived slight, and Gillian Jones QC defending in the case of a man who was charged with murdering his wife while his daughter was upstairs, and claimed self-defence as his wife attempted to stab him - he was convicted of the lesser manslaughter charge.

Set overviews: England and Wales

Red Lion Chambers ‘continues to grow and go from strength to strength’ across the gamut of criminal defence and prosecution. The set is ‘organised and efficient’. ‘They will ensure all cases are covered properly and that solicitors are always kept informed.’ While a London set, it is also active in Kent’s criminal cases and maintains an outpost in Chelmsford. In recent news, Michelle Nelson, Christopher Paxton, and Michael Goodwin took silk in 2019; Sara Lawson QC has been appointed general counsel of the Serious Fraud Office and David Malone has taken a sabbatical to work as the deputy head of the specialist fraud division at the Crown Prosecution Service; Angela Rafferty QC has been appointed a circuit judge on the South Eastern Circuit. The set has recently launched a lecture series which is described as ‘unprecedented’ by clients: ‘These events are invaluable to the solicitors’ profession in terms of continued professional development and are very much highly regarded.’ The clerks’ room is ‘fully understanding and willing to assist in those rare moments of crises’. Mark Bennett is the senior clerk/practice director; deputy director Nick Parkinson, assistant practice director Lee Young, and practice manager and lead Chelmsford clerk Chris Jones are also key contacts. Offices in: London and Chelmsford