Crime and Regulatory & Public
Regulatory & Public
Ranked as Tier 1 for Business & Regulatory Crime (including Health & Safety) in Legal 500 (2025)
Holly has a strong practice in all Regulatory and Public Law matters and has wide-ranging experience in these areas.
Holly was appointed to the Specialist Regulatory Panel of Advocates in 2019 and has been regularly instructed on behalf of governmental bodies on the Regulatory List since her appointment. Holly has acted for both the Prosecution and the Defence in numerous cases brought by private agencies including local councils, the Environment Agency, the Home Office, the Insolvency Agency, HSE, RSPCA, DVLA, HMRC and FSA. She has experience of dealing with niche and/or complicated regulations, factual issues and cross-examining expert witnesses in the Magistrates Court, Crown Court and in Specialist Tribunals.
Holly’s Environmental Law practice includes multi-handed and complex environmental work and recent cases have involved large scale illegal waste deposits causing water and air pollution issues which not only impacts on the local environment but also the local residents. She is regularly instructed in prosecutions and is often brought on at an early stage in order to provide pre-charge advice.
She is regularly instructed by the HSE, prosecuting both companies and individuals in cases brought by the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authorities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and associated regulations.
Her Regulatory practice runs alongside a busy Criminal law and Inquest practice which gives Holly a wide range of expertise and cross-over experience that allows for a holistic approach to be taken on even the most serious of cases.
Holly has previously undertaken secondments with the Police and the Clinical Commissioning Group in York. She regularly receives instructions from the Police and has acted for them on multiple occasions including on Judicial Review proceedings. Holly has also represented numerous clients at Mental Health Tribunals and parole hearings.
Inquests & Inquiries
Ranked as Tier 1 for Inquests and Inquiries in Legal 500 (2025)
Holly has established a strong Inquest Practice and regularly undertakes work in the Coroner’s Court, acting for a wide range of interested persons.
Holly regularly appears in ‘Article 2’ inquests and those involving a Jury. She has experience of dealing with complicated legal and medical issues that commonly arise in these types of inquest. She has appeared for the Police, Prison Healthcare and local Councils on numerous occasions and receives regular instructions from families and individual Interested Persons. Her inquest practice complements her Regulatory and Criminal work and provides Holly with a practical and in depth knowledge of prison and policing protocols and procedure.
Holly also represents families and her delicate, approachable courtroom manner is well suited to the Coronial Courts and the sensitive issues that often arise. Her meticulous preparation allows her to look ahead in any case at an early stage allowing for effective management of matters that may arise at the later stages of the investigation, allowing time for better case preparation and management of any potential Regulation 28 issues (Reports to Prevent Future Deaths). Her thorough and delicate approach ensures that both lay and professional clients feel at ease and their best interests are sensitively dealt with and reflected throughout the proceedings.
Holly regularly presents seminars and lectures on Coronial law and is available to represent any interested party including bereaved families, public bodies and those who have been made an interested person by the Coroner due to their Professional roles.
Crime
Ranked in The Legal 500 (2025) for Crime as a Leading Junior.
Holly has a strong practice in all areas of Criminal law and is particularly adept at dealing with cases involving organised crime and complex or novel areas of law. She is a CPS Level Three Prosecutor and regularly appears in the Crown Court on behalf of both the Prosecution and Defence.
Holly adopts a clear and robust approach in court and is always meticulously prepared, looking ahead in any case in order to plan for a range of eventualities. She is known for her calm and approachable manner when dealing with clients and witnesses. She has experience dealing with both vulnerable clients and witnesses as well as expert witnesses. She is able to present complex evidence in a simple and logical manner and deals with novel areas of law with a quiet confidence, putting both witnesses and clients at ease.
Holly has been instructed both for the prosecution and for the Defence on a number of high profile, large-scale operations, including cases involving homicide offences, money laundering, fraud, firearms and drugs conspiracies, kidnap and torture. She has acted as both junior to leading silks and junior counsel and has also been instructed as leading counsel.
Alongside her criminal practice she maintains a busy Regulatory and Inquest practice. Prosecuting as an appointed advocate of the Specialist Regulatory Panel regularly appearing for the HSE and Environment Agency as well as on other private prosecutions brought by local councils, the insolvency agency and the HMRC.
Call 2015
Appointments:
2016-20 CPS Advocate Panel (Level 1) North Eastern Circuit
2019 List C of the Panel of Specialist Regulatory Advocates
2013 Newcastle University, LLB
2015 BPP Law School, BPTC