North Eastern Circuit
Park Square Barristers is praised as ‘a chambers offering the highest calibre of barristers, available at short notice and always willing to go that extra mile to assist clients’. Richard Wright KC secured the conviction of a former Gateshead police officer for manslaughter, following the fatal assault of his wife, a matter in which complex medical evidence proved key in establishing that the death was not accidental. Peter Moulson KC successfully prosecuted three teenagers for murder and attempted murder after a violent house break-in; all were convicted under joint enterprise and sentenced to life. ’A highly skilled and experienced counsel’, Taryn Turner is a leading junior with expertise spanning serious violence, organised crime, drugs trafficking, and sexual offences. Catherine Silverton, ‘a fearsome advocate’, was instructed by the National Crime Agency to prosecute a defendant charged with raping and sexually abusing ten child victims. In March 2025, Gillian Batts KC was appointed to silk.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Criminal, Inquests and Inquiries and Regulatory Crime
Position
Crime
Richard Wright KC is a criminal advocate who has defended or prosecuted many of the country’s highest-profile cases .
He was described as “the standout junior” on the North Eastern Circuit (The Legal 500, 2011) and “in the ascendant” (Chambers and Partners, 2013).
He was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2012, appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2013, Head of Chambers at Park Square Barristers in 2015, Leader of the North Eastern Circuit (2020-22) and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2023
Ranked by Chambers and Partners 2025 as a “Star Individual” and noted that "He never fails to impress and makes the impossible look effortless."
Ranked by The Legal 500, 2025 in Tier 1 as a Leading Silk and described as an "exceptional talent."
In addition to his portfolio of legally aided cases, Richard regularly acts for companies and individuals on a private-fee basis in both criminal and regulatory cases (particularly environmental, health & safety and food-hygiene breaches).
Richard is renowned for his dedication to his clients, his meticulous approach to case preparation, his keen intellect, and his effective, punchy advocacy.
Inquests and Inquiries and Regulatory Crime
Richard Wright K.C. is consistently recognised in the leading legal directories as a “Masterful Silk” and has been instructed in many of the highest profile cases on the North Eastern Circuit and beyond. Inquest and Inquiry work forms a significant portion of his practice and he has been instructed in many landmark cases. He has been a driving force in the recent expansion of the Inquest and Inquiries team at PSQB in the arena of Public Inquiries. Ranked as a Tier 1 Silk for Business & Regulatory Crime (including Health & Safety) and Inquests and Inquiries – The Legal 500 (2024) and Band One Silk for Crime (Chambers and Partners, 2024).Ranked as a Band 2 Silk for Inquests & Public Inquiries – Chambers & Partners (2024)
His regulatory practice includes Health & Safety cases, those involving Environmental Waste, Fire Safety, Food Safety (particularly food allergen cases), Food Hygiene and Animal Welfare cases brought by DEFRA and he has been instructed in the highest profile Gross Negligence Manslaughter prosecutions.
He has been instructed in the Manchester Arena Inquiry, instructed as leading counsel by Her Majesty’s Assistant Coroner in respect of an application for Judicial Review challenging the coroner’s decision to leave the conclusion of unlawful killing to the jury, and is currently one of ten King’s Counsel appointed by Baroness Hallett as Counsel to the UK Covid Inquiry.
Richard also has particular expertise in Trading Standards prosecutions and his keen tactical judgement has led to him often being retained at an early stage in proceedings to provide advice to individuals and companies. This often results in the successful defeat of investigations before they result in charges. Richard also acts in professional disciplinary and misconduct cases.
His approachability to both his professional and lay clients combined with his keen intellect and his effective advocacy has meant that he has been constantly in demand to act in complex and high profile cases since taking silk in 2013.
Career
Call 1998, SIlk 2013
Appointments:
2006
Deputy district judge (magistrates’ courts)
2012
Recorder of the Crown Court
North Eastern Circuit Executive Committee
Bar Council Advocates Graduated Fee Working Group
2017
Elected as a Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple
2023
Deputy High Court Judge
Memberships
North Eastern CircuitLiberty
Education
1997
University of Leeds, LLB
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The senior clerk, Andrew Thornton, is a good clerk and always so helpful.'
- 'The clerks are very helpful, responsive, and willing to go out of their way to assist. An absolute delight to work with - with Andrew Thornton being a star individual to deal with.'
- 'Dan Fougler is always helpful and responds immediately.'
- 'Andrew Thornton is an excellent clerk who is very efficient and returns emails promptly.'
- 'Park Square Barristers has strength in depth and numbers, with counsel at all levels with experience across the criminal spectrum.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is a large set, full of excellent talent such that it would reassure anyone seeking to instruct someone that their case was in good hands.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is the go-to set for crime with strong barristers at all levels of call.'
- 'Park Square Barristers is well organised and has a range of capable counsel to support criminal casework at different stages.'