2 Hare Court

Described by Legal 500 UK 2025 as one of the "premier sets for serious and general crime" with "superb barristers from pupils to silks" and "2 Hare Court have quality running right through the set."  "They have strength at every year of call, and the clerks know their counsel intimately. The juniors are well drilled and understand the demands of a solicitor intimately, whilst the silks are as smooth as they come." 

Additionally it says "a leading health and safety set" and "a very strong set, arguably the best for defence in healthcare regulatory proceedings" and "2 Hare Court is the go-to set for professional discipline and regulation. Their counsel in this area are the best" another adds "2 Hare Court has a great variety of counsel who are very experienced within professional discipline".

The set: Chambers comprises 77 tenants including 23 King’s Counsel and 12 members who sit as recorders. Many former members of chambers have become High Court and District Judges. Chambers provides counsel of first choice to leading defence firms as well as principal prosecuting authorities in London, nationwide and abroad. It has a proven track record of delivering the highest standards of service to clients, together with excellence in advocacy and trial management in cases of the utmost gravity and complexity.

2 Hare Court has been recognised consistently as one of the UK's leading chambers specialising in crime, business crime, private prosecution, financial services, tax, professional discipline, health and safety, regulatory law, inquests and inquiries, sports law and other related fields. Our members and set alike have been shortlisted for numerous awards in both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK and are previous winners of Chambers UK Crime Set of the Year. 

The set's barristers provide early and strategic analysis and advice, as well as advocacy of the highest quality where cases cannot be resolved at an early stage and need to progress to trial. Other quotes in Chambers UK 2024 Guide include "market leaders in their area" another adds that "they are as comfortable dealing with complex white-collar crime cases as with highly sensitive and serious general crime cases" and "The entire set has wonderful expertise, and they can always offer a top-class barrister to assist." "They are responsive, flexible and willing to think outside the box."  

"The clerks at 2 Hare Court are very user friendly and really care about their instructing solicitors. Special mention goes to Chloe Tennent, Louis Lockwood and Julian Campbell for their excellent clerking." "Chloe Tennent is an excellent clerk. She is very helpful." and "Chloe Tennent is one to watch and will go far!" and "Jack Shah always provides a full service, from the moment counsel is briefed, until a matter has concluded and been billed".  "Louis Lockwood has established himself as a highly-respected, intelligent clerk with a strong grasp of the sector" and "Louis Lockwood is incredibly responsive and always goes above and beyond to try and assist".

More information on its barristers and work can be found at www.2harecourt.com.

Types of work undertaken
Crime: the strength and depth of experience among 2 Hare Court’s specialist advocates sees them advising, defending and prosecuting in all forms of criminal work, particularly in serious and complex cases of terrorism (including special advocate work), murder, honour killings, international drug and human trafficking, serious organised crime and sexual offences (especially historic). Recent cases include: National action terrorism matters, the murder of PC Andrew Harper, Dr Agnes Taylor torture case (wife of former leader of Liberia Charles Taylor), Charles Riddington Double K Gym murder, Alex King hoax Novichok poisoning in Salisbury (whilst on the run for a large scale drugs supply case), career conman Mark Acklom, prosecuting tube bomb plotter Damon Smith, murdered French nanny Sophie Lionnet, Finsbury Park attacker Darren Osbourne, the Rolf Harris appeal, prosecuting Britain’s ‘worst ever paedophile�� Richard Huckle, Grindr serial killer Stephen Port, Honey Rose (the first optometrist to be convicted of gross negligence manslaughter), Brooks (phone hacking), Lee Rigby Murder and Operation Yew Tree.

Business crime and financial services: members of chambers are routinely instructed in the largest and most complex financial crime cases. Its experience includes all forms of fraud, MTIC/VAT tribunal hearings, market abuse (insider dealing, LIBOR and manipulation of other benchmark rates), asset recovery/forfeiture and restraint/confiscation proceedings. Recent cases include: ICO v Cambridge Analytica, Operation Amazon, the SFO’s investigation into Rolls Royce,  FOREX, ‘Blue Index’, BA price fixing case, Operation Tabernula,  the HBOS corruption trial, Turks and Caicos corruption cases, SFO v Tchenguiz, lnnospec, and MP/Lords’ expenses.

Private prosecution: 2 Hare Court is a pioneering set in the area of private prosecution and their private prosecution team have considerable experience of advising and representing clients on both sides of private prosecutions. Numerous members are senior former and current prosecutors, including those who have acted as First Senior, Senior and Junior Treasury Counsel. Recent cases: Swiss oil company Allseas Group  (largest privately prosecuted fraud to have ever been brought), R v K (private prosecution brought following long running civil fraud proceedings, R v G, H & A (defence of a privately prosecuted fraud).

Professional discipline: members have extensive expertise in this field, appearing, in particular, before all healthcare regulators, primarily defending members of all the major MDOs as well as other professionals. The set also appears in proceedings involving the police, accountants and actuaries, tax advisers, solicitors, sports professionals, telecommunications and others.

Regulatory crime: Members of 2 Hare Court advise and represent corporate and individual clients facing proceedings brought by regulators including the Health & Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Trading Standards and local authorities. The team advises at every stage of an investigation pre-charge on issues such as the approach to take in interview, evidence gathering and legal privilege. Recent cases: Grenfell, Chevron, Topcon, Monovan, Hillsborough, Essar Oil, Princes Sporting Club, Lion Steel, Cavendish Masonry and Hugo Boss.

Inquests: 2 Hare Court has a team of specialists with extensive experience of advocacy. Members of the Inquest & Public Inquiry team have acted in the most complex and high profile cases of recent times, including; the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, the In Amenas hostage crisis, the London 7/7 bombings, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, the London Bridge and Westminster terrorist attacks, acting for the family of Lance Corporal Craig Roberts one of three soldiers who died of heat illness on an SAS selection test in the Brecon Beacons and representing the family of Alexander Perepilichny, who died in unexplained circumstances. Public inquiries have included the Grenfell fire, Manchester arena bombing, inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian FSB agent allegedly poisoned by Polonium 210 in London, as well as various members instructed on the long running Hillsborough inquest.

Tax: With a long established background in tax litigation, the team at 2 Hare Court have established a formidable reputation in cases involving disputes in direct and indirect tax appeals. The disputes span the full spectrum of tax litigation before the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber), Upper Tribunal (Tax and Chancery Chamber) and Court of Appeal, where members are instructed both by Taxpayers and by the Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs.

Sports law: Members of 2 Hare Court are instructed in cases involving gambling regulation, corruption, inquests and public inquiries, anti-doping, licensing, On-field and off-field violence, disorder by athletes. Members of the sports team regularly appear before the Football Association, the British Horse Racing Authority, International Association of Athletics Federations, National Anti-Doping Panel, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Recent cases:  FA v Tony Henry, BHA v Jim & Suzie Best, BHA v Jim Best, FA v Joey Barton, IAAF v Valentin Balakhnichev & Ors and Hillsborough.