John Lyons specialises exclusively in criminal defence, in particular Business Crime & Fraud. He also acts for those accused of Serious & Organised Crime, including Terrorism-related offences, large-scale Drugs Offences, Money Laundering & Proceeds of Crime, serious Sexual Offences, and Murder & Manslaughter.

He has been instructed on behalf of potential victims of miscarriages of justice and is involved in representing those seeking to appeal historic criminal convictions through the Criminal Cases Review Commission. He has a clear understanding of the approach of the prosecution and disclosure issues, having previously been appointed a Grade 4 (highest grade) CPS prosecutor. John regularly undertakes leading junior work and is also led by King’s Counsel.

He also defends in large-scale financial Frauds, high-tech computer frauds and VAT and tax offences.

As a former qualified Company Secretary and with a degree in economics, John is well equipped to understand and analyse complex company accounts and other financial documents.

He is highly proficient in the use of computers for case preparation. He has lectured in the use of case preparation software. He is able to establish case-based intranets and designs, develops and uses bespoke databases and spreadsheets for case preparation and presentation of complex evidence.

He has considerable experience of large-scale drug conspiracies. Often these cases involve vast amounts of phone evidence. John is able to efficiently and confidently review enormous quantities of call data and cellsite information using sophisticated data analysis tools. He regularly discovers unexpected and often crucial contact patterns, and can present this material in a jury-friendly format. On many occasions John’s grasp of the data has avoided the need to instruct costly phone experts.

In addition to his noteworthy Crime and Fraud & Business Crime practice, John has a background in Public & Administrative Law and Civil Liberties & Human Rights. He served for many years as a member of the Legal Services Commission Public Interest Advisory Panel. As a former Chair of Liberty and member of the International Federation of Human Rights he has a strong knowledge of the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Year of call: 1986

Inn: Middle

Middle Temple Howard League for Penal Reform South Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association Bar Pro Bono Unit

Previously:

Legal Services Commission Public Interest Advisory Panel Chair of Liberty and Trustee of the Civil Liberties Trust British representative to the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)

Postgraduate Diploma in Law, City University (1985)

Institute of Chartered Secretaries (1984)

BA Economics, University of Durham (1980)