Rosalind Earis

Rosalind acts in a range of Chambers’ practice areas including general crime, financial and specialist crime, public law, inquiries and regulatory law. She is a member of the Attorney-General’s Panel of Civil Counsel and particularly focuses on the intersection of public and criminal law, including acting in judicial review proceedings arising out of ongoing or potential criminal litigation.

Rosalind previously worked for the United Nations and as a British Government consultant in the Middle East. She graduated with a first-class degree from Cambridge University in 2007.

General Crime

Rosalind prosecutes and defends in a range of criminal matters at all levels, both alone and led.

Defence

Rosalind has successfully defended in cases of blackmail, arson with intent to endanger life, grievous bodily harm, robbery, people smuggling, drug supply and violent and sexual offences. She has appeared in the Court of Appeal as a sole junior in appeals against conviction and sentence, and been praised by that Court for the quality of her advocacy. Rosalind has a particular interest in matters concerning the offence of participating in activities of organised crime group.

Prosecution

Rosalind is a CPS Level 3 Prosecutor, and has successfully prosecuted as sole junior cases of perverting the course of justice, fraud, robbery and large-scale drug supply among others. Notable cases as led junior include R v Zaman and Others, prosecuting a drug supply conspiracy worth around £1 million, and R v McAllister, a multi-million pound fraud conspiracy. Her comparative analysis of legal provisions concerning terrorism in jurisdictions around the world was presented to the Supreme Court in R v Gul [2013] UKSC 64 as part of the Crown’s successful case.

Rosalind also accepts instructions in private prosecutions of all types.

 Specialist Crime

Rosalind regularly prosecutes both fraud and the provision of unregulated immigration services on behalf of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). She also advises on questions of law and procedure at all stages of the investigation. Notable cases include R v Binns and Ors, which five defendants were convicted of running a large-scale fraudulent immigration business. Rosalind also represents the OISC in regulatory appeals arising out of their decision-making, in both the First Tier and the Upper Tribunals.

Rosalind is a member of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution advocates’ panel, and has both prosecuted and defended in HSE matters in the magistrates’ and Crown Courts.

Rosalind is also experienced in both making and resisting applications in quasi-criminal and ancillary matters, including applications for search warrants both inter partes and ex parte, and advising on the bringing or defending of subsequent judicial review proceedings arising from such applications.

 Financial Crime and Confiscation

Rosalind has been instructed for both the Crown and the defence in confiscation proceedings under POCA 2002. Notable cases include obtaining a successful variation for a third party in the multi-billion dollar confiscation proceedings arising out of R v Ibori, R v Gohil. She has previously acted for a large multi-national company in their worldwide internal investigations into compliance with fraud and bribery legislation. Rosalind also advises the UK Competition and Markets Authority on prosecuting the cartel offence, on an ongoing basis.

 Public Law

In 2019 Rosalind was appointed to the Attorney-General’s Civil Panel of Counsel (level C). She has also appeared for the CPS in matters before the High Court arising out of criminal prosecutions. Prior to her C-panel appointment she was instructed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) in immigration and public law matters, and appeared regularly for the SSHD in immigration appeals to the First Tier Tribunal.

She also advises and appears for claimants wishing to bring judicial review proceedings, including those seeking urgent interim relief and those who need urgent advice.

 Inquiry Work

Rosalind is currently instructed as junior counsel for the Metropolitan Police in the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI), led by Peter Skelton QC.  As part of the UCPI she appeared as led junior in the judicial review proceedings brought by a number of Core Participants against decisions of the Chairman concerning the anonymity of former undercover officers. Her work on the Inquiry has given her a particular knowledge of matters of Public Interest Immunity arising from national security and related concerns.

 Civil Litigation/Government Work

Rosalind has been instructed in civil litigation matters by a range of government agencies, including the Serious Fraud Office, the DVLA, HMRC and the Home Office.

University of Cambridge, MA (Hons) (first class) Graduate Diploma in Law, City University (distinction) Bar Professional Training Course, Kaplan Law School (outstanding)