Simon Csoka

Business Crime and Financial RegulationCriminal Law

Simon specialises in all aspects of criminal law, in particular homicide, serious fraud and organised crime. He has defended many high profile cases such as Dale Cregan, Arran Coghlan, and Operation Elveden (the News International cases. He has been widely praised for his devastating cross-examinations.

He exclusively defends in serious and complex crime. His practice encompasses murder, gross negligence manslaughter, evasion of duty, MTIC and serious fraud, terrorism, complex multi-handed drugs cases and corruption.

He has appeared in many high profile cases. He defended John Hardy, a former sergeant major, in Operation Elveden who was accused of selling stories about Prince William and Prince Harry to The Sun. He was the only source to be acquitted by a jury in those News International trials. As well as his skills as a jury advocate, he is well known for his ability to develop complex legal arguments. He is known for his mastery of detail even in cases with voluminous quantities of evidence. He has an advanced knowledge of computing which can assist with the management of large amounts of evidence.

He led for the defence in the first case in which an application for independent special counsel for disclosure was granted [R v Greaves]. Since then he has made several successful applications for special counsel which led to the cases collapsing.

He has defended a number of solicitors and professionals in recent years who have found themselves charged with criminal offences.

He has advised CEOs, such as Julian Wheatland, former Chief Executive of Cambridge Analytica.

He will provide an extremely comprehensive and involved service together with a robust defence to those charged with more minor offences who wish to pay privately.

He also appears in Sport Regulatory work and has appeared before the FA Appeal Committee and the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne. In 2012 he succeeded in restoring Bradford City FC to the FA cup after they were disqualified.

Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University (MA Law) Inns of Court School of Law