Park Square Barristers Ltd.

Crime, Children Law, Commercial & Insurance, Family Finance, Personal Injury, Regulatory & Public

Crime

Chris is an experienced criminal practitioner, dealing with prosecution and defence, which encompasses all parts of criminal law including serious violence, drug trafficking, firearms, and sexual offences. He provides a dedicated service to every case he is involved in and utilises his knowledge to analyse cases, prepare them and present them fully. He has experience of dealing with cases involving young and vulnerable witnesses and defendants.

He has a detailed understanding of Proceeds of Crime and is highly skilled in dealing with the complexities which arise in such cases. He is regularly instructed on applications to vary restraint orders, vary confiscation orders, enforcement proceedings and much more.

Chris has also appeared before the Court Martial, defending serving personal and is happy to travel to deal with such matters.

Between 2014 and 2018 Chris was involved in extensive research regarding biometric evidence in criminal cases. He specifically examined the way in which such evidence can be used cross-border and international mutual assistance arrangements to tackle serious organised crime, sexual offences and terrorism. His research contributed to the UK Parliament decision to become signatories to the Prüm Treaty. Chris has presented several papers at national and international conferences addressing topics on evidence and biometric evidence, criminal procedure and terrorism.

Chris is a Grade 3 Prosecutor in General Crime and POCA Specialist Panels, and Grade 2 on the Serious Organised Crime Specialist Panel.

Children Law

Public Law - He has been instructed to represent the local authorities, parents, grandparents, children and interveners in care proceedings and other public law proceedings. He is regularly instructed in cases involving serious allegations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. He has experience of representing vulnerable clients and supporting them throughout proceedings and is similarly very good at dealing with highly emotional and volatile clients.

Private Law - Chris has predominantly represented parents and grandparents in a variety of private law matters. He has dealt with cases involving difficult and complex child arrangement issues, such as contact. He has been instructed to represent parents in private law finding of fact hearings as well as cases involving serious allegations of physical and sexual abuse.

Chris also has also previously been instructed in various Family Law Act applications including non-molestation orders and committal applications.

Commercial & Insurance
Chris has experience of representing parties at hearings and conducting cases involving charging orders, Bankruptcy and Insolvency matters and breach of contract. He has experience of dealing with multi-track and fact track trials.

Family Finance

Chris takes instructions in relation to all aspects of family property and finances which arise following marital separation and separation of cohabitees.He often appears at First Directions Appointments, Financial Dispute Resolution Hearings and Final Hearings.

Chris has experience of dealing with cases that involve: Family Trusts, Foreign Property, Pensions and Interveners.

Personal Injury

Chris is experienced in dealing with personal injury claims including industrial disease and professional negligence. He has been instructed in RTA personal-injury cases and special damages claims, employer’s liability and credit-hire matters. He has experience in advising clients on liability and quantum. He is regularly instructed on Actions Against the Police and claims against the State for injuries or abuse sustained whilst in lawful custody.

As well as dealing with multi-track and fast-track trials, Chris also has experience of dealing with interlocutory and preliminary hearings, including set aside judgment, seeking summary or default judgment. He has also previously been instructed to deal with committal applications.

Regulatory & Public

Chris has an interest in Regulatory and Public Law matters. He has previously been instructed to give advice and draft applications seeking Judicial Review. His interests in public law and human rights practices were expanded into researching UK Counter-Terrorism Law and Human Rights through his Ph.D thesis entitled ‘Risk Assessment, Counter-Terrorism UK Law & Policy; A Human Rights-Based Analysis’ and continues to expand his interests within this field.

He has also represented Local Authorities in bringing prosecutions for various public safety and health regulation breaches. Chris has also previously defended those accused of animal cruelty in prosecutions brought by the RSPCA.

Chris has been instructed to represent clients at the Mental Health Review Tribunals.

Call 2008 2011 Pupil at Old Court Chambers, Middlesbrough

2013 Tenant at Old Court Chambers, Middlesbrough

2014 Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University, Newcastle

2020 Old Court Chambers merged with Park Square Barristers

Appointments: 2019 North Eastern Circuit Representative for Lincoln's Inn CPS Panel - General Crime Grade 3 CPS Panel - POCA Specialist Grade 3 Serious Crime Specialist Grade 2

2021 CPS RASSO Panel

North Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association Durham Human Rights Centre Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Royal United Services Institute

2007 University of Derby, Derby Law School LL.B (Hons)

2008 Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Law School Bar Vocational Course - Very Competent

2010 Durham University, Hatfield College LL.M Master of Laws

2017 Durham University, Hatfield College Ph.D - "Risk Assessment, UK Counter-Terrorism Law & Policy, A Human Rights Based Approach"