Three Raymond Buildings

A multi-disciplined set with a national and international reputation in criminal and quasi criminal matters.

Work undertaken
Crime: Advocacy and advisory work in every aspect of criminal law, including serious violent and sexual crime, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, bribery and corruption, organised crime, child exploitation, cybercrime, breaches of the Official Secrets Act. Expertise across all levels of call in restraint, civil recovery and confiscation. Notable cases include Kevin Spacey (sexual assault); NX121 (firearms officer charged with murder – ongoing); PC David Carrick (rape and sexual offences); PC Monk (manslaughter of professional footballer Dalian Atkinson);  Stephen Port, dubbed the 'Grindr killer' after scouting his victims on the gay dating app; the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese migrants found dead in a lorry trailer in Essex; multiple cases arising from the secretive global phone network EncroChat.

Sanctions: A leading financial crime chambers with experience in complex multi-jurisdictional cases. A well-established practice acting for financial institutions, insurance firms, law firms and other commercial organisations, as well as individuals, in financial sanctions and export controls cases.  In particular, a significant number of members of chambers are currently engaged in financial, travel and trade sanctions cases arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the application of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/855.

Fraud and financial regulation: A long-established reputation in fraud, money laundering, insider-dealing, and anti-competitive conduct. Expertise extends to civil and commercial fraud claims initiated in the UK and abroad. Also experienced in financial services law; instructed by both the FCA and individuals and corporations in the financial services industry. Members advise in relation to the full range of FSMA matters including authorisation, compliance and enforcement. Notable matters include Glencore, Patisserie Valerie; Airbus; ENRC; Petrofac; Alstom; Barclays (Qatar); Canover Watson (FIFA fraud); FOREX manipulation; the LIBOR investigation; Unaoil;  Zamira Hajiyeva (the ‘Harrods Shopper’ -  the first Unexplained Wealth Order case).

Extradition and mutual legal assistance: Members have acted in many of the landmark cases of the last 50 years and have helped shape the development of extradition law. They are experts in mutual legal assistance and are instructed regularly by the UK authorities to advise upon and draft letters of request to foreign jurisdictions. They also provide advice and representation to individuals and companies affected by mutual legal assistance requests. Notable cases include Julian Assange; Nirav Modi; Zamira Hajiyeva; Gary McKinnon; Shrien Dewani; Vladimir Antonov; Jack Warner (FIFA and Kuwaiti extradition cases;

Health and safety: Regarded as a leading set in health and safety and fire safety work. Members include specialist regulatory advocates in health and  safety and environmental law at each level of seniority. Experience includes enforcement proceedings and inquests relating to major disasters and serious workplace injuries and fatalities resulting from safety failings. Members represent regulators and regulated corporate defendants and individuals. Extensive experience of the construction, transport, retail, care, waste management, and leisure and entertainment industries.

Inquests and inquiries: Members are regularly instructed in inquests of the highest importance, most recently including the Covid Inquiry,  the Grenfell Tower Inquiry; Manchester Arena; Croydon Tram Crash; Jermaine Baker; the Fishmongers’ Hall, Westminster Bridge and London Bridge Inquests; the Hillsborough Inquest; ’7/7’ Inquests; Alexander Litvinenko; Mark Duggan. They also have considerable experience in representing core participants and witnesses before Public Inquiries and have been instructed for various parties in some of the most important Inquiries of recent times, including Leveson; the Undercover Policing Inquiry and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Regulatory enforcement: Expert advice and representation on a wide range of statutory regimes that regulate the conduct of public bodies, corporations, and individuals. Members regularly appear for prosecuting authorities and defendants in cases concerning health and safety, fire safety, environmental law, consumer protection, and trading standards. They are also active in the areas of financial regulation and regularly appear before VAT and duties tribunals.

Licensing: Members have been involved in most of the major licensing and gaming cases in the last 45 years. They advise and represent all those engaged with licensing authorities and the Gambling Commission, including the licensing authorities themselves, individual and corporate applicants and other interested parties, such as the police and residents. Clients include many of the major operators of pubs, clubs, hotels, casinos and betting offices in the United Kingdom.

Professional Discipline: Members are regularly instructed by a wide range of disciplinary authorities and respondents in professional misconduct proceedings. The set has also developed a strong reputation in sports law. Members have acted in proceedings before the General Dental, Optical and Medical Councils, British Horseracing Authority , Health and Care Professions Council, International Cricket Council, the Financial Services Authority, Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Lawn Tennis Association, UK Athletics and others.

Public law: Members appear frequently in judicial review proceedings for both claimants and defendants. They have particular expertise in dealing with applications arising out of extradition proceedings, inquests, decisions relating to the investigation and prosecution of criminal matters, and prison welfare. Past members of the ‘A’ Panel of civil Treasury Counsel are instructed in a wide variety of judicial review claims and advise government departments on a range of public law issues.

International
Members are highly experienced in dealing with matters involving international criminal and humanitarian law before domestic courts as well as international tribunals. They also advise governments, companies and individuals involved in international business transactions about jurisdictional issues and applicable international and regional laws. They have particular expertise in the applicability of international and domestic trade and financial sanctions and the extra-territorial reach of some US laws. Members regularly appear/advise in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man