Experience

5 Paper Buildings

• United Kingdom
• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Barrister - Crime (Defence and Prosecution), POCA, Regulatory, Professional Discipline

  • Oct 2014 - Present

  Since joining chambers I have developed a broad general criminal practice. I regularly both prosecute and defend matters involving allegations of fraud, money laundering, drugs and violence. I am regularly instructed in relation to POCA proceedings, both in relation to cases I have dealt with as well as fresh Counsel. I regularly represent professionals before regulatory proceedings. I have undertaken proceedings at all stages before the NMC, HCPC and GDC amongst others. Recent instructions include:R v GH - On going allegations of rape against ex partnerR v MO - POCA proceedings with benefit figure circa £10m following conviction for cultivation of cannabisR v IB and others - Prosecution of seven individuals for violent disorderR v AF and others - Prosecution of four individuals for serious violence following a stabbing outside their collegeR v DT - Defence of DT for importation of cannabis on multiple occasions

• Pupil Barrister

  • Oct 2013 - Sep 2014

  During pupillage I was under the supervision of Mr Dominic Lewis (October 2013 - January 2014), Mr Nicholas Fooks (February 2014 - May 2014) and Miss Charlene Sumnall (June 2014 - September 2014. Throughout I assisted with a broad range of matters encompassing Chambers' main practice areas. Fraud and Confiscation:I assisted in the defence of a corruption matter heard at Southwark CC involving public contracts with Tom Allen QC. I have attended Crown Courts in respect of confiscation hearings, both contested and agreed confiscation amounts. I have advised on the legality of repatriation clauses in restraint orders obtained under s41 POCA2002. During my own practice I prosecuted and defended individuals for 'benefit fraud' matters. Consumer ProtectionI was involved in the successful prosecution of two individuals at Wood Green Crown Court for s993 CA06 fraudulent trading and CPUTR08 regulatory offences. This included a loss of approximately £500k over 18 months. In my own practice I represented an individual charged with 24 counts of breaches of food regulations, culminating in a total of 36 products totalling 898 days out of date. My client pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fine of £1305. Road Traffic Offences I represented individuals charged with dangerous driving, carless driving and failure to provide a specimen among other offences. I successfully ran the defence of duress at trial for careless driving and have successfully argued special reasons and exceptional hardship. General CrimeI assisted in the defence of a sexual abuse involving historic allegations. I have attended the Court of Appeal in respect of appropriate directions for good character. During my second sixth I conducted Crown Court trials involving allegations of robbery, which required extensive cross examination of the complainant and witnesses.



Peters & Peters

• United Kingdom
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Secondment - Barrister

  • Jan 2015 - Jul 2015

  For six months I was seconded to the Business Crime department at Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP to develop my experience of business crime, financial regulation and international fraud investigations. During the course of my time at the firm I assisted with a number of SFO prosecutions involving allegations of financial market manipulation, accountancy and reporting irregularities and financial transactions. I was responsible for drafting legal documents, undertaking legal research and meeting with clients. I drafted an application to the European Court of Human Rights alleging breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights in a matter involving a Hungarian company, its director and the Government of Croatia. This matter involved allegations of breaches of article 2, 5 and 8 rights. Furthermore I drafted applications to the European Court of Justice and European Court of First Instance challenging Council decisions to impose sanctions on Zimbabwean individuals. During the course of my tenure at Peters & Peters Solicitors I undertook research into legal professional privilege, and conducted disclosure review exercises. Increasing my practical awareness of the relationship between UK and US fraud investigations, I drafted proffers, for the purposes of conducting discussions with the Department of Justice and the SEC, as well as researching and advising on liabilities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. I contributed to the firm through drafting blog articles on recent legal updates including money laundering and POCA matters.



Peters & Peters

• United Kingdom
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Paralegal

  • Jul 2012 - Sep 2013

  I was a paralegal assisting on a broad range of crime and fraud (both civil and criminal), extradition, and civil asset recovery matters. I drafted advice to companies on their obligations under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and whether actions complied with the 'fit and proper person' test. I assisted Counsel during the course of trial proceedings, regularly attending court to be at hand with enquiries and work that needed to be undertaken during the course of a trial. I drafted licence applications using the SPIRE system for clients seeking to export firearms and ammunition. I was a research to the partners and associates for publications and public speaking engagements. I assisted draft the chapter on Extradition Law for publication in Blackstones Criminal Practice 2014 for Anand Doobay. I was responsible for undertaking document management and legal research tasks on a large private prosecution fraud matter. I assisted with general case management work on general criminal matters including burglary, firearms, Road Traffic Act and sexual abuse offences among others. My responsibilities included drafting correspondence, proofs of evidence and instructions to Counsel, as well as liaising with CPS/police and undertaking conferences with clients. My civil work included assisting obtain freezing, passport and disclosure orders in civil courts, in a large scale civil fraud matters. I drafted witness statements, draft orders and chronologies for the purposes of court proceedings.



BIRDS SOLICITORS LIMITED

• United Kingdom
• Law Practice

• Paralegal

  • Oct 2011 - Jul 2012

  My role as a criminal paralegal included providing case management advice and assistance on a broad range of criminal law matters. This included drug trafficking offences, confiscation and fraud matters. My primary role was to assist Patrick Gibbs QC (3 Raymond Buildings) and Alison Pople QC (Cloth Fair Chambers) on the matter of Bijal Shah in the Operation Saturn insider trading case. This included attending court throughout the course of the trial, assisting with note taking and evidential analysis. My analysis of telephone calls and trading patterns was used as the basis of cross examination of the FCA's expert witnesses.



Adams Solicitors

• Paralegal

  • May 2011 - Oct 2011

  Conveyancing paralegal. Assisted partner with caseload of over 200 residential and commercial conveyancing transaction ranging from £100k - £5million. Dealt with commercial matters in respect of Westfield (Stratford) site. Conveyancing paralegal. Assisted partner with caseload of over 200 residential and commercial conveyancing transaction ranging from £100k - £5million. Dealt with commercial matters in respect of Westfield (Stratford) site.



UK Ministry of Justice

• Policy Advisor

  • Sep 2009 - Sep 2010

  Managed policy development and analysis on a range of matters across the criminal justice system. Briefed Ministers in advance of meetings and acted as secretary to policy meetings. Compiled reports and documentation on the proposal and analysis of policy. Government representative on the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, responsible for feeding back content and decisions of meetings. Managed policy development and analysis on a range of matters across the criminal justice system. Briefed Ministers in advance of meetings and acted as secretary to policy meetings. Compiled reports and documentation on the proposal and analysis of policy. Government representative on the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, responsible for feeding back content and decisions of meetings.



Julian Young & Co Solicitors

• London, United Kingdom

• Paralegal

  • Jun 2009 - Oct 2009

  Criminal appeals paralegal. I managed a broad case load of criminal appeals, drafting advice documents and researching points of criminal law, evidence and procedure. Criminal appeals paralegal. I managed a broad case load of criminal appeals, drafting advice documents and researching points of criminal law, evidence and procedure.