Adrian is Joint Head of Chambers at No5. He has a regulatory practice at the highest level both locally and nationally. He specialises in the most important and challenging cases across a broad spectrum of regulatory work. He is equally at home giving advice and guidance, in case building and leading, in appearing at first instance, and also on Appeal if needed both in Judicial Review in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal.
Adrian is someone who can understand and convey the most intellectually complicated issues – such as complex regulatory offences, fraud, gross negligence, or misconduct in public office. He has the strong ability to understand the complex, and then convey it in clear and simple terms. He is sought out and instructed by specialist organisations for these skills, be it Local Authorities, or defending for specialist solicitors, or other regulatory bodies.
Adrian is also experienced in Health and Safety work and workplace fatalities. He practised in personal injury work at a very high level for many years whilst at the junior bar. His expertise extends from the Coroner’s Court to the Crown Court and the High Court. He adds to that knowledge that the interpersonal skills and robustness of an established silk.
Adrian has experience of all aspects of Consumer Protection work. This includes offences arising out of misleading price indications, trade description and Trademark and Copyright offences, and all offences of general dishonesty and fraud. To this technical expertise he adds the court craft of an established crown court silk.
Adrian has a very great deal of experience in representing professionals before their professional regulatory tribunals. He has represented company directors, teachers and professional international sportsmen. He is first choice counsel for the Police Federation and enjoys a national reputation that attracts some of their most high profile, complicated and delicate work.
He takes pride in his relations with his clients and his ability to build and lead a team.
Adrian undertakes direct access work.
Languages
French
Other Information
Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple
Vice Chairman of the Anglo Thai Society
Member of the International Committee of the Inner Temple
Governor of the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation
Trustee of the Thomas White Charity
Recommendations
“Adrian can cut through volumes of material to break matters down to identify the key issues. He has a calm and unflappable manner with clients, opponents and panels.”
Legal 500 2023
Ranked as a leading silk in Professional Disciplinary, Inquests and Inquiries and Crime
Legal 500 2022
Ranked as a Tier 1 leading silk in Regulatory, Health and Safety and Licensing, Inquests and Inquiries, and Crime – “ a great tactician”.
Legal 500 2020
Ranked in Professional Discipline and Crime - “Adrian is a first-class barrister, who has an innate sense for the right tactical approach to a case and a magical touch with juries and tribunals”, “Charming to deal with and clearly knows his stuff”, “A highly regarded silk”
Chambers UK 2020
Notable Cases
Inquest of Averil Hart (Cambridge)
Representing the University of East Anglia in relation to a death of a student who had an eating disorder.
Birmingham City Council (Birmingham)
Advised Birmingham City Council how to prevent a firm of solicitors from creating unwanted claims for housing disrepair in breach of the Solicitors Conduct Rules.
Re ML (High Court)
Conducted the judicial review against the Chairman of the Police Appeals Tribunal for dismissing an appeal.
Southern Water v TM Plant Hire (Brighton)
Successfully halted the regulatory prosecution of a firm alleged to have polluted the water system.
Re R (Westminster Magistrates 2018/9)
Successfully represented a property development company and its director facing a private prosecution, and then obtained their costs on its discontinuance.
Re C (London)
Represented a crematorium in its dispute with the Ministry of Justice about its construction.
Re S (Carlisle)
Represented the Borough Council seeking the revocation of the licence of a taxi driver charged with sexual assault on a passenger.
R v W (York)
Insurance backed defence of a disabled pensioner charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
Re G (Traffic commissioner)
Represented a major haulier for Amazon in proceedings before the Traffic commissioner seeking to revoke their operating licence.
Re G (West Midlands)
Successfully represented one of three serving officers charged with perjury at an Inquest into to high profile death in custody of Kinglsey Burrell. This involved firstly in a crown court jury trial, and when acquitted a 2 month disciplinary hearing.
Re F
Advised a successful scrap metal business on potential money laundering issues pre charge.
Re S (Traffic commissioner)
Represented neighbours objecting to the proposed of a haulage site before the Traffic Commissioner.
Middlesbrough Football Club (Nottingham)
Represented the Club avoiding payment of a quarter of a million pounds to a player intermediary convicted of fraud.
R v MA Excavations (Bolton Magistrates)
Represented the Company in relation to the lifting of the financial penalty arising out of a work place death prosecuted under the health and safety act.
SRA v HM (Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal)
Represented a solicitor of 30 years charged with the misuse of client account money.
Coughlan v NCA (High Court)
Represented Mr Coughlan seeking to commit a serving officer of the NCA to prison for contempt of court for dishonesty in a proceeds of crime hearing. The case was the first of its type.
DB v SRA (Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal)
Advised Mr B a solicitor of many years on the role on dealing with allegations of the making of improper referral fees.
Andrei Pavlov
Advised Mr Pavlov who was the alleged assassin by poisoning regarding participation in the Inquest of the high profile death of Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy
Re J (Solicitor’s Regulatory Authority)
Advised a professional football support company on it’s application to the SRA to become registered.
R v NM (Birmingham)
Successfully represented an Assistant Chief Constable charged with criminal offences.
R v Reynolds (Worcester)
Defence of a financial adviser charged with fraud. Overlap with FSA allegations.
R v W and R v F (Old Bailey)
Defended 2 separate News International Journalist including the Suns Chief News Reporter over several months charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office as part of Operation Elveden.
“Plebgate”
Instructed by the Chief Constable of Warwickshire in the Judicial review
In the Matter of S 2014
Represented Staffordshire County Council before the Regulatory Powers Tribunal.
Operation Springtide (Stafford Crown Court 2013/4)
Prosecuted a 4 month Fraudulent Trading trial involving the commercial miss selling of electrical goods imported from China.
R v F (Court of Appeal)
Leading Court of Appeal authority upon misconduct in a public office.
Re O (Manchester)
Represented a serving police officer being investigated for criminal health and safety offences arising out of the fatal shooting of a fellow officer on a firearms training exercise in a 2 month Inquest.
Re X (British Equine Federation)
Represented an Olympic horseman before the British Equestrian Federation disputing selection for the European Championships.
R v Munir Ali (Birmingham)
Successful prosecution of the son of a councillor charged with election fraud.
R v Priya Ramnath (2009)
Junior Prosecution counsel. The gross negligence manslaughter by an anaesthetist of her patient.
Operation Budapest (2008)
Junior prosecution counsel. The prosecution of an entire Outlaws Chapter for the shooting of a Hells Angels biker on the M40. The largest investigation ever undertaken by Warwickshire police. Received a Chief Constables Commendation.
Memberships
Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers
Criminal Bar Association
Qualifications
MA (Hons) Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
