Chambers & Partners
THE SET 3 Serjeants' Inn has an impressive list of "top-class trial lawyers," who are deeply committed to their work for police forces. The juniors at the set particularly impress with their portfolio of high-profile cases, and have had involvement in matters of national importance such as the inquest into the July 7th London bombings and the Baha Mousa inquiry. They, in tandem with the respected silks here, practise across all areas of police law, handling a rich diet of disciplinary hearings, employment cases and judicial reviews. The barristers are also regularly instructed in developing areas of the law, such as drinking banning orders, forced marriage protection orders and terrorism-related cases.
SILKS Joint heads of chambers John Beggs QC and James Watson QC receive substantial acclaim for their work in complex, high-profile police cases. Beggs would be "the barrister of choice for many instructing solicitors if they found themselves in a deep hole," as he is "a fierce advocate who fights his corner hard." He recently acted for West Yorkshire Police in the July 7th London bombings inquest. Watson has a strong practice representing the police in civil law actions. He regularly handles police disciplinary cases, employment-related matters and inquests, and also acts on behalf of police authorities regarding disputes under the Police Pension Regulations. In the past year, Watson has had involvement in the £40 million ‘Yarlswood riot’ claim, which reached the Court of Appeal.
JUNIORS Gerard Boyle is a favourite among instructing solicitors because of his "sensible and technical advice." He successfully defended the Metropolitan Police in the Ollivierre case, in which the claimants alleged that they had been wrongly arrested and assaulted by firearms officers searching for the perpetrators of the kidnap, torture, rape and murder of two women in Reading. Boyle is also singled out for his work for the Serious Organised Crime Agency, which he advises and acts for in civil claims. Mark Ley-Morgan is commended for his "tenacious advocacy" and is known as a strong cross-examiner. "Well grounded in all areas of police law," he has a wealth of experience handling civil claims, misconduct proceedings, employment cases and inquests following deaths in custody. Also highly commended is Debra Powell, who is "excellent at drawing out the main points of a case." This "personable and bright" junior has particular experience in mental health matters, recently providing operational advice to the Metropolitan Police on standard operating procedures for dealing with incidents involving persons with mental illness.
Briony Ballard has a rapidly growing reputation. Both "approachable and personable," she is known for having very good client care skills. She has been involved in a number of inquests into deaths following police contact, including the case of McPherson, which involved allegations of positional asphyxia following police restraint. Ballard also appeared at the Schofield inquest into the death of an alcoholic prisoner in police custody. John de Bono is singled out for the speed of his responses to clients and his "concise, no-nonsense approach." He is well known for his work in disciplinary tribunals and judicial reviews and has also developed a niche practice in handling cases involving corruption. His recent work includes acting for Merseyside Police in a case involving an officer accused of diverting high-value counterfeit cigarettes. The "efficient and well-organised" Stephen Morley is commended for his "quick turnaround of papers." His client care skills are exceptional, with sources praising him for his accessibility and for the comprehensible and pragmatic advice he gives to lay clients. Sarah Simcock's recent work highlights include acting for the London Ambulance Service in the inquest into the July 7th London bombings, as well as acting in a number of high-profile inquests involving deaths in police and prison custody. Also popular is Amy Street, who is singled out for her expertise in human rights cases relating to police law. She acted as a junior to Beggs in Francis v Thames Valley Police, which was a successful defence to allegations of gratuitous attacks and racism by officers. George Thomas is particularly commended for his "concise advice." He tackles a full range of police work, and has expertise in civil actions, inquests, disciplinary matters, discrimination claims, judicial reviews and advisory work. He is handling a cluster of similar sex-discrimination and part-time worker claims brought by female officers against the North Yorkshire Police. James Berry is highly rated in the market for his hard-working ethos and passionate commitment to the clients he represents. Acclaimed as “tenacious and fiendishly clever,” he recently appeared in a high-profile judicial review, Dorset Police v Police Appeal Tribunal, concerning the correct test for ‘integrity’ in police misconduct. He is also carving out a niche in providing advice on sensitive operational matters, including the application of the regulations on proposed e-surveillance operations.
The Legal 500
Police Law including Professional Discipline and Regulatory Law
Particularly noted for its expertise in healthcare and police matters, 3 Serjeants’ Inn fields a ‘brilliant set of barristers’ who are ‘always willing to go the extra mile’. Leading silks include the ‘bright’ Robert Francis QC, the ‘highly intelligent’ Adrian Hopkins QC, and John Beggs QC. Stephen Morley, Mark Ley-Morgan and George Thomas are singled out as juniors.