Brad Lewis

Called to the Bar:2019

  • Overview

    “Tenacious, meticulous, with a keen eye for detail”  - An instructing solicitor

    Overview

    Brad has a thriving practice specialising in public law with a particular focus on inquests, inquiries, and judicial review alongside corporate and financial crime, serious general criminal, and regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. He is developing a strong reputation in legally and politically sensitive matters that sit at the intersection of public law and regulation, with growing expertise in handling complex institutional accountability issues.

    Public Law

    With rich experience as counsel to a statutory major public inquiry, national security work and experience in criminal/regulatory proceedings overlapping with public law cases or issues, Brad is a highly sought-after barrister in the public law, inquest and inquiries domain.

    Corporate/Financial Crime  

    With a practice including nationally reported ‘white-collar’ cases and vast multi-million-pound investigations and proceeds of crime proceedings, Brad has experience in cases involving allegations of money laundering, Proceeds of Crime Act offences, fraud, tax evasion and ‘cheating’ in cases involving individuals, corporate entities and other organisations. 

    Crime 

    Brad is an in-demand practitioner in general crime, in which he has noteworthy experience both as a sole junior and as a led junior. His public law and national security experience makes him a well-suited choice for cases with those types of elements.

    Regulatory/Disciplinary

    Brad’s regulatory practice spans both professional discipline and the regulation of corporate entities. He has experience as instructed counsel in regulatory proceedings for niche and large regulators. His prior work as a police station representative and his successful criminal law practice means he is acutely alive to the necessary considerations in respect of (potential) prosecutions notwithstanding the stage of regulatory proceedings.  As a former international athlete, Brad has particular interest in sports regulation.

    Education

    • Called 2019 (Gray’s Inn)
    • BPP Law School – Bar Professional Training Course (Outstanding)
    • Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge – LLM 
    • University of Liverpool – LLB (hons) (First Class) 

    Scholarships and Awards  

    • Reid Award, Senior Scholarship - Gray’s Inn
    • Ann Goddard Scholarship - Gray’s Inn
    • Bedingfield Scholarship - Gray’s Inn 
    • Residential Scholarship - Gray’s Inn  
    • Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship - Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP
    • W.M Tapp Studentship - Gonville & Caius College, University of Cambridge    
    • George Stern award for best performance in LLB finals - University of Liverpool 
    • ‘Outstanding Contribution to pro bono work’ - University of Liverpool 
    • Excellence Scholarship - BPP Law School 

    Professional Memberships 

    • The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn
    • Legal Trustee of the Advocacy Academy

    Appointments

    • Approved NMC Counsel List
    • CPS Grade 2 Prosecutor
    • Youth Court - registered advocate; YJLC trained

       

    Privacy Policy

    Recent Cases

  • Corporate and Financial Crime

    "Brad Lewis is a sought-after advocate, bringing forensic analysis and fearless advocacy to serious financial crime cases."

    Brad has substantial experience beyond his call in corporate and financial crime cases at all stages, from pre-charge investigations to Crown Court trial. His recent in-court experience includes being led junior counsel in a multi-handed and high-profile money laundering trial that was legally complex and paper-heavy. The value of the case (over £260 million) made it one of the largest money laundering criminal cases in this jurisdiction’s legal history).

    Brad has been instructed from the investigative stage through to trial in matters of considerable seriousness and complexity.

    He has experience in POCA proceedings (including those involving foreign assets) and has direct insight into the workings of banks and the financial sector having previously interned in the legal and operations teams of Goldman Sachs.  

    Brad was recently instructed on behalf of a corporate group with a global footprint in relation to a large-scale review of disclosure and legal professional privilege issues arising in the context of an alleged multi-million-pound HMRC tax fraud. He also advised on a range of collateral matters emerging from the exercise and from production orders. Following extensive internal investigation, engagement via production orders and detailed submissions to the Revenue, HMRC ultimately decided to take no further action.

    Notable cases

    R v JR (2025) 

    Defended JR, charged with Fraud. The prosecution was forced to offer no evidence following submissions on fresh partially exculpatory evidence that was discovered.   

    HMRC v G

    Led by Tom Doble, advising and acting for G in relation to production orders from the Revenue and G’s own simultaneous internal investigation. HMRC took no further action.

    R v DR (2022)

    Led by Edward Henry KC, Defended DR, a director charged with money laundering of over £260million. The jury could not reach a verdict.

  • Crime

    “A fearless and effective advocate, Brad Lewis handles serious and complex criminal litigation with precision.”

    Commended by instructing solicitors and judges for his assiduous and astute approach to every case, Brad is a sought-after advocate in the Crown Court and has experience appearing as counsel across the full spectrum of criminal cases in the Crown, Youth, and Magistrates’ Courts and other criminal jurisdictions. He makes client care a priority and has represented multiple vulnerable, neurodiverse, and/or young lay clients that wished to be represented solely by Brad.  

    Brad is known for his tenacity, careful case preparation, and client-first approach. Brad’s early professional background includes work as a Crown Court caseworker and police station representative for a large criminal defence firm. He also held the position of research associate for the Sentencing Academy delivering in-depth research into the development of sentencing.

    In 2024, alongside other members of Chambers, Brad acted in the successful and highly publicised appeal of R v Auriol Grey, in which the Court of Appeal quashed a manslaughter conviction arising from a fatal cycling incident. The judgment reiterated the legal elements for unlawful act manslaughter and highlighted the importance of proper judicial direction on the law for the jury.

    Notable Cases

    R v Auriol Grey (2024)

    Led junior counsel (fresh counsel instructed after trial solely for the appeal) successfully appealing a manslaughter conviction.

    R v JR (2024)

    Defended JR, a severely mentally unwell person charged with indecent exposure and stalking offences.    

    R v AM (2023)

    Defended AM, charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm. Acquitted after the prosecution were forced to offer no evidence following legal argument.

    R v KJ (2023)

    Defended KJ charged with wounding (a stabbing incident).

    R v TB (2023)

    Defended TB, of previous good character. Acquitted following trial for assault of an emergency worker.

    R v OF (2022)

    Defended OF who pleaded guilty to conveying drugs into prison and received 1 day custody (already served) following mitigation and submissions on the unjust effect of the ‘release on licence’ provisions. 

    R v PB (2023)

    Defended PB, charged with the supply of Class A and B drugs. PB received a suspended sentence after successful representations on the evidence were made to the prosecution to accept simple possession of the Class A drugs. 

    R v YM (2022)

    Prosecuted YM, charged with offences relating to a domestic assault in a parental relationship. 

    R v AY (2022)

    Defended AY who received a suspended sentence for dangerous driving involving a high-speed police chase. 

    R v JS (2022)

    Defended JS in a Newton hearing following pleas to supply of Class A drugs. The court found in favour of the defence basis of social supply.

    R v JC (2022)

    Defended JC, a severely traumatised military veteran who was convicted of domestic violence offences. Received a suspended sentence following defence medical evidence and mitigation.

    Recent Cases

  • Regulatory

    “Brad Lewis is instructed in significant regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, combining strategic judgement with robust advocacy.”

    Brad defends and presents in professional and regulatory disciplinary proceedings for professionals and both niche and large regulators. His experience to date ranges from presenting as approved counsel for the Nursing and Midwifery Council to working closely with instructing solicitors on a complex Financial Conduct Authority investigation involving international individuals, corporates and financial practices affecting foreign states. Furthermore, Brad has been instructed to represent the Phone-Paid Services Authority (PSA) on behalf of Ofcom on a complex appeal with allegations of fraud to the value of £1 million further complicated the threat of judicial review of the regulator’s decision(s). Through this work, Brad has acquired expertise in dealing with niche regulations and representing large entities.

    Brad also accepts instructions in the licensing field. He has been instructed in his own right to appeal against licensing decisions by Transport for London and has assisted King’s Counsel in Chambers on high-profile work for the Gambling Commission and British Horseracing Authority.

    As an accomplished athlete in various sports, having represented Great Britain and a European ‘all-star’ team, Brad has a keen interest across different sports tribunal work and has a rare level of familiarity and understanding with the life of an athlete and the demands and sensitivities of professional or international sporting careers. In pupillage, Brad assisted Philip Evans KC on noteworthy and heavily reported Rugby Football Union disciplinary proceedings and he continues to build his practice in sports regulation.

     

    Recent Cases

    • Gambling Commission -v- Capen LTD & Simon Rydings (2021)

      A man who deprived a charity of £285,000 as he ran a lottery on its behalf was jailed for three months. Rydings failed to pass on £285,000 of lottery proceeds to the charity whilst he was Chief Executive Officer of Capen Limited – a gambling operato...

      Read more

  • Inquests, Inquiries and Public Law

    “Trusted for high-profile cases, Brad Lewis combines insight with fearless advocacy.”

    Brad is currently instructed as one of a handful of Junior Counsel to the Inquiry for the Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan, contributing to the investigation of some of the most serious allegations involving UK operations overseas.

    Brad has a developing specialism in inquests and public inquiries, especially where these intersect with regulatory, criminal or disciplinary proceedings.  

    Drawing on his expertise in public and criminal law, Brad has been instructed in in relation to anticipated prosecutions arising from public law proceedings, including acting for a corporation under criminal investigation in the context of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    His work in this area builds on his earlier experience assisting senior members of Chambers in high-profile judicial review matters, including R (on the application of Deripaska) v DPP [2020] EWHC 2918 (Admin). Prior to practice, he worked on the legal review of evidence in the Hillsborough Inquest and volunteered on the case for an inquiry into the ‘Battle of Orgreave’, demonstrating an enduring commitment to state accountability, institutional scrutiny, and public interest litigation.

    Notable cases

    Independent Inquiry Relating to Afghanistan

    R (on the application of Deripaska) v DPP [2020] EWHC 2918