• "Amazing depth and its provision of experienced counsel who know how to handle anything that is thrown at them." Chambers UK 2023
  • 'The set are undoubtedly one of the best in the country for representation in white collar crime.’ Legal 500 2023
  • ''QEB Hollis Whiteman are an exceptional chambers with some of the hardest working barristers I know at the bar.’ Legal 500 2023

Crime

An outstanding criminal set with quality at every level, QEB Hollis Whiteman is undoubtedly amongst the elite.

Overview

QEB Hollis Whiteman is proud to be acknowledged by Chambers UK and The Legal 500 as a top-tier criminal set. Over recent years we have been awarded Crime Set of the Year both by Chambers UK and The Legal 500. We are frequently instructed in the most serious, high-profile and complex cases and are often involved in cases that are precedent setting, altering the law or the way it is interpreted. We offer recognised excellence and exceptional expertise at all levels of Counsel and at all stages of the criminal process.

Our Experience

At the core of our practice is our specialist knowledge and advocacy. We continue to provide some of the country’s finest advocates to prosecute and defend at all stages of the criminal process from pre-charge, through the Magistrates' Court, the Crown Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and beyond to the Supreme Court.  Our wealth of experience and the breadth of our expertise make us the chambers of choice in this field, at every level.  

We offer recognised excellence and exceptional expertise throughout all years of call. Our Silks and Treasury Counsel are frequently the first choice of those seeking to instruct the highest level of criminal law expertise and advocacy. Our acclaimed team of junior barristers draw on the skills and experience of those senior members to provide legal and tactical advice and top-class advocacy. Together, our barristers and our clerking team bring a unique level of professionalism to their respective roles, providing exceptional client care from the start of a case through to its conclusion.

Our work encompasses the most serious, complex and high-profile criminal cases. These include, amongst others: Murder; Terrorism; Corruption; Corporate Manslaughter; Serious Sexual Offences; Serious Organised Crime (including major Drugs Conspiracies); People Smuggling; and Armed Robbery.

We are routinely instructed in the highest profile cases from the outset; we are well placed to manage the tactical, evidential and practical issues that arise as a case progresses from its inception to conclusion. Our expertise in other fields enables us to represent clients as cases progress through other fields and tribunals such as regulatory proceedings and Inquests. We are particularly adept at dealing with cases for and against professionals.

QEB Hollis Whiteman accepts instructions on both a private and legally-aided basis and many of its members are qualified to accept instructions on a public access basis. Members of Chambers regularly provide services to pro bono organisations such as the Bar Pro Bono Unit and the Innocence Network UK.

Reviews

'QEB Hollis Whiteman are an exceptional chambers with some of the hardest working barristers I know at the bar.’ Legal 500 (2023)

Crime Set of the Year, Legal 500 2018

Crime Set of the Year, Chambers UK 2016

'Undoubtedly one of the elite group of top criminal sets.' Legal 500 2017

'A top-flight set from the quality of its senior silks to its diligent pupils.' Legal 500 2017

'The go-to set for the full range of criminal practice, both prosecution and defence.' Legal 500 2017

'The very talented barristers here are known for their superior advocacy skills and their approachability.'  Chambers UK 2017

Notable Cases

R v Benjamin Mendy & 1 Or (2022)
Defence of Manchester City and French international footballer, accused of multiple rapes and other sexual offences against numerous complainants. This was a high-profile case which attracted huge international media attention in advance of the trial.

R v Lena & 2 Ors (2020)
Student Steven Narvaez-Jara was stabbed to death at a party in Islington in the early hours of New Year’s Day in 2018. Unknown T’s rapping career took off in 2018 when he performed alongside Drake at the O2. A contract with Universal Music and an appearance at Wireless festival followed. The co-defendants were convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder. Lena (AKA Unknown T) was acquitted.

R v Field (2019)
Benjamin Field, the churchwarden jailed for life for murdering the author Peter Farquhar, in order to inherit his estate.

R v Collins & Ors (Hatton Garden Robbery) (2018)
Referred as the largest burglary in English legal history. The theft was so significant that the investigation was assigned to the Flying Squad, a branch of the Specialist, Organised & Economic Crime Command within London’s Metropolitan Police Service.

R v Butler & Gray (2016)
Edward Brown QC, Ben FitzGerald and Philip Stott prosecute father for Murder of his six-year-old daughter and prosecutes her mother for Child Cruelty and Perverting the Course of Justice.

R v Clarence (2015) 
Zoe Johnson QC prosecuted a mother that had killed three of her children, who all had spinal muscular atrophy.

R v Goodman (2014)
Defended Clive Goodman, former News of the World royal editor.

R v Hall (2014)
Represented former broadcaster Stuart Hall who was acquitted of 15 counts of Historic Rape.

R v Hutchinson-Foster (2013)
Edward Brown QC & Philip Evans successfully prosecuted Hutchinson-Foster who was found guilty of supplying a gun to Mark Duggan who, 15 minutes later, was shot dead by Police.

R v McCluskie (2013)
Crispin Aylett QC successfully prosecuted Tony McCluskie for the Murder of his sister and former EastEnders Actress.

R v Dobson & Norris (2012)
Prosecuted the two men convicted of the Murder of Stephen Lawrence, in the 2012 Trial. Mr Ellison also conducted the subsequent Report published in 2014 by the Home Office. Read the Ellison Report HERE.

 

Recent Cases

Operation Campine (2024)

Ben Maguire and Tom Orpin-Massey are instructed by CPS London to prosecute seven Chinese nationals...

R v X (14 year old youth) (2023)

Tom was instructed to represent a young man of 16 with autism. X was 14 at the time of his...

News

Jennifer Newcomb appointed as Treasury Counsel Monitoree

We are delighted to announce that as of the 1 st  April 2024 Jennifer Newcomb will be...

Philip McGhee to be appointed Treasury Counsel

We are delighted to announce that as of the 1 st April 2024 Philip McGhee will be Junior Treasury...

Articles

A Briefing Note: R v Ali [2023] EWCA Crim 232

  In a judgement dated 3 March 2023, the Court of Appeal held that the current high prison population in adult male prisons was, at present, an exceptional factor which could be properly taken into account by a sentencing judge, especially in relation...

Benefits & Brothels by Polly Dyer & HHJ Hopmeier

Polly Dyer co-authored an article with HHJ Hopmeier titled Benefit and Brothels. It can be found on pages 4-6 of Archbold Review issue 8. 

The Use of Drill Music in Criminal Trials Part IV - Racial Bias and the Future

This podcast forms part of a 4-part series on the use of drill music in criminal trials, in which Oliver speaks with senior and junior counsel about their experiences with drill music in court. In this final part,  Oliver Mosley  speaks with ...

The Use of Drill Music in Criminal Trials Part III - Experts and Exclusion Strategies

This podcast forms part of a 4-part series on the use of drill music in criminal trials, in which  Oliver Mosley  speaks with senior and junior counsel about their experiences of drill music in court. In Part III, Oliver speaks to  David...

The Use of Drill Music in Criminal Trials Part II - The Defence Response

This podcast forms part of a 4-part series on the use of drill music in criminal trials in which Oliver Mosley speaks with senior and junior counsel about their experiences of drill music in court. In Part II, Oliver speaks with William Boyce QC about...

A Podcast: The Use of Drill Music in Criminal Trials Part I - The Prosecution Case

This podcast forms part of a 4-part series on the use of drill music in criminal trials, in which  Oliver Mosley  speaks with senior and junior counsel about their experiences with drill music in court. In Part I, Oliver speaks with former Senior...