• 'Brings high levels of expertise and experience of UK and international jurisdictions to its provision of advice and representation' Legal 500 2016
  • 'The very talented barristers here are known for their superior advocacy skills and their approachability' Chambers UK 2017
  • 'Attracts the most significant and substantial criminal instructions on both the prosecution and defence sides' Chambers UK 2017

Trading Standards

Recognised for our experience and knowledge of Trading Standards offences, Chambers has long been amongst the dominant sets in this field.

Overview

QEB Hollis Whiteman has an established reputation in the field of Trading Standards, having long specialised in this area. We advise and act across a wide range of Trading Standards practices, often in large-scale and groundbreaking cases. We have experience at all levels of Counsel and all stages of proceedings from pre-charge all the way through to appeal. 

Our Experience

Members of Chambers have experience across the full spectrum of Trading Standards offences including: food safety; criminal proceedings arising from infringement of intellectual property rights; counterfeit goods; car clocking; product safety; consumer credit; consumer protection; and trade description matters.

We have prosecuted for Trading Standards Authorities across the country including Bedfordshire County Council, London Borough of Brent and Harrow, Coventry City Council, London Borough of Ealing, Essex County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, London Borough of Haringey, London Borough of Islington, Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, London Borough of Lewisham, London Borough of Richmond and Slough Borough Council. Chambers has also been instructed by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the Regional Asset Recovery Team and has worked with the Office of Fair Trading and the National Trading Standards eCrime Team. Members have advised the OFT, advising on legal issues, investigations and policies as well as working on a range of projects of major importance to the UK economy and millions of consumers - some of which have a criminal and/or regulatory dimension.

Members have also defended individuals, partnerships and limited companies in trading standards prosecutions brought by a range of local authorities and other prosecuting bodies including the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Regional Asset Recovery Team.

We take instructions from the early stages of advice through to the conclusion of restraint and confiscation proceedings and beyond to appeal. Whether case-specific, or more generally on current legislation, we offer expertise at all levels; our exceptional team of Junior Counsel is led by Senior Counsel and Queen's Counsel.

We pride ourselves on our Trading Standards training programme; we regularly attend industry conferences and host our own to advise the industry at large. We train local authorities and companies throughout the UK and offer bespoke training upon request.  

 

Recent Cases

Grenfell Inquiry [2020]

Zoe Johnson QC has been instructed to represent a former employee of a company for the...

R v Grover & Arura (2014)

Paul Raudnitz and Caoimhe Daly acted for Brent and Harrow Trading Standards in the prosecution of...

R v DS (2013)

Philip McGhee was instructed by a local authority to prosecute a case in which proceedings were...

R v Ali & Ali (2012)

Paul Raudnitz successfully prosecuted two brothers - a director and a company secretary (a...

R v Ghulaman & Sadiqi (2009)

Paul Raudnitz was instructed as leading counsel for the Crown with Tom Broomfield as led junior in...

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 Ng & R v O'Reilly Abuse of process and non-attendance

The Court of Appeal has recently given guidance on the options for the criminal courts when dealing with non-attendance of counsel, particularly prosecution counsel, at hearings and at trials. In this briefing note,  Philip Stott  and ...

R v Manning: Sentencing considered during the period of the pandemic

Philip Stott considers R - v -  Manning and the observations of the Lord Chief Justice on sentencing during Covid-19 A recent ‘unduly lenient’ sentencing reference to the Court of Appeal – R v Manning – provided an opportunity...

Criminal Courts: Coping with Covid-19

Edmund Smith  of  Kingsley Napley  and  Kerry Broome  of QEB Hollis Whiteman review how the administration of criminal justice has changed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and what this might mean for the future.  ...

The Coronavirus Act, and the emergence of a 'Virtual Court' - perhaps without Juries?

This briefing note from Edward Henry QC , Susannah Stevens , Philip Stott with the assistance of Anna Bond and John Morrison  provides an expert and detailed exposition of the procedural and legislative changes implemented by the...

"A done deal, gathering detailed witness statements is an imperative part of any rogue trader investigation." Fraser Coxhill explains.

"A done deal, gathering detailed witness statements is an imperative part of any rogue trader investigation, from dodgy kitchen sales to car crime" explains Fraser Coxhill, writing for TS Today.

View Article