Chambers is delighted to announce that Darren Snow has been invited to join Sports Resolutions’ Safeguarding Case Management Programme (SCMP). Sports Resolutions are the leading independent dispute resolution service for sport. Sports Resolutions provides case management assistance to National Governing Bodies for various Sports in relation to safeguarding matters, providing advice and assistance with investigations and hearings. Darren will be working with Sports Resolutions to provide tribunal representation, expert opinion and with assistance with arbitration and mediation across the full range of sport safeguarding work. For further information on this new initiative: National Safeguarding Panel | Sport Resolutions

Simon Csoka QC and Michael Lavery (Exchange Chambers) secure acquittals on all counts for their client at Southwark Crown Court. He was the only defendant acquitted. The trial, prosecuted by the SFO with two QCs, a junior and over 30 disclosure juniors, ran for five months at Southwark. The case concerned a Cayman Islands based investment fund which provided litigation funding for no-win no-fee cases in the UK. The fund collapsed in 2012 with losses of over £100 million to pension investors internationally. There was an extensive offshore group of companies in Cayman, Switzerland, Panama, the Marshall Islands and the Isle of Man. Richard Emmett was the senior partner of a substantial firm of solicitors which received the largest share of the funding. He was charged with fraudulent trading and money laundering. Mr Csoka QC was instructed by Mr Paul Schofield of Farleys solicitors. Simon and Michael would like to thank him and his team in the Financial Crime department for their thorough and proactive preparation of Mr Emmett’s defence. Links: The Times Financial Times Daily Mail

Adam Kane QC secured the acquittal on all counts of the oldest of 3 brothers charged with murder, attempted murder and wounding offences in Bradford. After a 6-week trial the jury acquitted Aizaz Khan over his involvement in a revenge machete attack following an earlier brawl in the City centre. In evidence, Mr Khan denied deliberately rounding up his siblings and others and driving them, armed, to and from the attacks. Mr Kane QC was instructed by Kingsman Solicitors, and thanks the instructing partner Jabran Hussain and his junior Imran Khan for supporting his observance of the Bar’s days of action throughout the trial.

Felicity’s young adult client was acquitted of murder and attempted murder at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday 14th July 2022. The prosecution had alleged that there was a joint plan to exact revenge after an attack upon her client’s friend. The jury convicted three in the group, one as principal in murder and wounding with intent and the others as secondary parties in manslaughter. It was accepted by the prosecution and obvious from the CCTV footage that her client had no weapon and chased nobody. However, the judicial directions set out the prosecution case based on an inference that he jumped out of a car and stood in the road so that relevant people knew he was there and by doing so, his actions encouraged and were intended to encourage the principal offender to carry out his attacks. Plainly by the verdicts, the jury rejected the prosecution case theory that Felicity’s client was part of a plan to attack and they must also have concluded that he did not encourage any such conduct at the scene. This is a case that demonstrates the value of precision on how a case is put and the effort that needs to be exerted to properly reach not guilty verdicts. You can read more about the case here, but it is important to note the sentencing remarks do not reflect Felicity’s client’s case: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/20282656.kian-tordoff-murder-trial-every-word-judges-sentencing-speech-full/. We also ask you to bear in mind there have been some dreadful racist comments in relation to this matter on social media. Felicity takes the issue of race in the criminal justice system very seriously. You can read her article on race and joint enterprise. Felicity led Sanjeev Sharma of Equity Chambers and was instructed by Ali and Co Solicitors in Bradford.

Darren Snow has joined the 2022 Commonwealth Games legal panel. Darren will be providing pro bono legal support to athletes in disciplinary matters with particular focus on anti-doping proceeding as part of a specialist team provided by Sports Resolutions. Darren has a growing profile in sports work with panel appointments with UK Athletics and England Boxing. He has wide experience in safeguarding and antidoping work for athletes and coaches alongside his criminal and regulatory practice. For information on Sports Resolutions: www.sportresolutions.com. Libertas Chambers has wide experience defending in sports regulatory work and in the defence of high-profile sports professionals in criminal proceedings. For further information on Darren Snow or Libertas’s sports work generally please contact our senior clerk Marc King.

Dr Felicity Gerry QC has been appointed to the Defence team in the case of The Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud (ICC-01/12-01/18), currently before the International Criminal Court. Felicity joins Melinda Taylor and an excellent and diverse defence team. Mr Al Hassan is alleged to be a member of Ansar Eddine and de facto chief of Islamic police and alleged to have been involved in the work of the Islamic court in Timbuktu. He faces a range of charges, including crimes against humanity and war crimes. You can read more about the case here.

Three members of Libertas Chambers will be heading to the University of Gainesville, Florida, next month as part of the South-Eastern Circuit (SEC) initiative to participate in a unique training programme. Caroline Goodwin QC will lead the delegation, supported by Laura Jane Miller, Syam Soni and two Circuit juniors, to deliver the five-day course, which aims to develop participants’ trial skills and hone their approach to evidence. Caroline Goodwin QC said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of an international program designed to reflect the skills and bespoke approach to trial advocacy which we value so highly and is the envy of the world. We will be there at a time when there have been extraordinary decisions made by the US Supreme Court, as in the case of Roe v Wade. We will be afforded a unique insight into the legal system and its associated dynamics, at a time of considerable interest and debate.”

Sir, The lord chief justice has issued a warning shot to the Criminal Bar by raising the prospect of severe disciplinary sanctions against any barrister who strikes (“Top judge wants striking barristers to face misconduct charges”, Jun 23). Although he says in his latest memo sent to all judges that “the judiciary is not a party to the dispute”,which is set to escalate to court walkouts next week, he has instructed them to report the names of any barrister who takes such action. The guidance is being read by many of us who prosecute and defend as an attempt to intimidate us. We are concerned that the independent office of the lord chief justice risks being seen as doing the job of a partisan enforcer for a government whose degrading of the justice system has been draining it of the very professionals on which it relies: barristers to prosecute, defend and provide judges. Our action is about protecting these professionals, and the lord chief justice clearly cares about them, but his warning may have the effect of condemning the courts to a painful asphyxiation rather than providing the oxygen that we all, judges, barristers and those unwillingly caught up in the system, so urgently need. Times Letter: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ Caroline Goodwin QC also appeared on Time Radio with Henry Bonsu/ Caroline Goodwin QC, Trinity Chambers, former chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA); Chris Henley QC, Mountford Chambers, former chair CBA; Mark Whitehall, Colleton Chambers; Emily Pitts, Colleton Chambers, Andrew Wilkins, Cornwall Street Chambers, Oliver Woolhouse, Cornwall Street Chambers; Roderick Johnson QC, Goldsmith Chambers; Anthony Metzer QC, Goldsmith Chambers; Gordon Cole QC, Goldsmith Chambers; Barry Grennan, Kenworthy’s Chambers; Jonathan Laidlaw QC, 2 Hare Court; Christopher Coltart QC, 2 Hare Court; Ieuan Rees, Angel Chambers; Andrew O’Byrne QC, St John’s Buildings; Ella Embleton, Broadway House Chambers; David McGonigal, Broadway House Chambers; Nicola Hoskins, Broadway House Chambers; Peter Joyce QC, 1 High Pavement; David Brooke QC, KBW Chambers; Nicholas Campbell QC, KBW Chambers; Keir Monteith QC; Garden Court Chambers; David Emanuel QC, Garden Court Chambers, Rajiv Menon QC; Garden Court Chambers; Anya Lewis QC, Garden Court Chambers; Henry Blaxland QC, Garden Court Chambers; Mark George QC, Garden Court North; Mark Kimsey, Castle Chambers; Simon Eckersley, Castle Chambers; Julia King, Castle Chambers; Susan Meek, Rose Court Chambers; Mark Fraser, Rose Court Chambers; Allison Hunter QC, 23 Essex Street; Paul Bogan QC, 23 Essex Street; Christian Moll, Blackfriars Chambers; Jonathan Mole, 9 King’s Bench Walk; Shabeena Azhar, 9 King’s Bench Walk; Martin Rutherford QC, 15NBS Chambers; Tana Adkin QC, 15NBS Chambers; Gavin Holme, 4 King’s Bench Walk; Simon Csoka QC, Libertas Chambers; Siobhan Grey QC, Libertas Chambers; Adam Kane QC, Libertas Chambers; John Morgans, Octogon Chambers; Ben Knight, Central Chambers; Tony Shaw QC, Red Lion Chambers; Kate Bex QC, Red Lion Chambers; Reil-Karmy Jones QC, Red Lion Chambers; Christopher Paxton QC, Red Lion Chambers; Adam Wiseman QC, Red Lion Chambers; Jane Bewesey QC, Red Lion Chambers; Michelle Nelson QC, Red Lion Chambers; Simon Spence QC , Red Lion Chambers; Steven Kay QC, Head 9BR Chambers; Abbas Lakha QC, 9BR Chambers; Elizabeth Marsh QC, 9BR Chambers; Peter Glenser QC, 9BR Chambers; Justin Rouse QC, 9BR Chambers; Karim Khalil QC, Drystone Chambers; Michael Magarian QC, Drystone Chambers; Toby Hedworth QC, Trinity Chambers; Michael Holland, Furnival Chambers; Sally O’Neill QC, Furnival Chambers, Former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association; Mark Rhind QC, Exchange Chambers; Scott Brady, 3TG; John Femi-Ola QC, 3TG; Adam Davis QC, 3TG; Jeremy Wainwright QC; Timothy Hannam QC, Citadel Chambers; Katherine Goddard QC, Bank House Chambers; Mark Rainsford QC, 33  Chancery Lane