LINCOLN HOUSE CHAMBERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Civil Law
- Representative of the Inquiry
Anam Khan represented the Claimant, a former police officer who sued Derbyshire Constabulary for unlawful arrest and detention after…Read more
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
- Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Anna has been appointed to the Specialist List of Regulatory Advocates and is able to receive instructions on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency and CQC. However her work in these areas is not restricted to the prosecution, she also undertakes defence work in a number of regulatory areas.
Anna is a member of the Criminal Bar Association, the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers and a member of the Northern Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Regulatory List
Austin Welch specialises in public inquiries, inquests and health and safety and is one of the most experienced and well respected junior barristers in these areas of law. Over a number of years Austin has been consistently recognised by the UK legal directories as being a leading individual in these specialist areas of practice.
Austin has been instructed in some of the most significant, high profile and complex inquests and public inquiries in recent years including: The Manchester Arena Inquiry; The Independent Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse and the Hillsborough Inquests. Austin represents companies and corporate bodies; public and local authorities; government departments; individuals and bereaved families who are granted interested person or core participant status. He has a particular specialism in representing clients in inquests and inquiries that involve health and safety issues.
Austin represents clients in relation to health and safety, fire safety and food safety offences. He is regularly instructed to represent companies and individuals charged with such offences in both the Crown Court and Magistrates' Court and has an excellent track record for achieving positive outcomes for his clients. Austin is experienced in representing clients from a wide variety of industries and is known for providing clear, commercial advice.
Austin also represents companies and individuals in criminal and professional disciplinary proceedings that follow inquests and public inquiries and successfully represented one of the retired police officers in R v Denton and others, the Hillsborough ‘cover-up' trial that was dismissed at the close of the prosecution case.
As a member of the Regulatory List, Austin is instructed by the HSE to prosecute health and safety cases. Austin is also a member of the Attorney-General's List of Counsel and is regularly instructed to represent government departments in complex Article 2 inquests.
Austin represents medical professionals in disciplinary proceedings brought by the GMC. He regularly appears on behalf of doctors in fitness to practice proceedings in the MPTS as well as other professionals charged with disciplinary offences by their regulators. Austin also has significant experience in representing police officers in disciplinary and criminal proceedings.
Bernadette's career started at The Royal Bank of Scotland. She rose to the position of Branch Manager and spent many years in charge of various south Manchester branches.
She then joined a successful business consultancy company which specialised in legal service providers before joining Lincoln House in June 2011.
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Brendan O'Leary is credited as being an advocate who combines excellent courtroom skills with a manner that both clients and juries warm to. He also brings hard work and detailed preparation to each case he deals with.
He has quickly developed a busy Crown Court practice. His maturity and calm manner has seen him instructed on a number of serious cases from early in his career. Brendan also regularly appears at the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Brendan's practice is more defence based, but he also prosecutes regularly, where he applies the same hard work and determination to secure the best possible result for his client.
In addition to his Crown Court practice Brendan has developed a busy Road Traffic Law practice. He has experience in acting for a wide range of individuals, including a number of high net worth clients. He has an enviable success rate in achieving the best outcome for his clients.
Brendan also increasingly receives instructions in the areas of asset recovery and confiscation, licensing, and trading standards. He is regularly instructed by local authorities and private clients in both areas.
Prior to coming to the bar Brendan was employed by the Government, and his role brought him into assessing and documenting cases of alleged Human Rights abuses in a number of conflict zones in Africa.
Brendan achieved first place on his Bar Vocational Course, and was both the Criminal Bar Association Kalsiher Scholar and Richard Isaacson Q.C. Memorial Scholar in 2007.
Clare Ashcroft is ranked in the 2023 Edition of The Legal 500 as a leading junior in general crime. Clare represents those charged with the most serious criminal offences.
Clare is renowned for her significant experience in representing young defendants across a range of serious criminal offences. She is regularly instructed to represent those accused of joint enterprise and gang related murder. A very common element of Clare's practice involves dealing with complex evidence, including cell site, encrypted devices, firearms and ANPR in cases ranging from murder through to drugs, firearms and trafficking conspiracies.
Clare has developed a wealth of experience in "baby shaking" cases and the handling of highly specialised complex medical evidence. She has successfully acted for a father accused of the murder of his daughter (led); of a mother accused of inflicting life changing injuries upon her baby son and; of a mother accused of causing/allowing the death of her baby son (alone). Clare is well used to approaching cases involving the dual jurisdictions of the Crown and Family Courts.
Clare has achieved success for her lay clients as the result of legal arguments including applications to dismiss (causing/allowing death of a child; attempted murder); abuse of process; exclusion of hearsay (absent complainant; deceased witness); exclusion of late-served evidence and exclusion of bad character. Her knowledge and understanding of sentencing law, for which she gained her D.Phil, has seen Clare develop a successful appellate practice regarding appeals against both conviction and sentence, including those which are "out of time". Clare has successfully responded in a number of sentences referred to the CACD by the Attorney General.
Clare continues both to develop and to draw upon her considerable experience representing those with complex mental health needs and the very young. She is able quickly to assist in the instruction of the correct experts to address issues such as possible fitness to plead, ability to form the necessary intent, diminished responsibility, psychological and/or neurological factors (such as autism or ADHD) that might impact upon the ability of the client to engage in and understand proceedings. Her knowledge and understanding regarding disposals and sentencing pursuant to the Mental Health Act 1983 (including so-called "Hybrid Orders") is exceptional.
Clare's empathetic manner together with her experience of the use of intermediaries both for the lay client and witnesses has resulted in her representing those charged with very serious sexual offences. Clare is experienced in defending historic sexual allegations often featuring multiple complainants and substantial third party disclosure. She accepts instructions to defend sexual allegations on a private basis only.
Job Titles:
- Mary Monson Solicitors Secure Community Order Sentence for King Charles Coronation Explosion Threat Client
Constance Halliwell completed her pupillage and accepted an offer of Tenancy at Lincoln
Constance Halliwell, instructed by Mary Monson Solicitors, acted on behalf of a defendant appearing at Manchester City…Read more
Chambers is delighted to announce Constance Halliwell's acceptance of Tenancy
Clerking is first rate. I would single out for particular praise David Wright, David Gibbons and Andy McGuinness all of whom are first rate clerks. They don't seek to overcharge and are adept at suggesting the right counsel for the job in hand. Legal 500, 2021
David Gibbons joined Chambers in 2004 from Kingsgate Chambers where he was a junior clerk for 5 years.
David is responsible for the day to day running of the criminal diary, he also manages a team of barristers dealing with crime and regulatory cases.
David lives with his wife and is a proud season ticket holder at the ‘theatre of dreams'. He is a keen footballer who plays 5-a-side several times a week and enjoys the occasional game of golf. David also enjoys reading and socialising with friends and family.
"David Wright, the Director of clerking, is a class act. Without David's loyalty and hard work over many years this set of chambers would not be the impressive set it is today."
"David Wright is a stellar clerk who instils faith and trust in all of those with whom he works." Legal 500 2022
"Director of clerking David Wright is brilliant - he will always fit the right counsel to the right case."
"David Wright is just great; he will go out of his way to do anything for us." "There have been many occasions where I have needed assistance with very little notice, and Lincoln House Chambers never fail to deliver." Chambers UK 2022
"David Wright, understands the needs of his instructing solicitors and is very user-friendly." Chambers UK 2021
"Director of clerking David Wright is ‘at the top of the profession'; ‘he is friendly and always willing to accommodate requests for particular counsel including on training matters" Legal 500, 2020
"The clerking team provide an outstanding and first-class service. The clerks are responsive, efficient, and just superb overall. Director of clerking David Wright runs the team impeccably and his client care skills are second to none." Chambers & Partners 2019
Ellen Shaw is an established and well regarded junior who specialises in crime, regulatory, and professional discipline.
Ellen is regularly instructed to both prosecute and defend in a wide range of cases including offences against the person, dishonesty, drugs, sexual offences, intellectual property, driving offences, breach proceedings and cases involving proceeds of crime applications. Ellen provides advice and assistance to both the prosecution and defence on all aspects and stages of the criminal and regulatory enforcement process including: enforcement notices, the investigation, the decision to prosecute, and PII and disclosure issues. She also regularly advises on evidence, procedure, sentence and appeal.
Ellen is a level 3 Crown Court prosecutor, and often receives instructions as a regulatory and private prosecutor. In this capacity she frequently prosecutes for government departments (the HMRC, DWP, DVLA and DVSA) local councils and organisations such as the Post Office.
Ellen is a member of the specialist regulatory advocates panel in Health and Safety and Environmental law.
In her defence practice Ellen receives instructions to act along-side leading counsel but also regularly acts as solely instructed counsel in cases where the prosecution, and other defendants, have both leading and junior counsel.
Ellen accepts instructions on all types of regulatory and public law matters and has specific experience in inquiry work.
Ellen was instructed as junior counsel to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, specifically instructed on the Roman Catholic Investigation (July 2017-2019). The investigation considered the extent to which the Nolan and Cumberlege reviews of child protection in the Roman Catholic Church improved the Church's policy and practice considering 3 case studies: firstly the English Benedictine Congregation focusing on the Schools Ampleforth and Downside, second: Ealing Abbey and St Benedict's School and thirdly: the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
Ellen took a leading role in the review of disclosed material and supervised the redaction process. She was responsible for drafting Rule 9 statement requests and assisted with preparation for the public hearings, including the formulation of evidence proposals as well as drafting witness questions for leading counsel, she also oversaw the rule 10 procedure determining which questions from the Core Participants would be adopted by Counsel to the Inquiry. She attended the public hearings as junior counsel and was one of the four counsel who drafted the Ampleforth and Downside report. https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/6583/view/ampleforth-downside-investigation-report-august-2018.pdf
Ellen Shaw secured an acquittal for her client in the first trial to be conducted at the newly…Read more
Job Titles:
- Assistant Public Solicitor
- Regulatory
Emma Gilsenan obtained a Suspended Sentence after a Death by Careless Driving conviction was reached against her client at…Read more
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Ged Doran, instructed by Altaf Solicitors, represented a defendant charged with conspiracy to disguise criminal property to the value…Read more
Graham Rishton joined Chambers in 2022 as a transferring legal professional and after completing a reduced pupillage under the supervision of Mr Brendan O'Leary. He began his career at a Chambers and Partners Band 1 national criminal defence firm in 2013, qualifying as a solicitor and higher court advocate in 2016. He became a director of the firm in 2019.
As a solicitor, Graham acted for clients across a broad spectrum of criminal offences including murder, sexual offences and complex drug conspiracies. He developed a particular niche in acting in large-scale fraud offences. He most notably acted in the Royal Household Bribery Case for the only Defendant to be acquitted, and in the SFO v Unaoil trial, reported to be the largest bribery case in history. He was also regularly instructed to act on a private basis for clients accused of sexual offences. Graham developed a reputation as a solicitor for his ability to absorb significant amounts of material, attention to detail and approachable manner with clients.
Since joining Chambers Graham has developed a busy Crown Court practice defending and prosecuting. He is a Grade 2 prosecutor. Instructions have included defending at trial in a multi-handed drug conspiracy, and defending those accused of rape and serious sexual offences.
Hugh Barton joined Lincoln House Chambers in 2002 after he and his family relocated from London to the North West. He specialises in serious criminal work, with particular emphasis on defence work and civil actions against the police. He is generally accepted to be the leading barrister for Claimants in this area in the North. He is described recently by Chambers UK as having "highly sought after advocacy skills" and the ability "to really cross-examine".
Hugh was born in London in 1963 and was educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith. He read English and Classics at Exeter University before working and travelling in Central America (at first with an International Brigade in Nicaragua and then on his own). On his return, he started working for solicitors in London. Firstly doing Criminal work with Hodge Jones and Allen and later doing civil work with Leigh Day and Co. He worked extensively with Martin Day on their ground breaking High Court litigation against British Nuclear Fuels. Over this period he completed the conversion course and then Bar Finals.
Prior to his move North, Hugh practiced from Doughty Street Chambers in London. Initially he enjoyed a general common law practice which included crime, family, civil litigation and public law. But after about 5 years he began to specialise on criminal defence work, police actions, Human Rights and appellate miscarriage work (frequently pro-bono). He cut his teeth on Benn and others, then the longest ever VAT fraud prosecution which concluded in the House of Lords. He was soon being instructed for the defence in numerous murder trials at the Central Criminal Court.
He advised and then acted in numerous Appeals in the Court of Appeal via the Criminal Cases Review Commission. He also developed an interest in pro-bono appeals to the Privy Council in capital murder cases from the Caribbean.
Hugh Barton has successfully prosecuted four serving Merseyside police officers in a trial which concluded yesterday at Liverpool's Nightingale…Read more
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Ian McMeekin was called to the bar in 1987. He joined Lincoln House Chambers in 2008 and has since built a practice defending in all areas of serious criminal offences, including high-profile drug trafficking and related crime, murder, fraud, terrorist offences, armed robbery and sexual offences.
Ian specialises in drug trafficking offences and has been involved in most of the largest cases in the North West over the last fifteen years, working as both junior to silks and lead junior, many of which have focused on abuse of process and failures in the disclosure process.
Ian is currently defending in the Massey/Kinsella murder, one of the largest joint operations in Manchester and Merseyside to date.
Ivan Bowley joined Lincoln House in 1992 after practising in London. Having initially covered all areas of Chambers" work, Ivan specialised in personal injury and for many years he has worked exclusively in this field. His main area of work, for which he has acquired a national reputation, is in occupational disease and, in particular, asbestos litigation and other respiratory disease. Ivan works almost exclusively for claimants.
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Job Titles:
- Officer
- Member of the Criminal Bar Association
Jeremy is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and has been a Recorder of the Crown Court since 2004. Since 2010, he has been accredited by the Bar Council for direct access work.
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Paul Reid QC and James Heyworth, instructed by Farleys, have secured the acquittal of a man accused of organising…Read more
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Roger Clarke was an experienced SCUBA diver who was undertaking a closed-circuit rebreather training course. His instructor, Lance Palmer, had also serviced Mr Clarke's rebreather before the incident dive. In accordance with the course requirements and guidance, the dive should have been to a maximum depth of 30m. Mr Palmer, and the safety diver with them, took Mr Clarke to the deepest point of Stoney Cove: an area called "the sump". This part of the quarry is well known for its poor visibility and is at a depth of around 35m. Whilst in the sump, Mr Clarke's rebreather issued a number of warnings and required Mr Clarke to "bail out" onto his open circuit breathing apparatus. Following detailed questioning of the eye-witnesses and experts by James, it became clear that there were significant failures in the servicing of the rebreather, inadequate supervision of Mr Clarke, and failures with regard to the planning and execution of the dive. Due to the issues with his rebreather, Mr Clarke did transfer onto his bail-out cylinder. However, he became unconscious and there was a failed attempt by the instructor and safety diver to return him to the surface. For another five minutes all three divers remained at 35m, with Mr Clarke no longer using any breathing apparatus. By the time he was then recovered to the surface he had sadly drowned. In his narrative conclusion, Mr Cartwright, area coroner for Leicester City and South Leicestershire, found that errors and omissions by the instructor and safety diver significantly increased the risks associated with the dive and may have caused, or contributed, to Mr Clarke's death
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Job Titles:
- Business Crime & Financial Regulation
Job Titles:
- Equalities and Regulatory Compliance Manager
Sigourney joined Lincoln House Chambers in May 2012 as a Crime and Civil Clerk after working as a Criminal Clerk at both the Crown Court and Magistrates Court for a well-renowned criminal solicitors firm for 7 years.
Sigourney obtained a first-class degree with a distinction in Business Management whilst working full time at Chambers and is also accredited with Chartered Manager status - the ultimate accolade in management.
After having gained experience in the various areas associated with the Clerking and Administration of a busy and pro-active set, Sigourney is now Chambers Equalities and Regulatory Compliance Manager. As Chambers Equalities and Regulatory Compliance Manager, Sigourney is responsible for developing and implementing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity agenda and strategy. The Regulatory Compliance aspect of Sigourney's role deals with the management of both Chambers and its individual members, in areas such as GDPR, interaction with the Bar Standards Board and Bar Council, Complaint handling, Pupillage administration and several other key areas.
Outside of work, Sigourney enjoys socialising with family and friends and taking trips abroad.