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A Message from Senior Practitioners at the Criminal Bar 24.06.22

Dear Colleagues,

50 Criminal Silks have volunteered for the CBA panel to provide pro bono advice and support for criminal barristers at this unprecedented time. More are joining each day.

Further to the intervention by the Lord Chief Justice, we understand that criminal juniors are understandably very concerned.

We are writing to all of you to make clear that you are not alone.

You have the complete support of the CBA and the signatories to this letter.

If you are in any way worried about your position, whether you support the action or not, do not worry alone.

Speak to senior colleagues, Silks in chambers, your Head of Chambers or contact the CBA and you will be referred to the CBA Silks panel.

We will offer you individual advice and support. In the event of a referral to the BSB, and if regulatory action were to follow, you would be represented by a Silk without charge, whether you are covered by indemnity insurance or not.

We are aware the CBA are also working with a team of specialist civil lawyers, to fight any referrals or disciplinary action, in the event any occur.

So please continue to consider the CBA guidance with care and make your own individual, professional, decisions, if you are engaging in the action.  By doing so, you will minimise the risk of a referral taking place or in the event that it does, the risk of regulatory action following.

The bottom line is – we have got your backs!

Yours,

Caroline Goodwin QC, Trinity Chambers, Former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association; Chris Henley QC, Mountford Chambers, Former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association; Sally O’Neill QC, Furnival Chambers, Former Chair of the Criminal Bar Association; Chris Daw QC, Lincoln House Chambers; Andrew Thomas QC, Lincoln House Chambers; Simon Csoka QC, Libertas Chambers; Siobhan Grey QC, Libertas Chambers; Mark Kimsey, Castle Chambers; Rajiv Menon QC, Garden Court Chambers; Henry Blaxland QC, Garden Court Chambers; Brenda Campbell QC, Garden Court Chambers; Hossein Zahir QC, Garden Court Chambers; Judy Khan QC, Garden Court Chambers;  Anya Lewis QC, Garden Court Chambers; Icah Peart QC, Garden Court Chambers; Keir Monteith QC, Garden Court Chambers; Mark George QC, Garden Court North, Nina Grahame QC, Garden Court North; Pete Weatherby QC, Garden Court North; Victoria Wilson, Goldsmith Chambers; Roderick Johnson QC, Goldsmiths Chambers; Richard Booth QC, 1 Crown Office Row; Julian Christopher QC, 5 Paper Buildings; Ben Douglas-Jones QC, 5 Paper Buildings; Jonathan Caplan QC, 5 Paper Buildings; David Josse QC, 5 St Andrew’s Hill; Mark Cotter QC, 5 St Andrew’s Hill; Kerim Fuad QC, Church Court Chambers; Michael Mather-Lees QC, Church Court Chambers; Richard Christie QC, 187 Chambers; Nicholas Rhodes QC, 187 Chambers; Allison Summers QC, Drystone Chambers; Mark Rhind QC, Exchange Chambers; Benjamin Myers QC, Exchange Chambers; Christopher Stables, Exchange Chambers; Gordon Cole QC, Exchange Chambers; Susan Meek, Rose Court Chambers; Mark Fraser, Rose Court Chambers; Peter Joyce QC, 1 High Pavement; Michael Auty QC, 1 High Pavement; Bernard Richmond QC, Lamb Buildings; Toby Hedworth QC, Trinity Chambers; Kate Bex QC, Red Lion Chambers; Simon Spence QC, Red Lion Chambers; Adrian Chaplin, Walnut House Chambers; Oliver Woolhouse, Cornwall Street Chambers; Andrew Wilkins, Cornwall Street Chambers; Adrian Darbishire QC, QEB Hollis Whiteman; Selva Ramasamy QC, QEB Hollis Whiteman; Philip Evans QC, QEB Hollis Whiteman; Ian Henderson QC, Farringdon Chambers; Barry Grennan, Kenworthy’s Chambers ; Jonathan Rees QC, Apex Chambers; Rebecca Griffiths, Apex Chambers; Jonathan Laidlaw QC, 2 Hare Court; Nneka Akudolu QC​, 2 Hare Court; Leon Kazakos QC, 2 Hare Court; Brian O’Neill QC, 2 Hare Court; Oliver Glasgow QC, 2 Hare Court; Mark Whitehall, Colleton Chambers; Paul Jones, Staple Inn Chambers; Adam Feet QC, 3PB Barristers; Richard Barton, Westgate Chambers; John Morgans, Octogon Chambers; Robert S. Skyner, 39 Park Square; Scott Brady, 3TG; Brian Altman QC, 2 Bedford Row; Jim Sturman QC, 2 Bedford Row; Sam Green QC, 2 Bedford Row; Neil Mercer, 33 Bedford Row; Deborah Morris, Westbourne Chambers; Shabeena Azhar, 9 King’s Bench Walk; Jonathan Moll, 9 King’s Bench Walk; Steven Kay QC, 9BR; Elizabeth Marsh QC, 9BR; David Hughes, 9BR; Sarah Forshaw QC, 5 King’s Bench Walk; Jonathan Higgs QC, 5 King’s Bench Walk; Gavin Holmes, 4 King’s Bench Walk; Christopher Donnellan QC, The 36 Group; Mary Prior QC, The 36 Group; William Harbage QC, The 36 Group; John Lloyd-Jones QC, The 36 Group; Melanie Simpson QC, 25 Bedford Row; Nicola Howard QC, 25 Bedford Row; Nicholas Haggan QC, 12CP Barristers; Mary Aspinall-Miles, 12CP Barristers; Martin Rutherford QC, 15NBS; Brian St. Louis QC, 15NBS; Richard Atkins QC, St Philips Chambers; Nicholas Lobbenberg QC, 4BB; Mark Love, 2 Dr Johnson’s Buildings; Jaime Hamilton QC, Nine St John Street; Clive Stockwell QC, Castle Gate Chambers; Andrew Vout QC, Castle Gate Chambers; Simon Eckersley, Castle Gate Chambers; Julia King, Castle Gate Chambers; Neil Hawes QC, Crucible Law; Martin Goudie QC, Crucible Law; Henry Grunwald OBE QC, Crucible Law; James Dawes QC, 2 Harcourt Buildings; Sally Howes QC, 2 KBW; James Wood QC, Doughty Street Chambers; David Bentley QC, Doughty Street Chambers; Isabella Forshall QC, Doughty Street Chambers; Katy Thorne QC, Doughty Street Chambers; Liam Walker QC, Doughty Street Chambers;  Joe Stone QC, Doughty Street Chambers; Christiaan Moll, Blackfriars Chambers; Eloise Marshall QC, 23es; Kate Lumsdon QC, 23es; Michael Bagley, Chavasse Chambers; Paul Hopkins QC, 9 Park Place; Oba Nsugbe QC, Pump Court Chambers; Colin Aylott QC, Mountford Chambers; Alan Kent QC, Mountford Chambers; Charles Bott QC, Mountford Chambers; Sir Ivan Lawrence QC, 5 Pump Court; Jason Sugarman QC, Foundry Chambers; Richard Jory QC, Foundry Chambers; Alisdair Williamson QC, Three Raymond Buildings, Adrian Langdale QC, 7BR; Michelle Colborne QC, Broadway House Chambers; Stephen Wood QC, Broadway House Chambers; Jamie Hill QC at Fountain Chambers.

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