No.8 Civil Law Team
No.8 Chambers has an experienced civil law team with members covering a wide range of different types of cases. Members of the civil team appear in all courts and tribunals and can help you with any legal problem that you might be having. We recognise that being in a legal dispute with someone else, whoever they are, can be a time-consuming, stressful and expensive situation to find yourself in.
We are committed to helping you find a way through which will help you resolve the situation and allow you to put your case forward at its very highest. This may mean that you just want our advice or help drafting documents, or you might want us to represent you in court.
Mark Jackson
MA, LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons); Dip Social Learning Theory & Practice; Dip. Child Care Law & Practice; Cert. Social Service; Cert. Social Care
Mark was called to the Bar in 1997. He is Head of Chambers and is a specialist criminal practitioner.
He has extensive trial experience including serious fraud and money laundering cases, associated confiscation proceedings, cases concerned with drugs importation and the evasion of duty and cases involving serious violence and sexual offences including rape and allegations of child sexual abuse.
He has particular expertise and experience in relation to commercial, company and Revenue and Customs fraud prosecutions and Money Laundering cases having defended in cases prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and is able to provide advice and representation in relation to the seizure, forfeiture, restraint, confiscation and recovery of assets in both criminal and civil recovery.
Mark specialises in regulatory law, including Fire Safety Law, Trading Law, Food Safety, Health and Safety, Environmental and Planning prosecutions and Licensing including Taxi Licensing.
He has acted on behalf of members of the armed forces and the police and is an accredited High Cost Case panel advocate. He is regularly instructed to advise and act on behalf of Local Authority Regulators and the Fire and Rescue Authorities.
He is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers. Mark is authorised by the General Council of the Bar to take instructions on a Direct/Public Access basis.
Lord Thomas of Gresford OBE QC
Call 1968 QC 1979
Martin Thomas is one of the most respected and experienced QCs in England and Wales. His practice has involved him in more than 250 homicide trials and appeals in England and Wales, including significant courts martial, the most prominent of which was the Baha Mousa case.
Lord Thomas has appeared in terrorist cases both prosecuting and defending, the most notorious being the 'Brighton Bomb' case. He has been counsel in many appeals and applications to the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords. In the Privy Council, he has appeared in cases from Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei and the Caribbean. His career has taken him frequently to Hong Kong on both criminal and civil matters. He has appeared in Malaysian courts in connection with the Carrian fraud case from Hong Kong on behalf of Lorrain Osman, following a long series of habeas corpus and judicial review applications in the UK on extradition issues.
He defended libel actions in Singapore brought by Lee Kwan Yu against the then leader of the Workers' Party, Ben Jeyaretnam. In the Carribean, he has appeared in the Trinidad Court of Appeal. His wide experience in civil litigation, mainly in personal injury cases, was recognized by his appointment to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in 1985, a position from which he resigned on the introduction of the tariff system. In Wales, he has been instructed in a number of Statutory Inquiries ranging from road construction to proposals for the drowning of the Dulas Valley and the digging for gold in the Mawddach Estuary.
Lord Thomas has had a long and illustrious political career where he was made a Life Peer in 1996. He is a spokesman on Welsh Affairs and on Home Affairs (Specifically Criminal Justice Reforms, including anti-terrorism).
Lord Thomas's interests are Welsh affairs, law reform (criminal justice, human rights), Far Eastern affairs (Hong Kong and China), sport, rugby, where he is a WRU coach and referee, rowing (Captain House of Lords Eight), hill climbing, fishing, golf, scuba diving and music and music making.
Areas of Practice
Civil Law, Criminal Law, The Court Martial, Fraud and White-Collar Crime, Homicide, Gang-related offences
Qualifications
Cambridge. MA, LLB (Classics and Law)
Appointments
Recorder of the Crown Court 1976-2002
Deputy High Court Judge 1985-2009
Bencher: Grays Inn 1991
Member, Criminal Injuries Compensation Board 1985-1993
Advisor to East Asia Institute, University of Cambridge 1998-2002 and Patron of China Law Conferences, Cambridge, 1998-2001
Shadow Attorney General 2003-2006
Shadow Lord Chancellor and Law Officers 2006-2007
Shadow Attorney General 2007-2010
Chairman, Association of Military Advocates (Current)
Memberships
Gray's Inn, LCLCBA
Notable Cases
Chief Constable of North Wales v Evans [1982] 1 WLR 1155 HL, Judicial Review of decision to dismiss probationary constable: appropriate remedy.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner v Caldwell [1982] AC 341 HL, Arson with intent to endanger life; whether intoxication a defence to element of intention.
Wills v Bowley [1983] 1 AC 57 HL, Police power of arrest; constable may arrest where honest belief that an offence has been committed.
Regina v Hancock and Shankland [1986] AC 455 HL, Homicide; murder convictions reduced to manslaughter; distinction between causal connection between defendants' acts and death and foreseeablity.
Regina v Court [1989] AC 28 HL, Indecent assault; section 14 of Sexual Offences Act 1956; prosecution must prove that right-minded people would think the assault indecent; evidence of secret intention admissible.
Jeyaretnam v Law Society of Singapore [1989] AC 608 PC, Solicitor also officer in Singapore political party; convicted of misappropriation of donations to the party to pay costs of related unsuccessful actions; solicitor struck off roll; donation cheques altered voluntarily by donors - cheques not property of the party - convictions quashed; solicitor restored to roll.
Somchai Liangsiriprasert [1991] AC 225 PC, Conspiracy in Thailand to import heroin to USA; drug trafficking offences; defendant arrested in Hong Kong. Whether acts subject to extradition from Hong Kong.
Hui Chi Ming v The Queen [1992] 1 AC 34 PC, Defendant convicted of murder as a joint enterprise with another, who had killed the victim, and at an earlier trial had been convicted only of manslaughter. Evidence of manslaughter conviction properly excluded at defendant's trial.
A-G of Hong Kong v Lee Kwong-kut [1993] AC 951 PC, Right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law; Ordinance providing that previous legislation inconsistent with principle deemed repealed. Requirement that accused "give an account ... how he came by" stolen goods inconsistent and repealed. Provisions for statutory defences in drug trafficking legislation not inconsistent.
Chan Wai-keung v The Queen [1995] 1 WLR 251 PC, Homicide; material prosecution witness giving evidence in expectation of reduced sentence for unrelated offence. Witness received reduced sentence; defendant convicted. Conviction upheld because jury properly warned as to unreliability of witness's evidence.
Mills v The Queen [1995] 1 WLR 511 PC, Homicide; directions regarding identification evidence, alibi evidence, and dying victim's accusation. Convictions upheld.
Wu Chun-piu v The Queen [1996] 1 WLR 1113 PC, Defendant and co-defendant convicted of robbery and firearms offences; defendant's counsel in mitigation refers to probation report which includes admissions, and expresses defendant's remorse for offence. Co-defendant's conviction overturned form inadequate direction on identification evidence; co-defendant acquitted on retrial. Defendant's application to appeal out of time on same grounds rejected because of admissions. Privy Council allows appeal and grants leave to appeal out of time.
Luc Thiet Thuan v The Queen [1997] AC 131 PC, Homicide; provocation; whether mental disability affecting defendant's self-control relevant to degree of provocation; held not relevant to the ordinary person, the "reasonable man" for the purpose of establishing the defence of provocation.
Regina v Martin [1998] AC 917 HL, Civilian son of serving soldier is subject to military law. Juvenile son of corporal charged with murder. No abuse of process in trying him by court-martial in Germany.
Regina v Spear [2003] 1 AC 734 HL, No breach of Article 6 right to a fair trial in trying by court-martial offences against the ordinary law of the land; no such breach by reason of the fact that courts-martial presided over by permanent president.
Cases
Regina v Burnett (9 November 2009),
Daniel Janner QC
Call 1980 QC 2002
“Provides excellent first instance and appellate advocacy... Has excellent rapport with juries....First rate legal acumen and particularly fine drafting.” Legal 500 Directory.
High profile cases include:
The Heysel Stadium football extraditions; The Knightsbridge Safety Deposit box robbery; Oyston and Martin rape trials; French student murder trial; "Happy slap" murder trial; London City Bond fraud trial; Gouldbourne Cayman Islands murder; McGrath money laundering; Cleeve Prior missing body murder; Lord of Fraud, Rodley trials.
He has been an editor of the Criminal Appeal Reports since 1994.
Daniel has been called to the Cayman Islands Bar and has been instructed by the International Criminal Court as a member of its panel of defence advocates.
He is qualified to accept instructions directly from clients under the Bar Council's Public Access scheme.
Daniel was President of the Cambridge Union Society and was awarded Dr Cooper's Law studentship at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was a Jules Thorn Scholar and is a Bencher of the Middle Temple.
Sexual offences
R v Green. Defended former headmaster charged with historic sex abuse against children.
R v Smith and others. Child sex abuse ring trial.
R v Kevin O'Dowd. Daniel was court appointed cross-examiner in rape trial.
R v F and others. Birmingham incest paedophile ring trial.
R v Dr Arowojolu. Successfully appealed conviction in relation to consultant obstetrician and obtained acquittal in retrial.
Homicide
Daniel is frequently instructed in murder trials, often featuring drugs and firearms. These have involved complex forensic evidence such as death by arson; cell site analysis; anonymous witness and cases of "cut-throat" defences. He has considerable experience representing young defendants charged with murder.
Notable cases include:
R v Swayne. Cut-throat murder trial.
R v Crompton. The defendant punched and killed an elderly man during the course of a burglary.
R v Barratt. Multi-handed stabbing murder trial. Complex CCTV expert evidence. Victim was a former European Welter Weight boxing champion.
R v Matthew Taylor. Missing body gypsy murder trial.
R v Simon Sheen. Daniel defended a young man charged with the murder of his mother and attempted murder of his two siblings in a house fire. The case involved challenging highly complex forensic evidence.
R v Shosanya. Prosecuted the defendant who murdered a French student.
R v Chuong Nguyen. Vietnamese contract killer trial as featured on Crimewatch.
R v Gouldbourne. Cayman Islands diminished responsibility murder trial.
R v Case and others. South bank "Happy Slap" Murder trial.
R v Chaplin Daniel represented a 15 year old girl charged with murder of a friend's boyfriend.
R v Brima. 16 year old defendant, street stabbing.
R v Ogier Ascot Racecourse murder trial.
Fraud and Financial crime
Daniel has appeared in numerous complex and serious fraud trials, often representing professionals (including solicitors, accountants and financial advisers)
Notable cases include:
R v Lonnie Smith. 5 month multi-million pound MTIC and fraudulent loan agreement trial.
R v Rodley The "Lord of Fraud" Rodley bank and boiler room fraud trials, involving over £200 million.
R v Gillespie. This was the largest counterfeit medicines prosecution in Europe involving several million pounds. Daniel represented the main defendant.
R v Darienzo. Operation Erasure. £20 million VAT fraud. Multi-handed complex serious fraud trial.
R v Cotton. Daniel represented a financial advisor charged with a long-term and involved Ponzi type fraud.
R v McGrath. Daniel defended a well-known Preston politician in Operation Angel which involved corruption, fraud and drugs money laundering offences.
R v Peacock . Daniel represented an accountant charged with money laundering and a mortgage fraud.
R v Shah. Daniel represented a solicitor on a multi-million mortgage fraud.
R v Issitt Operation Divert. £85 million carousel fraud.
London City Bond Trial. Daniel appeared for one of the main defendants.
Drugs
R v McDonnell. Drug related blackmail and kidnapping.
R v Lawson and others. Daniel prosecuted multi-handed drugs trial.
R v Briggs-Price. East Midlands drugs conspiracy.
Police civil actions
Daniel has acted for both Claimants and defendants in actions involving malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and assault.
Disciplinary and Regulatory
Daniel has acted in police disciplinary tribunals and solicitors regulatory proceedings.
Amanda White
LLB (Hons) CNNA
Call 1976
Practice Groups
Family, Immigration & Human Rights
Professional Organisations
Family Law Bar Association
Interests
Reading, listening to Radio 4, gardening and family
Hamza Ahmed
LLB (Hons) Call 2019 (Lincoln's Inn)
Upon successfully completing his pupillage, Hamza’s early career focused on employment law, his practice now extends across various areas namely, crime, immigration, family, and general civil law disputes.
As Counsel, Hamza has regularly appeared before the Employment Tribunal, in addition to appearing before the High Court, Crown Court, County and Magistrates Court.
Hamza’s experience includes:
- Successfully obtaining judgment acting for an employee at a three-day hearing in the ET concerning (1) automatic unfair dismissal, (2) direct sex discrimination and (3) unauthorised deduction from wages (including remedy hearing).
- Appearing in the High Court of Justice for a director in injunction proceedings, concerning trespass of commercial property.
- Successfully securing acquittal for client charged with §.84 and §.89(1) of the RTRA 1984 and §.172 of the RTA 1998 before the Magistrates Court.
- Successfully appealing on both elements of appeal against decision made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at the FTT Social Entitlement Chambers.
- Successfully obtaining judgement in the ET acting for a wholesale food company to reject and strike out claims on the grounds of failure to comply with the Tribunal Rules.
- Appearing on behalf of Claimants or Respondents in relation to interim applications and preliminary hearings.
Hamza is keen to develop his practice further and welcomes all enquiries.
Practice Groups
Crime, Civil, Family, Immigration & Human Rights
Direct Access
In suitable cases, Hamza is able to undertake public access work.
Interests
Outside of law, Hamza is a keen cricketer, having represented University of Oxford Blues team, Oxford MCCU and Warwickshire County Cricket Club.
Marc Beaumont
Call 1985
Marc Beaumont has one of the leading practices in England in professional regulation, defending barristers, solicitors, legal executives, Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Surveyors, Architects and professional sportsmen and women before their professional disciplinary tribunals.
He has been described on BBC Radio as “the Barrister’s Barrister”. Marc also conducts appeals and judicial reviews in disciplinary cases. Marc is an ingenious, tenacious and courageous advocate. He pioneered the Bar’s direct access scheme and has a strong chancery commercial practice comprising both solicitor-instructed and direct access work.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and arbitrates and mediates commercial, business and property disputes both in the UK and overseas. He is admitted to the New York Bar (FLC) and also practises as an international arbitrator at a niche firm in New York City. Marc is a panel Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
Recent work
- Representing the quasi-judicial Chairman of Conduct and Appeals at RICS in a potential judicial review against RICS, who removed him when he refused to sign new terms of appointment providing for his removal on one month’s notice, a clause which would have defeated his ECHR Article 6 security of tenure.
- Representing a Chartered Surveyor on appeal against a striking off for CPD infringements. RICS 2-person panel was unlawful as the panel has to sit with 3 members. RICS has disciplined some 317 surveyors using a 2 person panel and struck off c. 200 surveyors in May 2016 in this way. All cases now have to be re-opened due to Marc Beaumont’s successful submission.
- Successfully representing a Chartered Surveyor at the RICS tribunal in a high profile case and winning a submission that there was no case to answer.
- Successfully representing a Chartered Surveyor at the RICS appeal tribunal, (in a case about referral fees) whose expulsion was set aside.
- Successfully representing a firm of Managing Agents at the RICS tribunal on a submission of no case to answer.
- Acting on appeal for several of the barristers in the landmark judicial review litigation arising from the defective appointments of disciplinary panels in barrister disciplinary cases between 2006 and 2012.
- Advising, acting and reaching settlement in a continuing, high profile series of BSB prosecutions against a leading barristerrelating to events over 10 years ago.
- Successfully representing a Legal Executive before the Court of Appeal in a leading case which expanded the law of bias.
- Successfully arguing that the GMC had no jurisdiction to review undertakings offered by a surgeon due to the effect of s.35D of the Medical Act 1983 and Rule 37A(3)(b) of the General Medical Council (Fitness to Practise) Rules.
- Successfully defending before the NMC a senior nurse accused of neglecting a dying patient in a care home when the BUPA nurse/patient ratio was at danger level.
- Successfully procuring the recusal of an entire disciplinary panel at the NMC for pre-determination and apparent bias.
- Successfully procuring the acquittal of a paramedic at the Health & Care Professions Council, charged with failing to examine a drunk patient with a fractured skull.
- Successfully defending a Doctor at the GMC accused of trying to borrow money from a patient.
- Successfully defending a barrister accused by the BSB of not cooperating with the Legal Ombudsman.
- Successfully defending a senior barrister accused of misleading the BSB.
- Successfully negotiating a favourable plea bargain against the BSB on behalf of a barrister and Football Association intermediary.
- Successfully appealing to the Visitors to the Inns of Court on behalf of a barrister accused of conducting litigation by signing a statement of truth.
- Successfully appealing to the Visitors to the Inns of Court on behalf of a barrister convicted without sufficient reasons being given.
- Successfully striking out all BSB charges of “holding out” against a barrister, as well as the amended charges.
- Successfully striking out a BSB charge of improper advertising against a barrister.
- Successfully defending an architect at the trial of a professional negligence claim before the Technology & Construction Court.
- Advising non-English UK lawyers about referral fees.
- Successfully procuring the withdrawal of Legal Ombudsman findings against a barrister by way of judicial review.
- Successfully defending a senior barrister at trial against a charge of committing the criminal offence in section 14 of the Legal Services Act 2007 of practising without a practising certificate for 15 months.
- Successfully representing a senior barrister on appeal to the High Court in a high profile case.
Qualifications
Marc Beaumont, FCIArb.
Director: Beaumont Legal Services Limited
Barrister, England
(authorised to conduct litigation)
Court of Arbitration for Sport Panel Arbitrator
Arbitrator
Accredited Mediator.
F.A. registered Intermediary
New York Bar FLC
UK Co-Chair, NYSBA
Stephen Vokes
BA (Hons) University of Wales
Call 1989
Stephen Vokes is, and has been for a number of years, rated leading junior Counsel in the Midlands in the areas of Immigration and Asylum work according to Chambers and Partners Guide to the Legal Profession.
He practices exclusively in this field, and has done so for over 20 years, and appears regularly in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Recent work includes the latest Country Guidance cases by the Upper Tribunal on Afghanistan (AK (Article 15 (c)) Afghanistan CG [2012] UKUT 163 (IAC)) and Uzbekistan (LM (returnees-expired exit permit) Uzbekistan CG [2012] 390 (IAC).
Practice Groups
Immigration & Human Rights
Reported Cases
R (Rusdi Mohammed) v An Adjudicator, The Times 12th December 2002
Skanderaj v SSHD [2003] 4 AllER 555
R (Bosombangwa) v IAT [2004] EWCA 1656 Admin
FS & Others v SSHD (Iran-Christian converts) CG Iran [2004] UKIAT 00303
NS v SSHD (Social Group - Women - Forced Marriage) CG Afghanistan [2004] UKIAT 00328
B2 DR (Risk-Political Journalist) Iran CG [2002] UKAIT 06452
Nhengu v SSHD [2004] EWCA Civ 298. Link to case here.
OS (10 years' lawful residence) Hong Kong [2006] UKIAT 00031
R (Yusuf & Others) v SSHD [2006] EWHC [Admin] 3513
ZH (Afghanistan) v SSHD [2009] EWCA Civ 470
EM (Zimbabwe) v SSHD [2009] EWCA Civ 1006
Membership of Professional Organisations
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
Gary Cook
BEd (Hons) 1st class
Call 1989
Gary is a vastly experienced advocate in Criminal cases. He also practices in regulatory law.
Gary undertakes Inquest work on behalf of interested parties and FSA hearings.
Practice Groups
Crime
Membership of Professional Organisations
Criminal Bar Association
Davinder Dhaliwal
LLB (Hons), Deputy District Judge (Civil)
Call 1990
Davinder has a successful practice covering all areas of immigration, asylum, and human rights cases. She regularly appears before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.
She has considerable experience in both private and public law family matters. She is regularly instructed in all aspects of care and adoption proceedings, ancillary relief, matrimonial finance, inheritance disputes, property disputes, residence and contact cases. She has a particular interest in cases where family law overlaps with human rights and has been involved in proceedings under the Hague Convention and in Judicial Review.
Davinder is a Board Member to the voluntary sector organisations assisting women and children experiencing domestic violence. She provides lectures and training seminars to lawyers and community groups on domestic violence, childcare law, forced marriages and human rights.
Practice Groups
Family, Immigration & Human Rights
Membership of Professional Organisations
Criminal Bar Association
Family Law Bar Association
Languages
Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu
Alison Scott-Jones
LLB (Hons)
Call 1991
Alison Scott-Jones has a particular focus on family and crime matters.
Practice Groups
Family, Crime
Membership of Professional Organisations
Criminal Bar Association
Family Law Bar Association
Interests
Horse Riding
Philip Brunt
BSc Econ (Hons), Diploma in Law
Call 1991
Philip Brunt has practised at the Birmingham Bar since 1993 and joined No.8 Chambers in 2006.
He prosecutes and defends all kinds of criminal cases, and has a varied civil practice as well.
On the civil side he has a particular interest in Employment, Planning and VAT cases.
Practice Groups
Civil, Crime
Reported cases
R v Shillam [2013] EWCA Crim 160
R v Hussain [2013] All ER (D) 125
R v B (JJ), Times, May 8, 2012
R v Twist & Others [2011] EWCA Crim 1143
R v RGB [2009] EWCA Crim 906
Commissioners of Customs and Excise v Zielinski Baker & Partners Ltd [2004] UKHL7, [2004] 1 WLR 707, [2004] 2 All ER 14
R. v C (A Juvenile) (Persistent Offender) [2001] 1 Cr App R (S) 120
Robert Cowley
LLB (Hons)
Call 1992
Robert Cowley has a particular focus on crime matters. He also practices in regulatory law.
Practice Groups
Crime
Membership of Professional Organisations
Criminal Bar Association
Naomi Hobbs
LLB (Hons)
Call 1992
Naomi has been a practicing Barrister called to the Bar in 1992. She specialises in Family and Immigration law. In particular Naomi has developed a practice in which she has gained considerable experience in all jurisdictions including the High Court and Appeal cases.
Naomi's practice includes Care Proceedings, cases involving children being removed from the jurisdiction to non-Hague Convention countries, Private Law and Domestic Violence cases.
Naomi is particularly experienced in assisting cients who suffer from mental health difficulties, cases in which same sex relationships may be a feature, discrimination cases and clients who have learning disabilities.
Naomi undertakes work from Local Authorities and private firms in respect of all aspects of her Family Law practice.
Practice Groups
Family, Immigration & Human Rights
Membership of Professional Organisations
Employment Law Bar Association
Family Law Bar Association
Maninder Chagger
LLB (Hons)
Call 1992
Maninder Chaggar is an experienced advocate who has maintained an extremely successful Immigration and Asylum practice dealing with cases in all courts including the AIT, High Court and Court of Appeal. Maninder is willing to advise and represent all clients and has extensive knowledge of most nationalities, and has particular experience in Gender Persecutions.
As well as Human Rights issues Maninder also maintains a Criminal law Practice dealing with both defence and prosecution in both the Crown Courts and Magistrates Courts. Maninder has dealt with many trials including sexual offences, robbery and assault. Maninder is especially good at dealing with cases which have sensitive issues.
Practice Groups
Crime, Immigration
Reported cases
EB (Risk – Return - Ethiopian - Eritrea) Eritrea [2002] UKIAT 06317
Reference link here.
Richard Franck
BA (Hons)
Call 1993
Richard is an experienced advocate in Criminal cases. He defends and prosecutes in the Crown Court and is a Grade 3 prosecutor.
He also practices Immigration Law.
Practice Groups
Crime, Immigration and Human Rights
Membership of Professional Organisations
Criminal Bar Association
Ruth Manning
LLB (Hons) Staffordshire University
Call 1993
Ruth practices in all areas of Private and Public Family Law. She is an accredited Immigration Practitioner and is experienced in bail, asylum, deportation, entry clearance applications and appeals at all levels.
Ruth is instructed in general civil litigation and Education law. She is also instructed by parents to represent them at School Admission Appeals and Exclusion Appeals.
Ruth is registered with the Bar Council to undertake direct access work.
Practice Groups
Family, Immigration & Human Rights, Civil
Appointments
Ruth was a tutor at the College of Law from April 2008 to January 2010. She taught Civil Litigation, ADR and Immigration options.
Mohammed Azmi
LLB (Hons)
Call 1998
Practice Groups
Civil, Family, Immigration & Human Rights
Reported cases
DJ (Bantu-not generally at risk) Somalia CG [2005] UKIAT00089
Membership of Professional Organisations
Personal Injury Bar Association
Languages
Hindi and Urdu
Interests
Oil Painting, Wood Sculpting
Saiqa Aslam
LLB (Hons) MSt in Law and Economics University of Oxford
Call 1995
Saiqa was called to the Bar in 1995 and, having accumulated considerable and wide-ranging experience in general civil law, family and immigration over more than two decades, she now has a broad family, immigration and asylum and civil practice.
Practice Groups
Family, Immigration, Civil
Family
Saiqa has a broad family practice encompassing private and public law. She is regularly instructed in cases involving domestic abuse, residence and contact.
Immigration and Asylum
Saiqa has a wide range of experience in Immigration, Nationality and Asylum law. She has a particular interest in Human Rights cases.
Civil
Saiqa has extensive experience of personal injury and road traffic accidents including credit hire. She represents claimants and defendants in small claims trials, fast track trials.
Direct Access
Saiqa is accredited to accept instructions on a public access basis.
Membership of Professional Organisations
Family Law Bar Association
Inner Temple
Languages
Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Adam Pipe
LLB (Hons), LLM (Legal Aspects of Medical Practice), FInstCPD
Call 1999
Adam is experienced in all aspects of immigration and asylum law. He is particularly interested in refugee law. Adam has appeared at all levels of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and in the Administrative Court and Court of Appeal. In his spare time Adam enjoys reading, especially theology and he teaches on an applied Christian studies course.
Adam is ranked Band 1 for Immigration in the Midlands by Chambers and Partners 2013.
The 2013 edition of Chambers and Partners observes - Adam Pipe is "the counsel in the Midlands for immigration and asylum work. He is well versed in tribunal proceedings and has unparalleled experience of the immigration judges in the Midlands." Instructing further solicitors appreciate his regular updates on legal and practice developments as and when new issues in the field arise.
The 2012 edition of Chambers and Partners observes - "The "extremely thorough" Adam Pipe does a broad range of asylum, human rights and immigration work relating to the points-based system. Recent work includes a case about work permits and indefinite leave".
The 2011 edition of Chambers and Partners observes - "Adam Pipe has a growing immigration practice, covering both business immigration matters and asylum and human rights cases. Market commentators say he is 'exceptionally advanced' for his year of call".
Practice Groups: Immigration & Human Rights
Reported Cases
B (Zimbabwe) [2004] UKIAT 00076 (23 April 2004)
GK (Return, Sentenced by Former Regime) Serbia and Montenegro [2004] UKIAT 00203 (02 July 2004)
RH (Para 289A/HC395, no discretion) Bangladesh [2006] UKAIT 00043 (18 April 2006)
LM (risks on return) Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) CG [2008] UKAIT 00064 (01 September 2008)
BD (work permit - continous period) Nigeria [2010] UKUT 418 (IAC) (21 October 2010)
AH (India) v SSHD [2012] EWCA Civ 1619
R (on the application of Collin) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] All ER (D) 92 (Jun)
MA (Pakistan) v SSHD [2014] EWCA Civ 163
R (on the application of Chikasha) v Secretary Of State For The Home Department [2014] EWHC 1071 Admin
Gu v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 1634 (Admin)
Begum v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 2968 (Admin)
Professional Organisations
Fellow, Institute of Continuing Professional Development
Justice, Medico-Legal Society
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
Publications
Contributing Editor to Butterworths Immigration Law Service - Butterworths weblink.
Contributions to Lexis Nexis Legal News Analysis
Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards - Shortlisted for Barrister of the Year 2013.
Direct Access: In suitable cases Adam will undertake public access work.
Interests: Theology, Reading, Cinema
Social links to Adam
Adam has also worked on LexisPSL
Harleen Masih
LLB (Hons)
Call 1999
Harleen has been a barrister at No. 8 Chambers since December 2008.
Her principal areas of practice are Immigration and Family Law.
Immigration Law
Harleen is experienced in all areas of Immigration and Nationality Law, including:
- Asylum claims and related matters
- Points-based system applications
- EEA applications
- Marriage applications
- Family reunion applications
- Student visas
- Settlement visas
- Applications outside the immigration rules
- Citizenship applications
- Applications for indefinite leave to remain
- Fresh Claims
As well as providing representation at the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, First Tier Tribunal and the Upper Tier Tribunal, she has also contributed to seminars on immigration issues. Her work has increasingly involved Human Rights challenges.
Family Law
Harleen’s family practice includes, Injunction Applications, Children Act Proceedings, Care proceedings, Divorce and Matrimonial Finance.
She is qualified to accept Direct Access Instruction.
Liz de Oliveira
LLB (Hons)
Call 2000
Liz de Oliveira secured a first class Law degree as a mature student whilst a single parent bringing up two young children. Her friendly but straight talking approach makes her popular with clients.
She undertakes all aspects of Criminal Law and regularly appears in the Crown Court and Magistrates' Court on behalf of both the Prosecution and the Defence. She also prosecutes on behalf of Probation, the Department of Works and Pensions and TV Licensing.
Liz also undertakes representation at Social Security Tribunals.
She has an established Family Law Practice both in the Family Proceedings Court and County Court, representing both Local Authorities and parents in Public Law proceedings and also undertaking Private Law proceedings including Residence and Contact disputes.
Liz also has an Immigration Practice including Asylum, Entry Clearance and general Immigration work.
Practice Groups
Family, Crime, Immigration & Human Rights
Languages
Fluent Portuguese, Spanish and French.
Interests
Away from work she loves travelling to unheard of places!
Emma Rutherford
LLB (Hons)
Call 2002
Emma specialises in immigration, crime and general civil litigation.
She advises and represents in all types of immigration and asylum cases and has an interest in nationality law. She appears frequently before the First Tier Tribunal and the Upper Tribunal, including as junior counsel in the recent country guidance case of AK (Article 15(c)) Afghanistan. She is experienced in judicial review work and is instructed in Court of Appeal matters, recently having appeared for one of the Appellants in SS and Others (Zimbabwe). Her experience as a criminal practitioner enables her to be particularly effective in deportation cases. She also has a specific interest in immigration cases with an EEA element.
Emma is in the up and coming category for Immigration in the Midlands in Chambers and Partners 2013.
The 2013 edition of Chambers and Partners observes that Emma has a strong following and maintains a broad immigration and asylum appellant practice.
The 2012 edition of Chambers and Partners observes that the "hard-working" Emma Rutherford has developed a notable immigration practice acting for both claimants and defendants. Clients praise her fighting spirit, saying that "she never gives up."
Emma is an experienced criminal advocate providing advice and representation in all types of criminal cases including sexual offences, drugs offences, offences involving violence and dishonesty. She appears regularly in the Crown Court for both the prosecution and the defence. She has an expertise in representing vulnerable defendants and has experience in acting in cases for Defendants in cases involving issues surrounding fitness to plead.
She is also experienced in representing in driving matters in the Magistrates Court and the Crown Court. In respect of general civil litigation, Emma represents both Claimant and Defendants appearing in cases listed on the small claims track and the fast track.
Practice Groups
Immigration and Human Rights, Crime and Civil
Reported cases
A B (Sudan) CG [2004] UKIAT 00260
AK (Article 15(c)) Afghanistan CG [2012] UKUT 163 (IAC)
SS and Others (Zimbabwe) v SSHD [2013] EWCA Civ 237
Membership of Professional Organisations
Immigration Law Practitioners Association.
Midlands Circuit
Direct Access
In suitable cases Emma will undertake public access work.
Interests
Tennis, Formula One, travel, belly dancing, history and theatre and the arts.
Carol Strongman
LLB (Hons) University of Leeds
Call 2003
Carol Strongman qualified as a solicitor in 1985. She was a partner in private practice and a sole practitioner.
She specialises in family matters relating to children, in both public and private law.
She was a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel from 1998 to 2003 before transferring to the Bar.
During the five years prior to her transfer to the Bar, Carol worked almost wholly as a solicitor agent for local authorities in the West Midlands, representing them in care and freeing applications in the Family Proceedings, County and High Courts. Since her transfer to the Bar, Carol has continued to specialise in public law work, with the representation of local authorities accounting for much of her practice.
Carol also represents parents and children in Public Law Proceedings.
Practice Groups
Family
Membership of Professional Organisations
Family Law Bar Association
Languages
French
Interests
Reading, embroidery and walking.
Paul Hevingham
LLB (Hons) MRICS FCIArb
Call 2006
Paul is a former Chartered Surveyor and now has a full time practice as a barrister, mediator, adjudicator and arbitrator.
His practice has a broad civil and commercial base specialising in construction, planning, landlord and tenant, insolvency, insurance and professional negligence including all aspects of:-
- Building, construction and other engineering disputes of any type.
- Health and Safety at Work matters.
- Professional Negligence claims against Architects, Surveyors, Engineers and other designers or professionals.
- Sale of Goods and Supply of Goods and Services matters.
- Property Development, joint venture arrangements and option agreements.
- Companies Act disputes.
- Land and Property matters including neighbour disputes, boundaries, party wall issues and rights of light, easements and covenants.
- Insurance matters including subrogation claims.
- Landlord and Tenant including dilapidations actions.
- Insolvency matters including personal bankruptcy.
- Town and Country Planning matters including s106 negotiations Planning Appeals and Enquiries, Conservation area or listed building disputes and enforcement.
Paul is an experienced mediator and is accredited as being ‘Grade A’ with the ADR group. He is also an accredited family mediator.
Practice Groups
Civil, Crime (regulatory)
Membership of Professional Organisations
Western circuit
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Interests
Music, history, tennis and all competitive sports including walking and skiing.
Alexander Barnfield
Harmsworth Scholarship – Middle Temple
LLB (Hons) - London School of Economics
BVC (Very Competent) – BPP Law School
Call 2007 (Middle Temple)
Alexander has established a broad and varied common law practice with an emphasis on civil litigation. When not in court, he has a busy paperwork practice in all aspects of advising and drafting, and is happy to produce written work on an urgent basis if required.
Civil
He has extensive experience in all aspects of personal injury litigation, including complicated ‘stress at work’ claims. He acts for both claimants and defendants in all levels of work from small claims to multi-track trials. His practice is evenly balanced between claimant and defendant representation, and he undertakes CFA work.
He has extensive experience of CICA appeals.
He has experience in inquests for a wide range of concerned parties, including local authorities.
He is regularly instructed in property matters, including on housing and landlord/tenant disputes, as well as boundary disputes.
He enjoys regular instructions in the Employment Tribunal and has appeared in Nursing and Midwifery Council disciplinary proceedings.
He has experience of both claimant and defendant work in defamation law, and is developing a practice in this niche area.
Immigration & Human Rights
He has extensive experience in all aspects of immigration, asylum and human rights law.
He has extensive experience of Judicial Review proceedings in such matters.
Crime
He regularly appears for both local authorities and drivers in taxi licensing and other licensing/regulatory work. He is regularly instructed on a private basis (including by public access) to represent motorists including taxi drivers.
He regularly prosecutes for local authorities and the RSPCA.
He has experience of prison law hearings including adjudications and parole board hearings.
Practice Groups
Crime, Civil, Immigration & Human Rights
Membership of Professional Organisations
Midland Circuit
Registered for public access work
Arnela Imamovic
LLB (Hons) Call 2008
BVC College of Law Birmingham
Arnela is experienced in all aspects of immigration and asylum law and is instructed at all levels of the Asylum and immigration Tribunal.
Arnela takes particular interest in EEA immigration applications and has been instructed by the Home Office. She is experienced in drafting Judicial Review and Permission to Appeal grounds.
Prior to coming to the bar Arnela had worked as a County Court Advocate. Her experience extends to Possession Hearings (Landlord and Tenant) and Infant Settlement Approvals.
Practice Groups
Immigration & Human Rights, Civil
Membership of Professional Organisations
Immigration Law Association
Languages
Serbo Croat, Bosnian
Shabinah Ladha
BA (Hons) Law, Development Studies and Arabic, SOAS, University of London. LLB (Hons)
Call 2011
Shabinah is an experienced advocate and litigator known for her straight-talking no-nonsense approach as well as being approachable to both lay and professional clients. She is committed to delivering excellent service to every client by supplying prompt, pragmatic paperwork as well as providing fearless advocacy. She has experience of successfully navigating away from court action with the use of her negotiation skills. However, where cases result to trial, her clients are well prepared as she adopts a commercial and economic approach to costs
She takes an active interest in legal issues that pertain to ethnic minorities and the Law including religious marriage (abuse of nikah), religious divorce (Get, Talaq, Khul, Mubaraat), mahr, polygamy (non-recognition of polygamous wives), honour based violence and legal pluralism.
She is authorised by the Bar Council to take instructions on a Direct / Public Access basis.
Practice Groups
Immigration & Human Rights, Crime, Family, Civil
Immigration and Human Rights
Shabinah has experience in dealing with the following:
• Entry Clearance applications/appeals • Human Rights applications/appeals • Applications for indefinite leave to remain • Cases concerning EEA nationals and/or the family members of EEA nationals • Asylum Appeals • Deportation hearings • Bail hearings
Crime
Shabinah has experience of the youth court, questioning vulnerable witnesses through an intermediary, probation breaches and experience of criminal defence work including:
• Bail Applications • Case Management Hearings • Trials • Road Traffic Offences (Exceptional hardship and special reasons arguments) • Sentence Hearings • Plea and Mitigation
Family Law
She has experience of representing applicants and respondents at all stages, from FHDRA, interim contested hearings, finding of fact hearings and final hearings under the Children Act 1987 and applications under the Family Law Act 1996 including:
• Child Arrangement Order • Prohibited Steps Order • Specific Issue Orders • Non-Molestation Order • Occupation Order
Consumer Credit
Shabinah has acted for both Claimants and established High Street banks and finance providers at trial and interim hearings in unfair relationship claims (in particular s140A CCA 1974) and has achieved consistently positive results when acting for finance providers in having claims dismissed under the Limitation Act 1980 and arguing compromise and estoppel.
Personal Injury
Shabinah represents both Claimants and Defendants in small claims, fast-track trials and interim applications and provide written advice and representation across a wide variety of personal injury matters including:
• Road traffic accidents including credit hire claims • Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) • Stage 3 Hearings • Occupiers Liability • Public Liability Claims
General Civil
Shabinah is a well-rounded advocate with experience in dealing with other general civil matters including:
• Contractual Disputes • Lease Interpretations • Commercial Forfeiture • Landlord and Tenant including possession hearings • Licensing • Debt Recovery • Return of Goods • Insolvency • Winding up Petitions • Bankruptcy • Statutory Demands
Membership of Professional Organisations
The Honorable Society of Middle Temple
Personal Injury Bar Association
Family Law Bar Association
Immigration Law Practitioners' Association
Appointments
School Governor (behavior management and careers lead)
Exclusion Panels & Complaint Panels-The Mead Educational Trust Schools
Languages
Gujarati, Kutchi, Arabic
Interests
Outdoor swimming, trail running, foreign film, craft beerArticles
Ramadan and Adjustments to the Court Process (April 2022)
Hair Discrimination Should Not Be Brushed Aside (March 2022)
Dear Sirs, Happy International Women’s Day (March 2022)
Love, ‘Honour’, Layla and Majnun (February 2022)
Niqab, Burka and Giving Evidence in Court (February 2022)
Withholding Religious Divorce Recognised As Abuse -The Domestic Abuse Act 2021
Britain’s ‘Other’ Citizens From East Africa (2007)
The Consequences of the 1968 Commonwealth Immigration Act on British Protected Persons and British Overseas Passport Holders (2006)
Michael Brooks
Middle Temple Call 2007
Michael specialises in Immigration, Asylum and Civil Law including Credit Hire and Firearms appeals.
Michael is a mature entrant to the Bar having previously had a successful career in industry. As a result he brings with him a wealth of experience in dealing pragmatically with issues and a natural empathy with clients.
Completing pupillage in Manchester he moved nearer to his home in Worcester, joining Rowchester Chambers in Birmingham. There he developed his Immigration practice where he accepts a broad range of instructions from bail applications to Judicial Review.
His move to No. 8 Chambers marks a desire to undertake more Immigration work both in the First Tier and in the higher courts. In his Civil practice he has appeared in the County Court in the Fast and Small Claims tracks. His commercial background means that contractual disputes are another area where his background assists his clients.
He undertakes Firearms appeals on behalf of the police where his personal knowledge of the subject assists in negotiations with aggrieved appellants. He is keen to expand this part of his practice to represent appellants.
Practice Groups
Immigration & Human Rights, Civil