Crime

Esteemed former First Senior Treasury Counsel Mark Heywood KC maintains a standout criminal practice and is expert in terrorism, homicide and organised crime cases, to name but a few. He is no stranger to the most serious, highly publicised cases of the day and is a man of great experience.

"He knows everything on the law and is very straightforward in his style. His client care is impeccable and he is clear and concise in his advice."

"Mark is the Rolls-Royce of advocates and every word he utters carries great weight."

"He is top drawer and one of the most respected and sought after silks in the country,"

"He is a brilliant tactician and a fantastic leader. He is very easy to work with and fantastic in court, and that's a view that resonates around the bar."

"Mark takes everything in his stride. Whatever's thrown at him, he will deal with it impeccably. He's got a real knack for being able to spot how things will unfold and time it all to perfection."

Louise Oakley regularly prosecutes serious criminal cases at the Old Bailey as Senior Treasury Counsel. She has a wealth of experience handling the full spectrum of criminal offences including murder and sex crimes.

"Louise is all about the preparation. She thoroughly prepares and is up on every detail. She is very impressive to watch and excellent on her feet."

"She is so all over the detail and a fearsome opponent. She will do the job, whatever it takes."

Sarah Forshaw KC is a dedicated silk who has acted in all manner of serious cases including those relating to murders and drug importation offences. She is especially renowned for her expertise in defending those charged with sexual offences, in particular historic sexual offences. Forshaw also regularly defends high net worth individuals.

"She is amazing on sex cases and is an outstanding barrister."

"Sarah is easy to work with, very hardworking and thorough. She is amazing with clients and one of the best in front of a jury."

Anthony Orchard KC specialises in prosecuting criminal cases and is a regular at the Old Bailey. He has particular expertise in cases involving organised crime and homicide.

"He is a highly polished and charming advocate."

"He is understated and gets the best results. He masters huge amounts of material and his capacity for work is immense. He prosecutes cases the way they should be prosecuted."

Jonathan Higgs KC is an established criminal silk who specialises in offences of homicide, serious and organised criminal activity and cases that involve serious fraud, money-laundering and tax evasion. He has extensive experience appearing before the appellate courts and is regularly instructed in high-profile criminal trials, including cases concerning multi-defendant homicide and gang murder.

"He is a very bright advocate who is tenacious in fighting for his clients."

"She is very good prosecution counsel."

"Her tactical decisions are impeccable, laying the foundations for effective legal argument. She perfectly balances empathy with a razor-sharp eye for delivering effectively."

"She is superbly composed and an excellent lawyer. She brings empathy but tempers it with toughness."

"He is a very good advocate and a very smooth operator."

"He is tactically very careful and a real pleasure to work with. He oozes confidence and juries, clients and judges really like him."

Natasha Wong KC specialises in defending clients in all kinds of high-profile criminal proceedings. She is regularly instructed in cases involving vulnerable defendants and crimes against children.

"Natasha is diligent, intelligent and persuasive. She grasps the essence and nuances of complex cases very quickly and sets clients at ease from the outset."

"He is a class act with superb advocacy. He is well prepared, never fazed and the complete article."

"He is a truly brilliant barrister. He has an exceptional ability to put clients at ease, is always on top of the papers and the jury love him."

"He is an effective and organised prosecutor."

"If you want a tactical barrister, then he is your man. He is very good at reading the room and working out what counsel and judges are thinking."

"He is very good at appellate work."

"He is a terrific junior and particularly skilled in oral advocacy. Judges love him and his presentation is superb."

"Rupert is bright, industrious and engaging."

"She is very calm and a very impressive advocate. She is resilient, very efficient and effective."

"She is superb on her feet and an extremely good advocate in dealing with difficult witnesses."

"She is a very gifted prosecution advocate. Her technical know-how is absolutely first-class."

"He has an admirable command of complex briefs and a compelling style of advocacy."

"Phoebe's work rate, focus and determination is second to none. Her ability to deal with others and to quickly and articulately deal with legal argument is admirable."

"Phoebe is excellent with clients and is able to quickly understand a brief. She is very determined and a resilient advocate."

"She is excellent, incredibly effective and very liked by clients."

"Catherine is very calm, collected and proactive. She is everything you would want in a barrister."

"He is completely formidable and brings detailed understanding. He has a vast appetite for hard work."