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International Crime And Extradition

1
Doughty Street Chambers
Matrix Chambers
Three Raymond Buildings
2
5 St Andrews Hill
6KBW College Hill
3
9BR Chambers
Furnival Chambers
Temple Garden Chambers

Leading Silks

1
Alex Bailin KC – Matrix Chambers
Edward Fitzgerald KC –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Truly sublime. A real treat to watch in court. A fountain of knowledge.’
James Hines KC – Three Raymond Buildings ‘James is a gentleman in the courtroom, knows his stuff and can adapt quickly to judicial intervention because of that.’
David Josse KC – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘David is one of the best leading counsel in extradition law. He is a fantastic advocate and on a superior level to most leading counsel. He is also an excellent strategist and prepares the case very thoroughly.’
Hugo Keith KC – Three Raymond Buildings 'Hugo is a commanding presence in court, he ensures he is thoroughly prepared both in terms of the facts and the law and works extraordinarily hard.'
Helen Malcolm KC – Three Raymond Buildings 'Helen is extremely bright and has a great command of extradition law. She is particularly good at dealing with complex factual cases.'
Clare Montgomery KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Clare has a great many strengths, not least her brilliant legal mind which makes her a leading expert in extradition. Clare's ability to absorb vast amounts of information in a short space of time, whilst keeping all the details at her fingertips is unparalleled.’
David Perry KC – 6KBW College Hill
Mark Summers KC – Matrix Chambers ‘Mark's real strength is his encyclopaedic knowledge of extradition law and his ability to marshal that into clear and robust submissions. He is incredibly hardworking and knows his cases inside out.’
2
Ben Cooper KC – Doughty Street Chambers 'Ben is an extremely determined and dogged advocate. He is relentless and will tirelessly fight for his clients. He isn't afraid to take novel points and is a persuasive on his feet.'
Rodney Dixon KC – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Rodney is an extremely persuasive and personable advocate with a solid command of international law and human rights.’
Clair Dobbin KC – Three Raymond Buildings 
James Lewis KC – Three Raymond Buildings 'James is an extremely experienced and resourceful extradition lawyer. He is fair as a prosecutor, he is creative and fearless as a defence advocate. He has a great gift for clarity and for simplifying complex matters so as to present them attractively to the court.'
3
Rachel Barnes KC – Three Raymond Buildings ‘Intellectually, Rachel is extremely strong. She is very clear and persuasive on paper. She is calm and deliberate in oral advocacy.’
Tim Moloney KC – Doughty Street Chambers ‘A skilled communicator, Tim brings out the best and the worst in witnesses - depending on the requirements of the case.’
Ben Watson KC – Three Raymond Buildings 'Hugely gifted, doesn't take bad points, punchy in court.'

2023 Silks

Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC – Matrix Chambers 

2024 Silks

Joel Smith KC – Furnival Chambers ‘Joel is a new silk who combines an excellent extradition pedigree with a wealth of criminal prosecution advocacy expertise.’  

Leading Juniors

1
Amanda Bostock – Three Raymond Buildings ‘ She is steeped in extradition law and is a very effective – and robust – prosecutor with considerable experience of European countries and the prison law landscape.’
Catherine Brown – 6KBW College Hill ‘She is a brilliant advocate with an eye for detail, she has always managed to achieve fantastic results for clients. She is someone you would want fighting your corner and someone you would not want to be up against.’
Peter Caldwell – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Peter has a very good client manner and works hard to keep abreast of the law.’
Louisa Collins – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Louisa is a remarkable advocate who has impeccable execution in her legal arguments. In both her written advocacy and court advocacy, she is clear, concise and thorough. She treats all cases with an astounding level of care, no matter how simple or complex the argument may be.’
Rosemary Davidson – 6KBW College Hill 'Rosie is a very calm and measured advocate who immediately gains the confidence of the court.'
Natasha Draycott – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Natasha is excellent to work with - very collaborative, responsive and great with clients. She gives clear and effective advice and is able to make the most complex points understandable to clients.’
Malcolm Hawkes – Doughty Street Chambers ‘One of, if not the best junior barristers practising in the field of extradition. A fearless but not aggressive advocate, forensic in presentation and preparation. Thorough, human and approachable, motivated and committed to all his cases.’
Rebecca Hill – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Rebecca is a wonderful advocate and deals with cases with a great level of skill. She thinks quickly and creatively in the fast-moving space. She has a wonderful ability to distil and engage with complex legal and factual issues.’
Hannah Hinton – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Hannah is a tenacious advocate, who really fights her case. She deals with judicial intervention very effectively. She goes the extra mile when preparing her cases, leaving no stone unturned.’
Florence Iveson – Matrix Chambers ‘She is extremely well-organised, wise and good in her tactical decisions. She has a wide command of extradition law and writes very well.’
Ben Keith – 5 St Andrews Hill 'Encyclopedic knowledge on extradition law and meticulous attention to detail.'
Amelia Nice – Doughty Street Chambers 'Amelia is an extremely talented and experienced advocate. Her ability to prepare and deliver complex advice to clients in a way that is clear and digestible is impressive. Aside from being very knowledge and professional, she is compassionate to clients individual circumstances and always a pleasure to work with.'
Rachel Scott – Three Raymond Buildings ‘She has advised clients in a number of exceptionally complex and novel matters.’
James Stansfeld – Matrix Chambers 'James is excellent advocate who consistently gets very good results. He is steadfast in his commitment to his clients and armed with encyclopaedic knowledge of the law. He is a first-rate barrister, a safe pair of hands, tactically astute, fearless in his approach and his written and oral advocacy is first class.'
Mary Westcott – Doughty Street Chambers 'Mary is incredibly thorough and hard working. She cares an awful lot about the work she does and that’s reflected in her excellent client care.'
2
David Ball – 36 Group ‘He has an expert understanding of the nitty gritty of extradition law, and his advice work is on point, and clearly very carefully considered. Legally and tactically he is top notch, and he is one of the leading extradition juniors.’
Hannah Burton – Furnival Chambers ‘Hannah is meticulous in her preparation and has a keen eye for detail. She is very well versed and experienced in extradition law. In particular, her approach and demeanour when it comes to advocacy is impressive and highly persuasive.’
Alexander dos Santos – Serjeants’ Inn Chambers ‘Thorough knowledge of the law and a careful, forensic approach to written and oral submissions. A forthright advocate who is nonetheless reasonable and pleasant to work with.’
Richard Evans – 6KBW College Hill ‘Richard is a first-class brain.’
Julia Farrant – Furnival Chambers 'Julia is exceptionally bright and will know the case inside and out. She is great with clients and gets strong praise from judges as to her advocacy and the level of case preparation.'  
Myles Grandison – Temple Garden Chambers 'Myles is a thoughtful, cerebral and impressive lawyer.'
Graeme Hall – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Graeme is a star of the extradition Bar. He possesses a formidable knowledge of extradition case law and, increasingly, is being instructed in cases that enable him to deploy that knowledge to effect.’
Nicholas Hearn  – Three Raymond Buildings  ‘Nicholas gets to grips with the details and is able to present his case in a way that is impactful but not overstated.’
Rachel Kapila – Cloth Fair Chambers ‘Rachel is rightly regarded as a star, possibly the star, individual junior of the extradition Bar. She is at the top of the list for anyone seriously seeking a barrister with intellect, diligence and ability to carry the most difficult cases. Absolutely first class.’   
Ben Lloyd – 6KBW College Hill ‘Ben is the full package: fastidious, measured and a true gentleman. He will fight his corner but he will never overplay his hand. He has incredibly sound judgement.’
Adam Payter – 6KBW College Hill ‘He has excellent knowledge of extradition law and procedure and gives clear, pragmatic and strategic advice. he is a pleasure to work with. He is respected by colleagues and judiciary alike.’
Benjamin Seifert – 1 Crown Office Row  ‘Ben has demonstrated excellent legal acumen in complex and issue-driven cases. He has a detailed cross-jurisdictional knowledge, is a strong and clear advocate and is very approachable for professional and lay clients.’
Jonathan Swain – 9BR Chambers ‘Jonathan is a high calibre barrister. He is devastatingly efficient both in terms of his oral and written advocacy. He can transform cases and will always spot good points.’
Alex Tinsley – Doughty Street Chambers ‘Cerebral legal mind combined with ability to communicate effectively and with clarity in layman's terms. Confident advocate based on a bedrock of comprehensive preparation of legal arguments. Innovative when needed.’
Saoirse Townshend – Temple Garden Chambers ‘A wonderful legal brain that makes the complicated seem simple. Wonderful to work with too.’    
3
Danielle Barden – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Danielle delivers amazing advocacy in court as well as in writing, with her submissions. She obtains fantastic results for her clients. She will fight the client’s case very thoroughly and never gives up.’
Toby Cadman – Guernica 37 Chambers ‘Toby’s advocacy is succinct. He does not waste time when on his feet. He is a skilled operator at client care and ensuring that the client feels very well cared for. He is good at putting a team together around him which he leads then with authority.’
John Crawford – 5 St Andrews Hill 'John is a skilful advocate who is always thoroughly prepared.'
Ania Grudzinska – Guernica 37 Chambers 'Ania is a measured and experienced advocate, with good judgment about which points are worth running on behalf of her clients. She ensures the job is done properly and clearly has an excellent relationship with instructing solicitors.'
Rebecca Hadgett – Three Raymond Buildings 'One of the stand-out juniors in extradition. A true triple threat: client care skills are amazing; written and preparation work outstanding; absolutely fantastic advocate in court.'
Laura Herbert – Crucible Chambers 'Laura is an excellent lawyer whose analysis is spot on. She is particularly adept at getting to the heart of the matter. Her submissions are clear and to the point. She is consistently fair and has the trust of judges.'  
Reka Hollos – Three Raymond Buildings 'She is very clever, hardworking and reliable.'
Thomas Hoskins – Foundry Chambers
Kathryn Howarth – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Very thorough and well organised, with great attention to detail. Very knowledgeable and good with technical legal arguments. Approachable and personable, very good with vulnerable clients. Persuasive in her advocacy and in drafting, with the ability to present complex arguments in a straightforward manner.’
Stefan Hyman – 9BR Chambers ‘Stefan has an encylopaedic knowledge of case law. In addition, his knowledge and experience in European jurisprudence and law set him apart from many contemporaries. He has a relaxed but persuasive demeanour in court and is hugely personable.’
Ben Joyes – 9BR Chambers ‘Ben is very easy to work with and is very intelligent. He has a deep knowledge of extradition law and fights extremely hard for his clients. His advocacy is brilliant and he is well respected at Westminster Magistrates Court. He will not take bad points and his written work is first class. He is becoming one of the standout practitioners at the extradition Bar.’
Gemma Lindfield – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Gemma is a strong an fearless advocate who engages with clients with compassion and has a good eye for detail. She also engaged well with instructing solicitors.’
Émilie Pottle – Temple Garden Chambers ‘Émilie knows which arguments are worth running and focuses on them which means judges trust her.’
Paul Rogers – Outer Temple Chambers
Jelia Sané – Doughty Street Chambers  
Victoria Shehadeh  – 2 Bedford Row ‘Victoria is an excellent barrister who is always exceptionally prepared. Her written advocacy is excellent and she is able to grapple with the most complex points of law. Victoria is also a fair prosecutor and is well liked amongst her peers. Her advocacy skills are outstanding and she puts in a great deal of effort into every case she is instructed in.’
Mark Smith – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Mark is an excellent advocate. He is well prepared and he makes measured, persuasive submissions. He has a calm but assured manner in court. He is very good on technical points of law and really does the research to substantiate his arguments.’
Juliet Wells – Temple Garden Chambers ‘An excellent extradition barrister. She has an excellent command of the law in this area and impresses judges and clients alike. Her clinical and incisive advocacy is exactly what is required in this complex area.’
David Williams – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘David is an extremely persuasive advocate. Excellent with clients and very strong in his written arguments. He has amassed a significant amount of knowledge in a wide array of extradition cases. Very thorough in his preparation and very tenacious in his approach to all cases.’

Rising Stars

Georgia Beatty – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Georgia consistently demonstrates excellence in her legal practice, particularly in the areas of drafting and handling complex matters. Her meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive understanding of the law enable her to navigate intricate legal issues with ease.’
Tom Davies – Red Lion Chambers 'He is extremely helpful and always prompt. He is very efficient. He always knows his papers very well and does not take hopeless points. He makes sensible concessions when it is appropriate to do so.'
Robbie Stern – Matrix Chambers 'Robbie is a fantastic barrister, able to grasp complex cases quickly and deal with difficult issues pragmatically and in a way far beyond his year of call. His oral and written advocacy are equally impressive. He will undoubtedly go far at whatever he turns his hand to.'
Douglas Wotherspoon – 9BR Chambers 'Has a gravitas and maturity beyond his years' call. A barrister that really enjoys the intellectual rigour of extradition. In court he has a calm, authoritative and informed style that judges and clients appreciate.'

Extradition in London Bar

Doughty Street Chambers


A pre-eminent set with experience in appearing before the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights in extradition cases, Doughty Street Chambers is reputed for acting in some of the most high-profile cases on a national and international level, and particularly recommended handling extradition requests involving human rights issues, allegations of war crimes, cybercrime, and multinational frauds. With a track record of defeating requests from the US, Edward Fitzgerald KC continued to represent Julian Assange against extradition to the US, up to a resolution which saw Assange plead guilty to espionage but avoid a custodial sentence in the US. Fitzgerald KC also appeared in Popoviciu v Romania, leading Graeme Hall in the High Court and the Supreme Court, arguing a breach of the right to a fair trial in a challenge to extradition to Romania. Peter Caldwell is representing German authorities in a request for extradition in relation to a multi-million-euro Ponzi scheme, with the extradition being challenged on grounds of mental and physical conditions, as well as the risk of increased risk of antisemitism in Germany's prison estate following the conflict in Gaza. Malcolm Hawkes is acting as opposing counsel, led by Fitzgerald KC, in the same proceedings.

Les références

‘The clerks are friendly, approachable and helpful.’

‘The clerks always provide an excellent service and are very easy to work with.’ 

‘Great quality of counsel, top set for extradition, definitely go to set for complex and sensitive cases.’ 

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Matrix Chambers


Frequently sought out by a variety of high-profile clients for advice on extradition risks, Matrix Chambers is particularly well-known for expertise in handling matters related to allegations of financial crime and corruption. Alex Bailin KC is a notable name for extradition requests in the context of business crime allegations and human rights issues, his recent workload includes the representation of the former CEO of Autonomy in USA v Michael Lynch (Autonomy), proceedings related to the $11bn takeover of Autonomy; Lynch was extradited, but acquitted at trial in the US. Mark Summers KC appeared as opposing counsel in those proceedings, and also led Florence Iveson for Julian Assange in proceedings relating to his extradition, prior to a plea deal which saw him avoid a custodial sentence in the US.

Les références

‘The clerks, in particular Paul Venables, are great. Paul is responsive and goes out of his way to help.’ 

‘The clerks are very efficient.’ 

‘Matrix are the leading experts in the field of extradition. Their client care and expert knowledge in extradition is second to none, all the way from the clerks’ room to their barristers.’

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Three Raymond Buildings


Three Raymond Buildings has a track record of appearing in high-profile extradition proceedings. Frequently sought out by both the CPS and requested persons, the set is equipped to represent clients from the initial hearing to the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. Helen Malcolm KC appeared in two cases on trials in absentia in EU countries before the Supreme Court, raising questions related to fair trial rights and the application of EU retained law in European Arrest Warrant cases. Rachel Scott is representing a former Goldman Sachs investment banker facing extradition to the United States on allegations of bribery and corruption involving Ghanaian public officials.

Les références

‘The clerks are great to work with: fair, responsive, honest.’

‘They remain the leading set for extradition.’ 

‘3 Raymond Buildings is an excellent chambers with a wide variety of good extradition barristers.’ 

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5 St Andrews Hill


Recommended for both defending and prosecuting, 5 St Andrews Hill’s barristers’ experience ranges from appearances at Westminster Magistrates Court, in appeals to the Divisional and Administrative Court, and the European Court of Human Rights, with the set multifaceted workload covering an array of international jurisdictions, including advice on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. David Josse KC is acting in the first extradition request from Ukraine for more than five years, a case that raises questions regarding extradition during time of armed conflict. Ben Keith is prosecuting the first extradition request from Japan, related to an allegation of armed robbery worth $700,000, in the absence of an extradition treaty. Rebecca Hill represented the Government of Belgium in a contested consent request from Belgium seeking onward extradition to Denmark in relation to a $50m alleged cum-ex fraud, and is acting for a requested person in Turkey v Uchkach, where the client’s return is sought to face trial for alleged involvement in an international drugs conspiracy.

Les références

‘The clerks room is excellent.  In particular Dean Cook is one of the best clerks around.’

‘With Dean Cook they have the best clerk in the business. It is difficult to overstate his importance and influence. Extremely pleasant to work with. Exceptional.’

‘Dave Scothern is wonderful.’

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6KBW College Hill


At 6KBW, David Perry KC represented the defendant in USA v Ilja Palionnijs, a request regarding charges of money laundering and drug offences arising from a US investigation into an alleged drug trafficking organisation which sells drugs over the dark web, with Ben Lloyd acting as opposing counsel. Catherine Brown is acting for the Italian judicial authority in an extradition request for murder, while also representing the US as leading junior in a request seeking for the extradition of an individual for widespread distribution of fentanyl over the dark web. Richard Evans appears for the CPS in Rae v USA, an extradition request in relation to sexual offences involving children, in which the requested person argued that the prison conditions in the USA violated Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Les références

‘6KBW have an excellent clerking team, in particular Richard Summerscales who always goes above and beyond for his instructing solicitors.’ 

‘The clerks are excellent and very user friendly.’ 

‘The clerks are excellent.’ 

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9BR


9BR Chambers' 'dynamic' extradition team is well-versed in appearing on behalf of requested persons and international governments, and has expertise in handling prosecution and defence work. Jonathan Swain is a highly regarded extradition law specialist, and Ben Joyes garners praise as 'one of the most fearless, talented and strong advocates within the extradition Bar'. Stefan Hyman is experienced in assisting with cases involving human rights issues. The 'meticulous' Douglas Wotherspoon is 'an impressive advocate'.

Les références

‘Jordan Haisman is a good clerk.’

‘Jordan is a major asset to chambers.’

‘Great strength in depth.’





Furnival Chambers


Furnival Chambers' recent work highlights include extradition requests in relation to alleged membership of a terrorist organisation, conspiracy to murder, and robbery, as well as Joel Smith KC‘s instruction for the CPS in the high-profile case USA v Julian Assange. Additionally, Smith KC acted for the US government in proceedings that concerned the extradition of a woman accused of the murder of two of her children, and attempted murder of a third child. Nicholas Hearn represents an individual sought for extradition for a re-trial after acquittal in relation to alleged war crimes in Croatia v Milenko Maric, and was also instructed for the Government of the USA in an extradition request for an individual accused of impersonating well-known entertainment industry executives and promising victims non-existent work in the Indonesian film industry.

Les références

‘The clerks provide a good service.’

‘The clerks are always helpful and responsive.’

‘Established set with a number of practitioners in extradition matters who are a very safe pair of hands.’

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Temple Garden Chambers


Temple Garden Chambers offers noted capabilities in human rights-related topics, and is equipped to comfortably handle both prosecution and defence work involving a variety of legal systems and jurisdictions. Rodney Dixon KC acts for the defendant in Ahmed Jaafar Ali v Serbia before the European Court of Human Rights concerning an unlawful extradition of a Bahraini national from Serbia after the court ordered the extradition be stayed pending the outcome of the case. Saoirse Townshend is instructed in an extradition request related to a six-year prison sentence for the rape of a 15-year-old British tourist in Turkey.

Les références

‘The clerks are very helpful.’

‘The clerks are wonderful to work with.’

‘There are a series of counsel at TG who are of the very highest standard.’ 

Principaux dossiers