Laura joined Lincoln House as a tenant in September 2007 after the successful completion of her pupillage under the supervision of Suzanne Goddard Q.C (crime) and Abigail Holt (civil). Following in the footsteps of some of Lincoln House’s most respected advocates, Laura maintains a diverse practice, specialising in criminal law, industrial disease claims and general personal injury. Her firm grounding in criminal law, acting for both defendants and prosecuting authorities in the Crown Court, has equipped her well with the skills to conduct contested civil claims.

Laura has a varied criminal practice and currently is instructed to represent defendants charged with such serious offences as: grave child cruelty (a three month old baby with several fractures to his limbs), sexual assault on a child, possession of heroin with intent to supply, and s.18 (GBH with intent) assault with a weapon.

She has been instructed for the Crown in a number of serious cases including Operation Tanglewood: the prosecution of four defendants charged with importation of cocaine valued at over £1m. She has been instructed as Junior for the Crown in the consolidated trial of Operations Blythe and Minister: respectively an alleged conspiracy to supply class A drugs with a potential yield of £5,000,000 and a police misconduct case in which a police officer sold sensitive police intelligence to a defendant charged in the drugs conspiracy.

Alongside her criminal practice, Laura has a particular expertise in industrial disease work, having been selected by Ivan Bowley to join the Lincoln House Chambers industrial disease team. She has extensive experience in the British Coal Litigation, however, she has a keen interest in all cases of industrial disease.

Additionally, Laura has a busy general personal injury practice, acting for both claimants and defendants across the broad spectrum of negligence claims. Laura has a strong track record appearing before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. Laura’s personal experience in dealing with individuals suffering from mental illness and disability means that she is well placed to deal with clients who may appear to be ‘difficult’. She has specific experience appearing before the Mental Health Review Tribunal

Criminal Law

Since joining Chambers Laura has had experience in all areas of criminal law, regularly advising and acting for both prosecuting authorities and defendants in cases of dishonesty, violence (including s.18), witness intimidation, drugs offences, public order offences, and road traffic offences – from initial advice to Crown Court trial and sentence. She also accepts instructions in relation to confiscation proceedings following conviction and has experience of conducting enforcement proceedings. She has successfully appealed sentences at the Court of Appeal.

Laura holds a place on the Attorney General’s C list and has a particular interest in duty and drugs offences having been retained as contract counsel for Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office in 2007. During her time at RCPO, Laura gained insight and experience which she has found advantageous both when prosecuting and defending.

Laura is currently instructed by the Complex Case Unit as Junior for the Crown in R v Knox and others, a seven handed drugs conspiracy and police corruption case. The trial has been ongoing since September 2009, with Laura taking a very active role in lengthy PII hearings, disclosure issues, together with detailed and varied legal arguments. She remains able to accept instructions in other cases.

Laura is also a Category 3 Prosecutor.

Professional Discipline

Laura has extensive experience in professional disciplinary hearings, having represented both doctors and nurses before their respective regulatory bodies: the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service and the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

As well as conducting interlocutory hearings such as Interim Orders hearings, Laura has an impressive track record appearing in substantive FTP hearings.

Laura has recently spent six months seconded to the policy team at the GMC and the Medical Practitioners Tribunals Service. Laura has gained grass roots level experience of the regulatory process, liaising on a one to one level with everyone from Investigation Officers to Assistant Registrars to Principle Legal Advisors.

Industrial Disease

Like others in Chambers, Laura has a particular interest in Industrial Disease. Laura has been mentored by Ivan Bowley in the conduct of claims in Griffiths & others v British Coal Corporation – ‘the British Coal Respiratory Disease Litigation’. She gives advice to Claimants and Patients in British Coal Respiratory cases under the Claims Handling Agreement.

She also provides Claimant’s Representatives with pragmatic advice on case conduct. She has been recommended by the Co-ordinating Group (CG) to solicitors looking for either written advices or representation at the High Court hearings. She appears regularly before the High Court and can be seen at most of the coal “sessions” which are held across the country, usually on a termly basis.

Personal Injury

Laura has a varied personal injury practice and is interested in all aspects of personal injury litigation. She accepts instructions from Claimants and Defendants in both small claims and fast track cases. She has experience in advising on liability and quantum, drafting statements of case, conducting pretrial hearings and applications, trials (including multi-track) and disposal hearings.

Tribunal Work

Laura is experienced in presenting cases before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal Tribunal. With the advantages won through Crown Court experience, she secured an award for her client in a difficult case in which the client appeared prima facie to have been involved in criminal conduct and in which previous counsel had given negative advice as to prospects. She also accepts instructions in quantum only cases: in a recent case she obtained an award of over £30,000 for her client (the case having been assessed previously as meriting an award of about £5,000).

Notable Cases

R v D (under Operation Nimrod) – Instructed to represent a client with severe mental health problems: in this case he had previously ‘sacked’ three other counsel. Following a two day abuse of process (entrapment) hearing, including a days cross examination of an undercover officer and a very senior officer responsible for the policy governing Nimrod, the crown offered no evidence in respect of all thirteen counts of possession with intent to supply heroin;

R v F – Instructed to represent a defendant who, together with her husband, was charged with harassment of her neighbour – a solicitor. Following a seven day trial which generated national media interest the Defendant represented by Laura was acquitted;

R v X (Court of Appeal) – Successfully conducted an appeal against sentence where the Appellant had assisted the prosecution in a murder investigation (please contact chambers for the neutral citation of this case);

R v S – Instructed to represent a defendant charged with s.47 assault. Following Laura’s detailed cross examination of the complainant, the Crown offered no evidence.

Direct Access

The majority of barristers can only be instructed by solicitors or authorised institutions, which in some cases leads to a duplication in costs. Laura is accredited for direct access by the public without the need to be instructed by a solicitor. This means that any member of the public can approach her directly for advice or representation. Laura undertakes the following work upon instruction directly from the public, which includes professionals: Criminal Law including Road Traffic,  Judicial Review, County Court claims, Directors Disqualifications , Tax Tribunal and Criminal Injuries Appeal Panel.

Personal

Laura was born in Scotland but has put down her roots in the North West. She enjoys eating out and cooking for (brave) friends. She is a big fan of the live stand-up comedy and music scene in Manchester.