Edmund Lawson QC

Members of Chambers: Edmund Lawson QC

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What the Directories say

He, John Kelsey-Fry QC and Nicholas Purnell QC are three of the only four” London based Silks who receive Star ratings in both the Crime and Criminal Fraud categories in Chambers & Partners2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007

Chambers & Partners 2009:

Aministrative and Public Law:

Ed Lawson QC is a "superb advocate" who was instructed to advise on the Diana inquest and on the De Menezes Inquiry for the Metropolitan Police solicitors in 2007. He has been based in Hong Kong of late, representing a solicitor in a six-month fraud trial. Clients applaud him for his "ability to assimilate and comprehend facts at an amazing rate."

Crime: Star-rated

Edmund Lawson QC is "not only amusing, funny and disarming, but is also brighter and cleverer than almost anyone around him." Clients appreciate that he does not allow any of this to go to his head: "Considering that he is so successful and admired, he is very down-to-earth and approachable." As well as working on two important extradition cases in the past year, he was instructed to advise in the Diana inquiry and the de Menezes inquiry.

Fraud: Star-rated

Edmund Lawson QC is "tactically fantastic and can appreciate clients' commercial considerations." A lawyer who "can turn water into wine," he successfully achieved a dismissal in R v Goldstone, a significant MTIC fraud.

Previous Years:

‘An advocate who justifies his star-billing every time …' and is refered to as 'quite simply the greatest.' He is 'renowned for being able to inject humour or venom into proceedings depending on what the situation demands’; and under Criminal Fraud: ‘universally commended for being one of the jury greats: jury-friendly, deeply academic, good with clients and a master cross-examiner.'

Times Legal Supplement: “When it comes to defending big-time fraudsters, errant millionaires and the odd politician-turned-perjurer, it’s the senior silks in their late fifties and early sixties who come out top of the charts. The legal equivalent of Jagger, Richards and McCartney are Langdale, Lawson and Purnell”

Areas of Practice

Primarily a criminal practitioner, specialising in fraud, although he maintains some broad common law practice, with substantial past experience in professional negligence (in particular auditors/accountants).

Much of his work is advisory. Advises companies and individuals on matters with potential criminal implications, in particular money-laundering and mutual assistance applications (in respect of which he also advises the Governmeent) – and civil implications of criminal matters; provides opinions etc. as to criminal law implications of commercial arbitrations; and advises police and prosecuting agencies on legal/policy issues.

Professional Appointments, Attainments and Memberships
1998A Bencher of Gray’s Inn
1988Queen's Counsel
1989-1996Head of Chambers at 9-12 Bell Yard. A former Chairman of Gray's Inn's Continuing Education Committee, involved in providing advocacy/ethics training to the young Bar; and introduced some 12 years ago the idea of involving solicitors in providing such training - now a regular feature of Gray's Inn's training. Also sits as Chairman of Bar disciplinary tribunals.
1971Called to the Bar (Gray's Inn)
Notable Cases

  • s432 Companies Act Inspector in re Sound Diffusion plc; acting for UBS Philips & Drew in the Blue Arrow prosecution; defending police officers in several high profile cases, incl. Guildford 4 & Birmingham 6; defending Ian Maxwell in Mirror Pensions criminal litigation; representing Coopers & Lybrand in the Wallace Smith litigation; leading counsel to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry;
  • More recently: acting on the instructions of Treasury Solicitors for numerous soldiers in the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Londonderry (1999-2001; & 2003-4);
  • defending in the Selby rail disaster (2001);
  • successfully defending the erstwhile C.E.O of Wickes plc in the SFO’s prosecution for alleged accounting fraud (2001-2);
  • conducting with Sir Michael Peat the private investigation for HRH The Prince of Wales into aspects of conduct at St. James’s Palace (Report published March 2003);
  • successfully defending in QBD action Popat v. Barnes (professional negligence alleged against barrister) – March 2004;
  • successfully defending in gross negligence manslaughter HSE/CPS prosecution (June 2004);
  • overcoming SFO objections to defendant’s claim of unfitness to plead in Phoenix prosecution (October 2004);
  • procuring dismissal of SFO charges against erstwhile CEO of SSL plc (December 2004) (and, December 2005, procuring dismissal with costs of SFO’s attempt to resurrect via Vol. Bill);
  • successfully defending Railtrack manager in Hatfield manslaughter/H&S prosecution (Jan-Sep 2005); obtained High Court reversal of unlawful killing verdict in re police shooting of Stanley (table-leg) & successful representations to CPS against prosecution of officers (2005);
  • successfully represented police officers in Bennett (cigarette lighter) shooting JR (2006); undertook/undertaking various extradition cases (Boudhiba, terrorism, for Spanish Government), Norris, alleged cartel fraud (for USA) and McKinnon, computer hacking (for defendant against USA) (2006);
  • retained to defend in High Court proceedings in 2006 against barrister in professional negligence;
  • retained for potential corporate defendant in SFO pharmaceutical investigation;
  • retained to prosecute a substantial terrorism case (Op. Rhyme);
  • retained by MPS in re the Stockwell shooting and the Princess Diana inquest;
Education
MA Cambridge University.
More information
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