Public Law & Regulatory

Ecclesiastical Work

Nigel Seed’s ecclesiastical practice has involved the full range of church work mainly within the context of the Church of England but also work involving the Roman Catholic Church and aspects of its canon law.

He has been involved both as counsel and judge in all aspects of the faculty jurisdiction including major church re-ordering schemes, stained glass windows, bells, organs, pews, works of art as well as demolition and redundancy issues.

He has also advised and appeared in cases involving clergy discipline at a senior level (Dean of a cathedral) as well as representing clergy and bishops/diocesan administration in the secular courts.

He has appeared in the High Court, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal on matters of doctrine and church order (representing members of the General Synod against the Archbishops of Canterbury and York) as well as in Church rating matters and church disciplinary procedures.

He also advised and represented a Roman Catholic priest facing serious fraud allegations and breaches of the Codex in criminal proceedings in Singapore but was refused rights of audience by the Singapore authorities to appear at trial.

He has also represented the archdiocese of Westminster and in the Archbishop in proceedings brought by the headmistress of a church school in the Divisional court.

Recent cases in this area include:

Coekin v Bishop of Southwark – appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury over the revocation of a priest’s licence.

Harrison v Methuen Consistory Court of Ripon and Leeds, disciplinary proceedings against a dean.

R v Bishop of Stafford ex p Owen, Judicial Review of termination of a team rector’s licence

Proceeds of Crime Act

Nigel Seed has experience of confiscation proceedings in drugs, serious fraud and corruption cases both as prosecution and defence counsel and as a recorder hearing such proceedings

R v N & Others Prosecution of the largest postal fraud within the UK. Involving multiple parties that had taken funds for the distribution of mail, millions of items of which were not delivered but consigned to rubbish skips. Confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime were obtained following convictions.

R v S & Others Prosecution of senior employees of a large health authority in South West of England regarding financial irregularities involving hundreds of thousands of pounds

Regulatory

Nigel Seed has considerable experience in regulatory work involving healthcare professionals: doctors, surgeons, dentists, nurses and midwives in addition to the regulation of clergy and those working in church schools and other church associated bodies. As listed above he is an approved Legal Assessor to the General Medical Council, General Dental Council and to the Nursing and Midwifery council .

Planning and Admininstrative law

As well as listed building work in his ecclesiastical practice Nigel Seed has experience of planning enquiries and general planning as well as particular expertise in Highway planning and enquiries. He also as experience of all aspects of judicial review and work in the Administrative Court.