Meet the team

We believe that we are able to offer first class advice and assistance in all of the principle public law fields. To that end we have formed specialist practice units within our Group, which operate as niche law practices within Chambers.

Each Unit is headed up by a barrister who has a particular specialism or interest in that particular field of law, and each Unit is able to boast a small group of individuals who can offer not only true expertise in that particular field, but also a breadth of experience and seniority.

For information on the Unit and its members visit the Links below.

Unit heads

The Education law unit is headed by Lachlan Wilson.

Lachlan taught for some years before qualifying as a lawyer and now conducts cases involving education law issues at all levels from the Special Educational Needs Tribunal to the Court of Appeal. This Unit advises on issues arising under the Education Acts such as school and university admissions and exclusion appeals, admissions policies, school attendance and registration of pupils. Together with offering advice and expertise in connection with negligence, contract and employment matters arising within educational establishments.

Members of the Administrative law and planning unit deal with all manner of planning and environmental issues, including rights of way and listed buildings.

Mark Sutherland Williams heads up the Proceeds of crime unit.

Mark is a proceeds of crime specialist and is the co-author of one of the leading practitioner texts on asset forfeiture law, “The Proceeds of Crime: Law and Practice of Restraint, Confiscation and Forfeiture”, published by Oxford University Press. Mark has appeared in the High Court and Court of Appeal in a number of the country’s largest criminal restraint and receivership cases. He is regularly briefed to draft restraint, repatriation, disclosure and receivership orders and any related contempt of court applications. Defence solicitors, prosecuting authorities and the country’s leading Receivers and insolvency practitioners in Drug Trafficking and Criminal Justice Act matters instruct him. This Unit deals with asset forfeiture, restraint proceedings, management receiverships, enforcement and interim receiverships, civil recovery, condemnation, repatriation, cash seizures and Asset Recovery Agency related work.

Ian Lawrie is head of the Regulatory compliance and consumer protection unit.

Ian’s practice is evenly divided between criminal and regulatory work. His regulatory work is focused on marine-related offences under the Merchant Shipping Act 1994 and subsidiary legislation, breaches of the Common Fisheries Policy and domestic fishery legislation. He also prosecutes and defends in all aspects of pollution.

This Unit is able to offer advice and representation on licensing, firearms, civil actions against the police, fisheries, animal safety, consumer protection, food safety, trading standards, professional regulation and regulatory compliance (General Medical Council and General Dental Council Discipline), DTI related matters, FSA compliance and police authority law. In addition the unit can offer advice and assistance in respect of Marine Accident Investigation Branch and Air Accident Investigation Branch investigations and at the investigatory stage of any Health & Safety or pollution breaches.

Members of this Unit have experience in both prosecuting and defending in a wide variety of cases involving the construction industry; machinery and vehicular accidents; the transportation and storage of radioactive materials; flammable and toxic substances; and workplace accidents. The work of this Unit includes work relating to HSE matters, trading standards and toy and food safety.

In some areas, where appropriate, counsel is available to advise under 24/7 cover if required.

Specialist clerks

The Public and Regulatory Group enjoys the support of two senior clerks as its principal clerking team and points of contact. Both will be delighted to hear from you and advise on recommendations for particular cases.