Police Law

Identified as a premier set in police law by Chambers UK and the Legal 500 directories, we are instructed by nearly every police force in the country ["Forces around the country look to 5 Essex Court for advice and representation, and the set is involved  in most of the key police law cases".....Legal 500, 2006 Edition] and have a formidable and unrivalled record of appearance in almost every recent case or inquiry of substance concerning police law.  We have the highest number of counsel specialising in this area of work of any set in the country, and have more members (two silks and ten juniors) identified by the reputable legal practice directories as leaders in the field of police law than any other set.

Our police team's size and expertise means that we are able to offer clients strength in depth in the full range of police law work; we provide, in effect, a one-stop shop service.  Members have been instructed in civil jury actions, judicial reviews, inquests, misconduct and discipline, employment, EL/PL matters, POCAs and the full range of banning orders.  Members are also instructed to provide advice on operational and sensitive issues of police policy. 

Our expertise in the field of police law means that members are regularly invited to contribute at national conferences and seminars, and Chambers itself hosts its own highly regarded annual police conference each summer.  Chambers also publishes its Police Civil Actions Update every four months and has an advice line for immediate assistance in areas of law impacting on the police.

Commercial Litigation, Company and Partnership Law

Employment

Chambers undertakes all aspects of employment work on behalf of employers and employees. Members of Chambers appear in the High Court, County Courts, Employment Tribunals, Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. In the case of Tribunals and the EAT, we appear not only in England and Wales, but also in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Areas of expertise include:

Contracts of Employment, Collective Agreements, Directors, Disability Discrimination, Employment Tribunals, Employment Appeal Tribunal, Equal Pay, Health and Safety at Work, Human Rights, Insolvency of Employer, Maternity Rights, Pay, Pensions & Benefits, Race Discrimination, Redundancy, Service Lettings, Sex Discrimination, Strikes & Industrial Action, Temporary Employees, Termination of Employment, Trade Unions, Transfer of Undertakings, Unfair Dismissal, Working Time, Wrongful Dismissal.

Members have written extensively on all aspects of employment law for a variety of well-known publications. Seminars on particular aspects of employment law, as well as Human Resources training, are available. Please contact Daniel Clark, Chambers Director, for more details.

Inquests and Inquiries

Inquests

Members of chambers regularly represent police forces and the prison service at inquests arising out of deaths in or connected with custody and represent government departments at inquests in which government departments are involved.  A number of members of chambers appear in inquests arising out of fatal accidents at work and concerning industrial disease. 

Members of chambers have acted in high profile inquests over the last few years and almost all inquests arising out of police use of firearms, including:

• Inquest into death of victims of Marchioness disaster.
• Inquest into the death of Christopher Alder.
• Inquest into the shooting of Harry Stanley.
• Inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison – Porton Down.
• Inquest into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
• Inquest into the shooting of Andrew Kernan.

Several members of chambers have appeared in judicial reviews arising out of the conduct of inquests, including:

• R (Sutovic) v HM Coroner for Greater London [2006] EWHC 1095 (Admin)
• Commissioner of Police of Metropolis v Hurst [2006] EWCA (Civ) 890
• Sharman v HM Coroner for Inner North London [2005] EWHC 857 (Admin)
• R (Mulholland) v HM Coroner for Inner North London [2003] EWHC 2612 (Admin)

Public inquiries

Members of chambers have been involved in all of the major public inquiries in the last decade including:

• Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
• Thames Safety Inquiry
• Marchioness Inquiry
• Shipman Inquiry
• Hutton Inquiry
• Bichard Inquiry
• Mubarek Inquiry

Judicial Review

Landlord and Tenant

Personal Injury

Members of the personal injury team receive instructions from both claimants and defendants, having handled country-wide cases for individuals, unions, insurers and large employers.  Our team has broad general experience of personal injury casework, as well as experience of managing complex, multi-party litigation.

No case is too large or too small and our approach is to combine prompt action with clear, practical advice and an open, approachable manner.  Our strength in depth enables our clients to select the right person or team for their particular case, and ensures we offer a client-orientated, reliable and efficient service.  Where speed is important and specific counsel unnecessary, clients may opt to use our 'group system' to achieve a 5 day turn-around.

Increasingly, many personal injury cases are settled.  We have experience of giving specialist advice to both claimants and defendants on liability and quantum of damages, in cases ranging from 'whiplash' injuries to those where the claimant's injuries are at the top end of the scale.

Professional Negligence

Human Rights

Public Law

We act for central government, government agencies, police authorities and other public bodies.  We have extensive experience in a wide range of areas of law including Public Inquiries, Judicial Review, Human Rights, the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act.  Members of Chambers appear in a wide spectrum of cases including equality, discrimination, disclosure, police discipline and more.  A number of members of Chambers are Treasury Counsel.

Equine Law

Immigration

Licensing

The introduction of the Licensing Act 2003 in November 2005 saw a huge number of applications for conversions and variations of existing Justices' licences as well as for new personal and premises licences.  Now that the 2003 Act has 'bedded-in', the wider effects of such fundamental reform are beginning to be felt, with a wide range of issues emerging for local councils, statutory authorities and commercial enterprises.

In response these many challenges, 5 Essex Court has brought together its licensing practitioners to form a dedicated team committed to the provision of expert advocacy and advice in the area of licensing.  Led by Simon Walsh who has practised in the field of licensing for many years and has the unique advantage of being the Chairman of a licensing authority, our newly established team seeks to offer a very credible and cost-effective alternative to the small number of sets who presently practice in licensing.  Approachable, friendly and reliable, we can provide a comprehensive, no-nonsense licensing service at all levels to all those involved in this specialist area of law.  

Restraint of Trade

Discrimination

Education

Property Disputes