News

Tom Evans' client found not guilty in Bristol Crown Court of causing death by careless driving

18th March 2021

3PB Crime barrister Tom Evans’ client, Stephen Johnson, was involved in a collision with a motorcycle that resulted in the death of a motorcycle rider, Keith Pearce. The defendant accepted that he was required to give way; had not come to a stop; he had cut the corner; had not activated his indicator; and had not taken a second look along the carriageway before commencing his turn. However, the jury in Bristol Crown Court concluded...

  Welcome to the 3PB family newsletter In our fourth family group newsletter, we bring you a round up of our brunch talks and topical articles, news, and details of our forthcoming events. We hope you enjoy reading this and please do contact us if we can help with further information or enquiries. Details of upcoming events here Lucy Hendry QC enjoys her first days as newly-appointed Silk  Family barrister Lucy Hendry QC started her first day as Queen's Counsel...

3PB’s Simon Lillington successful in mansion dispute between businesswoman and her millionaire former partner

16th March 2021

3PB family barrister Simon Lillington (pictured here) has helped his client businesswoman Sharon Blades win half of the £2.5m mansion that her former partner paid for, but registered in both their names. The dispute – which attracted widespread media coverage including this feature in the Daily Mail - between Dr Chris Rowland and Sharon Blades centred on who owned the 'large and elegant country house' which he bought for £1.6m in March 2009 - namely...

Lucy Hendry QC and Mathew Gullick QC enjoy first day as newly-appointed Silks

15th March 2021

3PB Barristers' two new Silks - family barrister Lucy Hendry QC and public and employment law barrister Mathew Gullick QC - started their first day as Queen's Counsel today, after their appointments were announced last December. Lucy Hendry QC was called to the Bar in 1988 and is a family barrister who specialises in all areas of public and private children’s law. Mathew Gullick was called to the Bar in 2003. A specialist in public...

David Richards successfully prosecutes skipper in Sussex triple-drownings case

15th March 2021

David Richards, Head of 3PB’s Marine Group, successfully prosecuted David Marr for failing to keep a proper lookout as master of the fishing vessel Vertrouwen, as a result of which three men, out for a night’s recreational fishing off the coast of Sussex, were killed. The incident happened just after midnight on 6 August 2017. Following a five-day retrial Mr Marr was convicted unanimously by the jury at Brighton Crown Court. He was sentenced to...

Two important points to consider in international child abduction cases following Dorian Day and Sarah Tierney's success in the CoA

9th March 2021

Dorian Day and Sarah Tierney successfully represented the Appellant mother in Re G (Abduction: Consent/Discretion) [2021] EWCA Civ 139. The case highlights two important points for practitioners to consider in international child abduction cases: The exercise of judicial discretion under Article 13 of the Hague Convention; The inherent inequality of arms caused by the difference in the availability of legal aid to the parties. In Re G, the parents (‘M’ and ‘F’) and their 2...

Dorian Day and Sarah Tierney successful in CoA case considering the competence of the child in Children Act proceedings

9th March 2021

Dorian Day and Sarah Tierney acted for the father in the reported case of Re Z (Interim Care Order) [2020] EWCA Civ 1755 on an appeal against an interim care order where HHJ George had authorised the removal of a 15 year old boy with autism from his father’s care. The appeal was successful on the difficult ground of procedural irregularity. Baker LJ, delivering  the leading judgment, made important observations regarding the need for the...

Thomas Acworth acts for serving Grenadier Guard in serial sweetheart frauds

4th March 2021

3PB’s specialist crime barrister Thomas Acworth (pictured here) acted for Lance Corporal (LCpl) Nathan Walker, a serving soldier in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. LCpl Walker pleaded guilty to defrauding three vulnerable women he met on dating apps in order to finance his gambling addiction. There was some dispute between the prosecution and the defence about the overall value of the frauds. When passing sentence, HHJ Miller QC valued the fraud on the basis of...

Virtual quiz raises over £1,500 for Headway Salisbury and South Wiltshire

3rd March 2021

National barristers chambers 3PB’s Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence team joined forces with Novum Law, Trethowans and Fawcetts to organise a virtual quiz in aid of brain injuries charity Headway Salisbury and South Wiltshire. The quiz took place via Zoom on Friday last week and thanks to the 81 participants, the teams managed to raise an incredible £1507.95 on the night! All donations were greatly appreciated by this pioneering charity and will enable Headway Salisbury...

Welcome to March's newsletter In our latest edition we bring you employment law news on unwarranted media criticism of the ET system and revocation of the Public Sector Exit Payment Cap together with our latest webinar. Our team has analysed key employment law cases in written form, including the Uber case. Finally, we invite you to register for our employment law webinar of 21 April. Sign up for employment news Media criticism of the ET system receives...

Tonia Clark reviews Practice Direction 27A and its application in family proceedings

26th February 2021

3PB’s specialist family law barrister Tonia Clark (pictured here) has reviewed Practice Direction 27A (PD27A), which Family Court judges are increasingly exasperated is being ignored. In this article Tonia covers the importance of Practice Direction 27A, noting that non-compliance will likely mean that the Courts will consider making costs orders. Tonia also highlights the most important points to bear in mind when applying PD27A and states that the case AG v VD [2021] EWFC 9 paras...

Public Sector Exit Payment Cap Revoked

25th February 2021

On 12 February 2021 the Government announced that the Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020 are to be revoked.  The Regulations imposed a £95,000 cap on public sector exit payments and had been introduced just a few months earlier in November 2020 before now being abandoned. The Regulations had faced widespread criticism when introduced and their revocation is seen as a belated acceptance of the problems initially highlighted by the employment law community. A Treasury...