Handling ethical dilemmas at the Young Bar

Francis FitzGibbon KC, 23ES

Francis FitzGibbon KC has a wide-ranging and diverse trial practice in serious crime (prosecuting and defending). High profile cases include R. v Marten (manslaughter of a baby), R. Mohammadi (the Colindale allotment murder) and R v Alemi (fraud by working as a psychiatrist with forged educational certificates). He undertakes high-profile appellate work (including the Supreme Court case of Jogee [2016] UKSC 8, which changed the law of joint enterprise).  He has a special interest cases of human trafficking (including the leading case AAD [2022] 1 Cr App R 19), and miscarriage of justice cases before the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

James Hines KC, Three Raymond Buildings

James Hines KC acts in major international fraud, crime and extradition cases, both prosecuting and defending. James has acted in numerous SFO, FCA, and CMA cases. He is Chair of the Fraud Lawyers’ Association. He is currently defending in SFO v London Mining Plc (bribery of government officials in Sierra Leone) due to be heard in spring 2026, and, on the prosecution side, he is instructed by the SFO in the Axiom Ince trial, he is also instructed in the Libor appeal in the Supreme Court.

In crime he has acted in all areas. Recent cases include a number of murder cases including Operation Rockrose, a contract killing, an EncroChat case.

Notable clients include Silvio Berlusconi, a suspect in the 1MDB trial in Malaysia, Glenn Mulcaire (News of the World phone hacking) and ‘the Nat West Three’.

Called 1982, Silk 2015. James is Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee and is a visiting professor at BPP University Law School.

Charlotte Reynolds, 12 King's Bench Walk

Charlotte represents both claimants and defendants in a broad range of catastrophic personal injury and clinical negligence claims including those involving brain injury, spinal injury, and amputation claims.

Charlotte has a particular interest in claims involving dishonesty ranging from high value claims involving exaggerated injury and loss to staged accidents, and regularly lectures on the topic. She is often involved at an early stage to review the evidence and advise on the best tactical approach to lead the case to a successful resolution be that a finding of fundamental dishonesty, discontinuance, or settlement well below the pleaded value.

Charlotte also advises insurers and policyholders on policy disputes concerning policy wording and coverage and indemnity issues.

Charlotte is also a member of the Bar Council Ethics Committee.

Danny Robinson KC, 5KBW

Danny Robinson KC is renowned for his expertise in cases of serious fraud, homicide, sexual offending and all forms of organised crime. He is listed by both Chambers UK and the Legal 500 as a leading silk. He has particular expertise in cases involving RIPA, PII and disclosure issues.