Talking business - OTC goes Global for post-LSA advantage

The decision by Outer Temple Chambers to launch an international procurement company (see story) has reignited the debate about how the Legal Services Act will impact on the bar.
Last week, more than 40 senior clerks, practice directors and chief executives met at The Lawyer's bar lunch to talk alternative business structures, barrister partnerships and pricing pressures (see story).
This came just days after Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger warned that ethical standards could be compromised by the approaching regulatory maze (see story) and discussions at the lunch were lengthy.
The bar is used to gentle evolutionary change, but the next couple of years could well prove revolutionary.

The best of the bar get set for post-LSA world at The Lawyer bar lunch

With the bar in a state of rapid change, clerks last week (23 February) welcomed the ­opportunity to escape for a few hours to chew the fat with their contemporaries at an event hosted by The Lawyer. Nearly 40 senior clerks wined and dined at The Ivy while discussing the ­challenges facing the ­profession’s commercial development. It came just days after Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger gave a strong speech warning that the changing regulatory environment could bring about unintended consequences.
To read the article in full click here

Outer Temple goes global with post-LSA strategy

A group of barristers from Outer Temple Chambers is to launch a standalone company targeted at capturing international work and ­laying the ­foundations for the set’s post-Legal Services Act (LSA) ambitions. Outer Temple International set to revolutionise barrister model Members of the set approved plans for the ­creation of Outer Temple International (OTI) last autumn in a move that could revolutionise how ­barristers are instructed in the post-LSA environment. To read the article in full click here

Richard named in The Lawyer's 'Hot 100 2010' Awards

"The Lawyer Hot 100 2010 recognises a group of lawyers who have been at the top of their games throughout the economic crisis. As ever, individuals included here are a mixture of the great, the good and the gifted." To read the whole review click here...

Appeal decision erodes banks’ anti-crime tactics

The Court of Appeal has ruled that bank customers whose transactions are delayed because of money laundering suspicions will have the right to challenge banks’ decisions. The claim was brought against HSBC Private Bank by Jayesh Shah, who argued that he lost $300m (£191.65m) as a result of the bank’s refusal to transfer $28m to a Geneva account. HSBC claimed it refused to carry out the request because it suspected Shah of being involved in money laundering. Consequently it was required by UK law to report Shah to the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), which subsequently cleared the transaction.
 Read the article in full.

Banks need an Anti-Money Laundering re-think following landmark court decision, say lawyers

Complinet
Feb 08 2010 Martin Coyle

Lawyers in the UK have urged banks to re-examine their anti-money laundering systems and controls following a Court of Appeal decision to grant a trial to a businessman claiming $330m damages from HSBC Private Bank. The landmark decision means that banks face being caught between a rock and a hard place in deciding whether to file suspicious activity reports, a senior lawyer said.

Shah v HSBC centres on HSBC Private Bank's decision in 2006 to file a suspicious activity report after account holder Jayesh Shah attempted to transfer $28m from the bank to one of his accounts in Geneva. The bank declined to do so and filed a report with the Serious Organised Crime Agency based on its suspicion that Shah was laundering money. He was told that the transfer was being suspended while the bank complied with its "UK statutory obligations". The action led to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe also freezing Shah's account which, he said, led him to lose "substantial" interest on his cash in Zimbabwe. Ten days after the SAR, SOCA gave permission for HSBC to carry out the transaction, ruling that it was legitimate, which it did. Shah subsequently attempted to sue the bank for damages. This claim was struck out in January 2009 by Mr Justice Hamblen who said that Shah had no chance of success. Last week the Court of Appeal ruled that the High Court was wrong in granting HSBC a summary judgment of the case because it was at a premature stage.

Lawyers for HSBC had argued that there should be no reason why a bank should be required to prove the factual basis on which it held a suspicion against one of its customers. This was because, they argued, it would be unfair to question a bank employee in court about their suspicions made through complying with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The lawyers also said that a bank should not be required to disclose information that might prejudice the investigation while the investigation was being undertaken. The Court of Appeal ruled that the case should be put before a full trial to find whether the bank acted in good faith when it reported Shah to SOCA. It also said that an individual had the right to ask his bank for proof about the grounds for suspicion it might have against him. HSBC could now be called to reveal on what grounds it based its money laundering suspicions.

"The normal procedures of the court are not to be sidestepped merely because parliament has enacted stringent measures to inhibit the notorious evil of money laundering unless there is express statutory provision to that effect," said Lord Justice Longmore in his ruling last week.

Significant decision

Louise Delahunty, partner in the crime fraud and investigations group at Simmons & Simmons, told Complinet that the decision to overturn the summary judgment was "very significant". She said the ruling meant that HSBC's AML procedures would be subject to judicial scrutiny and the window for civil liability would be re-opened for a bank that was simply complying with its statutory and regulatory duties. "Banks have been left between the rock of criminal liability for failing to file a report and the hard place of civil liability as a consequence of filing a report."

Duncan Aldred, partner at CMS Cameron McKenna, said that regardless of the outcome of the claim the principle would have an impact on all banks. "It is a very important case that can be regarded as very sobering for MLROs in every bank," he said.

Aldred noted that under the PoCA regime organisations were generally very secure in the knowledge that they had a fairly simple decision to make when they had suspicions about a transaction. Banks had previously faced no challenge as to whether these decisions were feasible until now. They will now have to wrestle with some difficult decisions, he said. Money laundering reporting officers might now consider each SAR they make and consider whether it will be challenged or not, he added.

"Banks try to design systems in order to take risk and discretion out of situations. So the idea that this is suddenly placed on the agenda again makes things quite challenging. And it does mean that at the very least banks will have to take another step when they design something into their processes in order to record more carefully how they came to a decision," he told Complinet.

Delahunty agreed and pointed to the potential future consequences for institutions. "Banks should have good procedures in place I am sure, but they are going to have to be more stringent in documenting their suspicions. The government always said that if you make an honest mistake there shouldn't be a problem. They are going to have to look at their procedures again and make sure that suspicions are properly documented because the worry now is that all the relevant employees will be cross-examined, including the MLRO," she said.

Aldred said that banks might face additional expense as a result of the decision and said that all MLROs should be made aware of the case and its potential impact. MLROs might need extra training, he said. He added that the ruling was another "little nudge" in the direction that MLROs needed to be more sophisticated than just box-tickers.
"Most banks will have to make changes to their systems on account of this," he said.

Sarosh Zaiwalla, senior partner at Zaiwalla & Co, which represented Shah, said: "This is a landmark judgment which, for the first time, makes the bank's conduct in cases of suspected money laundering, justiciable."

Royal Bank of Scotland loses landmark wheelchair access appeal

The Royal Bank of Scotland has been ordered to carry out £200,000 of work to improve wheelchair access at one of its branches after senior judges ruled that it had breached disability laws. In a test case three Court of Appeal judges ruled that the bank had failed to cater for the needs of a disabled teenager, David Allen, 18, who was awarded £6,500 damages. To read the article in full click here

RBS loses appeal over wheelchair access ruling

The Royal Bank of Scotland lost its appeal over a ruling that it failed to cater for the wheelchair access needs of a disabled teenager who was awarded £6,500 damages. David Allen, 18, who has muscular dystrophy, took legal action after the bank failed to install wheelchair access at the Church Street branch in Sheffield, where he is studying creative writing at the city's Hallam University. Judges dismissed the bank's appeal today and ordered it to carry out the necessary access work, which has been estimated as costing £200,000. To read the article in full click here

Bank challenges disability ruling

A bank has appealed against a landmark ruling that it failed to cater for the needs of a disabled teenager. David Allen, who has muscular dystrophy, took action after Royal Bank of Scotland failed to put in wheelchair access at its branch in Sheffield. The company was ordered to pay £6,500 in damages and given until the end of September this year to install a lift.
Richard Lissack QC, for RBS, told the Court of Appeal that the judge in the earlier ruling had got it wrong.
To read the article in full click here

Outer Temple Middle East success prompts NY launch

London’s Outer Temple Chambers is opening an annexe in New York’s financial district. The move comes as part of a wider expansion strategy that began when the set launched in Abu Dhabi in 2007.
To read this article in full click here

Bloody Sunday Inquiry - the Report, Radio 4

Rob Walker investigates the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.
What has made it the longest and most expensive inquiry in British legal history?
BBC Radio 4, 8:00pm Thursday 15th October 2009
Listen now

Reading Festival promoters fined

The company that organises the Reading Festival has been fined £4,000 after admitting health and safety breaches. Reading Festival Ltd admitted two breaches after failing to carry out a proper risk assessment and failing to ensure the safety of workers. The charges were brought after two men were hurt when a crane ran into power lines during preparations for the festival in August 2006. The company has agreed to pay £21,769 in prosecution costs.
To read the article in full go to Reading Festival

Reading Festival bosses fined for health and safety breaches

Reading Festival promoters, Reading Festvals Ltd, have been fined for breaching health and safety rules in preparation for the event in 2006. Charges were brought against the company after a crane ran into power lines during prepartions for the 2006 event.
To read the article in full please click on Reading Festival fine

UK corporate firms face growing threat from zealous prosecutors

The financial crisis provides a ‘golden opportunity for zealous prosecutors’ in the UK to bring proceedings across a broader range of activities, according to a leading criminal silk. Speaking at the International Association of Defence Counsel’s conference in Paris, Richard Lissack QC of London’s Outer Temple Chambers said there was a ‘hunger for extending the reach of criminal law into commercial life and into the lives of those in commerce’.
To read the article in full please click on Commerce under attack

Now's The Time For Change - Use It Or Lose It

Now's The Time For Change - Use It Or Lose It By Joe Ortiz
A DOW JONES INVESTMENT BANKER COLUMN 25 September 2009 LONDON (Dow Jones)--
The financial crisis has provoked much talk about the need to change the rules of the banking game to make the next failure less likely and to soften its effects, but the chance will be lost unless regulators can force fundamental changes in the way bankers behave and what happens when they misbehave.
"If the regulators really mean it, this requires some deep thinking and real change otherwise you are just re-arranging the deck-chairs on the Titanic," Richard Lissack, a senior British advocate with extensive experience of regulation cases told Dow Jones Investment Banker in an interview before this week’s G20 summit.
To read the article in full please download the pdf
 

Lawyers charged with insider dealing to stand trial

The two lawyers charged with insider trading by the FSA have been committed to stand trial at the Crown Court. Following a contested committal hearing, district judge Caroline Tubbs ruled that former McDermott Will & Emery partner Michael McFall and former Dorsey & Whitney partner Andrew Rimmington should face eight counts of insider trading at Southwark Crown Court.
To read the article in full go to www.thelawyer.com/lawyers-charged-with-insider-dealing-to-stand-trial/1002046.article

Lace: loner turned violent and aggressive after troubled youth

A troubled, crime-filled youth, set David Lace on a path that would end in murder and his eventual suicide. Born David Andrew Williams, he went off the rails as a child after being shunted from boys' homes to hostels and foster homes. To read the article in full go to www.portsmouth.co.uk/portsmouth/Lace-loner-turned-violent-and.5659251.jp

Lissack acts for lawyers accused by FSA of Insider Trading

The partners at the centre of an insider trading investigation have opted for an old style committal hearing, signalling that they intend to challenge the Financial Services Authority (FSA) over whether there is enough evidence to bring the case to trial. To read the article in full click on
www.thelawyer.com/lawyers-accused-of-insider-dealing-to-challenge-fsas-case/1001622.article

The Chambers. The BBC Radio 4 'fly on the wall' documentary about Outer Temple Chambers.

The Chambers Part 2. BBC Radio 4  follows the barristers, clerks and staff of one of London's leading law chambers as they prepare for the upheaval caused by the implementation of the 2007 Legal Services Act.
To listen to the programme in full please click on: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lrv4w/The_Chambers_Episode_2/
 

The Chambers - Part 1 of BBC Radio 4's barristers documentary

BBC Radio 4 follows the barristers, clerks and staff of one of London's leading law chambers as they prepare for the upheaval caused by the implementation of the 2007 Legal Services Act.
Listen to The Chambers on Radio 4
 

Are some of the UK's biggest corporate fraudsters now practically immune from prosecution? BBC Radio Four investigates. To listen to the BBC Radio 4 programme in full click on http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lp32g/File_on_4_21_07_2009/

Outer Temple gears up for Saudi launch

 Outer Temple Chambers is looking to expand its presence in the Middle East by opening in Saudi Arabia.
To read the articel in full, please click here

Three in court in latest FSA insider dealing case

Two lawyers and an accountant were in the dock this morning to answer charges of insider dealing in the latest stage of The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) crackdown on City cheats To read this article in full go to: http://timesonline.typepad.com/law/2009/06/three-in-court-in-latest-fsa-insider-dealing-case.html

London Lawyer Rimmington Rejects FSA Insider Trading Allegation

Andrew Rimmington, a former corporate partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, rejected allegations made by the U.K. financial regulator that he traded shares based on inside information. To read the entire article go to: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a8MfrJaKc2gs

Head doubles earnings to £155,000 by running school's spa

The head of a state school has become Britain’s highest paid primary teacher after receiving more than £155,000 in salary and fees for managing its health spa and other facilities. Durand school has had a difficult relationship with Lambeth council. Martin has issued a High Court writ against a council auditor, alleging defamation.
To read the article in full go to http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article6493734.ece

Lissack defends company in first case under the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007

A Gloucestershire-based company has been charged with corporate manslaughter in the first prosecution under legislation designed to impose tougher sanctions for fatal accidents. To read the article in full please go to: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/44e0c45a-3010-11de-88e3-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Buncefield Oil explosion criminal case moved to Crown Court

A criminal prosecution against five companies for their role in the explosion at the Buncefield oil terminal was transferred to a higher court today. To read the article in full click on the link in blue below:
 
 business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6247979.ece 

Dual-qualified leading Saudi commercial lawyer practices as a barrister from Outer Temple Chambers in London

Ali Almihdar is reported to be the first Saudi Arabian lawyer to practise at a set of English Barristers' chambers - Outer Temple Chambers.
This article was first published in The Brief magazine – www.thebriefonline.com
To read the full article please download the PDF

Foot and Mouth High Court legal case hangs in the balance

A High Court hearing brought by seven livestock farmers claiming damages for losses caused by the 2007 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is hanging in the balance.
To read the article in full please visit: www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp

Judgement reserved in FMD Legal Case in High Court

A three-day hearing in the NFU-backed legal case brought by livestock farmers claiming damages following the 2007 foot and mouth disease outbreak concluded today with the Judge, Mr Justice Tugendhat, reserving judgment.
Richard Lissack QC, leading the case for the farmers, said the farmers' claims were serious, substantial and meritorious.
www.nfuonline.com/x35712.xml

Lissack acts for farmers in Foot and Mouth case at the High Court

A group of farmers affected by the 2007 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease have taken their case to the High Court. The seven farmers are suing the government, the Institute for Animal Health, and Merial Animal Health Ltd - who run the Pirbright laboratory in Surrey. To read the article in full visit:             http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7906557.stm

Outer Temple Chambers to review Alternative Business Structures

Outer Temple Chambers has hired legal consultant Deborah Sabalot as a professional associate as the set undertakes a year- long review into Alternative ­Business Structures (ABSs).
To read the article in full please visit www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi

Richard Lissack leads in huge Buncefield Oil Refinery Explosion proceedings

Five companies are to be prosecuted over the Buncefield oil depot fire, the Environment Agency has said. The huge explosion and blaze near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire in December 2005 caused widespread damage and left 43 people injured. The Environment Agency said criminal proceedings had now begun against Total UK, Hertfordshire Oil Storage and the British Pipeline Agency.
To view the bbc.co.uk article in full please visit bbc.co.uk

Outer Temple Chambers adds new door tenant from Jeddah

Outer Temple Chambers has recruited a Saudi-­qualified lawyer to practise as a barrister in the UK. Ali Almihdar, who set up his own firm in Jeddah in 1976, has relinquished his position as head of Almihdar Law Firm (ALF) to become a door tenant at Outer Temple, although he will remain part of the Saudi firm.
To read the article visit thelawyer.com

Richard interviewed by BBC Radio 4 Law in Action

 Just Parking

Does the parking fine system depend on drivers being too lazy to contest tickets that have been issued wrongly?
To listen to Radio 4 Law in Action click on Law In Action

Outer Temple Chambers reorganises its management team

Outer Temple Chambers has re-jigged its management structure in a move that will see three QCs take on new leadership roles as the set gears up for the Legal Services Act (LSA).
To read this article in full please click here Legal Week

Outer Temple Chambers in Abu Dhabi opening

Richard Lissack, who was responsible for leading the Chambers' opening in Doha talks about how the first 12 months have gone in their new venture in the Gulf. To read the full article please click here Counsel

Richard Lissack interviewed about Public Inquiries for Radio 4

Almost every day there is a call in the media for a public inquiry and over the last few years, public inquiries following human tragedy have become part of the fabric of our public life, but do they do any good? In this documentary, Ann Alexander asks those at the very heart of the Inquiry process, some speaking publicly for the first time, about the effectiveness of the system, how it really works and whether lessons are actually learnt for the future.
To listen to the programme click on Radio 4
To visit the Public Inquiries website please click on publicinquiries.org.uk

Richard Lissack co-authors article for the Journal of Banking & Financial Law

Richard Lissack QC and Farhaz Khan have written an article that examines the different approaches of the CFTC and the FSA to market manipulation in the commodity futures markets.
To read the full article download the PDF

Pete Burns in line for £1M compensation for 'trout pout' lips

Richard Lissack is leading the compensation case brought by Pete Burns for the alleged negligent surgery that left the TV star with puffed up lips, blisters and other deformities that left him housebound for seven months. To read the full article visit The Mail Online

Richard Lissack intructed by 14 claimants in Foot & Mouth outbreak

Bath firm Thring Townsend Lee & Pembertons has launched a £1.5m claim for 14 farmers against the two laboratories at the centre of last year's foot and mouth outbreak. They have intructed Richard Lissack QC to act for them.
To read the full article please click here: www.thelawyer.com

14 farmers in legal battle to claim damages from labs in 2007 Foot and Mouth outbreak

The two laboratories at the centre of last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak and the government are to be sued for damages, the BBC has learned. If the High Court case brought by 14 farmers is successful, the labs and the government could face further claims that could total more than £100m. To read the full article visit BBC ONLINE

Outer Temple Chambers leads the way out of the 'credit crunch' with innovative work development ideas

In response to the threatened downturn in legal work caused by the 'credit crunch' Outer Temple Chambers is held up by the FT as a leader in the new ways of generating work from Direct Access and the opening of a new annex in Abu DhabI. To read the full article please visit ft.com

Death Row prisoner executed in spite of clemency pleas

In spite of over a year of intense legal activity, on a pro bono basis, by Richard Lissack and other lawyers in the UK and the USA Jack Alderman was executed on Tuesday evening by lethal Injection. He took 14 minutes to die.
To read this article in full please visit Telegraph.co.uk

Richard Lissack fights to save the life of Death Row prisoner in the USA

Richard Lissack and other British lawyers have united to call on the Foreign Secretary to do what he can to stop the execution of Jack Alderman, who has been on Death Row in the States for nearly 35 years.

Celebrations of reprieve of death row inmate are shortlived.

Just hours after Richard Lissack and his team fought to obtain a last minute parole board hearing he received the shocking news that Jack Alderman was executed by lethal injection.

'To keep a prisoner on death row, waiting to kill him for 32 years is undoubtedly torture'

'Jack Alderman always refused to plea bargain to save his life while on death row, because he maintains that he did not kill his wife.'
Richard Lissack QC and his team of lawyers are still battling to save Alderman from execution.

British Lawyers try to save life of the USA's longest serving Death Row prisoner

In the Daily Telegraph, Joshua Rozenburg writes about the concerted efforts of a team of solicitors and barristers, led by by Richard Lissack, who are trying to save the life of Death Row prisoner Jack Alderman.

Richard Lissack climbs Kilimanjaro to raise funds for charity

Richard and other colleagues and friends are going to climb Africa's tallest mountain Kilimanjaro in October in order to raise much needed funds for the Depaul Trust which works in UK communities, particularly with young people, where poverty and unemployment have resulted in generations of social exclusion and homelessness.

NFU seeks legal advice from Richard Lissack on badger cull

The NFU announced today that it will be seeking legal advice from Richard Lissack (and others) on the reported decision by the Government not to carry out a badger cull in those areas of the UK affected by Bovine TB.

Outer Temple Chambers wins Chambers of the Year 2008

Outer Temple Chambers has being named as the 'Chambers of the Year' in the prestigious 2008 Lawyer Awards in London. Outer Temple was praised for its innovative branch opening in the United Arab Emirates in Dubai and for a string of high profile cases. Richard Lissack was singled out as being in the forefront of both these drives.

Lissack shortlisted for Barrister of the Year

Both Richard Lissack and Outer Temple Chambers have been shortlisted in the prestigious Lawyer Awards for 2008.

Richard Lissack shortlisted for Barrister of the Year

For the second time in three years Richard has been shortlisted in the prestigious Lawyer Awards for Barrister of the Year 2008.
Richard and five other candidates will be in the final judging process that rules on 24th June at the Awards ceremony in London.

Captain Mark Phillips not guilty in H&S trial

Captain Mark Phillips and his company have recently been found not guilty of negligence under Health and Safty leglislation following the death of a passenger on a quad bike in an accident on his land.
The prosecution will appeal the decision.

Captain Mark Phillips cleared of H&S breach

Captain Mark Phillips has been found not guilty along with two directors of his company ofa charge under Health and Safety Law following the death a passenger on a quad bike on his land.
The prosecution has said they will appeal the verdict.

Outer Temple cements US ties with capture of trial lawyer

Outer Temple Chambers has firmed up its US alliances by bringing trial lawyer Cyrus Vance of New York firm Morvillo Abramovitz on board as an associate member.

Vance, who has practised before the US Supreme Court, adds strength to Outer Temple's US offering, which includes Richard Lissack QC, who is foreign legal consultant to the New York bar and Robert-Jan Temmink, .

Is the FSA market abuse regime broken?

Or is it just too complex to be effective?
The Financial Services Lawyers Association met recently, chaired by Richard Lissack QC of Outer Temple Chambers, to discuss the failings of and possible solutions to the FSA's market abuse regime.

Outer Temple Chambers opens Middle East office

Outer Temple Chambers has become the first Chambers to set up an office in the Middle East. Richard Lissack QC, who led this development said," this alliance (with Salloum & Co) gives the set a unique advantage in the market."

Law Lords reject hunt ban

The Countryside Alliance has lost its legal challenge to overturn the ban on hunting with hounds. The pressure group argued that the ban contravened human rights.
The law was passed by the government in 2004 using the Parliament Act to overturn opposition in the Lords.
But the Law Lords unanimously ruled in favour of the ban.

Why is foot-and-mouth legal action coming six years after the event?

Richard leads legal team for NFU members six years after FMD forced a movement ban.

NFU prepares for legal action after the recent Foot and Mouth outbreak

Richard is heading the team of barristers who are advising hundreds of members of the NFU who are trying to recover losses following the 2007 outbreak of Foot and Mouth.

Without Notice Freezing Order overturned

Richard has obtained an amendment to a without notice freezing order on appeal.
The case highlights that, only in exceptional cases of urgency, should applicants make without notice applications and also emphasises the onerous duties of disclosure in such cases.

Supreme Court in USA agrees to consider constitutionality of lethal injections

Richard was part of the legal team in the UK and the USA that advised on the successful bid to persuade the Supreme Court to consider whether execution by lethal injection was constitutionly valid. 11 states immediately suspended executions by lethal injection pending the Supreme Court's decision.

Outer Temple Chambers breaks new ground in Middle East

Richard has led the opening of the first ever annexe to a set of Chambers in the Middle East with the launch of an office in Abu Dhabi.

Richard's Pro Bono fight to exonerate Jack

Times Online reports on Richard's Pro Bono fight to lift the death sentence hanging over Jack Alderman who is on death row in the States for murder. Jack is the longest-serving death row inmate in America and a team of British lawyers has been fighting to save Jack's life and to challenge the constitutionality of death by lethal injection in the USA.
So far they have succeeded in getting The US Supreme Court to review this act, and several other death sentences by lethal injection have been postponed pending the outcome of this review.

Outer Temple looks east

Spearheaded by Richard Lissack QC, Outer Temple Chambers has become the first set of Chambers to open an annexe in the Middle East.

Pro Bono team of UK lawyers win death sentence reprieve

Richard was part of the team that has succeeeded in securing a stay of execution for Jack Alderman, the longest-serving death row prisoner in the US.

UK Lawyers attempt to stop American execution

Richard leads the team of barristers from the UK who with the solicitors Clifford Chance ae acting Pro Bono in this attempt to have Jack Alderman's death sentence stayed.

NFU appoints barristers to fight Foot and Mouth case

Richard has been retained by the NFU to act for hundreds of members of the NFU following the recent Foot and Mouth outbreak.

Financial Services big hitters form alliance

Richard was apointed to the advisory board of the newly constituted Financial Services Lawyers Association in London this week.

Allen appeal against drugs ban increase

Richard has been appointed to appeal the increase in the ban for David Allen for use of drugs to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lucerne.

Judges Survey: Judgment Day

Richard comments on a recent survey by The Lawyer into the Judiciary and asks: "How can judges manage better?"