Justine Davidge

Current Practice

I practise both Criminal and Prison law and prosecute and defend in equal measure in the Crown Court. I also accept privately funded instructions in the Magistrates Court and have specific experience in the field of regulatory offences. I am able to accept Direct Access instructions in appropriate cases. I have been graded level 3 in the CPS list of panal advocates.

I have a particular interest in confiscation and asset forfeiture law, including restraint and enforcement, having previously undertaken a secondment in the Asset Forfeiture Division of the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office (now the CPS Proceeds of Crime Unit). I am on the SFO ‘C’ list of instructed advocates and am instructed by them both as junior counsel and counsel acting alone. I have also prosecuted for HMRC, DWP, BERR and the Inland Revenue.

I am well practiced in dealing with young, mentally disordered and otherwise vulnerable defendants and witnesses and multi-handed trials. I also have experience of preparing cases for Case Stated and Judicial Review proceedings in the Administrative court, and for Appeal to the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords.

General areas of work undertaken include substantial deception and forgery, fraud, robbery, serious violence, sexual offences, drug supply and importation, arson, racially aggravated offences, public order, dangerous and careless driving, perverting the course of justice, witness intimidation/revenge and restraint/confiscation proceedings.

Research and Teaching

September 2010-2012: Participant in Practitioner Advocacy Sessions at the College of Law, teaching advocacy to BVC students.

Professional Courses:

European Convention of Human Rights 2001

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Expert Witnesses 2004

Forensic Science & Criminal Justice 2006

Public Interest Immunity 2007

Serious Sexual Offences 2008

Mutual Legal and Administrative Assistance overseas 2009

Chambers Activities:

Head of Pupillage

Registered pupil supervisor

Editor of the Crime Team Newsletter, Confiscation Update.

Education and Qualification

Academic

Sept 2000-July 2001: Inns of Court School of Law, London. WC1R 5DX.

BVC: Overall Grade - Very Competent

Sept 1996-Sept 2000: Cardiff Law School (CLAWS), University of Wales

Cardiff, Museum Avenue, PO Box 427, Cardiff.

Sept 1999-Sept 2000: MPhil Postgraduate Degree: Successfully completed

The production of a 60,000 word research thesis on the Historical Development of the

Criminal Law Concept of Culpability and A System of Criminal Justice.

Sept 1996–June 1999: LLB (Hon.) Degree: 2:1 Classification

Sept 1989–June 1996: Jones West Monmouth Comprehensive School;

Gwent Tertiary College, Pontypool Campus, Pontypool, Gwent.

Pupillage

Sept 2002-Apr 2003: Non-practising at Francis Taylor Building, London. Pupil master

Jonathan A Ingram.

Focus on primarily criminal law including observation and preparatory work on a

number of large multi-handed cases involving Queens counsel and senior junior

counsel.

Apr 2003-Jun 2004: Practising period of pupillage at Francis Taylor Building. Pupil

masters James W Mason and Christopher Meredith.

Focus on solely criminal law, undertaking daily criminal court (Crown and Magistrates)

appearances throughout London, Kent, Northamptonshire and Essex.

Other Legal Experience

 Secondments

Aug 2008-Feb 2009: Asset Forfeiture Division, RCPO.

6 month secondment specialising in confiscation and asset forfeiture law.

Research and Teaching

September 2010-2011: Participant in Practitioner Advocacy Sessions at the College of Law, teaching advocacy to BVC students.

January 2008 – to date: Moot Judge at Gray’s Inn.

Sept 2001-2002 & 1st-31st Mar 2001: Part-time employment as a personal/research

assistant to Alun Jones QC and James Lewis, 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn,

London.

Part-time employment as a personal/research assistant to Charles Flint QC and Paul

Goulding QC, Blackstone Chambers, Temple, London.

1st Jun-1st Sept 2000: Temporary employment as a research assistant to The

Honourable Mr Justice Thomas, presiding judge on the Wales and Chester circuit:,

Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London. WC2A 2LL.

21st Sept- Dec 1999: Part-time tutor in Law: Cardiff University Law School, Museum

Avenue, PO Box 427, Cardiff. CF1 1XD.

21st May –Sept 1999: Temporary employment as a Research Assistant: to Professor

R.G. Lee and Professor C. Wells: University of Wales Cardiff, Law School, PO Box 427,

Museum Avenue, Cardiff.

 

Para-legal work

3rd July-Sept 2001: Temporary Employment as a Para-Legal; working as part of a 8

member defence team and as joint supervisor of a 30 person team searching 17 tons

of unused prosecution material, on a large criminal fraud trial heard at Bristol Crown

Court in September 2001; at Morgans Solicitors, 4 Richmond Road, Roath, Cardiff.

Other Achievements

 Publications

January 2009-December 2010 : Co-author of a court guide published in instalments within the New Law Journal.

Feb 2000: Presented an original research paper at the University of Wales annual

Legal Research Conference held at Gregynog, Wales.

Sep 1999-Jun 2000: Member of the University of Wales, Cardiff Debating Society.

Jun 1999 & 2000: Presented original research papers at the annual Legal History

Symposium of the University of Wales Cardiff and the University of Munster, Germany.

Held in Cardiff in 1999 and Munster in 2000.

 

Awards and Scholarships

Oct 2001: Awarded the Bird & Bird senior scholarship by Gray’s Inn for pupillage.

Mar 2000: Awarded the Lord Justice Holker Award by Gray’s Inn to help fund the BVC.

Jun 1999: Awarded a Cardiff University Law School Studentship for my MPhil year.

Memberships and Professional Bodies

Gray’s Inn

Criminal Bar Association

Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association

Liberty

Interests

Literature, live music, vintage/revival events, Formula One motor racing.