Specialist Areas
The barristers at Trinity have a wide range of advisory and advocacy experience with a broad range of years call available. The barristers are supported by an experienced team of clerks, many of whom have legal qualifications and backgrounds themselves. They have developed considerable expertise in clerking each of Trinity’s particular practice areas and have a strong reputation for their professional and pragmatic approach as well as for being “user friendly”. Whilst many of the barristers practice across the North and the Court centres of Newcastle, Durham, Teesside and Carlisle, they also travel nationwide to deal with instructions.Trinity's specialist practice groups are as follows :-
Administrative and Public
The group deal with Judicial Review proceedings as well as the primary areas of law to which the Public and Administrative issues relate, for example, prison law, planning, immigration, family, regulatory and mental health. As well as acting on behalf of individuals and organisations the team also advise and represent Local Authorities, NHS Trusts and other regulatory bodies in Judicial Review proceedings. They recognise the need for speed and accurate early advice in managing such complex and potentially costly cases. They frequently deal with Judicial Review proceedings in the Administrative Court in Leeds.
Find out more about our Administrative and Public law barristers Agriculture
Trinity Chambers have brought together senior and experienced practitioners who cover all aspects of Agricultural law from planning matters, Agricultural Holdings Act issues, Inheritance Act disputes through to complex trusts, estates and capacity issues. The barristers recognise and are able to assist with the increasing regulatory requirements in agriculture including environmental protection, levies, licensing, employment and health and safety.
Find out more about our Agriculture law barristers Business
Representing a wide range of business organisations, SME’s, professionals, partnerships, government departments, Local Authorities and individuals the barristers have experience in dealing with substantial litigated matters and recognise the benefits of arbitration and mediation. They are frequently instructed by in-house legal teams to carry out bespoke pieces of work cost effectively and promptly. The Business team has also developed particular expertise in dealing with insolvency proceedings, often on an urgent basis.
Find out more about our Business law barristers Chancery
The specialist Chancery barristers have a wide breadth of experience and expertise in the core areas of property law, landlord and tenant, housing, wills and probate, Inheritance Act claims, trusts and estates. The Chancery team advises and provides representation to clients in relation to both contentious and non-contentious matters.
Find out more about our Chancery law barristers Criminal
The group, with two Silks, Mr Toby Hedworth Q.C., Mr Eric Elliott Q.C. and over 20 juniors, deal with criminal advocacy covering both defence and prosecution work. They represent clients throughout the North at the Newcastle, Durham, Teesside and Carlisle Crown Courts and beyond with cases frequently being dealt within the Court of Appeal. The group have dealt with terrorism cases, gangland murder, extradition, serious fraud, internet crime, large scale conspiracy cases and motoring offences. The criminal barristers have expertise in regulatory and financial crime including money laundering, proceeds of crime and criminal confiscation. Trinity Chambers have several specialist Courts Martial advocates. The group cover prison law including Judicial Review proceedings.
Find out more about our Criminal law barristers Employment
Regularly acting on behalf of both employers and employees, the Trinity Employment Barristers advise and appear at all stages of employment disputes including providing pre-litigation advice and representation in relation to disciplinary proceedings. They attend case management discussions; provide representation at Tribunal proceedings as well as settling proceedings and notices of appeal. Barristers in the employment group appear before the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and, in some instances, the Court of Appeal. Whilst the group deal with hearings in Newcastle, Teesside and Carlisle, barristers in the employment group frequently travel nationwide and into Scotland to represent clients.
Find out more about our Employment law barristers Family and Ancillary Relief
As one of the largest family law groups in the North of England its members offer a broad range of expertise and experience. The Trinity family barristers are supported by a dedicated clerking team. All aspects of family law are covered, at all levels of court. The group deal with public and private law proceedings including child care, forced marriage and domestic violence. In addition they deal with divorce as well as complex ancillary relief matters. Members of the group represent individuals, Guardians and Local Authorities. Lay clients are represented with vigour, realism and compassion. Professional clients are valued, and the group recognises the importance of a prompt response, continuity of counsel and good communication with solicitors at all times. Several members of the group sit as Deputy District Judges, two as Recorders and Mrs Sally Bradley Q.C. sits as a Deputy High Court Judge.
Find out more about our Family and Ancillary Relief law barristers Immigration
Trinity has the only specialist immigration practice group of barristers in the North East of England. The group receives instructions from further afield and has developed a niche practice in private as well as publicly funded immigration matters, including the points based system. They cover all levels of representation from the Asylum & Immigration Tribunal to the Special Immigration Appeal Commission up to Judicial Review proceedings. The team are experts in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality/entry clearance cases.
Find out more about our Immigration law barristers Licensing
Barristers in Trinity’s Licensing Group advise and act for licensing authorities, responsible authorities, applicants and objectors at all stages of applications, as well as in relation to policies. The barristers deal with bar, nightclub, pub, working men’s club and retail operations, and are involved in more unusual and complex matters, running the spectrum from major arenas and sports stadia, concert halls and music festivals to “stretch limo” based operations. The licensing barristers deal with all aspects of the Licensing Act 2003 covering alcohol, personal licences and premises licences. The barristers have expertise in taxi licensing matters, with members of the group appearing in major judicial reviews such as Berwick Borough Council v. Newcastle City Council and Stockton Borough Council v. Fidler. They deal with betting, gaming and lottery matters, from casinos to betting shops attached to working men’s clubs and raffles. Barristers in the Licensing Group have advised and acted in numerous sex licensing matters, from lap-dancing operations and sex shops to sex cinemas, saunas and online agencies. Barristers in the Group also deal with appeals under the Firearms Act 1968. Other areas covered include temporary event notices, entertainment, street trading, houses in multiple occupation and gang masters.
Find out more about our Licensing barristers Mediation
Members of Trinity’s mediation team recognise the significant cost and time saving benefits of alternative dispute resolution. Trinity have developed a specialist group of accredited mediators in both civil/commercial cases as well as family matters. The trained mediation barristers acknowledge that in certain circumstances disputes need not be resolved through the Courts. A trained mediator can help both parties narrow down the issues and facilitate an early, amicable and cost effective resolution. Given the broad range of expertise available at Trinity Chambers the mediation barristers can deal with ancillary relief, family disputes, commercial disputes, property disputes including landlord and tenant, commercial leases, neighbour disputes as well as personal injury, professional negligence, contentious probate and trusts. Fees can be agreed in advance to include access to Trinity’s mediation facilities in Newcastle and Middlesbrough. With its numerous conference rooms both in Newcastle and Teesside, Trinity Chambers have facilities to deal with mediations. Barristers within Trinity’s mediation group are prepared to travel nationwide to deal with mediations.
Find out more about our Mediation barristers Court of Protection and Mental Health
The group deal with all aspects of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 including issues surrounding treatment and detention, vulnerable adults and deprivation of liberty. The group provide a wide range of representation from the Mental Health Review Tribunal as well as in Court of Protection and capacity matters. In addition, the specialist barristers deal with Judicial Review proceedings arising from mental health and Court of Protection related issues. As well as representing individuals, members of the mental health team also act on behalf of Local Authorities and NHS Trusts, sometimes on an emergency basis.
Find out more about our Court of Protection and Mental Health law barristers Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence
Trinity’s Personal Injury barristers deal with cases on behalf of claimants and defendants ranging from whiplash injuries through to catastrophic head and spinal injury claims. They have extensive RTA experience including credit hire matters and infant approvals. The team deal with employers’ liability claims, including industrial disease, slipping and tripping claims as well as actions against the police. Members have experience of dealing with clinical and dental negligence matters as well as providing representation at Coroners Inquests. The group also has several barristers who specialise in costs litigation including enforceability of conditional fee agreements, costs assessments and recoverability of insurance premiums.
Find out more about our Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence law barristers Planning
All aspects of planning are dealt with from major public inquiries and recovered jurisdiction appeals to drafting Section 106 legal agreements. Acting for a wide range of sectors including property developers, public authorities, house builders and individuals. Experience of both prosecuting and defending planning contraventions in the Magistrates and Crown Courts as well as appearing in the Administrative Court in Judicial Review proceedings. Providing representation and advice on environmental law issues including waste management, installations, regulatory challenges and renewable energy such as wind farms and biomass plants.
Find out more about our Planning law barristers Regulatory
Members of the group appear before various disciplinary proceedings including police disciplinary hearings and in representing professionals such as University lecturers, teachers, clinical and nursing staff. They have defended and prosecuted hearings involving HM Revenue & Customs, Trading Standards, Health and Safety Executive, food safety, marine safety, environmental protection, animal cruelty, civil aviation and data protection. Members of the group have conducted Coroner’s Inquests representing both families and also public bodies and companies. Several of the Regulatory practitioners have experience of dealing with Courts Martial hearings.
Find out more about our Regulatory and Disciplinary law barristers