Dominic Thomas
  • Dominic is a high calibre, excellent advocate with very good judgement.

    Chambers UK 2025, Crime

  • He has a good eye for detail and fights hard for his clients.

    Chambers UK 2025, Crime

  • He always knows what the client needs and will ensure that the client's best foot is put forward.

    Chambers UK 2025, Crime

  • He is a very skilled advocate and will charm any jury when required.

    Chambers UK 2025, Crime

  • Dom is in a field of his own in terms of advocacy, tactical thinking and client care. 

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • His advocacy is brave, compelling, intelligent and very effective.

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • He has an outstanding ability to cut to the core of a case swiftly and definitively.

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • When he stands up, silks listen to him because he has experience and gravitas. 

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • He is a strong and able advocate.

    Chambers UK 2024, Crime

  • Dominic is a scintillating advocate and formidable cross-examiner with a powerful presence in court. 

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • His legal submissions and jury speeches are a model of eloquence, precision and clarity. 

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • There is no finer jury advocate at the junior Bar.

    Legal 500 2024, Crime

  • Dominic is able to navigate his way through the most complex of cases with ease.

    Chambers UK 2023, Crime

  • His appealing personality makes him a sought-after jury advocate.

    Chambers UK 2023, Crime

  • Dominic Thomas boasts a wealth of experience of both leading and acting as sole junior in serious homicide proceedings. He appears on behalf of the defence at both trial and on appeal.

    Chambers UK 2023, Crime

  • Dominic is an unbelievable advocate.

    Legal 500 2023, Crime

  • He is strong across the board and ticks all the boxes.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • A formidable intellect, an excellent lawyer, an original and persuasive advocate, as eloquent on paper as he is on his feet.

    Legal 500 2022, Crime

  • He has a dry, witty manner in court and is a joy to watch.

    Chambers UK 2021

  • He is a consummate trial advocate possessing both charisma and gravitas. Diligent, charming and easy to work with.

    Legal 500 2021

  • Highly intelligent, with an original and persuasive style of advocacy.

    Legal 500 2020

  • His strength is his striking flamboyant forensic skill.

    Legal 500 2018

  • Wonderful jury advocate.

    Legal 500 

Called 1998

Dominic Thomas

Barrister

Dominic is a specialist in criminal defence,  including fraud and regulatory work. Dominic is regularly instructed to act in heavyweight criminal cases with a busy and successful practice in all areas of criminal law, both publicly and privately funded, particularly murder and manslaughter, complex fraud, major drugs cases, serious sexual offences and organised crime.

Having been instructed as sole junior or led junior for many years, he is now increasingly instructed as leading or sole junior counsel, often in multi-handed cases of complexity or sensitivity. He is a modern advocate: effective in Court, concerned to deliver down-to-earth client care, and attentive to crucial case management issues such as securing full disclosure and identifying the right experts ahead of trial.

Dominic frequently defends white-collar clients. He is trusted to defend those working within the criminal justice system and he is often recommended to clients by other barristers. He has been instructed to represent serving high-ranking police officers, barristers and solicitors charged with grave criminal offences.

Dominic is increasingly instructed in private work for trial or sentence, pre-charge or post-conviction. Dominic has long experience of providing advice and conducting criminal appeals to the Court of Appeal and to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in matters where he was not counsel instructed at first instance. Dominic is a founder member of the Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association and is qualified to act on a public/direct access basis. He has completed his Vulnerable Witness training.

Dominic has acted before the Administrative Court (by way of case stated, application for injunctive relief and judicial review), the Police Disciplinary Tribunal and Police Appeal Tribunal, the Solicitor’s Disciplinary Tribunal, the Parole Board, the Coroner's Court, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, the Mental Health Tribunal, the Immigration Appeal Tribunal, the Companies Court and the Disciplinary Committee of the Jockey's Club. He has been instructed to defend proceedings brought by the Health & Safety Authority, the Office of the Immigration Commissioner and the Environment Agency. Dominic has acted and advised in proceedings for liquor and gaming licences and in proceedings before the General Medical Council Disciplinary Committee.

His cases are frequently reported in the national media. He has written articles for The Criminal Law and Justice Weekly and the Independent Lawyer. He has appeared on national television and in national newspapers as an expert in criminal law. He acts as a consultant to TV production companies and lobbying organisations.

Recent Testimonials 

  • "He has a good eye for detail and fights hard for his clients." Chambers UK 2025, Crime
  • "He always knows what the client needs and will ensure that the client's best foot is put forward." Chambers UK 2025, Crime
  • "He is a very skilled advocate and will charm any jury when required." Chambers UK 2025, Crime
  • "Dominic is a high calibre, excellent advocate with very good judgement." Chambers UK 2025, Crime
  • "Dom is in a field of his own in terms of advocacy, tactical thinking and client care. His advocacy is brave, compelling, intelligent and very effective. He has an outstanding ability to cut to the core of a case swiftly and definitively." Legal 500 2025, Crime
  • Nominated for Crime Junior of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2024.
  • Recognised in Doyles Leading Criminal Law Counsel - London 2024 list.
  • "He is a strong and able advocate." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "When he stands up, silks listen to him because he has experience and gravitas." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Dominic is a scintillating advocate and formidable cross-examiner with a powerful presence in court. His legal submissions and jury speeches are a model of eloquence, precision and clarity. There is no finer jury advocate at the junior Bar." Legal 500 2024, Crime
  • "Dominic Thomas boasts a wealth of experience of both leading and acting as sole junior in serious homicide proceedings. He appears on behalf of the defence at both trial and on appeal." Chambers UK 2023, Crime
  • "Dominic is able to navigate his way through the most complex of cases with ease. His appealing personality makes him a sought-after jury advocate." Chambers UK 2023, Crime
  • "Dominic is an unbelievable advocate." Legal 500 2023, Crime
  • "He is strong across the board and ticks all the boxes." Chambers UK 2022
  • "A formidable intellect, an excellent lawyer, an original and persuasive advocate, as eloquent on paper as he is on his feet, Dominic couples all these stellar qualities with superb judgment based on a proper appreciation of the forensic fundamentals of a case, Dominic is completely focused on deploying all their considerable talents to get the right result for his client, Dominic is an outstanding barrister in every respect, a silk in all but name."  Legal 500 2022, Crime
  • "He has a dry, witty manner in court and is a joy to watch." Chambers UK 2021
  • "He is a consummate trial advocate possessing both charisma and gravitas. Diligent, charming and easy to work with." Legal 500 2021
  • "Highly intelligent, with an original and persuasive style of advocacy." Legal 500 2020
  • "His strength is his striking flamboyant forensic skill." Legal 500 2018
  • "Wonderful jury advocate." Legal 500

Professional Memberships

  • Fraud Lawyers Association
  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Criminal Appeal Lawyers Association
  • Society of Visually Impaired Lawyers