Helen Valley
  • Helen is incredibly diligent. A good cross-examiner who is very persuasive on her feet.

    Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime

  • Helen is very assured, has excellent judgment, her legal arguments are very well-presented.

    Legal 500 2023, Crime

  • Helen is a hugely experienced leading junior who is highly regarded and sought after ... an expert in matters involving serious and complex crime.

    Legal 500 2022, Crime

  • Tactically astute, she is always one step ahead of the rest. Her approach to cases is always measured. She has a calming influence upon others even in the most stressful of situations.

    Legal 500 2022, Crime

  • Helen is a hugely effective, experienced, assured and able senior junior with an outstanding courtroom manner.

    Legal 500 2021

  • She is renowned for her measured approach, calmness under pressure, lightness of touch, thought processes and charm. She has an abundance of patience, politeness and understanding for all those with whom she comes into contact.

    Legal 500 2021

  • Helen possesses rare judgment, intuition, know-how and a first-rate work ethic.She commands effortless respect from her colleagues, clients & the judiciary.

    Legal 500 2021

  • She has a calming presence with an air of understated assurance. 

    Legal 500 2020

Called 1990

Helen Valley

Barrister

A very experienced and well respected leading junior, ranked as a leader in Crime and Fraud: Crime in the Legal 500.

Helen has successfully combined a heavy criminal practice with her work in financial crime.

Helen is particularly known for her sensitivity and patience with clients and her ability to deal with vulnerable and young defendants.

Helen is regularly instructed on behalf of professionals such as Doctors, Local Authority Officials and Company Directors accused of fraud, and other corporate crime.

Career

Called to the Bar in 1990 Helen is part of a team of practitioners and Judges who have been accredited to train new entrants in advocacy techniques and best practice. Helen has developed expertise in relation to the treatment of vulnerable witnesses and has lectured in this regard to various organisations including the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, Kingsley Napley Solicitors and the Criminal Law Review Conference.

Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Female Fraud Forum
  • Women in Criminal Law
  • The Fraud Lawyers Association

Recent Testimonials

  • "Helen is incredibly diligent. A good cross-examiner who is very persuasive on her feet." Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime
  • "Helen is very assured, has excellent judgment, her legal arguments are very well-presented." Legal 500 2023, Crime
  • "Helen is a hugely experienced leading junior who is highly regarded and sought after. She is an expert in matters involving serious and complex crime. Tactically astute, she is always once steps ahead of the rest. Her approach to case is always measured. She has a calming influence upon others even in the most stressful of situations." Legal 500 Crime 2022
  • "Helen is a hugely effective, experienced, assured and able senior junior with an outstanding courtroom manner." Legal 500 2021
  • "She is renowned for her measured approach, calmness under pressure, lightness of touch, thought processes and charm. She has an abundance of patience, politeness and understanding for all those with whom she comes into contact." Legal 500 2021
  • "Helen possesses rare judgment, intuition, know-how and a first-rate work ethic.She commands effortless respect from her colleagues, clients & the judiciary." Legal 500 2021 
  • "She has a calming presence with an air of understated assurance." Legal 500 2020 

Education

  • BA (Hons) - London University Diploma in Law
  • Bar Vocational Course – Inns of Court School of Law