Jeffrey Israel
  • Jeffrey is a stellar performer. He is extremely hard-working and a seasoned professional.

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • He has a strong courtroom presence and a powerful and persuasive manner in cross-examination. 

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • Jeffrey is a class act and a silk in waiting.

    Legal 500 2025, Crime

  • He is a great jury advocate who's very hardworking, astute and strategic in the way he fights a case.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • His strength is in his judgement, passionate advocacy and his ability to leave the client with the idea that everything possible has been done.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • Jeff made a brilliant closing speech that woke everyone up. It was both effervescent and potent.

    Chambers UK 2024

  • Jeffrey's jury-craft is superb. He grips your attention with sabre-like cross-examination and layers questions building to the skilful demolition of witness evidence.

    Legal 500 2023

  • He is incredibly robust and will fight all the way. You definitely want him on your side. 

    Chambers UK 2023

  • He takes on complicated matters and sifts through the evidence, developing a comprehensive strategy on how to handle the case  He is an exceptionally talented barrister with very astute judgement.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • A fearless advocate who stands up to judges and produces incisive advocacy.

    Chambers UK 2021

Called 2000

Jeffrey Israel

Barrister

Jeffrey Israel is a leading barrister, listed in the Legal 500 directory as well as in Chambers & Partners, specialising in all aspects of criminal law. Jeffrey was shortlisted by the Legal 500 for Crime & Extradition Junior of the year 2022.

Jeffrey has been instructed as both a leading junior and a junior alone in a wide range of serious criminal matters. He is admired for his robust handling of cases and his fearless approach in Court and is highly sought after by private clients, often on Bar Direct Access, enabling him to oversee every aspect of the case. This approach offers particular reassurance to his clients.

Jeffrey is best known for acting on a Bar Direct Access basis in the successful appeal of Alexander Blackman – known as ‘Marine A’, who was convicted of murdering a dying Taliban insurgent whilst on active service in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

As a result of that landmark success he is regularly instructed to conduct appeals in cases where he did not represent defendants at their original trials.

Jeffrey is also highly sought after to represent those who are accused and facing trial. Recent successful instructions include a representing a prominent businessman alleged to have attacked his business partner, a city trader accused of assaulting a doorman, and a garage owner accused of laundering over £6m.

Past cases include representing a former manager of Tottenham Hotspur FC for speeding, defending Tony Blair’s private secretary accused of rape, and defending the vice-chairman of Tottenham for an alleged assault in Harrod’s Food Hall.     

In addition, Jeffrey also accepts instructions on Legal Aid in serious cases. Recently these include acting as leading junior in a kidnap and torture case, in a £30m money-laundering case, and a £15m fraud.

Previously Jeffrey has defended in:

  • An £8m conspiracy to supply heroin;
  • A large-scale nationwide cocaine conspiracy involving 11 defendants;
  • A conspiracy to transfer loaded machine-guns by defendants in prison;
  • A multi-handed murder allegation arising out of a 'drug war' in a case that involved the US authorities;
  • A multi-million pound SFO case involving the creation of false identities and bank accounts that are then used to defraud HMRC;
  • The shooting at a uniformed police officer in the course of an armed robbery;
  • Human-trafficking for the purpose of forced prostitution;
  • A gang-related firearms case where over 100 guns, grenades, and live ammunition were being supplied across the country;
  • The murder of a lorry driver in a drunken attack;
  • The attempted murder of two police officers;
  • A gangland execution;
  • The poisoning of a 4-year old by her mother;
  • A large-scale importation of cocaine from South America.

As well as being a specialist criminal defence barrister, Jeffrey has a particular interest in Civil Actions against the Police, Judicial Reviews and Public Inquests. He is regularly instructed to advise charities such as MENCAP, National Autistic Society and Guide Dogs for the Blind on matters of potential criminal liability, including in Court of Protection proceedings. He has lectured in this field on topics such as ‘Capacity to Consent to Sex, a Civil and a Criminal Perspective’ and as such has particular expertise

Jeffrey is able to accept instructions direct from the public in appropriate cases. For further information in this regard please contact our Clerks.

Jeffrey's Privacy Policy can be downloaded here.