Laura Collier

Laura is a highly regarded advocate and tactician, with a reputation for excellent client care. She has extensive trial and advisory experience, receiving instructions as a leading junior across the spectrum of white collar and heavyweight crime.

Laura is regularly instructed in the most serious cases including murder, manslaughter, drugs and firearms matters. She also specialises in complex fraud and money laundering. Laura is frequently trusted with cases involving serious sexual offences including allegations of rape, including historic grooming and offences against children.

In addition, she has extensive experience of representing defendants accused of both fatal and non-fatal driving offences, regularly receiving such instructions from insurers.

Laura has significant experience in the cross-examination of expert witnesses, including in the fields of pathology, cellsite and accident reconstruction.

She is particularly skilled in dealing with very vulnerable clients; both adults and youths. Laura is available for direct/public access instructions.

She is known for her thorough preparation, her sharp tactical judgement and her ability to distil the issues in cases of the utmost complexity, with speed, class and precision. She has developed a reputation as a dynamic in-court advocate, with a calm and reassuring out-of-court manner.

She has a significant practise in appellate advisory work and is frequently instructed to appeal convictions and/or sentence on a private basis.

Laura sits as a Recorder of the Crown Court.

Laura completed a secondment at the Football Association, during which she appeared for the FA in a number of contested regulatory hearings. Further, she has experience of contested Football Banning Order applications, having appeared in both the Magistrates’ and High Court in relation to the imposition of such.

She has a proven track record of representing high profile clients, including working closely with Jeremy Dein KC in the preparation of complex legal arguments relating to former X Factor Judge and N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, which resulted in the first successful non-stage agent abuse of process application. She was also instructed to represent an extremely controversial and high profile public figure, in an application to appeal against the imposition of a stalking prevention order, made in favour of the then Home Affairs correspondent at The Independent.

Prior to life at the Bar, Laura was also the first person to be a finalist and prize-winner at The Times/Herbert Smith National Advocacy Competition in two consecutive years.

During her French degree [first class], Laura spent a year teaching English in a secondary school in one of the most difficult Parisian suburbs. Whilst there, Laura initiated a drama project, involving some of the most disengaged children at the school. This project made the French national press.

Appointments

• Recorder of the Crown Court (Western Circuit), 2024