Laura Collier

Barrister

Laura is a mature, persuasive and forceful leading junior, experienced far beyond her call.

She regularly receives instructions in matters of the most serious crime, including murder, grievous bodily harm with intent, drugs and firearms matters. She also specialises in cases of 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 also specialises in driving offences, having developed a reputation as a dynamic in-court advocate, with a calm and reassuring out-of-court manner.

Laura frequently receives instructions in, and has significant experience of, protest cases, from the Magistrates' to the High Court and encompassing complicated issues of human rights, public law and injunctive relief. She has done a number of cases both as a led junior and junior alone, often representing multiple defendants facing allegations arising out of protests against issues such as hydraulic fracturing, the felling of healthy trees by a council under a PFI contract, the arms trade and the anti-fascism movement. She has also received instructions in Extinction Rebellion protest cases.

Laura has recently 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.

Laura worked 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.

Laura has also been instructed in disclosure reviews in high profile and sensitive cases, including Grenfell and a £134M alleged film fraud.

Prior to commencing life at 25 Bedford Row, Laura worked in press and communications for a national charity. Additionally, she has spent time volunteering at the National Centre for Domestic Violence, undertaken an internship focused on prison law and interned at a national firm of solicitors. Laura was also the first person to be a finalist and prizewinner at The Times/Herbert Smith National Advocacy Competition in two consecutive years.

During her French degree, in which she obtained a 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.

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

Publications

‘Non-state Agent Entrapment – The X Factor’ published by Archbold Review
‘Does the Image of the Criminal Bar Need to Change’ published by Archbold Review

Qualifications and Awards

Criminal Bar Association Bursary winner (2014)
Michael Jaffa Award Winner (2014)
BPTC, College of Law (2013)
Diplock Scholar, Middle Temple (2012)
GDL, College of Law (2011)
Finalist, The Times Herbert Smith Advocacy Competition (2011)
Finalist, The Times Herbert Smith Advocacy Competition (2010)
BA (Hons) French, Royal Holloway, University of London (1st Class) (2010)

Professional Memberships

Criminal Bar Association
Haldane Society
The Honourable Society of Middle Temple
BASL

Languages

French

Serious Crime

R v B – Instructed in an eight handed murder, where all defendants were youths. (Bristol Crown Court)
R v M - Instructed as a leading junior in a conspiracy to cause explosions (Manchester Crown Court)
R v B - Instructed as a leading junior in a double kidnap, firearms, blackmail, s.18 GBH and false imprisonment (Manchester Crown Court).
R v U – Instructed as a led junior in the case of an OCG who stole a total of 170 rare books worth more than £1.3 million in a heist near Heathrow airport. First editions of Galileo and Isaac Newton were taken by the defendants who drilled holes through skylights and abseiled 40ft into a warehouse (Kingston Crown Court)
R v K – Instructed as a junior alone in a nationwide conspiracy to steal cars and launder the proceeds thereof (Aylesbury Crown Court)
R v U – Instructed as a junior alone in a multi-kilo conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs (Manchester Crown Court)
R v M - Instructed as a junior alone in an historic rape of a child under 13, where the defendant was the Grandfather of the Complainant (Reading Crown Court).
R v Y - Instructed in an allegation of rape to represent a young defendant of good character (Blackfriars Crown Court)
R v D - Instructed as a led junior for the first defendant charged with murder (Luton Crown Court)
R v K - Instructed as a led junior for the first defendant in a 30 count, multi defendant case, alleging the ‘Rotherham style’ grooming (including the alleged provision of heroin to a 12 year old) and rape of a young vulnerable girl by a group of older men (Reading Crown Court)
R v C - Instructed as a led junior for the first defendant in a multi-million pound national conspiracy to produce in excess of £1M of cannabis (Nottingham Crown Court)
R v G - Instructed to represent a youth charged with firearms offences (Leicester Crown Court)
R v C - Client was charged with possession of 10 disguised stun guns, for which the mandatory minimum sentence is 5 years custody. Laura successfully persuaded the Judge, not only to come below the 5 years, but to suspend the sentence (Isleworth Crown Court)
R v B - Successfully secured bail for client charged with murder (Central Criminal Court)

Protest Cases

R v F & Others - Instructed as a led junior for multiple defendants against whom Sheffield City Council sought an injunction. The case arose out of large-scale protests in objection to the felling of healthy trees in the Sheffield area, under a £2 billion PFI contract with Amey (High Court – Leeds Registry)
R v B & Others - Represented six defendants charged with offences arising out of environmental protests at an exploratory oil extraction site. Case involved significant legal arguments as well as the cross examination of senior police protest coordinators (Redhill Magistrates)
R v R - Represented an individual charged with assaulting an EDL member whilst participating in an anti-fascism protest (Croydon Magistrates)
R v T & Others - Represented several defendants charged with a multitude of offences arising out of protests against fracking (Redhill Magistrates)
R v A - Instructed to represent a defendant charged with offences relating to a peaceful protest at London's Science Museum, which was hosting a corporate event welcoming individuals concerned in the arms trade, notably from countries with appalling human rights' records (City of London Magistrates)

Fraud and Money Laundering

R v K – Instructed as a leading junior, in a £1M money laundering case. The alleged predicate offending was a £24M fraud. (Southwark Crown Court)
R v M – Instructed as a led junior in a £14M alleged property investment fraud. (Southwark Crown Court)
R v B – Instructed as a junior alone in a £1M money laundering. (Kingston Crown Court)
R v M – Instructed as a led junior in a million pound property fraud. (Aylesbury Crown Court)