Year of call : 2001
Teresa predominately practices in the following areas:
Crime
Trading Standards and Consumer Law
Copyright and Trademark offences
Teresa came to the bar in 2001 having previously had a career in Leisure Management in both the UK and abroad.
In addition to her work in practice, Teresa acts as an Advocacy Trainer for Middle Temple, and sits on the Scholarship Interview Panel for that Inn. She also mentors and supports schools participating in the National Mock Trial competition.
Crime
Teresa enjoys a balanced practice both prosecuting and defending across the full range of criminal offences, including serious and complex cases.
She is a CPS Grade 3 prosecutor and is on the CPS list of specialist rape advocates.
She is instructed in the full range of criminal offences including dishonesty, violence, public order, drugs, fraud and money laundering, sexual offences, and offences against children. These include cases prosecuting multiple defendants, and cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses.
She is regularly instructed in cases involving the most serious sexual offences, including historic and familial abuse, violent sexual offences, and sexual offences involving young children. She is often instructed because of her sensitivity in dealing with difficult or distressed witnesses or clients, and has specific experience of handling young or vulnerable witnesses and defendants. She understands the need for sensitivity in cases involving especially vulnerable complainants including children, family members, and the mentally ill, and offers a high level of care to those involved. She has also appeared in the Court of Appeal in a case involving a challenge to the making of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
She has particular experience representing young people charged with very serious offences, including gang and knife violence, and sexual offences, most notably representing one of the defendants charged in relation to a gang related violent disorder and murder in Camden.
She has also appeared variously as a single advocate and as a junior in cases alleging conspiracy in relation to numerous offences including; the supply or importation of class A drugs; conspiracy to defraud; conspiracy to pervert the course of justice; and conspiracies in connection with planned gang violence.
Teresa has also successfully represented the CPS in the Administrative Court, and the Court of Appeal.
Fraud
Teresa has been instructed in relation to frauds conducted in a number of contexts including possession, production, and use of fake credit cards, NHS fraud, benefit fraud, and the conversion or disposal of criminal property. Her previous career provided valuable experience and skills directly applicable to her fraud work, as she had direct responsibility for identifying, preventing, and resolving theft and loss in a business environment. She is a member of the Young Fraud Lawyers Association.
Confiscation
Teresa has conducted a number of contested confiscation hearings, for both the prosecution and the defence, most notably on one occasion reducing a confiscation figure from £20,000+ to £1. She has also provided advice in relation to the defence response to a prosecution application to seek in excess of £10m in confiscation proceedings alleging “hidden assets”.
Trading Standards and other work
Since becoming part of the Trading Standards Practice Group in 2008, Teresa has been instructed by both prosecuting authorities and defendants, in cases involving Trading Standards, Copyright and Trademarks, and Consumer Law offences. These instructions not only involve Court appearances but also the provision of pre charge advice where required. Of particular note was advice provided to a Local Authority assessing the feasibility of criminal proceedings arising out of an alleged ‘mis-selling’ dispute between an established house building company and their disgruntled purchasers. In addition Teresa regularly prosecutes offences under the Copyright and Patents Act, both in the Magistrates and, increasingly, in the Crown Court on appeal.
In addition to her “criminal” work Teresa has represented clients in civil proceedings including injunction applications, applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and in Extradition proceedings.
She is qualified to provide Direct Access.
Memberships
Criminal Bar Association
Young Fraud Lawyers Association
Surrey and South London Bar Mess
Qualifications
BA (Hons) English and American Literature Warwick University
Common Professional Exam Sussex University
Middle Temple Scholar