The areas of work in which we have particular expertise, experience and excellence
The areas of work in which we have particular expertise, experience and excellence
Barristers
Call 1998
Michael Stradling is an experienced leading junior who has a strong practice in heavyweight criminal defence.
He also accepts instructions in divorce work, property litigation and general common law. He is a persuasive and versatile advocate.
Michael regularly defends in major criminal trials. He has defended in cases of homicide (both led and alone), major fraud, serious violence, sexual offending, and all manner of criminal cases. He has considerable experience dealing with issues of mental health, as they relate to criminal cases. He has represented clients found not to have done the act alleged when they are unfit to stand trial and has successfully run the defence of legal insanity.
He has represented and advised on all elements of confiscation and forfeiture proceedings in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal.
Michael has represented clients in the High Court and County Courts in a range of civil and family matters. He has experience in financial elements of divorce and has litigated multimillion-pound divorce cases. He has also dealt with family protective orders.
He has experience of care proceedings (these are usually private proceedings, but he will accept instructions in public matters). He has represented in civil fraud cases and has a general common law and commercial practice. Michael has advised in planning cases in which there has been a Human Rights element, successfully obtaining retrospective planning permission based on the right to life.
Michael has taught advocacy at university level and is regularly asked to judge the National Criminal Advocacy Competition Finals. He appeared in a Radio 4 programme when he was judging at the University of Law.
He is qualified to receive instructions directly from the public.
R v A
Lead junior in a major fraud by a carer on elderly clients.
R v T
‘Operation Boyne’ – Junior alone in a £3.5m bureau de change money laundering conspiracy.
R v Sanchez
Life insurance fraud (fake death) attracting international media attention.
R v H
‘Operation Bluejay’ – Leading junior in a multimillion-pound bureau de change money laundering conspiracy leading to withdrawal of the 500 euro note.
R v O
‘Operation Birkaheim’ – Leading junior in the largest ever fraud on a single NHS trust.
R v K
£250k banking fraud and money laundering case in which the defendant successfully ran duress.
R v E
Election fraud involving a Liberal Democrat councillor.
R v A
Election fraud and possession of indecent images by a Bristol City Councillor.
R v F
Employee theft involving a City solicitors firm.
R v K
Tobacco smuggling case involving a shipping container of cigarettes.
R v S
‘Operation Tilgate’ – Regional drug supply in Wales. DHL importation of cocaine. ‘Operation Tarvin’ – regional drug supply in North East England.
R v A
£250k cocaine importation into Gatwick from Jamaica. The defendant was acquitted on the defence of duress.
R v T
Conspiracy to supply cocaine.
R v J
Supply of approximately 100kg of cocaine to North West England from the South East.
R v W
Successful defence of a 12-year-old boy accused of anally raping a six-year-old boy.
R v W
15-year old boy accused of oral rape of stranger.
R v O
Rape.
R v P
Rape.
R v M
Rape of a five-year-old boy by a 15-year-old defendant.
R v B
Multiple rapes over a four-month period.
R v P
Familial sexual abuse.
R v I
Rape.
R v C
Historic sexual abuse and rape.
R v T
Series of robberies of mobile phone shops by law students.
R v Hussain
Firearms case with a successful defence of duress.
R v Bello
Robbery, kidnap and false imprisonment case.
R v Rafiq
Successful defence of duress of circumstances/necessity.
R v B
Successful defence of a bus driver accused of causing death by careless driving.
R v O
Death by dangerous driving.
R v P
Death by dangerous driving.
Michael is experienced in dealing with the law relating to dogs. He has represented in cases involving dangerous dogs, animal welfare prosecutions, and civil cases concerning the Animals Act (dog biting), and cases concerning custody of the jointly owned dog following relationship breakdowns.
Advised an international banker on employment rights.
Advised on pre-litigation issues relating to advice given on a failed investment scheme.
Represented a future Olympic rower in criminal proceedings for an alleged assault on an associate solicitor from Clifford Chance in Mahiki nightclub. National media attention.
Represented in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) of interested party in confiscation enforcement proceedings.
Appeared in multi-track trial in defence of a TOLATA claim.
Nurse B
Successful submission of insufficient evidence. Proceedings were brought following the death of a patient in a nurse’s care.
R v Perkins [2021] EWCA Crim 1462
Admission of bad character between co-defendants.
R v Lanning [2021] EWCA Crim 450
Murder, joint enterprise and bad character.
R v Mohammed [2020] EWCA Crim 1745
AG’s reference.
R v Johnson [2019] EWCA Crim 2503
Appeal against sentence for aggravated burglary.
R v Campbell [2016] EWCA Crim 2096
Appeal against sentence for robbery.
R. (on the application of Heron) v Serious Organised Crime Agency, 2013, Court of Appeal (Civil Division), EWCA Civ 1106
Instructed under the direct access scheme for an interested party in confiscation enforcement proceedings.
R v Flack, 2013, Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), 16th January 2013 [2013] 2 Cr. App. R. (S.) 56, [2013]; Crim, L. R. 521.
R v Degg, 2008.
Demkowski v Poland, 2012 - EWCH 2589 (Admin); [2012] A.C.D 116
Extradition case on extension of time limits.
R v Payton, 2006 - EWCA Crim 1226; [2006] Crim LR 997; (2006) 150 S.J 741, CA.
Concurrent civil and criminal proceedings and good character direction. Conviction overturned.
R v Ahmati, 2006 - EWCA Crim 818
Successful appeal against recommendation for deportation which also led to the Court of Appeal ordering wasted costs against the Home Office.
Michael Stradling, instructed by Andrew Marrs at Abbey Solicitors, successfully defends (again) in an encrochat case of considerable seriousness at the Kingston Crown Court. Mr Stradling’s client faced an indictment alleging conspiracies to supply cocaine,…
Michael Stradling, instructed by Ditesh Patel and Ria Kudrati at Bark & Co, represent a defendant who was acquitted of a sophisticated conspiracy to defraud involving organised criminal gangs and insiders working for the Nat…
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