Emma is described by fellow professionals as “highly intelligent with a forensic eye for detail”, “a fantastic advocate” and “incredibly hardworking and dedicated”.
An Officer Cadet at Sandhurst was tried before the Judge ...Read more
Emma is a leading criminal practitioner routinely instructed in high profile and sensitive cases. She has considerable expertise acting in complex trials involving homicide, serious organised crime, terrorism, fraud and sexual offences. Emma has a substantial advisory practice. She is instructed pre-charge to advise upon case strategy and evidence and in an appellate capacity upon conviction and sentence appeals where she did not act at first instance. She pursues cold case applications before the CCRC and conducts judicial review proceedings. She is a contributor to Taylor on Criminal Appeals.
Emma has a loyal following amongst solicitors due to her meticulous approach to law, forensic case preparation and her reputation for outstanding client-care. She is extremely skilled in dealing with vulnerable and mentally disordered clients and is experienced in conducting fitness to plead hearings. Emma is highly sought-after in private cases due to her authority and sensitivity when representing exacting clients with limited experience of the criminal justice system.
Emma accepts private and publicly funded instructions and is direct access qualified. She is ranked in both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.
In 2012 Emma was appointed to sit as a criminal Recorder in the Crown Court in London and the South East.
What the directories say
“Emma is a class act. Both her written work and oral advocacy are first class” – Legal 500
"Emma is highly intelligent with a forensic eye for detail. Her diligent case preparation is the amongst the best around. Her knowledge of the law and ability to apply that knowledge to her client's advantage in the service of their case is genuinely impressive. She is a persuasive advocate who always has the respect of the court due to her obvious grasp of the issues in the case and her conspicuous competence." - Legal 500
"Extremely hard-working, creative and thorough in her preparation. She also has excellent presentational skills." - Chambers and Partners
"Emma is a fantastic advocate and is always well-composed in whatever case is before her." - Legal 500
"She is extremely intelligent and the most meticulous, well-prepared advocate you could wish to meet." - Chambers and Partners
“Emma is incredibly hardworking and dedicated. She is very good in court and her submissions are always clear, concise, and to the point. She has a very good manner with clients. When instructed on a case, Emma is very easy to work with and her case preparation is superb.” - Legal 500
“Indefatigable and full of verve. Her intelligence and tenacity make her a brilliant lawyer. She is able to digest huge amounts of information in order to enact clinical cross examination. She is able to deal with high-pressured situations calmly with precision.” - Legal 500
"A barrister with a sound legal mind, who takes the right points in an impressive way. Her written submissions are always detailed and good, and she makes lovely closing speeches." - Chambers and Partners
Homicide and Related Grave Offences
Emma is regularly instructed in homicide offences ranging from patricide to gang murders. She is highly skilled in countering complex medical and scientific expert evidence and legally and tactically adept in issues of joint enterprise.
Notable cases include:
R v RR – Representing a man of good character accused of a joint enterprise murder where the deceased was gunned down in a motiveless attack outside a nightclub.
R v AW – Defending a charge of murder where the accused strangled a sex worker and fled the jurisdiction.
R v BE – The defendant was tried for murder and weapons offences after being named by a witness in the trial of his brother. He was acquitted of all charges during a re-trial following a hung jury.
R v VM – VM was charged with the murder of his 89-year-old grandmother having slayed her with a samurai sword as she slept. He suffered from obsessive and persecutory beliefs and was found not guilty of murder on the basis of diminished responsibility.
R v RL – The defendant was charged with a joint enterprise murder where the deceased was repeatedly stabbed. The prosecution relied on evidence from an anonymous witness. RL was acquitted after a lengthy trial.
R v KB – Successfully defended an extremely vulnerable defendant advancing a cutthroat defence in a factually and legally complex joint enterprise murder by stabbing.
R v AA – Defended a father accused of multiple allegations of poisoning his two infant children and his wife by administering controlled drugs. The case involved complex multi discipline evidence from numerous expert and professional witnesses.
R v AM – After an eight-week trial AM was acquitted of both murder and manslaughter arising from a county lines drugs dispute. His defence was alibi and the case involved substantial cell site and scientific evidence together with a ferocious cutthroat defence advanced by a co-defendant.
R v PT – PT was accused of multiple counts of attempted murder and firearm offences. After challenge was made to the identification process no further evidence was offered on part of the indictment and PT was acquitted of all remaining charges in a second trial.
R v AS – This was an allegation of a domestic road rage murder in which Emma advised upon complex accident reconstruction and psychiatric evidence. AS was acquitted of murder.
R v AL – AL was charged with attempted murder and firearm offences. After submitting a strategic defence statement and a targeted disclosure application the prosecution offered no evidence.
Serious Organised Crime
Throughout her practice Emma has consistently acted for defendants alleged to have been involved in serious organised crime involving firearms, drug trafficking and allegations of gang warfare.
Notable cases include:
R v GH – Represented GH, the first defendant in a multi handed trial, who was the subject of an intensive undercover operation. He was accused of being the head of an organised crime group selling ‘assassin kits’ to criminals across the UK.
R v BTJ – Emma was instructed to defend BTJ, alleged to be the ring leader of a 9 million pound class A drugs conspiracy.
R v RY – RY was indicted with twelve others alleged to be part of an international criminal network involved in the large-scale importation and onward sale of prohibited firearms.
R v RG – Emma acted for the lead defendant who was one of three monozygotic triplets charged with serious firearms offences. The trial raised a novel and complex issue of law and expert instruction relating to DNA evidence.
Misconduct in Public Offence
During her practice Emma has developed a particular expertise in the wide-ranging and complex common law offence of misconduct in public office.
Notable cases include:
R v AD – Emma was lead counsel for the first defendant on charges of misconduct in public office based on the Bafta-winning Panorama documentary which depicted systematic abuse in a Young Offenders Institute. After an 8-week trial, AD was acquitted.
R v DL – The Crown alleged that DL had corrupted police employees to access intelligence identifying an anonymous witness who had given critical evidence leading to the conviction of her son for a gang-related murder. The police intelligence was passed onto two eminent QCs and deployed to support DL’s son’s appeal against conviction. DL was acquitted after two hung juries in trials lasting 6 months.
Sexual Offences
Emma is a specialist practitioner in defending both historic and recent sexual offences. She has a comprehensive understanding of the related law and practice and is particularly skilled in the questioning of young and vulnerable witnesses and defendants. She has a proven track record in securing acquittals.
Notable cases include:
R v JP – Successfully defended a client charged with an enduring campaign of rape and serious sexual offending against multiple child complainants, dating back over fifty years.
R v F – Acted in a sensitive case where the client of good character was charged with a serious sexual offence alleged to have occurred in a fetish club. Carefully crafted representations persuaded the prosecution to offer no evidence.
R v HT – Instructed in a multi defendant trial involving allegations of organised sexual exploitation and rape of young complainants.
R v KM – KM was acquitted after a four-week trial of multiple allegations of rape and sadistic and coercive behaviour against his wife and children, spanning a twenty year marriage.
R v KB – Emma acted as leading counsel for a vulnerable defendant accused of committing grave sexual offences against his siblings in the 1970s. Emma deployed complex legal arguments relating to doli incapax, bad character and previous sexual behaviour in order to secure KB’s acquittal on all charges.
R v SWW – This was a high profile and emotionally-charged case in which Emma successfully defended SWW against historic allegations of serious physical and psychological abuse against her own children.
Terrorism
Emma has extensive experience of acting in terrorism cases encompassing a range of allegations.
Notable cases include:
R v SI – Emma acted for SI, who together with his wife, was indicted on multiple counts of distributing terrorist material. He was an associate of convicted terrorists Omar Bakri Mohammed and Anjem Choudary and alleged to be a member of a proscribed terrorist organisation. After sensitive negotiations SI pleaded guilty and exceptionally received a suspended sentence order which was considered for reference as unduly lenient by the Attorney General’s Office.
R v DB – Emma as leading counsel acted for one of five defendants charged with terrorism offences categorised by the prosecution as “white Jihad” arising from their association with the proscribed neo Nazi organisation “National Action”.
Fraud
Emma’s meticulous attention to detail and tactical acuity has brought her recognition as an effective fraud and proceeds of crime lawyer.
Notable cases include:
R v KR – Emma is acting for the first defendant in a multi-million-pound revenue fraud alleged to have been committed by professional conveyancers.
R v EB – EB was accused of a large-scale conspiracy to defraud. After careful negotiation with the prosecution EB pleaded guilty on a limited basis securing a non-custodial sentence.
Appellate and Advisory Work
Emma is an experienced appellate barrister. She is regularly instructed to advise and appear before the Court of Appeal as second counsel on appeals against conviction and sentence and to draft applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
She has contributed to the latest edition of Taylor on Criminal Appeals.
Notable ongoing appeals include:
R v LDSA – After making submissions to the CCRC the Appellants' convictions for murder, from a notorious shooting outside of Wandsworth Prison in 2009, have been referred back to the Court of Appeal.
R v SK – Emma is advising upon a prospective appeal against a conviction for murder in circumstances where the deceased was interrogated, tortured and set on fire. Fresh psychiatric evidence has been obtained providing the foundation for a defence of diminished responsibility.
R v RJ – Emma advised upon the prospects of an appeal against the convictions for a double murder in circumstances where the Applicant had substantially changed his account post-conviction.
Notable reported appeals include:
R v Gabriel [2021] Crim LR 231 – An appeal against conviction which litigated, amongst other grounds, jury irregularity.
R. v Sokolowski [2018] 1 Cr. App. R. (S.) 30 – A judgment providing guidance for the imposition of sexual harm prevention orders
R v B(E) [2017] 1 Cr. App. R. 31 – A judgment addressing the potential impact of a bind over upon the good character of a defendant.
Emma is an experienced judicial review lawyer, having acted in numerous cases including:
R. (on the application of Taffs) v Chelmsford Crown Court [2014] EWCH 899 (Admin) – Emma acted for the Claimant whose convictions for benefit fraud were quashed due to the unlawful findings of the Crown Court.
R. (on application of James) v Tower Bridge Magistrates’ Court [2009] EWHC 150 – Emma successfully reviewed a decision of the Magistrates Court to try an unrepresented defendant in his absence after his legal representative withdrew at the commencement of the trial.
R. (on the application of Morsby) v Tower Bridge Magistrates’ Court [2008] 172 J.P. 155 – Emma was instructed to challenge the refusal of a District Judge to set aside a conviction entered in the defendant’s absence. The application to rescind the conviction was granted.
Emma Goodall KC
What the directories say
