Paul Taylor and Katy Thorne sworn in as Queen’s Counsel
Doughty Street Chambers is extremely proud of Paul Taylor QC and Katy Thorne QC, who received their Letters Patent from the Lord Chancellor today, delivered on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, at a ceremony in Westminster Hall. They were also sworn in as Queen's Counsel by the Lord Chief Justice at a ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Unusually amongst criminal barristers, Paul Taylor QC (Call: 1989) specialises exclusively in criminal appeals. He is widely lauded by the industry directories as “attracting plaudits for his preparation and intellect”, “bringing great energy to the legal team”, and being “an absolutely standout barrister”. He is the Head of the Doughty Street Appeals Unit, and is the author of Taylor on Criminal Appeals (Oxford University Press), the leading practitioners’ authority. He has developed a particular expertise in cases involving fresh evidence, homicide, and offenders with mental disorders. He is commonly instructed to provide “2nd opinion” advices on appeal against conviction and sentence, including those being made out of time. In addition to his work in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), he has extensive experience of drafting submissions to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and representations on the judicial setting of tariffs in murder cases. He also works internationally, advising on appeals in Commonwealth and other overseas jurisdictions, and appears before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in death penalty cases and other appeals.
Katy Thorne QC (Call: 1994) acts for a broad spectrum of clients including barristers, doctors, those serving life sentences, alleged members of organised criminal gangs, and others. She is instructed to lead in the most serious criminal cases including murder, manslaughter, and serious drug trafficking, as well as in cases of sexual allegations and abuse, child abuse, and financial crime. The directories say of her that she is “always thorough and well-prepared”, and she is frequently singled out for her client care skills. A particular area of expertise is in presenting and challenging expert evidence at trial, and she is an author of Mason’s Forensic Medicine for Lawyers (Bloomsbury, 2015). In addition, Katy regularly acts for professionals who face proceedings brought by their regulatory bodies, particularly where those arise as a result of criminal allegations. She is the Founder of the Women in Criminal Law network, which seeks to support women working across the whole criminal justice system.
For more information on Paul or Katy's work, please call their clerks Tom Street (020 7400 8915) or Richard Vile (020 7400 9054) or send an e-mail.
