Laura has a wide-ranging practice, straddling both the criminal and civil jurisdictions. During the last six years she has built up a busy practice, which encompasses crime, civil and child law. This enables her to offer not only the discipline and detail that civil paperwork brings, but also the skills and experience of an advocate who appears in court on a daily basis in a broad range of cases.
She has been involved in both prosecuting and defending financial crime and corruption, in addition to her broad experience in general crime. Her criminal experience informs the public and private child law work she undertakes, with such cases often involving allegations of domestic violence, the sexual abuse of children and non-accidental injury.
Clinical negligence has been one of Laura’s interests since university where she took an MA in Medical Ethics and Law. She is frequently called on to advise on liability and quantum as well as drafting pleadings in clinical and dental negligence matters. In personal injury work, Laura is recognised for her expertise in acting for both claimants and defendants in road traffic, workplace and tripping/slipping accidents. Her public and regulatory practice focuses on police law and includes dealing with banning orders and applications for Sexual Prevention Orders.
Laura writes and speak frequently on her areas of expertise.
Key cases
- R v Brown & Ors (2004): The Lincoln Prison riots. Second junior for the defence of an alleged ringleader in the first case in modern times of the authorities losing control of an entire prison
- R v Kasonga (2005) :£1.2 million Post Office fraud: acting for the defendant
- R v Dennis & Ors (2007): instructed by the CPS HQ in the corruption prosecution of two former, and one serving, police officers
- Metropolitan Police Football Banning Order Ports Operation: World Cup 2006 and Euro 2008 qualifiers
- R v Russell & Sanchez (2008): Murder. Instructed as second junior for the defence
Contact Laura Dawes
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7242 3555
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7242 2511
Email: clerks@7br.co.uk