• Criminal Bar Association
  • Employment Lawyers Association
  • Employment Law Bar Association
  • Fraud Lawyers Association

Instructing Rachel Darby

For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.

Rachel Darby is a highly regarded advocate with a multi disciplinary practice specialising in serious and complex crime and employment.

As leading, led and sole junior, she is known for her meticulous preparation, her ability to engage quickly with clients, and tenacious advocacy. She is a skilled tactician, able to promptly cut to the essential issues in a case and how they will present at court.

Rachel sits as a panel member on the Inns Conduct Committee.

Rachel is qualified to accept instructions directly from clients and is registered under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme, meaning that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to her. In addition, she welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.  For more information please visit our Direct Access page here.

Legal Expertise

Financial Crime

Rachel’s practice incorporates the full spectrum of complex crime, white collar fraud and regulatory matters. She is regularly instructed in sophisticated, document-heavy frauds requiring rigorous analysis and attention to detail. Rachel has particular expertise in high value and complex confiscation proceedings.

Notable Financial Crime cases

R v Sayed & Ors

Junior counsel, SFO prosecution of conspiracy to steal nearly £3m from CW Cheney & Sons Ltd pension fund involving convoluted scheme of appointment of nominee directors and trustees. Reported as the largest pension fraud following the Maxwell case.

R v Selby

Junior counsel, confiscation proceedings against accountant recruited to launder proceeds of the Cheney pension fraud.

R v Iqbal & Ors

Junior counsel, conspiracy to defraud concerning the UK Government’s much criticised Individual Learning Account scheme run by Capita, which collapsed following widespread abuse. Involved significant disclosure issues arising out of the role of the DfES, the legal advice they received, and the findings of a House of Commons Committee into the failures of the scheme.

R v Connors & Ors

Leading counsel, conspiracies to cheat the Inland Revenue, trade description and money laundering offences involving a 74 count indictment.

R v Royston

Confiscation involving benefit of £2.7 million reduced to £102,500.


Crime & Regulatory

Rachel’s practice encompasses serious organised and grave crime including murder and other violent offences, drug trafficking, fraud, money laundering, sexual offences and child cruelty.

Many of her cases involve complex expert evidence and cross-examination of young and/or vulnerable witnesses. She has been involved in a number of cases requiring the use intermediaries for both witnesses and defendants.

Alongside her complex fraud practice, she is experienced in all areas of cash seizure, restraint, confiscation and asset recovery in both the Crown and High Court. She is additionally instructed in appellate work, and is experienced in the complimentary fields of mental health law and civil actions against the police.

She is a formidable advocate, with a direct approach on behalf of her clients, and an exceptional understanding of human psychology.

Notable Crime & Regulatory cases

R v Brady

Leading counsel, conspiracies to commit armed robberies, involving extensive cell site and mobile phone analysis.

R v Tomlinson & Ors

Leading counsel, manager of haulage company charged with conspiracies to import three and half tons of cannabis.

R v Connors & Ors

Leading Counsel, conspiracies to steal and launder money, involving nationwide operation and 19 investigating police forces.

R v Thomas

Attempted murder by Oxford graduate and former Deutche Bank employee of childhood sweetheart, involving expert evidence examining obsessive personality disorder.

R v Saunders & Ors

Junior counsel, murder involving issues of witness anonymity and multiple hearsay denied by the maker of the original statement.

R v Yusuf

Junior counsel, murder of mother-in-law by sexual assault involving sadistic conduct.

R v Siddique & Ors

Junior counsel, operation retriever, high profile rape and sexual abuse of young girls.

R v Hope

Historic child abuse of numerous family members and neighbours, and other historic sexual offences against adult family relations.


Employment

Rachel acts for both individual employees and companies in all areas of employment law, including discrimination of all types, victimisation, unfair and wrongful dismissal, redundancy, breach of contract, TUPE, restrictive covenants, equal pay and working time regulations.

She has particular expertise in cases involving Article 8 and the Right to Private Life, especially the growing phenomenon of social media and its impact within the legal workplace. Her dual criminal practice further offers invaluable experience in cases involving misconduct outside the workplace.

Rachel additionally specialises in whistleblowing cases, and acts as a volunteer for Public Concern at Work.


  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Employment Lawyers Association
  • Employment Law Bar Association
  • Fraud Lawyers Association

Instructing Rachel Darby

For more information please contact our clerks by calling +44 (0)20 7242 3555.

For help or advice please call +44 (0)20 7242 3555 or complete 
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Frequently asked questions

Yes, please call Chambers mainline number +44 (0)20 7242 3555 and you will be directed to the out of hours phone lines.

As a direct access client, please visit our direct access page and complete the initial form, a member of the clerking team will then be in touch to discuss the next steps.

Choosing the right barrister for your case can be difficult, with so many to choose from. Our clerks will be happy to guide you with your choice. Their wealth of knowledge and experience will help you decide the right barrister not just for the case but someone who will work with you.

Some barristers have the ability to “conduct litigation” for direct access clients. Our clerks will be able to assist you as to which of our members are trained and accredited to do so.

Please visit our direct access page for the initial steps on instructing a barrister, or contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7242 3555.

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Legal Expertise

7BR is a leading set with barristers providing expertise and assistance to clients across a broad spectrum of practice areas.