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emailEmail“Legal 500, 2020 & 2021 – Leading Silk”
Year of Call - 1990
Year of Silk - 2011
‘Lewis is a force of nature. His amiable charm fills the robing room and the court room alike. He works every character in a case, from the co-defendants’ advocates, to the prosecutor to the judge and, ultimately, the jury, who hang on his every word. His charm underlays a deadly cross examination technique.’
Legal 500 2021, Ranked as a Leading Silk
"Ruthlessly intellectual in preparing his cases with precision."
Legal 500 2020, Ranked as a Leading Silk
Lewis Power QC is a formidable advocate who has established a reputation as a leading practitioner both domestically and internationally. In February 2022, Lewis was featured as “Lawyer of the Week” in The Times, and has been described in the media as “being in the Top Ten List of barristers in the UK”.
Recently, Lewis received national recognition for his successful efforts in overturning the conviction of a young woman accused of lying in a gang rape case before the Cyprus Supreme Court. Lewis specialises in complex and heavyweight criminal cases, including murder, criminal fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption, offshore and international, serious sex crimes, terrorism and war crimes. Notably he successfully defended in the London Bombing trials at the Old Bailey in London, and was lead Counsel in the private prosecution of the current UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
Lewis has successfully appeared for the defence in a number of high profile murder cases achieving a string of acquittals. Clients consistently comment on Lewis’ strategic and tactical acumen developed through nearly 30 years of trial advocacy, latterly in international or trans-national cases, including Cyprus, India, USA, the Balkans, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland. Lewis also regularly acts as a guest lecturer and speaker across the globe, regularly appearing on National TV and in a variety of documentaries giving his insight into topical legal issues.
Lewis is recognised as a leading Queens Counsel by both Chambers UK and the Legal 500, commenting in particular on his renowned strength in cross-examination: “The epitome of a modern silk. He is approachable, naturally charming and engaging, with a work ethic that is second to none. His cross-examination is effortless and even in the most hopeless of cases, he fights tenaciously for the client and leaves no avenue unconsidered.” He is referred to as “an unrivalled cross-examiner” where his style is said to be “nothing short of brilliant”.
Regulatory Work
Offshore & International
Sports Law
“Jury Really Want To Hurt Me?”- Church Court Chambers Webinar Recording, May 2020.
“The Changing Face of International Law” – Counsel magazine: England & Wales, February 2015.
“Slavery & Trafficking – An International Criminal Epidemic” – IBA, December 2013.
“21st Century Slavery: Hidden in Plain Sight” – Lead Article in Counsel Magazine -England & Wales – February 2014.
“Call to Arms”: A Paper on behalf of the North American Forum dealing with issues of International Criminal Justice: International Bar Association, 2013.
“Lewis Power QC Discusses Innovative Masters Programme in Gaming Law”- Church Court Chambers, 2019.
- Member of Northern Ireland Bar
- Belfast Ambassador 2019
- Lecturer & External Examiner at Birkbeck College, University of London
- Head of Fraud Seminars at Church Court Chambers
- Defence Lead Counsel to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
- Member of North American Forum and War Crimes Forums
- Approved Football Association Lawyer
- Member of IBA Criminal Law and Business Crime Committees
- Full member of Association of Defence Counsel before ICTY (International Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia)
- Criminal Bar Association
- Sussex Bar Mess
- International Bar Association – War Crimes Committee Member.
Southwark Crown Court – Defendant acquitted on all charges in 3 month money laundering trial involving Multi-Million Pound alleged Italian Mafia linked Bureau de Change Fraud and linked tax avoidance case.
Inner London Crown Court – Defendant acquitted on Marital Rape case after submissions on disclosure forced Crown to offer to offer no evidence – ground-breaking case as to disclosure in sex cases.
Lewes Crown Court – Acquitted in University Rape Case.
Lewes Crown Court – Acquitted of Murder in Multi-handed murder trial – after successful submission of no case to answer at close of Prosecution case.
Guildford Crown Court – Defendant acquitted on all charges in Modern Day Slavery Case.
Cardiff Crown Court – Defendant acquitted on Murder Charges – daughter had killed father in house fire and found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Chichester Crown Court : Historical Sex abuse case by carer on children and separate Adult Rape Allegations – acquitted on all charges.
Lewes Crown Court – Paedophile ring familial sex abuse trial- representing vulnerable Defendant.
Belfast Crown Court – Paramilitary case – Attempted Murder/Perverting the Course of Justice.
Instructed on high profile case focused on the rivalry between prolific south london gangs. National newspapers ran features on the prevalence of such gangs which are responsible for some of the worst crimes committed in recent years by organised gangs in the capital. Defendant cleared of two attempted murders.
Instructed on the dexter copy-cat murder case where a teenager fascinated with the hit tv show “dexter” murdered his 17 year old girlfriend in a sadistic fashion. Overview as to applicability of defence of diminished responsibility and brain disorders.
Instructed in “Assassins Creed Baby Murder” case. Huge media coverage across national headlines in extraordinary baby shaking case with medical complications for both baby and Defendant, who required 29 medical experts for assessment.
Conspiracy to murder; hired assassins; defendant acquitted.
Multi-handed murder of homeless man; defendant acquitted of murder.
Complex murder trial at the Old Bailey; new defence of “loss of control”; acquitted of murder.
Trial of one of oldest historic rape cases in UK dating back half a century; Defendant acquitted.
Multi-handed, 6 defendant, Sri-Lankan Gang related murder trial at Old Bailey; representing only defendant to be acquitted.
First judgment of Court of Appeal by Lord Chief Justice on new slavery offences; Lewis Power QC leading 4 Junior counsel.
The first ever prosecution of the new offences of “Slavery” under the Coroners & Justice Act 2009; acquitted all charges at re-trial.
Representing only female defendant in Irish Traveller slavery case.
Church of England Vicar with historic sexual abuse allegations within Church.
Largest money laundering case involving Bureau de Change in UK to date; involving laundering of approximately £200 Million.
Representing defendant in million pound bank factoring fraud & building construction fraud.
Attempted murder by youth in racially motivated campaign.
“The Missing Body Murder Case”; representing only defendant to be acquitted.
Sophisticated fraud on law firm by employee.
Murder of wife case where defendant advanced “morbid delusional jealousy” as partial defence re diminished responsibility.
Baseball bat murder.
National art fraud conspiracy.
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) international prosecution where some 22 Million Euros were dishonestly appropriated by the Defendant.
Multi-million pound international identity fraud.
A complex conspiracy to defraud the O2 Telecommunications Network by way of an International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF).
Murder – one of the first murder cases under the new legislation re partial defence for murder in diminished responsibility cases;defendant was putting forward “Alcohol Dependency Syndrome “as diminished responsibility defence.
Murder; manslaughter contrary to the common law and one count of administering a poison or noxious substance so as to endanger life, contrary to section 23 of the OAPA 1867; defendant giving a lethal heroin injection.
Manslaughter; cyclist road rage.
London terrorist bombings case where only 1 out of 2 defendants acquitted.
Leading Counsel in the “Adams Family” gangland case “Operation Trinity”; joint Police and MI5 case quoted as the biggest corruption case to come before the UK Courts; acted as leading counsel and secured acquittal for family Accountant.
Acted for the first Defendant in this International Fraud case which involved the infamous Indian Corporate Giant Company Sahara India Pariwar. Secured the acquittal of the Defendant. Highly complex and novel case involving International Corporate Fraud on a huge scale and where the Crown acknowledged that this case involved concepts of “International Capacity Building” on money laundering and cash smuggling with recent foreign deployments and also and most crucially “Alternative Remittance Systems and Informal Value Transfer Systems” such as Hawala.