Licensing
The licensing team enjoys a national reputation for licensing and related criminal matters. Alcohol and entertainment, gambling, taxis and firearms as well as less common areas such as zoos, pleasure boats and pharmacies are covered. Clients include local authorities, police forces, independent operators, public corporations and others throughout England and Wales.
The team responds quickly and effectively to requests for advice, assistance and advocacy on matters such as new applications, variations, reviews, revocations and appeals. Members appear before local authority licensing committees, magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court up and down the country.
There is also wide-ranging experience in related criminal matters, for example, several recent cases involving criminal liability for underage sales of alcohol.
Extensive expertise exists in applications to the High Court by way of judicial review and case stated, in both licensing and criminal matters, in the Administrative Court.
Recommendations
Legal 500 2007
St John’s Chambers’ Peter Wadsley is ‘a specialist in the planning field, highly respected by colleagues, thorough, very swift to respond; he has a confident and commanding presence’. David Fletcher ‘takes complex instructions, but is easy to work with and has a keen sense of humour’. Professor Roy Light ‘has considerable skill as an advocate before tribunals at all levels.’
Chambers UK 2008
Professor Roy Light is an ‘extensively recognised practitioner’ who is particularly commended for his ‘academically exhaustive’ understanding of licensing
