Simon Goodman
Call 1996 (Gray’s Inn)
Qualifications Formerly a solicitor, admitted 1986; BA Hons Bristol; ARCO; LTCL
Professional Memberships Criminal Bar Association; Western Circuit
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Areas of Practice
Simon defends and prosecutes in regulatory and general crime matters.
Acclaimed in the 2007 Legal 500 as ‘offering a good response; he’s very approachable and good on his feet’ and described in The Lawyer Magazine as ‘a lawyer’s lawyer’, Simon brings to his practice at the bar over twenty years’ experience gained in both halves of the legal profession. He is viewed by solicitors as ‘user-friendly’ and very much a ‘team-player’.
He is instructed to prosecute on behalf of Local Authorities in both the Crown Court and the Magistrates’ Court in planning, listed buildings, trading standards and environmental health matters, including waste disposal. He has over the past few years successfully prosecuted a number of high-profile cases involving breaches of enforcement notices that have attracted considerable publicity, including “airport parking” cases.
Instructions in environmental matters include regularly advising (both pre- and post-charge) and representing clients accused of the destruction of or interference with wlidlife habitats.
Simon has very considerable experience in road traffic cases at all levels of seriousness, including allegations of causing death by dangerous driving and others involving fatal accidents. Additionally, his practice has always extended to the regulatory side of road traffic law, including overloading and drivers’ hours cases, breaches of taxi and private hire regulations and matters before the Traffic Commissioners, including breaches of operators’ licences. He is always pleased to accept instructions on behalf of clients in danger of losing their livelihoods through the loss of their driving licences.
Recent cases involving fraud and business crime have included the defence of a client alleged to have made fraudulent multiple insurance claims and the defence of a businessman accused of bankrupcy offences, in both of which he successfully argued at the close of the prosecution case that there was no case to answer. He has considerable experience in the law relating to the seizure of assets and the recovery of the proceeds of crime.
Simon has a particular interest and acclaimed expertise in cases where those accused of crime have mental health difficulties. In addition, he is regularly instructed in the Mental Health Review Tribunal, particularly though not exclusively in restricted cases, and in other Mental Health Act proceedings. He has twice recently been instructed as Assigned Counsel, in one case to a patient in a high-profile restricted case where the Secretary of State had also instructed Counsel and in the other where important human rights issues were in play.
He also has considerable experience in the representation of prisoners before The Parole Board, in particular in Lifer Panels, and experience in the Coroner’s Court (recently having been instructed in an inquest into the suspicious death of a disabled child on the client’s business premises) and in disciplinary tribunals.
Simon is experienced in Judicial Review and in the Court of Appeal. Reported cases include R. v. Bristol Magistrates’ Court ex parte E and Sak v. C.P.S. and last year he successfully challenged on behalf of the prosecution a local Magistrates’ Court’s decisions not to commit for sentence in drugs cases.
