Prof. Roy Light

Prof. Roy Light


Call 1992 (Gray’s Inn)
Qualifications LLB, LLM (London), M Phil, PhD (Cantab)

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Areas of Practice

Licensing and related criminal matters
Roy’s practice covers all types of licensing, including alcohol and entertainment, open-air festivals, gambling, taxis and firearms. He advises and acts for local authorities, police forces, independent operators and public corporations throughout England and Wales. His clients include supermarket chains, petrol companies, breweries, nightclub operators, gaming machine manufacturers, national stadiums and local and police authorities.

Criminal matters are regularly undertaken and Roy was successful in the Administrative Court on the interpretation of the amended statutory provisions on criminal liability for underage sales of alcohol (London Borough of Haringey/Liverpool City Council v Marks and Spencer PLC/Somerfield Stores Ltd [2004] EWHC 1141 (Admin).

Animals, livestock and wildlife
Roy has experience in a wide range of cases involving the welfare of animals. He advises and acts for local authorities and the RSPCA in regulatory and cruelty matters and for farmers, kennels, private zoos and others. He has particular expertise in the magistrates’ court where he ‘makes himself popular amongst clients by winning over the Bench with his persuasive ‘everyman’ style’ (Chambers UK 2005 – licensing).

Professional development
Roy has written and lectured extensively on licensing and criminal justice and provides training for local authorities and others. He is a regular speaker at national conferences and chairs several Central Law Training days. An editorial board member of Licensing Review, Roy is also licensing contributor to the Solicitors Journal and is external examiner for the Certificate of Higher Education in Licensing Law.

Recommendations

  • Professor Roy Light of St John’s Chambers impresses with his ‘strategic awareness and profound knowledge’ of the new Gambling Act. He has advised clients such as Punch Taverns and the Spirit Group on the legislation, pointing out its implications and opportunities. His deep understanding of his subject was flagged up by one client, who noted that ‘he resolved one seemingly knotty issue by pointing out the misdrafting of regulations concerning gaming machines to the Department For Culture, Media and Sport; that department then remedied its mistake.’ A professor of law at UWE, he is nationally recognised for his experience across a wide range of licensing matters (Chambers UK 2009)
  • Professor Roy Light is recommended for licensing and judicial review (Legal 500 2008)
  • An ‘extensively recognised practitioner’ who is particularly commended for his ‘academically exhaustive’ understanding of licensing (Chambers UK 2008)
  • Recommended as a ‘confident and academic practitioner’ (Chambers UK 2007)
  • ‘who won applause for his specialist knowledge of the field’ (Chambers UK 2006)
  • ‘has considerable skill as an advocate before tribunals at all levels’ (Legal 500 2007)
  • St John’s Chambers ‘also houses licensing expert, Professor Roy Light’ (Legal 500 2006)
  • Recommended in Property, Planning and Construction (Legal Experts 2007)

Some Recent Publications

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