Profile
Louis is a recognised leader in the fields of criminal litigation, corporate investigations and human rights. He has an international reputation for providing expert strategic analysis, and frequently acts in cases with a multi-jurisdictional dimension.
Louis has acted in numerous cases in the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights, and recently appeared for the Department of Justice in the High Court of Hong Kong in the territory’s largest corruption trial.
Louis was appointed Senior Treasury Counsel in 2015, and Queen’s Counsel in 2017.
- “Louis is a powerful cross-examiner who plays very well before a jury.” – Chambers & Partners
- “Polished and proficient.” – Chambers & Partners
- “He’s engaging, forensic and thorough.” – Chambers & Partners
- “He is fantastic and really bright” – Chambers & Partners
- “He is fantastic for high-profile and sensitive cases” – Chambers & Partners
- “Clear, easy to work with and completely unpretentious” – Legal 500
- “Louis is highly sought-after. He is always on top of the legal or factual issues in a case and is balanced in his approach. He presents in a clear and structured manner which allows juries to identify issues from the start and follow the evidence with ease.” – Legal 500
- “He has a wonderful court presence that is understated yet supremely effective.” – Chambers & Partners
- “A superstar…a really talented individual.” – Chambers & Partners
- “He is in another league when it comes to legal argument… What a legend.” – Legal 500
- “Louis is a very experienced and professional prosecutor who is always on top of detail in his cases. He is able to present the case in a very jury friendly manner and is also a pleasure to deal with when discussing jury directions to form part of the summing up.” – Legal 500
Expertise
Louis’s specialism in the field of criminal litigation is dealing with cases, at first instance and on appeal, that are complex, high profile and sensitive. Recent cases include:
HKSAR v Hui, Kwok & others (Court of First Instance, Hong Kong)
Louis was admitted to the Hong Kong Bar and acted for the Department of Justice in the prosecution of the territory’s former Chief Secretary for taking bribes from property developers.
Parliamentary Expenses Scandal
Louis prosecuted the six Members of Parliament charged in connection with the Parliamentary expenses scandal. The litigation included the landmark constitutional case of R v Chaytor and others in the Supreme Court, on the scope of Parliamentary Privilege and Article IX of the Bill of Rights.
Isle of Wight Council v Platt (Supreme Court)
Louis represented the Secretary of State in the high profile Supreme Court case concerning the prosecution of parents who take their children on holiday during the school term.
R v Hurley
Louis represented the Crown in the Court of Appeal in a case where fresh evidence was called to challenge the safety of a murder conviction dating back 25 years.
R v Walker
Louis represented the Crown in the Court of Appeal in a case which clarified the means by which the DPP grants consent to prosecute.
R (Kenward) v DPP (High Court)
Louis represented the Attorney General in the litigation challenging the DPP’s policy on assisted suicide.
R v McLoughlin (Court of Appeal)
Louis represented the Crown and the Attorney General in the Court of Appeal in a case concerning a challenge to the compatibility of whole life sentences with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Other recent cases include advising on the scope of the privilege against self-incrimination under Hong Kong law; the prosecution of the man who interrupted the Boat Race for public nuisance; the prosecution of the Bulger killer Jon Venables after he re-offended; and numerous murder trials at the Central Criminal Court.
Louis specialises in cases involving allegations of bribery, corruption, cartel activity and financial or corporate misconduct. He has recently advised on the coercive powers of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, and on the criminal and extradition exposure of UK corporate officers in connection with conduct in an Asian jurisdiction. Other recent cases include:
London Whale Affair
Louis is acting for one of the involved in the London Whale affair, arising from JP Morgan’s announcement of a US$2 billion trading loss in 2012. Litigation has taken place in Spain; there are ongoing criminal and civil proceedings in the US involving the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission; and the UK litigation includes proceedings against the FCA in the Upper Tribunal, Tax and Chancery Chamber.
Akcine Bendrove Bankas Snoras v Antonov
Louis acted for a major Lithuanian bank in the Commercial Court in proceedings concerning the application of the privilege against self-incrimination and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights to disclosure in civil proceedings.
JPMorgan v SFO
Louis represented JP Morgan and a number of other City banks in the High Court, challenging the lawfulness of a section 2 (CJA 1987) Notice to produce documents, issued by the SFO at the request of an overseas prosecutor.
SFO v BAE
Louis acted in relation to the SFO’s investigation into BAE’s global business dealings.
Louis has represented the UK Government in numerous cases in the European Court of Human Rights, including the following cases in the Grand Chamber:
Ibrahim v UK
Concerning whether the questioning of terrorist suspects under domestic legislation violated Article 6 of the Convention.
Vinter v UK
Concerning whether the domestic scheme of whole life sentencing was compatible with Article 3 of the Convention.
Al-Khawaja v UK
Concerning whether the domestic legislation in relation to hearsay evidence was compatible with Article 6 of the Convention.
- Queen’s Counsel, 2017
- Senior Treasury Counsel to the Crown at the Central Criminal Court, 2015
- Junior Treasury Counsel to the Crown at the Central Criminal Court, 2009
University of Leeds, BA (Hons) (First Class), History
To view Louis Mably KC’s Privacy Notice, please click here.
Notable cases
R v Platt (Supreme Court)
Louis represented the Secretary of State in proceedings concerning whether the true construction of section 444 of the Education Act 1996...
R v Hurley
Louis represented the Crown in an appeal against a 25 year old conviction for murder, where it was contended that fresh evidence rendered...
R v Walker
Louis represented the Crown in an appeal against a conviction for murder, in which it was held that a charging decision by a Crown...
Ibrahim and others (ECHR, GC)
Louis represented the UK Government in the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in proceedings concerned with whether the...
R (Kenward) v DPP
Louis represented the Attorney General in the High Court in a case concerning a challenge to the lawfulness of the DPP’s policy on...
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region v Hui, Kwok & others (Court of First Instance, Hong Kong)
David Perry QC and Louis Mably acted for the HKSAR in the prosecution of the former Chief Secretary of Hong Kong over allegations of...
Akcine Bendrove Bankas Snoras v Antonov
Louis Mably acted for the claimant bank in Commercial Court proceedings. The bank had obtained worldwide freezing orders in support of its...
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA and others v Serious Fraud Office
Louis Mably acted for the claimant banks in a successful challenge to the lawfulness of notices issued by the SFO under section 2 of the...
Vinter and others v United Kingdom (66069/09, 130/10, 3896)
David Perry QC and Louis Mably represented the United Kingdom in the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights concerning the...
Al-Khawaja and Tahery v United Kingdom
David Perry QC and Louis Mably represented the United Kingdom in the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights. The case was...
Beghal v Director of Public Prosecutions
The leading domestic case on the compatibility of detention and questioning at airports under the Terrorism Act 2000 with Articles 5, 6 and...
Attorney General v Davey
Louis Mably acted for the Attorney General in the most recent case on contempt of court by jurors.
R v Chaytor and others
The Parliamentary expenses scandal gave rise to a constitutional issue concerning the scope of Parliamentary privilege. The defendants...
Serious Fraud Office v BAE
Members of chambers acted on both side of this lengthy SFO investigation into BAE’s global business affairs, including the public law...
Serious Fraud Office v King
At the request of the South African authorities, the Serious Fraud Office, on an ex parte without notice application, obtained a restraint...
‘Cash for Honours’
Louis Mably was asked to give independent legal advice in relation to the ‘Cash for Honours’ affair, a widely publicised investigation...
Government of the Russian Federation v Shefler (City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court)
Together with Hugo Keith QC, Louis Mably defended Yuri Shefler, the owner of the leading global spirits company SPI, in extradition...
Norris v Government of the United States of America
David Perry QC and Louis Mably represented the Government of the United States in the Supreme Court in the leading case on the application...
Norris v Government of the United States of America
David Perry QC and Louis Mably represented the Government of the United States in the House of Lords in the leading case on cartels and...
Related news
Whole-life prison term for murder of four
Louis Mably KC and Peter Ratliff prosecuted Damien Bendall for the murder of his pregnant partner, her two children, and another child. Following his guilty pleas to the murder of all four victims...
Cameras allowed in courts for the first time to see judge sentence Ben Oliver for killing grandfather
Grandfather killer Ben Oliver Jailed in first TV sentencing in England in which Louis Mably QC prosecuted. Judge Sarah Munro QC passed a life sentence with a minimum term of 10 years and eight...