He has extensive experience of financial crime and regulatory investigations, including bribery and corruption, fraud, insider dealing and market abuse, customs & excise offences, and anti-competitive practices. Julian writes and speaks on a variety of topics, principally relating to information law topics.
Surveillance and Information Gathering Legislation
Julian is a partner in the firm’s highly ranked data protection and information law team, advising telecommunications operators on:
- obligations in relation to warrants and notices issued under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, including regarding interception, communications data and technical capability;
- surveillance powers under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
- law enforcement activities under the Police Act 1997;
- complaints to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal; and
- the provisions of the Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act 2019 and the UK/US Data Access Agreement.
Data Protection Legislation
Julian is noted for his expertise in data protection law, including:
- obligations on data controllers under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, including data protection compliance, policy reviews, and data processing agreements;
- data breach reporting, including in the aftermath of cyberattacks;
- offences under data protection legislation, including the unlawful obtaining (blagging), re-identification and alteration of personal data;
- voluntary provision of personal data to law enforcement authorities, including lawful processing, transparency and data minimisation;
- law enforcement processing of personal data;
- ICO enforcement action, including information notices, and entry & inspection powers; and
- data subject rights, including data subject access requests, rectification, and erasure.
Interception, Communications and Computer Misuse Offences
Julian’s practice encompasses:
- unlawful interception under investigatory powers and wireless telegraphy legislation;
- offences involving the improper use of electronic communications networks, including under the Communications Act 2003, Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Online Safety Act 2023; and
- offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, including unauthorised access to computer data (hacking), to commit further offences, and to impair computer operation.
Financial Crime and Regulatory Investigations
Julian is experienced in advising on financial crime and regulatory matters, including:
- SFO investigations for bribery and corruption, including the use of s.2 powers under the Criminal Justice Act 1987;
- FCA investigations for insider dealing, market abuse and market manipulation;
- CMA investigations for breaches of the Competition Act 1998 (Chapter I prohibition)
- Appeals to the Competition Appeal Tribunal;
- HMRC investigations for offences under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 and at common law, including the use of HMRC’s compulsory disclosure notice powers;
- Code of Practice 9/Contractual Disclosure Facility procedures;
- Electoral Commission enquiries and police investigations of electoral law offences;
- defending prosecutions under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and
- Internal investigations on behalf of corporates and governmental organisations.
Miscellaneous
Additional areas of expertise include:
- judicial review proceedings against law enforcement agencies;
- Norwich Pharmacal applications in the High Court;
- defending complaints against corporates for breaches of the OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
- duties under online harms measures, including the Children’s Code / Age Appropriate Design Code; and
- offences under the National Security Act 2023.
Speaking
Julian presents on information law matters. Recent speaking engagements include:
- Fraud Lawyers Association / EFCL Conference – London (2022).
- International Bar Association’s Transnational Crime Conference – London (2022).
- American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section – Frankfurt (2022).
- Deutsche Strafverteidiger Verein – online (2021).
- University College London, Privacy and Data Law & Practice Conference (2021).
- European Criminal Bar Association – Nice (2018).
Publications
Julian’s publications include:
- GIR’s Guide to Cyber Investigations: Investigations in England & Wales – A Practitioner’s Perspective.
- Digital hygiene begins at home (Solicitors Journal, May 2024).
- End-to-end encryption proposals risk mistrust, injustice and dispute (The Times, April 2023).
- Tech bosses behind bars? The chances are vanishingly slim under new online safety laws (City AM, Jan. 2023).
- Preparing for the worst but operating at our best – reform of the NIS Regulations (The Barrister Magazine, with Andrew Watson, May 2022).
- UK GDPR reform – buccaneering Britain goads the data protection bear (Police Professional, with Umar Azmeh, Oct. 2021).
- Online safety – the ICO’s Children’s Code (Open Access Government, Sept. 2021).
- COVID Status Certificates – a passport to freedom? (The Barrister Magazine, June 2021).
- Algorithmic policing – trust is a must, not a nice to have (Global Data Review, with Suzanne Gallagher, May 2021).
- The online harms bill misses the point (The Times, with Michael Drury, Jan. 2021).
Professional Memberships
- Fraud Lawyers Association (Committee Member)
- European Criminal Bar Association (E-evidence working group member)
- The Law Society
Career
After an undergraduate degree in history, Julian completed post-graduate legal studies in Newcastle before training as a barrister at a leading criminal/regulatory chambers. Following cross-qualification as a solicitor, he worked as a regulator at the London Stock Exchange before moving to Australia where he spent several years undertaking high profile litigation at an international law firm. After returning to the UK and joining BCL, Julian became a partner in 2017.
Julian speaks German (intermediate).