Professional Profile
Ian specialises in all areas of Professional Discipline and Legal Expenses Insurance and is an experienced criminal practitioner. Ian advises on all areas of police law with particular emphasis on disciplinary proceedings, criminal and judicial review. For the past 17 years he and the firms in which he has been a Partner in have been the sole appointed legal representative for the Police Superintendents Association of England and Wales. As such he has represented nearly all Superintendents and Chief Superintendents (barring conflicts) throughout England and Wales in this period. Developing out of this, Ian has developed a niche practice in representing Superintendents in cases involving the Police use of firearms. He has worked on a number of high profile cases which have involved a number of other interested parties including the MOD, ACPO and the Ministry of Justice.
Over a number of years Ian has expanded the Professional Discipline areas upon which he advises and he now advises Solicitors, Barristers, Dentists, Pharmacists and a number of other Associations including TV Licensing Officers and G4S. Chambers states that Ian is “on all the ritzy Police cases” and is a “classy operator with a clever practice”.
Ian advised Officers involved in the UK Inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales and acted for Officers who originally arrested Nichulas Van Hoogstraten. He also represented 3 Superintendents in the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.
Ian has wide experience of criminal and civil litigation particularly involving businessmen. He has defended prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Unit and formerly the RCPO. He has advised on NCIS and individuals and businesses facing investigation by SOCA and the Financial Regulatory Authority.
Ian has advised widely on Police performance and misconduct investigations whether conducted by the Home Force, External Force or by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
He has been involved in a number of cases that have helped shape policing in the 21st century, Marchioness, Stephen Lawrence, Victoria Climbie, Deepcut, Ray Mallon, the Inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed. He acted for Superintendent Ali Dizaei throughout the criminal and disciplinary investigation and represented him at 2 Crown Court trials at the Old Bailey in 2003. Superintendent Dizaei was found not guilty by a Jury in the first and the Crown offered no evidence in the second.
Ian has advised extensively on the use of covert human intelligence sources and intrusive surveillance, advising a number of clients in the application of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and interception of telecommunications. The legality of the authorities granted and the processes and procedures adopted and issues of mal fides. He has also prepared and advised on abuse of process applications and Section 78 PACE arguments to exclude surveillance evidence.
As part of the criminal work that Ian undertakes he is a Grade A fee earner for Very High Cost Cases operated by the Legal Services Commission. He is currently instructed on a number of Very High Cost Cases involving conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to supply and perverting the course of justice.
Recent Cases
- Mohammed Al Fayed (and others) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (and others) - Claim for damages for false imprisonment by Al Fayed against the Police arising out of conversion of valuables from Tiny Rowlands’ safety deposit box at Harrods. The claim was dismissed.
- Inquiry into the death of Raul Moat
- R v Dizaei (2003)
- R v Harper
- The Lawrence Inquiry
- R v Mouncher
- IPCC Inquiries: Kirk Reid & Safrajur Jahangir
- Stuart Lubbock Inquiry (Michael Barrymore)
Professional Memberships
- Law Society
- Muslim - Jewish Forum
Awards & Accolades
- The Times Solicitor Of The Week
- Law Society Solicitor In News
- Chambers & Partners Professional Discipline National Leaders
Career History Timeline
- 1985 - Admitted
- 1985 to 1988 - Solicitor at Livingstones
- 1988 to 1995 - Partner at Livingstones
- 1995 to 2007 - Partner at Rowe Cohen
- 2007 to present - Partner at Lewis Hymanson Small