Background
Alison Lambert was called to the Bar following a successful career as a graphic designer.
Since joining as a junior tenant, Alison has developed a niche practice involving civil cases heard in the criminal courts. She is predominantly a criminal practitioner, prosecuting and defending all types of Regulatory Crime in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. She is regularly instructed to prosecute by Local Authorities, Police Authorities and Trading Standards Departments. Her defence work covers a wide range of criminal and Regulatory offences with particular expertise in dealing with Road Traffic Offences.
Alison’s practice places particular emphasis on all aspects of local authority prosecutions including Trading Standards law.
Alison conducts hearings in all areas subject to Local Authority Licensing including the licensing of hackney carriages, private hire vehicles and liquor licensing. Alison’s experience extends from conducting review hearings before licensing sub-committees to appeals before the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts.
Alison has developed an extensive practice in cases involving anti-social behaviour both in the Criminal and Civil Courts, regularly accepting instructions from Police authorities and local authorities for ASBO’s and ASBI’s.
Alison also has extensive experience in the County Court in civil cases, conducting trials, possession hearings, injunctions, small claims and infant settlements.
Alison’s meticulous preparation, attention to detail, concern and empathy for her clients and professional attitude mean she is much valued by both professional and lay clients alike.
Notable cases:
Essex County Council Trading Standards Department v Wallati Singh [2009] EWHC 520 (Admin) – For an individual to establish a defence under s.92(5) of the Trade Marks Act 1994 in respect of trademark infringement offences it was necessary for that individual to show that he had an honest and reasonable belief that the use of a sign, in the manner in which it was used, was not an infringement of a registered trade mark. In this case stated matter Alison represented Essex County Council Trading Standards Department regarding the application of the defence under s.92(5).
Essex County Council Trading Standards Department v Mark Blayney and Anthony Banister. Alison was sole Prosecution Counsel in a 4-week trial before the Crown Court at Chelmsford in February 2010. The Defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by “clocking vehicles”. The second Defendant was also convicted of being knowingly a party to a fraudulent business. A confiscation order was obtained against the first Defendant in the sum of £400,000 which included £65,000 compensation for the victims.
