Richard Gibbs of No5 Barristers’ Chambers has been asked to join the EU Law Committee of the Bar Council of England.

He has served as an elected member of the Bar Council since 2014, being re-elected in 2017 and joins the EU law committee at a time when much work is being devoted to the considerations stemming directly from Brexit and the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

The Bar Council’s EU Law committee exists to monitor and address legal issues emanating from the EU including policy and legislative proposals from the various EU institutions, and importantly to then co-ordinate responses to policy issues which arise. This includes liaison with various Specialist Bar Associations, Circuits and Bar Council Committees on such issues and to make representations to the appropriate bodies.

Richard Gibbs said;

“I am delighted to have been appointed to the EU Law Committee at this crucial time in the development of the legal framework which will surround Brexit but which will also shape our future interplay with the EU.

In my own practice area of crime, the committee is addressing issues such as improving cross border access to electronic evidence, the European Parliament’s recent support for sanctions in money laundering matters and the mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation of assets orders. But its work is much wider than that, dealing with civil justice cooperation, consumer law, internal market issues and the digital single market. Of course, Brexit is front and centre as the biggest legal, constitutional and political issue of our age but these other issues are all still being addressed by the committee and I am very much looking forward to playing a part in this important work on behalf of the Bar Council.”

Richard Gibbs has a busy practice defending and prosecuting serious crime in the Crown Court, including cases of fraud and financial crime, and deals with matters linked to professional misconduct and regulatory compliance.