Overview
Mark is an experienced criminal and common law advocate. He has appeared in all courts throughout the England and Wales from the Magistrates Court, the Coroners’ Court, County and Criminal Courts to the Supreme Court. Mark is particularly experienced in criminal and civil fraud as well as murder and other serious criminal cases. He has acted for high street as well as national and international firms. He has acted for the Central Fraud Group and SOCA. Mark has also been in demand in employment law, where he has appeared in ETs, the EAT and Court of Appeal; contract law and civil litigation matters. Mark has been invited to speak at a number of conference and seminars on topics from bribery at American Bar Association/Employment Lawyers Association annual conference in London to the effect of Montgomery to the British Heart Valve Society at St Barts in London.
Mark is currently researching a book on the History of the Jury Trial in the UK having been a central participant during the Covid Lockdown of JUSTICE’s research trials into virtual justice.
Crime
Mark has practised in London, the Western Circuit and the South Eastern Circuit for much of his career. He has appeared for both prosecution and defence in the whole range of cases from offences of dishonesty and minor violence through to major drug importations; serious sexual offences, both historic and recent and murder and manslaughter. In the last few years Mark has appeared in a broad range of criminal litigation. In 2019 Mark successfully completed a defence of a seven month long Private Prosecution (the longest in the English Courts) which attracted press coverage in a number of publications and led to submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee considering private prosecutions in 2020.
R v Stubbs – 8 week murder.
R v Bennett – Youth murder.
R v Shahid – Attempted murder, shotgun.
R v Tanwar Hussein – Encro.
R v Thorpe – Successful defence in 8 week multi-handed murder.
R v Brandon Lee – Defence of principal Defendant in nationally-reported machete murder.
R v Takhar – Represented principal Defendant in series of trials for cocaine importation.
R v Brooks [2016] EWCA 44
Civil
Mark has maintained a practice in the civil field. As well as personal injury and medical negligence work, Mark developed a successful practice as a Junior in employment law. He has represented large and small businesses as well as individuals in ETs; courts and appellate courts. In this field he has been involved in cases of breach of contract; wrongful and unfair dismissal; restrictive covenants and all areas of discrimination. He has represented companies including HSBC; McDonalds; Schering Plough; Honeywell Bull; Pimm’s, Nike, Wincanton and Thomas Cook as well as individuals.
Notable Cases
Lumsdon v Legal Services Board [2015] 3 W.L.R 121
Gover v Propertycare [2006] ICR 1078
Lord Mayhew of Twysden’s Petition [2002] 1AC 109
Hodes v Marks & Spencer plc [2001] ICR1 Notes
AM v PV & another [1999] ICR 1218
Tice v Cartwright [1999] ICR 769
Burrell v H M Customs & Excise [1997] STC 1413
P & O Trans-European v Wincanton Logistics [2001] EWCA 227
Memberships
CBA Executive Committee
ELA
Bar Council Management Committee
Council Member of JUSTICE
Sometime member of New York Bar Association
Appointments
KC (2015)
Member, Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Council (2015 – 2016)
Public Appointments Committee (CCRC Commissioners; LAA Appeals Panel and Civil Justice Board)
Education
Lincoln’s Inn (Megarry Scholar) 1992
News
Leading criminal KC joins 2KBW
2KBW is delighted to announce the return, as a Practising Door Tenant, of Mark Trafford KC. A tenant at Foundry Chambers, Mark was called...
