Joe O'Leary

Year of Call: 2019

Joe currently has an established practice across crime, professional discipline and extradition.

Our specialist clerks can be contacted by email on clerks@5sah.co.uk or phone on 020 7332 5400. To contact our Chambers Director directly in relation to a specific members’ practice, please email dscothern@5sah.co.uk

Overview

Joe regularly prosecutes and defends in the Crown Courts, and has particular experience in cases involving drugs, fraud and serious violence. Joe also has particular expertise in representing young people in the youth court, having represented individuals charged with robbery, drugs supply offences, violent crimes and crimes of a sexual nature. In addition to general crime Joe also has significant experience in driving matters, both at summary trial and on appeal.

Joe’s active practice in professional disciplinary and regulatory work often sees him appearing for regulators at final and interim FTP hearings, having handled matters throughout the spectrum of severity including allegations of a sexual nature and child destruction

Instructing solicitors have said:

"He has a genuine empathy for the vulnerable, disadvantaged and anxious clients … with a genuine talent, sharp mind and compassionate nature"

Client Testimonials

"He is very pragmatic and more than capable of handling difficult situations or dealing effectively with unexpected developments"

Client Testimonials

In addition, Joe has a frequent extradition practice, often appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court and with experience in High Court proceedings. Joe welcomes instructions in extradition proceedings.

Joe also has particular experience in local authority work having dealt with matters of planning enforcement (pre-charge and post charge) and education (including SEN, exclusion and attendance).

Professional Panel Appointments

  • Government Legal Department – Junior Junior Scheme.
  • CPS Grade 2.

Education

  • BPTC, University of Law.
  • LLB (hons) Law, University of Liverpool.

Awards and Scholarships

  • Exhibition Scholar, Inner Temple.

Professional Discipline & Regulatory

Joe has developed an active practice in professional disciplinary and regulatory work has successfully appeared in fitness to practise hearings at the HCPC, GDC, NMC and SWE.

Joe operates at each stage of the professional disciplinary process, having represented registrants and regulators at interim order hearings, reviews, and final hearings with success. He has experience in cases that involve serious allegations including those of a sexual nature and child destruction.

Education Law 

In addition to fitness to practise, Joe also welcome instructions in education matters. Prior to his career at the Bar Joe successfully represented children and parents before school exclusion panels, both at governor and local authority level.

Joe also has an active interest in SEN provisions and the wider application of education law, and welcomes instructions in the area of education law.

Criminal Defence

Joe has a busy crime practice and regularly defends in the Crown Courts. Joe has dealt with offences that include weapons, sexual crimes, drugs and robbery.

With experience in appearing in lengthy and complex fraud cases Joe is able to analyse and assimilate large quantities of information quickly and effectively.

In addition, Joe has a broad range of experience in dealing with both young defendants and witnesses in the Youth Court, often dealing with incredibly vulnerable clients with success in cases featuring modern slavery. 

Joe also has significant experience in road traffic matters and often deals with a range of road traffic offending. Joe has particular success in exceptional hardship cases.

 

Criminal Prosecutions - Private & Public

Joe’s has a wide practice in public prosecutions having dealt with a range of offences including drugs, robbery and violent crimes. Joe has experience in dealing with domestic violence cases and presenting ‘victimless’ prosecutions.

Joe often prosecutes on behalf of local authorities and has specific experience in prosecuting education matters, planning enforcement and unlawful evictions. 

Extradition & International

Joe has experience at all stages of extradition proceedings, having appeared at initial, interim and final extradition hearings with success.

Joe often appears in matters concerning Part 1 warrants and has had success in cases involving s14 and Article 8. In addition, Joe has experience of appeal to the High Court. 

Inquests & Inquiries

Joe accepts instructions in relation to Public Inquiries & Inquests.

Professional Memberships

  • Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum.
  • Criminal Bar Association.
  • Young Fraud Lawyers Association.
  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.
  • The Inner Temple.

Cases of Note

Criminal Defence

R v SS [2021]

After service of Joe’s skeleton arguments on abuse of process, where the the police had raised a legitimate expectation that the matter would not be prosecuted, the Crown discontinued their case

R v WO [2021]

Joe successfully represented a business owner accused of breaching COVID regulations where Joe made complex submissions on the legislation in place at the time

R v ZB [2021]

After legal argument by Joe on behalf of the defence, the Crown subsequently discontinued charges of Robbery

Professional Discipline & Regulatory

NMC v EB [2023]

Joe successfully presented the NMC in a case where there were allegations of child destruction

HCPC v DS [2021]

Joe made a successful half-time submission when defending a registrant accused of poor record keeping and inappropriate use of social media