Year of Call: 2001
Practice Areas
Nicholas Chapman has a broad practice with an emphasis on public law, national security, public inquiries, inquests, human rights, tax, and health and safety and environmental crime. His cases are often substantial, complex and high-profile. He is a member of the EHRC A panel and the Attorney General’s A panel.
In recent years his experience has included acting for all eight defendants in claims alleging UK government and intelligence agency complicity in extraordinary rendition and torture (Belhaj & Boudchar v Rt Hon Jack Straw, Sir Mark Allen, MI5, MI6 & others); for the Home Secretary in a range of cases involving national security issues; for the Ministry of Housing in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry; in a series of leading Court of Appeal cases concerning the treatment of asylum-seeking children; for HMRC in the largest civil tax case ever litigated in the tribunal system and at Court of Appeal level in the leading case on contra-trading tax abuse; for the Financial Reporting Council in disciplinary proceedings concerning the collapse of Worthington Nicholls Group plc and the insolvency of the Threshers Wine Rack pension scheme; and for Barclays Wealth in relation to its regulatory compliance obligations. He also has extensive experience in substantial criminal cases.
He is often instructed at appellate level and has appeared in a large number of reported cases. Many of his cases have an international dimension and he is accustomed to working with foreign lawyers and as part of multi-disciplinary teams. His clients include Government departments and agencies, the Security and Intelligence services, HMRC, the SFO, the National Crime Agency, multinational corporations and financial institutions, and Magic Circle and other leading firms of solicitors.
Undertakes Public Access work
Appointed to A panel
Nicholas was instructed by the Home Secretary at Court of Appeal level in this successful defence of an appeal concerning the time limits for costs appeals from the Upper Tribunal and the proper interpretation of CPR Part 52.
Nicholas acted for the Home Secretary in lead judicial review challenges to the processing of asylum claims of unaccompanied children brought to the UK from the Calais Jungle.
Successfully responding to a judicial review challenge to the Home Secretary’s decision to cancel a British passport on national security grounds.
Successfully defending a judicial review claim concerning the vires of the Home Secretary’s naturalisation policy and the true interpretation of the British Nationality Act 1981.
Acting for all 7 defendants in this private law damages claim involving allegations of UK government and intelligence agency complicity in the extraordinary rendition and torture of the former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and his pregnant wife. Nicholas principally focused on foreign law aspects of the claim and disclosure.
Nicholas was instructed by the Home Secretary at Court of Appeal level in this appeal concerning the residual discretion to grant near-miss immigration applications.
Instructed by CPS Head Office in these high-profile multi-million pound asset recovery proceedings heard at the Old Bailey.
Judicial review of the Home Secretary’s decision to revoke the trusted sponsor status of the Bow Mosque.
Nicholas acted for HMRC in the successful defence of this £100m civil tax appeal, involving allegations of fraud in the carbon credits market.
Instructed by the Home Secretary at Court of Appeal level in successful response to an appeal brought by an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child on the basis that he had suffered historic injustice at the hands of the Home Office.
Nicholas acted for HMRC in this important case concerning the lawfulness of information notices requiring production of documents by post or email.
Nicholas represented HMRC in its successful defence of this important and high value tax appeal concerning the question of whether donations to a charity in exchange for membership benefits represented consideration for taxable supplies.
Nicholas was instructed at Court of Appeal level by CPS Head Office in relation to the high-profile appeal of the former governor of Delta State, Nigeria and his former solicitor, involving allegations of police corruption and prosecutorial misconduct.
Nicholas successfully defended this strategically important Frankovich damages claim in the High Court, which concerned the question of whether the “repayment supplement” represented an effective remedy in compensation of incorrectly withheld VAT which could have been lucratively reinvested.
Instructed by CPS Head Office at Supreme Court level in the high-value costs proceedings following a high-profile appeal.
Nicholas was instructed by Herbert Smith Freehills to advise Lloyds TSB in connection with the high-profile banking fraud involving the distressed assets division of HBOS.
Nicholas acted for HMRC in this £5m Chancery Division claim against a man convicted of high-profile modern slavery offences.
Nicholas was instructed at Court of Appeal level to represent HMRC in the successful defence of this appeal, the leading case on the applicability of the Kittel anti-abuse principle in circumstances in which transactions are indirectly connected with fraudulent tax losses.
Leading counsel for HMRC in the successful defence of these complex linked civil tax appeals, worth £3.3m, involving allegations of fraud.
Nicholas acted for HMRC in the successful defence of this highly complex civil tax appeal worth £28m. The hearing, which lasted 7 months, is the longest within the tribunal system. The case, which involved allegations of serious VAT fraud, was the first piece of government litigation to feature electronic preparation and presentation of evidence. It gave rise to a number of leading authorities, all in favour of HMRC, including on the admissibility of opinion evidence in tribunal proceedings and of material obtained pursuant criminal mutual legal assistance.
Successfully defending a judicial review claim concerning the Home Secretary’s policy for prioritising backlogged applications.
Instructed by the Home Secretary at Court of Appeal level in the successful defence of these two leading cases concerning corrective remedies in the context of the Home Office’s failure to comply with its legal duty to endeavour to trace the family members of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. The cases established that there is no “bright line” principle in relation to risk. Subsequently instructed to lead a series of related judicial review challenges in the High Court.
Defending a juror prosecuted in the High Court for social media postings relating to the case he was trying.
Nicholas acted for the SFO in its first international corruption prosecution, a case concerning the corruption of the governor of a South East Asian central bank to secure contracts worth A$200 million for the provision of polymer banknotes.
Acting for HMRC in the money laundering prosecution arising from one of its largest ever investigations. Tried by a protected jury. Gave rise to 3 leading authorities relating to jury tampering, judge-only trial and the use of closed evidence in criminal bail proceedings.
Advising the Financial Reporting Council concerning its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the flotation and subsequent collapse of a former AIM new company of the year, with a market capitalisation effect of around £150m.
Advising the Financial Reporting Council in relation to its investigation into advice given to the trustee of the First Quench Pension Fund concerning its proposed transfer.
17th July 2019
TGC offers congratulations to Nicholas Chapman on his elevation to the Attorney General’s London ‘A’ Panel of Junior Counsel with effect from 2 September 2019.
16th May 2019
TGC are delighted to announce that Nicholas Chapman, Sian Reeves and Emily Wilsdon have been recommended for appointment to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of Counsel: England and Wales. Nicholas Chapman has been appointed to the A Panel, and Sian Reeves and Emily Wilsdon to the B Panel.
Read more22nd October 2018
Temple Garden Chambers is delighted to announce that Nicholas Chapman has accepted an invitation to join Chambers.
Nicholas has a broad civil, criminal, regulatory and public law practice with an emphasis on substantial, complex and high-profile litigation relating to commercial crime and other financial and corporate wrongdoing, tax, human rights and national security matters.
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