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Eleanor Davison

Called to bar 2003

Clerk Stephen Somerville Tel: 020 7353 6381
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Eleanor Davison specialises in regulatory and professional disciplinary law with an emphasis on financial and serious crime, health and safety and medical disciplinary work. She has been appointed to the Attorney General's Panel of Prosecuting Counsel and the Serious Fraud Office list and is instructed by the Financial Services Authority.

In her regulatory practice Eleanor is instructed in all levels of health and safety cases under the HSWA 1974, and additionally has been led on significant cases by Richard Lissack QC. She has experience of advising companies facing criminal health and safety prosecutions and proceedings brought by the LFEPA regarding fire regulation breaches. Eleanor recently advised a company and insurer on the civil and criminal aspects of a claim arising from the film A Quantum of Solace. Eleanor has also been on secondment at Berrymans Lace Mawer (London office), in the health & safety and personal injury department, dealing with a high level of health & safety cases in civil and criminal contexts, thus gaining knowledge of casework from start to finish in this specialised area of work.

Previously she has been led by Richard Lissack QC in a high profile manslaughter case defending a soldier being prosecuted by the Army relating to deaths of civilians in Iraq during a river crossing, resulting in an acquittal Re Queen -v- Lance Corporal James Cook.

In her professional disciplinary practice Eleanor represents healthcare professionals before the General Medical Council, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Care Standards Tribunal. She receives instructions from the Medical Defence Union and is currently being led on a serious case listed in 2010. She has also represented medical practitioners in the criminal courts and has been led in appellate work from the General Medical Council in the Administrative Court. She regularly appears for NHS Trusts in Coroner's Court proceedings. She is currently advising a leading London NHS Trust on an investigation into a senior medical practitioner.

In her financial and serious crime practice Eleanor is instructed by the FSA enforcement division on Financial Services crime and is currently instructed in a case in 2010 involving change in control and alleged insider dealing.

Additionally Eleanor has been instructed in and also led on numerous serious criminal, and fraud cases including Norris v United States of America intervening on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office in a matter linked to GG Plc (the SFO's prosecution of manufacturers of generic drugs for price fixing). Eleanor has particular expertise in Part III of the Regulatory Investigatory Powers Act 2000 having advised in the recent animal rights case R v Avery and others on encrypted computer material. Eleanor remains as specialist counsel advising on this case and the further trial in respect of these recent RIPA powers. Eleanor been led in numerous murders with Anthony Haycroft as lead counsel, instructed by the CPS at Maidstone Crown Court and recently appeared in the Court of Appeal on the issue of the legality of a second retrial.

Eleanor also has a busy employment practice. She receives instruction in wrongful and unfair dismissal claims, discrimination, with particular experience of disability and sex discrimination, victimisation, and redundancy.

Her personal injury practice covers all aspects of litigation including advisory work, drafting pleadings and appearing in fast and multi track cases. She is currently being led in a significant case against the Ministry of Defence. 

 

Areas of practice
Professional Discipline & Regulatory, Employment & Discrimination, Fraud & Extradition, Financial Services, Personal Injury, Health & Safety

Notable cases

R v Avery and others

Junior Prosecution Counsel in blackmail prosecution against SHAC animal rights activists. Eleanor Davison advised on one of the first applications to decrypt material under RIPA Part III.

Norris v United States of America

Junior counsel in a team intervening on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office in on a range of issues including whether conspiracy to defraud is compliant with Article 7 of the ECHR.

R v Bell

Anthony Haycroft and Eleanor Davison appeared on behalf of the Crown in this murder trial where the victim was placed in a suitcase in Tunbridge Wells. The defendant was sentenced to a minimum term of 28 years imprisonment.

R v Smitheman and others

Anthony Haycroft and Eleanor Davison appeared on behalf of the Crown in this murder case in which the two principal defendants were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 25 and 20 years imprisonment.

R v Singh and others.

Anthony Haycroft and Eleanor Davison appeared on behalf of the Crown in this multi handed kidnap and false imprisonment trial.

R v Cooke and others.

Richard Lissack QC and Eleanor Davison appeared on behalf of a Defendant in a Court Martial manslaughter charge against a British soldier accused of drowning an Iraqi looter. Charges against the soldier were dismissed as having no case to answer.

R v Potter

Anthony Haycroft and Eleanor Davison appeared on behalf of the Crown in this murder trial. A minimum term of 18 years was imposed.

Yates v The Mirror

Disability Discrimination and Unfair Constructive Dismissal claim acting for the Claimant in which settlement was reached.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society v Messrs Tanna

Richard Lissack QC and Eleanor Davison appeared for the three Respondents in a case alleging dishonest claiming of remuneration for products. The case against two Respondents was dismissed. Costs were awarded against the Society for the first time.

Re Dr Vaidya

Involved in a successful appeal from the General Medical Council to the High Court with Robert Rhodes QC.

In the matter of Aris Comninos.

A health and safety and personal injury case arising from an accident on the James Bond film A Quantum of Solace.