Appointments
Professional Associations
- ARDL
- CBA
- FSLA
- HSLA
Awards
Profile
Fiona Horlick QC was consistently ranked as a Band 1 (top tier) leading junior before her elevation to silk, in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. She is now ranked as a respected New Silk. She is praised for her unrivalled advocacy skills, her unbending will to succeed as well as her charisma and her ability to handle clients with sensitivity.
“Incisive, intelligent and brilliant at cross-examination”
“She has a phenomenal understanding of her cases and is always able to pick up on the key issues, regardless of the volume of information”
“Her advocacy skills are unrivalled and she is fantastic to watch. She knows when to have a fight and when to have people listen to you and like you”
“Persuasive and appropriately firm in her advocacy, making her a fearsome opponent”
“Her approachable manner puts clients at ease”
Fiona’s practice encompasses Health and Safety, a wide variety of Regulatory work, Disciplinary proceedings and Specialist Crime – particularly business crime, medical crime, and health and safety criminal proceedings. She has extensive experience as an advocate in all courts from the Privy Council (defending in murder appeals), the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Crown Courts (all types of crime), regulatory proceedings and inquests. She honed her skills on criminal work and jury trials before expanding her work profile.
Fiona is the co-editor and major contributing author of the leading work on the Bribery Act 2010 Lissack and Horlick on Bribery published internationally by LexisNexis. The 3rd edition has been commissioned and will be available in 2020. This renowned publication provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of bribery in both a national and international context. Fiona advises and represents companies with regard to business crime.
Health & Safety
Fiona’s health and safety practice specialises in regulatory law which is complimented with many years of experience in criminal enforcement. Her practice is predominantly defence work with particular interest in criminal proceedings, inquests and inquiries, fire safety, food safety and Maritime regulatory law.
Fiona is regularly instructed by large multinational companies and/or their Directors, concerning fatalities or serious accidents in the workplace, as well as regulatory breaches concerning HSWA, food safety and fire safety. She appears in proceedings before the Crown Court, Magistrates Court and in Coronial proceedings in courts in England and Wales. She is particularly sought after by clients for her strategic input into investigations pre PACE interview with a target of achieving a result of no further action.
Her recent and current instructions include advising a participant Grenfell Tower Inquiry, defending a care home in a prosecution brought by the Care Quality Commission and prosecuting a large multi-national security services company as a result of a suspected legionnaires outbreak at their premises.
Disciplinary & Regulatory
Fiona has a regular and extensive practice both defending and prosecuting regulated professionals.
This practice encompasses:
- Disciplinary proceedings before regulators
- Criminal trials
- Inquests
- Employment/internal disciplinary hearings
The professionals include but are not limited to:
- Healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists and pharmacists;
- Financial Services professionals including Accountants and Actuaries;
- Legal Services professionals including Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives.
She has represented many top consultants and surgeons in a wide variety of matters including poor clinical practice, dishonesty and sexual misconduct allegations. She has defended in the full range of performance, misconduct and health cases, often working in sensitive cases.
Fiona has conducted a number of serious and complicated cases regarding the regulation of actuaries on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Such cases invariably involve complex matters of expert evidence with regard to pensions and insurance.
Medical Crime
Coming originally from a criminal practice background with experience in cases involving murder, manslaughter, assisted suicide, fraud and sexual misconduct, Fiona is perfectly matched to conduct criminal cases involving health professionals. These trials require a combination of criminal trial experience, cross examination skills and in-depth knowledge of the health profession.
In particular Fiona has many years of experience both defending and prosecuting in very serious sexual allegations including rape, child abuse and pornography.
Fiona is known in the directories as ‘at the top of the list of very able barristers for medico legal matters’ with regard to medical crime.
Fiona has co-written the chapter on Prosecuting Health Professionals in the Oxford University Press book Witness Testimony in Sexual Cases: Evidential, Investigative and Scientific Perspectives.
Business Crime
Against a long career in criminal cases, Fiona has both prosecuted and defended in the range of business and financial crime.
Her experience of financial crime, regulation and enforcement is wide ranging. It includes large scale MTIC fraud, international advance fee fraud, tax fraud, fraudulent trading, mortgage fraud, money laundering and asset recovery.
Fiona is the co-editor and major contributing author of the leading work on the Bribery Act 2010 Lissack and Horlick on Bribery published internationally by LexisNexis. This work is now in its 2nd edition and provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of bribery in both a national and international context. The 3rd edition is due out in 2020. The current edition has a foreword by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and a number of chapters not only on the law with regard to bribery both nationally and internationally, but also subjects such as bribery in sport, in the defence industries, the extractive industries and construction as well as DPAs and sentencing.
Fiona advises companies with regard to business crime, in particular bribery and corruption matters and money laundering.
Administrative & Public Law
Fiona’s public law practice includes appeals to the High Court on often for healthcare professionals. Fiona has also advised on Court of Protection matters in relation to treatment matters.
Notable Cases
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Consultant Physician defended by Fiona Horlick QC was acquitted of all charges following a 4 week trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Dr Krishna was charged with 11 counts of sexual assault and 1 count of indecent assault between 1996 and 2017 in relation to 7 separate women, 5 of whom were his patients and 2 other women who were his colleagues. Having heard 4 weeks of evidence including expert evidence, Dr Krishna was unanimously acquitted by the jury. Dr Krishna who has serious health conditions was permitted to attend the trial remotely, a likely first for a trial of a defendant on bail.
Fiona was instructed by Katherine Sheldrick, partner at Hempsons, Manchester
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Health & Safety
Re Harlow District Council v G4S Cash Solutions Limited
Acting for Harlow District Council in a successful prosecution of a large multinational security company with regard to a Legionnaires’ outbreak at one of their sites. Defendant fined £1.8 million.
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Food Standard Authority v AC Hopkins Limited
Defending a company in a trial at the Old Bailey for criminal breaches relating to food hygiene. Involved complicated expert evidence.
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Southern & Scottish Gas Networks
Advising a major UK utilities company with regard to gas network liabilities and public safety.
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British Airways PLC
Advising a major UK airline with regard to Health & Safety issues.
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HSE v Mr X
Defending at the Crown Court a managing director of a company whose employee had been crushed to death.
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In An Inquest
Defending a well known building company in a jury inquest where a worker had died as a result of a fall from height on one of their sites.
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Disciplinary & Regulatory
PSA v GMC & Uppal
Defending Dr Uppal both at the original GMC FtP hearing and in the PSA’s High Court appeal. Now a reported and widely used case on dishonesty and FtP
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GMC v Yasin
Defending Dr Yasin in his appeal to the High Court against erasure.
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GMC v Khetyer
Defending Dr Khetyer in the GMC’s appeal to the High Court.
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ICAEW v Boyden, Harris and White
Defending 3 accountants before the ICAEW FtP proceedings.
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GMC v Haynes
Defending a consultant surgeon in a multiple patient case involving deaths and complex expert evidence.
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GMC v Mehboob
Defending a psychiatrist in alleged sexual case involving a child member of his family.
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GMC v Ademola
Defending a consultant psychiatrist in assaults against a vulnerable patient
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Medical Crime
R v Kay Gilderdale
In a case garnering international press coverage, Fiona defended Kay Gilderdale who was charged with the attempted murder and assisting suicide of her gravely ill daughter by means of an overdose of morphine. Acquitted by the jury of attempted murder. Pleaded to assisting suicide and sentenced to a conditional discharge.
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R v Dr H
Defending a doctor in 3 sequential trials involving serious sexual offences against vulnerable male patients. Acquitted.
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R v Dr K
Defending a doctor charged with sexually assaulting an elderly patient in her home and a nurse. Acquitted.
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R v Dr B
Defending a consultant charged with sexually assaulting 3 female patients. Acquitted.
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R v Dr B
Defending a doctor charged with multiple sexual assaults on a patient over many years. Acquitted.
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R v Dr K
Defending a doctor charged with sexually assaulting an elderly patient in her home and a nurse. Acquitted.
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Business Crime
Re X Company
Advising a multinational company involved in the extractive industry with regard to bribery.
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Re Y Company
Advising a multinational company with regard to money laundering.
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Re v M & Another
Defending a solicitor in a multi million pound mortgage fraud with international aspects. Acquitted.
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R v S & Another
Defending an accountant charged with criminal offences under the Insolvency Act with regard to his professional conduct. Acquitted.
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Re v H & Others
Prosecuting multi million Euro laundering operation from drug dealing and other criminal activities involving several different trials and asset confiscation. Convicted.
What the directories say
“She is brilliant on her feet.”
Professional Discipline & Regulatory Law, Legal 500 2020
“She demonstrates a superior command of fitness-to-practise hearings as well as appeals in the Administrative Court, and is a strong choice for representation where there are allegations of serious sexual misconduct.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers and Partners 2020
“Straight-talking and easy to work with – a formidable advocate.” “Favoured for her experience and dedicated approach.” “Personable and very tough.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers and Partners 2020
“A really impressive advocate.” “Her approachable manner puts clients at ease.” “She has a very keen eye for detail.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2019
“Persuasive and appropriately firm in her advocacy, making her a fearsome opponent.”
Professional Discipline & Regulatory Law, Legal 500 2019
“Well prepared and knowledgeable. She has the ability to see the real picture.” “Incisive, intelligent and brilliant at cross-examination.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2018
Recommended for dental, actuarial and medical cases.”
Professional Discipline & Regulatory Law, Legal 500 2017
"Her advocacy skills are second to none; most would hate to be subjected to a cross-examination by her because she’s just so good. She grasps technical issues extremely quickly and is an extremely effective advocate.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2017
“She has a phenomenal understanding of her cases and is always able to pick up on the key issues, regardless of the volume of information.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2017
“She grasps complex work quickly and easily, is a master of cross-examination, and an excellent person to represent both regulators and professionals.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2016
“She exudes an air of confidence.” “She’s an excellent advocate who is very good at cross-examination.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2015
"Her advocacy skills are unrivalled and she is fantastic to watch. She knows when to have a fight and when to have people listen to you and like you.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2014
”Hard-working, enthusiastic” junior Fiona Horlick “is someone you don’t want to be up against,” according to one impressed peer, as “she can destroy your case, very, very quickly.”
Chambers & Partners 2013
“Fiona Horlick engages in high-stakes disciplinary actions for and against doctors, dentists and pharmacists. She is adept at making intelligent, highly demanding clients feel that they are being well handled. Solicitors like her as she is “capable of being a rottweiler for her client if the situation calls for it.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2012
“Her forte lies in defending healthcare professionals. Her “ability to work sensitively with emotional clients” is seen as a particular strength.”
Professional Discipline, Chambers & Partners 2011
Articles
More Articles
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Private Law Update
30th January 2021
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Pause, Stop, Rewind: Re-Opening Findings of Fact
15th January 2021
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Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Cases: Could Section 91(14) be used more effectively?
8th December 2020
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R (on the application of Maughan) (AP) (Appellant) v Her Majesty's Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire (Respondent)
8th December 2020
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Public law Children: a case law update
8th December 2020
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MATRIMONIAL FINANCE UPDATE
8th December 2020
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Private Law Vaccination Specific Issue application – a new jurisdiction?
3rd November 2020
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Prosecuting health and safety offences—applying the public interest test to the decision to prosecute (R v Connors Building and Restoration LTD)
20th October 2020
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Local Authority SEN duties during the Pandemic
27th July 2020
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Multipliers & Ogden 8
27th July 2020
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Is Coronavirus a Barder Event?
22nd June 2020
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Protocol Admissions - Cause & Effect
10th June 2020
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How to Treat Therapy Fraud
10th June 2020
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The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, and a little bit of history.
3rd June 2020
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Financial Remedy Work During the Lockdown and Update
12th May 2020
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Demeanour and the Assessment of Witnesses
12th May 2020
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Care Fees Update – A lifetime gift does not necessarily constitute a deprivation of assets
12th May 2020
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A Review of Recent Case Law: Parental Alienation
12th May 2020
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MS v RS and BT (Paternity)
12th May 2020
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Public Law (Children) Update
12th May 2020