R v C & Anor
Accused of Murder and GBH of addicts confronting and robbing young drug dealers
Eddie Holland
Senior Clerk
Emma Makepeace
Deputy Senior Clerk
Michael Borrelli KC defends in high profile, serious and complex crime, both privately and publicly funded, and in other areas of quasi-criminal work, including Inquests and Disciplinary work, where his advocacy skills can be fully utilised. He has experience in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal sitting in London and in Belfast.
He is instructed to review and advise on appellate work and to conduct cases in the Court of Appeal, both here and in Northern Ireland, where he also has experience in non-jury trials with a terrorist or paramilitary link. (He recently successfully defended the only accused (JS) to be prosecuted following the two-year de-brief by Special Branch of the “Supergrass” Gary Haggarty, who had claimed that JS had machine gunned to death Catholic workmen on a building site in 1994). He has developed a reputation for his ability in cases requiring both tactical acumen, and careful handling of witnesses. He has considerable skills as a robust cross-examiner and is well known for the commanding presence he makes in Court, and his abilities in the examination and testing of experts’ evidence. He has defended in numerous well-publicised trials involving murder/manslaughter, (frequently involving gang crime and young defendants), as well as cases involving firearms, money laundering, drugs, aeroplane hijacking, and sexual offences.
Michael’s expertise in fraud includes banking, duty evasion, phishing fraud, mortgage and land banking fraud. He has defended in prosecutions brought by the SFO and the FCA, representing a variety of clients both lay and Professional. (Accountant, Solicitor, CEO and Banker).
The majority of his practice since taking Silk has been at the Central Criminal Court.
Accused of Murder and GBH of addicts confronting and robbing young drug dealers
Accused of murder of teenage girl following a cold case review, subsequent to the quashing of a murder conviction, after a BBC Rough Justice investigation.
Millionaire property developer extradited from USA to face an accusation of the murder of tenant who impeded property purchased for development.
Accused of the murder by shooting in a nightclub of ex British heavyweight boxing champion
Alleged manslaughter of soldier by ‘Beasting’ and punishment drill
G4S Accountant prosecuted by SFO in trial abandoned by SFO for delay and multiple disclosure failures on multi million pound allegations of fraud
CEO charged with computer hacking of company computers.
FCA prosecution of a Solicitor in a land banking fraud, who had been advising and acting for the Director and owner of a land buying company.
Represented principal defendant, the founder and head of a property development group, one of six charged in connection with a loan fraud from RBS of over £30million.
School Governor accused of involvement in a £1.8M fraud conspiracy.
Money Laundering and Mortgage Fraud, of funds stolen from the Delta State
Acted on behalf of the Police Federation and represented 11 police officers in the Seni Lewis Inquest; a death arising out of a restraint in a mental hospital. The six officers subsequently facing gross misconduct were totally exonerated.
Acted on behalf of the Police Federation and represented two police officers in re-opened Inquest into the death of a motorcyclist, Onese Power, following a police chase. The Jury’s findings exonerated both officers of any blame.
McC & G v PSNI
Successful challenge on behalf of two former seniors officers of the PSNI to the PSNI’s breach of its own Service Regulations pertaining to the use of Members of the Public as covert human intelligence sources.
R v C & Anor
Accused of Murder and GBH of addicts confronting and robbing young drug dealers.
R v B
Accused of sexual assault by care home owner on senior member of staff.
R v R
Accused of Murder of wife by strangulation and disposal into a river of body concealed in a suitcase.
R v S & Ors
Accused of double Murder by crossbow following raid by rival dealers on a cannabis farm.
R v J & Ors
Accused of double Murder and GBH in revenge drive-by shooting by rival drug dealers.
R v C & Ors
16 year old accused of Murder of victim of street robbery with Zombie Killer knife.
R v C & Ors
Accused of unprovoked attempted murder of stranger who was stabbed 11 times by a 15-year-old.
R v L & Ors
Accused of brutal killing of rival gang member, hacked to death with machete on the Blackbird Leys Estate. Subsequent appeal saw Court of Appeal set Guidelines for Judges confronted with extended periods of holiday during Jury retirement.
R v P & Ors
Accused of attempted murder of rival drug dealer shot in face during County Lines reprisal shooting. Subsequent appeal considered identification witnesses’ evidence being impugned by Prosecution.
R v A
Accused of murder of teenage girl following a cold case review, subsequent to the quashing of a murder conviction, after a BBC Rough Justice investigation.
R v C & Ors
Defended the head of the family of travellers prosecuted for allegations of keeping vulnerable men in servitude or requiring them to perform forced labour, and it was one of the first cases under new anti-slavery legislation.
R v D & Ors
Accused of the missing body murder of a drug dealer in the Midlands.
R v A
The law undergraduate accused of the murder his 80-year-old father and the disposal of the body under concrete.
R v W & Ors
Accused of the Murder of the ‘slave’ whose dismembered body was found in the Blue Lagoon.
R v P & Ors
Millionaire property developer extradited from USA to face an accusation of the murder of tenant who impeded property purchased for development.
R v M & Ors
Accused of the murder by shooting in a nightclub of ex British heavyweight boxing champion.
R v E & Ors
Alleged manslaughter of soldier by ‘Beasting’ and punishment drill.
R v J & Ors
G4S Accountant prosecuted by SFO in trial abandoned by SFO for delay and multiple disclosure failures on multi million pound allegations of fraud.
R v H
CEO charged with computer hacking of company computers.
R v W & Ors
FCA prosecution of a Solicitor in a land banking fraud, who had been advising and acting for the Director and owner of a land buying company.
R v E & Ors
Represented principal defendant, the founder and head of a property development group, one of six charged in connection with a loan fraud from RBS of over £30million.
R v P & Ors
School Governor accused of involvement in a £1.8M fraud conspiracy.
R v I & Ors
Money Laundering and Mortgage Fraud, of funds stolen from the Delta State.
R v Entwistle
Six month loan fraud trial involving RBS, NatWest, Northern Rock and other lending institutions.
Eddie Holland
Senior Clerk
Emma Makepeace
Deputy Senior Clerk
“Michael is a good cross-examiner. He is extremely hardworking, confident and very eloquent.” Chambers UK 2025: Crime
“Michael is very good and quickly gets on top of matters.” Chambers UK 2025: Financial Crime
“A quality silk.” Chambers UK 2024: Crime
“Michael is a master strategist.” Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime
“He is the epitome of a pugilistic performer.” Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime
“His superior skill at cross-examination is a powerful tool for instructing solicitors to have in their armoury.” Chambers UK 2023: Crime
“Michael is a very dogged advocate.” Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime
“Michael is tough, shrewd, clear-sighted and has a bit of dash in the courtroom.” Legal 500 2023: Crime
“He is excellent.” Chambers UK 2022: Crime
“An experienced and reliable barrister who remains calm under pressure.” Chambers UK 2022: Crime
“He commands the respect of the court.” Chambers UK 2022: Financial Crime
“A silky-smooth advocate who wins the ear of the judge and jury very quickly. He has a really polished style.” Chambers UK 2021: Crime
“A QC with an incredible presence in court, he is very approachable and adored by clients.” Chambers UK 2021: Crime
“He is a silk of true integrity and has the most amazing court presence – when he stands up everybody listens. He is a real fighter with a first-rate brain.” Chambers UK 2021: Financial Crime
“A robust cross-examiner” who “has a real presence in court.” Chambers UK 2020: Crime
“…absolutely destructive in cross-examination, He is a very charming man and you wouldn’t want him for an opponent.” “Very thorough in his approach, very user-friendly and very good with clients.” Chambers UK 2019: Crime
“An experienced robust cross-examiner with presence and good judgement.” Legal 500 2019: Crime
“He defends in multi-defendant fraud cases”. Legal 500 2019: Fraud
“Very stylish and effective.” Chambers UK 2018: Crime
“…he is a fantastic tactician who masters papers quickly.” Chambers UK 2018: Crime
“Cross-examination is his most powerful tool.” Legal 500 2017: Crime
“A stylish and sophisticated silk with a depth of experience.” Legal 500 2017: Crime
“His attention to detail and robust cross-examination are his keys to success.” Legal 500 2017: Fraud
“Specialising in complex defence work, he has been party to some of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent times.” “He’s a very polished and stylish advocate who excels at cross-examination.” “He’s at the very top of his game and is universally respected by all solicitors.” Chambers UK 2017: Crime
“Enormously respected and liked.” Legal 500 2016: Fraud
“Admired for his ‘rapier-like’ advocacy style and his efficacy in cross-examinations. He is particularly good at serious criminal matters with significant forensic evidence aspects, including cold case murders. He is a tremendous advocate. He is a hugely experienced and highly regarded silk who is a robust cross-examiner and a fearless advocate.” Chambers UK 2016: Crime
“He is an extremely persuasive jury advocate and he is good on the law. He has fantastic forensic cross-examining skills and brings everything together beautifully in his closing speeches. A class act.” Chambers UK 2015: Crime
I, Michael Borrelli KC, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at michael.borrelli@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.
All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.
Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:
I retain personal data for no longer than 7 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.
I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).
Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).
In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.
Rev 1.1 05.03.2019
Michael Borrelli KC is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.
For further information please contact our Clerks.
| Address | 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH |
|---|---|
| DX | 237 LDE |
| Opening hours | 08:30 – 18:30 |
| Telephone | +44 (0)20 7400 6400 |
|---|---|
| clerks@3rblaw.com | |
| Senior clerk | Michael Borrelli KC |
