Career Overview

Year of Call 1994 | Silk 2024

Martin McCarthy KC

He is instructed in the most substantial and complex cases of murder, fraud, drugs, corruption, money laundering, people trafficking and all aspects of organised crime. Martin has extensive experience of serious fraud and related confiscation proceedings. He has advised and appeared in complex contested cases in the Crown Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal. He is used to working with substantial amounts of paperwork and is computer literate.

Martin is particularly experienced in cases involving experts in cell site, computers, telephone, accountancy and other such evidence.

In the last few years Martin has developed a niche practice in appeals against costs decisions and has been reported in decisions of costs Judges, the High Court and the VHCC appeals committee where he has been unusually successful in taking points of principle (R v Mooney, R v Mehmetaj, R v Zigaras, R v Sereika, R v Francis & R v Carter - all of which successfully challenged decisions of the LAA before the Costs Judge on behalf of Litigators and/or Counsel).

Education: LL.B (Hons)

More Information

Appointments & Professional Memberships

Email Martin Download CV

Areas of Expertise

Business Crime

General Crime

Homicide

Drugs

Notable Cases

Martin has been instructed in a number of serious cases in recent years but as a guide, the following cases reflect the type of work Martin undertakes:

Fraud & Money Laundering

Drugs 

People Trafficking & Modern Slavery 

Homicide 

Reported Cases

Awards & Accreditations

What Martin’s Clients Say

"Martin is a superb barrister. He is a wise and considered practitioner who shows great judgement in which battles to pick. He has a delightful court manner which charms judges and juries alike as well as a steely resolve. Martin is a stellar performer who was made for silk robes."

Other Key Lawyer

"Martin is an able advocate who sports good points of law, argues the point well and is clearly an adroit trial tactician."

London Bar

"Martin is absolutely brilliant. He has a really down-to-earth and direct advocacy style that judges and juries really like and is very effective."

Financial Crime UK Bar

"Martin speaks brilliantly and is very well prepared. His cross-examination is excellent because he has such a good tone of voice and deals with witnesses very well."

Crime UK Bar

"Martin is very industrious, sharp and hard-working and he is an all-round first-class counsel."

Crime UK Bar

"Martin is an exceptional practitioner who is the rare combination of a brilliant brain and an excellent advocate. He reads the room and even in the most challenging of cases ensures that the jury and judge are on board with him."

Legal 500 2024 Edition

"Martin McCarthy has an established defence practice across both crime and financial crime. He has experience of serious matters including those relating to people trafficking and terrorism. His cases regularly have cross-border elements."

Chambers and Partners 2024 edition

"Assiduous and extremely organised, his preparation for a case is excellent. He has an unrivalled sense of which direction a case is going once it's underway. He has a very good forensic mind and the ability to dial it up or down in response to the mood of the courtroom"

Chambers and Partners 2024 edition

Latest News

View All News