Ronald Thwaites was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in November 1970 and appointed  Queen’s Counsel in April 1987 at the age of 41. Throughout his legal career he has acted in numerous high-profile cases of all kinds. Whilst his practice was in his first seven years, mixed common law, he later came to concentrate on heavy criminal work, including white collar crime until about 1993 since when he has been engaged  almost wholly on civil cases, predominantly, defamation (for a whole range of people including footballers and celebrities), public inquiries, (Marchioness and Climbie) and inquests (Telford Two and Roger Sylvester), pensions mis-selling, health and safety,(the successful defence of amongst others, Lord Condon and Sir John Stevens (as he then was) and more recently acted on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner of the Metropolis in the Jean-Charles de Menezes Health and Safety trial. He has regularly acted for Chief Constables when they have been Defendants in civil suits arising out of false imprisonment, assault and malicious prosecution. He is a successful and versatile practitioner with a dedicated following of solicitors.

Ronald Thwaites was awarded the “Defamation Silk of the Year ” award by Chambers Directory Awards in 2009.

Melvyn Levi v Ken Bates

Acting for the fourth time on behalf of the defendant, (Chairman of Leeds United FC) in libel action brought by former director  who complains that he was defamed in match programmes in respect of acquisition of the club by the defendant. Proceeding to trial in June 2009.

Richard Desmond v Tom Bower

Acting on behalf of author Tom Bower who is being sued for libel by owner of Express Newspapers for a reference to him in  Bower’s book on Lord (Conrad) Black in which it is alleged it was wrongly suggested that Desmond interfered in editorial policy. Proceeding to trial July 2009

Tiscali v  British Telecommunications plc (“BT”) 
 

Acting on behalf of BT in libel case, malicious falsehood and interference with business. Libel dismissed on our ‘meaning’ application in 2008. Proceeding to trial. Hefin Rees (of Ely Place) is the Junior. 

Michelle Luck & Others v British Telecommunications plc (“BT”)

Acting on behalf of BT in pensions dispute with staff- at early stage.

Health and Safety Executive v British Telecommunications plc (“BT”)

Acting on behalf of BT in case involving death of one of its employees – case proceeding to the magistrates’ court with Iain Daniels (of Ely Place) as junior again, (RT having successfully led him on several occasions)

Hong Kong libels

Acting in two (unrelated cases) where instructions recently received from residents in Hong Kong who are suing and being sued in London in which William McCormick (of Ely Place) has been instructed as junior again, (RT having successfully led him on many occasions)

 
Major Harassment Case v A Northern Constabulary

Acting for  eight police officers who are suing their own constabulary in respect of their alleged treatment by a former senior officer, in which Simon Cheetham (of Ely place) is junior counsel, (RT having successfully led him on a previous occasion) Case proceeding to trial in the Autumn of 2009.

Van Gordon & Shonin v Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail)

Acting for claimants, who are Buddhists in respect of article in defendant newspaper that alleged one had ‘brainwashed’ the other and that the second was a ‘charlatan.’ Pleading have closed and case is proceeding to trial.

Matthew Peacock v Mirror Group Newspapers ( Sunday Mirror)

Acting for a male model and former husband of Jodie Marsh, (celebrity) in respect of an article that alleged that he assaulted her when they were married. Case proceeding to trial.

Mo George v News Group International (The Sun) April 2009

Acted for the claimant, soap star actor from Eastenders, who was awarded £75,000 damages by the jury, arising from an incident in the street where he was alleged to have beaten up his girlfriend and mother of his young daughter. He accepted a police caution for common assault by beating but disputed nature and extent of assault by him.

Frank Warren v Joes Calzaghe (contract dispute) March 2009

Acted unsuccessfully for the claimant boxing promoter in relation to a dispute with a former boxer over an oral contract with William McCormick as junior counsel.

Ivereigh v Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail) February 2009

Acted for claimant, former Director of Public Affairs to Archbishop of Westminster, who was awarded £30,000 after re-trial (1st jury failed to agree after 9 day trial in 2008) for an article arising from his alleged treatment of two women he made pregnant, one of whom had an abortion and the other a miscarriage where breaches of Canon Law also raised.

R v Strachan (Old Bailey April 2008)

Acted for one of the defendants in the so-called “Royal Gay Sex Scandal” in first purely criminal outing for five years, which sentence the defendant received on his conviction.

Pensions Mis-selling Case (2008)

Acted for multiple claimants but details of case withheld by reason of confidentiality agreement.

R v Office of the Commissioner of the Metropolis (Health and Safety) October 2007

Acted on behalf of the defendant for health and safety breaches arising out of the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes on the underground at Stockwell in August 2005 after he was mistakenly thought to be one of the 21/7 bombers. The Office of the Commissioner was  convicted and fined £1750,000 with £385,000 costs.

Martyn Jones MP v Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail) Summer 2007

Acted for the claimant, member of Parliament, who was awarded £5,000 damages by the jury over an article arising from his alleged verbal mistreatment of a security guard in the Palace of Westminster who asked for sight of his identification badge.

Mike Hollingsworth v Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail) Summer 2007

Acted for claimant television agent and ex-husband of Anne Diamond who was awarded £75,000 (of which £50,000 recoverable) over an article that alleged that he had started a physical fight with his then younger lover Harriet Scott after an altercation at a party when it was his case that she started it and he only acted in self-defence.

2006 – most of year engaged in acting a major health and safety trial and re-trial for corporate client involving a fatality and in respect of which there was an acquittal and an order for our costs to be paid out of central funds.

R v Balfour Beatty & Others (Hatfield Rail Crash – January - September 2005)

Acted for the lead defendant in corporate manslaughter case in which four people died and more than one hundred were injured for eight month trial, which involved cross-examining witnesses, including many experts day in day out for months at end of which judge order acquittal on most serious charges and company pleaded guilty to lesser ones.

Ken Bates v Associated Newspapers (Evening Standard May 2004)

Acted for claimant, football chairman who was awarded £9,000 damages in respect of a diary piece that alleged he had been foul-mouthed about the late Matthew Harding when a helicopter flew over his building.

NB

Whist it may appear that his defamation practice is mainly claimant-based, it should be noted that he has acted for newspaper groups on many occasions and successfully for defendant newspapers in defending an action brought by Foulds v MGN (snooker case involving expenses); Condliffe v Pressdram (accountant sued ‘Private Eye’ for alleging over-charging in long –running action) and Arobieke v MGN (subject of article about molesting young rugby players abandoned his case after several days and was later imprisoned for assaults)

He has unparalleled experience in high profile criminal cases of all kinds in which he has taken the leading role.

• The Heathrow Gold Bullion cases, R v White
• R v Noye
• R v Palmer (as junior to J Mathew QC)
• R v Robert Black (serial child killer)
• R v Linda Calvey ("Black Widow" contract killing)
• R v McAuley (IRA London bombing campaign)
• R v Luke Knight (the Stephen Lawrence case)
• R v Tracie Andrews ("road-rage" killing)
• R v Pearce ("Mardi Gras" bombing campaign)
• R v Moss & Rowlands (corporate fraud)
• R v Ball & Ashworth (corporate fraud)
• R v Jonathan King (Indecent Assault)

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article5090604.ece

Interviewees applaud Ronald Thwaites QC at Ely Place Chambers for his work representing the Metropolitan Police on high-profile cases. "A brave advocate who faces tough issues face on," he maintains his standing as a force to be reckoned with in the health and safety field. Active representing both large companies and individuals, he is commended for his railway-related work.

 Chambers and Partners 2009 - Health and Safety

The star performer here is Ronald Thwaites QC, "a man who is fearless when it comes to fighting his client's corner."  He continues to be instructed by the Commissioner of the Met and chief constables generally, proving especially effective on health and safety issues and significant inquiries and inquests. During 2007 he represented the office of the Commissioner of the Met in health and safety charges relating to the Stockwell shooting. 

Chambers and Partners 2009 - Police Law

"Ronald Thwaites QC at Ely Place Chambers has had an excellent year. He is "a great jury advocate and brilliant cross-examiner" whose background in criminal law "gives him an edge with the jury"."

Legal 500 2008 - Leading Silk - Defamation and Privacy

"The set's real heavyweight is "true bruiser" Ronald Thwaites QC. "This king of cross-examinations" is not only "perfect for a quick kill" but also "hard as nails, responsible and the sharpest tool in the box". In one case an observer said, "he ruffled up the guy like nobody's business". Clients "do not hesitate for a minute to use him again."

Chambers and Partners 2006, Defamation

"Ronald Thwaites QC is known for a "trenchant approach that allows him to successfully run a case with the minimum of hassle."

Chambers and Partners 2006, Health and Safety

"The leading name here is"hard cross-examiner and jury advocate" Ronald Thwaites QC. Often brought in as "a robust defender" in cases likely to affect the reputation of the police, Thwaites is not only noted for "his involvement in a host of headline cases" but also for "his ability to turn on a sixpence from the sledgehammer approach to a more subtle line of questioning."

Chambers and Partners 2006, Police Law