Joel Smith

Year of Call: 2002

Joel undertakes all types of criminal work. He prosecutes and defends.

Joel is ranked as an 'up and coming junior in extradition' in Chambers & Partners (2008). A regular practitioner in the field of extradition, Joel has represented both individuals and foreign governments in a number of high profile cases including proceedings against individuals accused of rape, murder, terrorism and large-scale fraud.

Joel also practices in regulatory law, including environmental protection, health and safety law and local government prosecutions.

In the field of general crime, Joel's wide-ranging practice has included appearances in the Court of Appeal and High Court, along with judicial review proceedings. He also acts in prison adjudications and parole hearings, advising on prisoners’ rights and judicial review. Joel has acted alone and as junior counsel in multi handed, large scale confiscation proceedings.

Recent highlights include the first prosecution to result in a conviction for laundering the proceeds of the commercial distribution of child abuse images in the UK, the discharge of British citizens mistreated in custody abroad, the defence of an Albanian citizen tortured whilst being investigated for murder, the trials of several conspiracies to import and supply firearms arising out of Operation ENCINO, and allegations of computer hacking into, amongst others, NASA and the Pentagon, in which he was junior counsel for the US Government.

Joel is a member of the Criminal Bar Association