Nicholas Cotter 560x670

Nicholas Cotter

Year of Call: 1999
Email Address: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
Telephone: 01962 868 884

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Clerk Details

  • Clerk Name: Stuart Pringle
  • Clerk Telephone: 01962 868 884
  • Clerk Email: [email protected]

Sports

Nicholas regularly appears before sports regulation / disciplinary hearings and provides advice on rules, compliance and the consequences of infringements.

Nicholas has a significant background in malfeasance, bribery and fraud and is well placed to deal with these matters arising from corruption and criminality in sport. He has a particular specialisation in anti-doping law both Defending and Prosecuting.

Recent cases:

  • UKAD v X - Instructed Counsel for UKAD in a unique body dimorphism case pertaining to reasonable excuse and failing to supply.
  • UKAD v X - Instructed Counsel for a professional regional rugby player who fell foul of the use of banned supplement. UKAD conceded that some evidence existed which supported lack of doping education and no intentional use and the panel in turn were convinced of the merit of early return permission to training despite the imposition of a disqualification period. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/31552990
  • UKAD v X - Instructed Counsel for UKAD in a case that resulted in the first UK lifetime ban for a member of the “support team” for an athlete and impacted on the issue of who could be included within the definition of support personnel (namely an athlete's parent). www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28641672                           https://www.ukad.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-05/ukad_vs_tinklin.pdf
  • BHA v X - Represented a professional flat racing Jockey before a full disciplinary panel accused by the BHA of the offences of sample tampering and bringing the sport into disrepute. The issue resolved around the use of illicit substances and the athletes attempt to use /acquire another individuals sample to mask the primary offence.
  • UKAD v X- Providing advice to a basketball player charged with a drug tampering offence namely that the athlete tried to pass off another athletes name when providing a sample. The case reached the tribunal and the athlete was given a significant reduced sentence in light of his mitigation and early advice.
  • UKAD v X -Representing a cyclist who had refused to provide a sample when requested after competition. The athlete was advised early in the matter and the key issues argued before the tribunal were primarily “compelling justification” and “no significant fault” for failing to provide a sample. The tribunal recorded a finding of no significant fault in favour of the cyclist and a much reduced ban. Nicholas also subsequently advised on the implications of disqualification upon prize money.
  • NADP (APPEAL) v LLEWELLYN - Representing a young boxer who had taken a sports supplement. The supplement contained a substance banned during competition and the existence of the substance within the supplement was not known to the athlete.
  • Recommendations

    Nicholas Cotter has a general criminal and regulatory practice, with an emphasis on the Western Circuit and London. He has a track record of acting both for the prosecution and for the defence in cases involving fraud, organised crime, serious sexual offences and murder. His expertise also includes regulatory law, with particular experience handling environmental law and health and safety matters.
    Strengths: “Nicholas has a very smooth advocacy style and the jury pay close attention. He is also excellent at putting clients at ease when they are at their most anxious.”
    “Nicholas invests lots of time in the client's interests and is also very skilled in the courtroom.”
    “Nicholas is a class act who has a really good relationship with clients.”

    Chambers UK 2024/Crime/Western Bar

    Nicholas Cotter has notable experience of representing private individuals as well as companies in complex health and safety cases. He regularly handles cases arising from a wide spectrum of incidents.
    Strengths: “Nicholas is experienced in this field and he's very highly regarded.”
    “He also goes above and beyond and has meetings with clients to reassure them.”
    “He's a real specialist in the area.”

    Chambers UK 2024/Health and Safety/Western Bar/Band 1

    Strengths: “His judgement is impeccable.”
    “Nicholas is very pragmatic and very strategic.”

    Chambers UK 2023/Crime/Western Bar

    Strengths: “Nicholas is a really excellent barrister. He is very pragmatic and very strategic.”
    “He has a wonderful way with clients.”

    Chambers UK 2023/Health and Safety/Western Bar/Band 1

    Strengths: "He is calm in court and instils confidence in his client from the outset." "He puts his clients at ease and explains things to them in a language that they understand."
    Recent work: Defended a man accused of seeking to steal the Magna Carta from Salisbury Cathedral.

    Chambers UK 2022/Crime/Western Bar

    Strengths: "He instils confidence in his clients and is very responsive. He is also strategic and calm in front of judges." "Very charming and knowledgeable."
    Recent work: Represented the director of a demolition firm in a fatal accident case concerning the death of a construction worker during the demolition of a building.

    Chambers UK 2022/Health and Safety/Western Bar

    Strengths: "Always well prepared and very analytical."
    Recent work: Defended a man charged with killing his father through blunt force trauma, whilst under the influence of butane gas.

    Chambers UK 2021/Crime/Western Bar

    Strengths: "He is very approachable and excellent with clients."
    Recent work: Acted for the prosecution in Operation Red Squirrel, a multi-handed case concerning a large drug dealing network across the south coast of England.

    Chambers UK 2020/Crime/Western Bar

    "A very client-friendly and expert criminal counsel."
    Recent work: Defended one of the defendants charged with the aggravated burglary of a Hatton Garden jeweller.

    Chambers UK 2019/Crime/Western Bar

    Strengths: "He has a terrific brain, a formidable work ethic, an unflappable demeanour and his tactical awareness can make the difference in a tricky case."

    Chambers UK 2018/Crime/Western Bar

    'Has a general criminal and regulatory practice, and is active on both the Western and South Eastern Circuits. He has a track record of acting in cases involving fraud, organised crime and serious sexual offences.'
    Strengths: "Completely unflappable, he has an extremely good temperament in court. Destined for great things." "A very capable advocate."'

    Chambers UK 2017/Crime/Western Bar

    Nicholas Cotter ‘is an excellent advocate‘ who ‘quickly commands the respect of the court‘. He has a strong presence on the Western Circuit in this area and recently defended a company and director against a charge of corporate manslaughter following two workplace fatalities.

    ‘Nick is a real heavyweight junior with a keen sense for a sound strategy. He has a calm, responsive and pragmatic approach and an excellent manner with judge and jury alike in the heat of courtroom proceedings.'

    Legal 500 2024/Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Health and Safety)/Western Circuit - Ranked Tier 1

    ‘Nick is a real heavyweight junior; a hugely experienced lawyer with a keen sense for a sound strategy. His calm, responsive and pragmatic approach and his excellent manner with judge and jury alike in the heat of courtroom proceedings is very valuable.'

    Legal 500 2024/Professional Disciplinary Law/Western Circuit - Ranked Tier 1

    Nicholas Cotter is a ‘thoughtful advocate’ with ‘a ruthless legal mind’.

    ‘Nick is a consummate advocate who combines clarity and brevity in a very attractive style. It is only a matter of time before he attains silk status.'

    Legal 500 2024/Crime (General and Fraud)/Western Circuit/Leading Junior - Tier 1

    Nicholas Cotter is ‘very calm under pressure and conveys an air of authority which clients find very reassuring in circumstances when they are in crisis. He is extremely knowledgeable in matters of health and safety‘.

    ‘Nicholas is an exceptional advocate and a superb tactician. He immediately puts clients at ease with his calm manner and quickly gets to grips with the key issues in large and complex cases.'

    Legal 500 2023/Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Health and Safety)/Western Circuit - Ranked Tier 1

    'Nicholas is a very articulate and personable barrister and an exceptional advocate. He puts clients immediately at ease with his calm manner and quickly gets to grips with the key issues in large and complex cases.'

    Legal 500 2023/Professional Disciplinary Law/Western Circuit - Ranked Tier 1

    'A highly polished advocate with a first-class legal brain. He always inspires clients' confidence.'

    Nicholas Cotter is ‘a terrific lawyer who is able to display sound tactical and strategic judgement whilst also getting to grips with the smallest detail of a case‘.

    Legal 500 2023/Crime (General and Fraud)/Leading Juniors/Western Circuit

    ‘Nicholas has a measured approach to his cases and provides deliberate and carefully considered advice. He builds excellent rapport with clients and instructing solicitors. He has excellent knowledge and understanding of health and safety law.’

    Legal 500 2022/Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Health and Safety)/Western Circuit

    ‘He is extremely calm, persuasive and effective in court, which consistently inspires confidence in the clients.’

    Legal 500 2022/Crime (General and Fraud)/Leading Juniors/Western Circuit

    ‘He is a superb tactician who has a great manner with clients. He always builds a good rapport, which allows him to easily convey difficult advice and navigate through complex issues in a case.’

    Legal 500 2022/Professional Disciplinary Law/Western Circuit

    ‘He has a pleasing court style that commends itself to both judges and juries and equal measure.’
    "Nicholas Cotter represented a man who was acquitted of murder after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence after forensics suggested the defendant may have stabbed the deceased in self-defence. "

    Legal 500 2021/Crime

    ‘Meticulous in his paperwork and an accomplished advocate, with a calm and assured approach to clients which inspires confidence.’
    "Nicholas Cotter is highly recommended, particularly for matters relating to care homes."

    Legal 500 2021/Business and regulatory crime (incl. health and safety)

    ‘He has the ability to put any client at ease.'

    Legal 500 2020/Crime

    ‘He has a very calm and measured approach.’

    Legal 500 2020/Regulatory, health and safety, and licensing

    'A consummately able barrister.'

    Legal 500 2018/19/Crime

    ‘A formidable advocate.’

    Legal 500 2017/Crime/Leading juniors/Regional Bar/Western Circuit,

     

    “Now this case is over, may I express my significant grateful thanks for the way you have consistently and over a lengthy period handled the complex case of R v O.

    This case was never destined to be easy, and indeed it proved to be one of the most difficult cases I have dealt with in the last 30 years. I am in awe of the skill, professionalism, compassion and knowledge that you put into this case, coupled with your ability to look after, control and satisfy a very difficult Client.

    Your willingness to see our Client without Solicitor and to promptly report back to myself was an outstanding pathway to enabling us to deal efficiently with a client of the most demanding nature, who barely spent a day off the telephone whilst in prison.

    Notwithstanding the sentence passed, I think it is fair to say that without your extremely high level of expertise, the result could have been tremendously less beneficial to the Client.

    I think it would be correct in this case to concentrate on the level of acquittals obtained for O, which speak volumes for your ability and dedication."

    Instructing Solicitor, Bournemouth, June 2017

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