Joel Smith

"Joel Smith brings all the forensic rigour of criminal practice to extradition in a way that very few people do." ('Star Individual', Chambers UK, 2024, Extradition)
"Joel is an incredibly fair barrister who presents well to the court. The legal knowledge is there and the work ethic is there." (Band 1, Chambers UK, 2024 Crime)
‘Joel is an exceptional junior, whose knowledge of the law is first-rate, whose advocacy is flawless and whom everyone expects to be instructed in any extradition case of substance and difficulty.’ (Legal 500, 2024 International Crime and Extradition)

Joel undertakes all types of criminal work. In 2017 Joel was appointed as Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court.

Joel is ranked as a leading junior in both crime and extradition in Chambers Guide to the Bar, and the Legal 500. He is ranked as a “star individual” in the Chambers UK extradition guide.

In the field of general crime, Joel’s practice comprises mostly homicide, as well as appearances in the Court of Appeal and High Court, and judicial review proceedings. As junior Treasury Counsel he advises and represents the Attorney General and Solicitor General in unduly lenient sentence appeals.

A regular practitioner in the field of extradition, Joel has represented both individuals and foreign governments in a number of high-profile cases against individuals accused of serious crime including murder, terrorist offences, market manipulation and large-scale fraud. Joel has appeared at all levels from first instance hearings to the Supreme Court.

Joel was shortlisted for the “crime junior of the year” award at the Chambers and Partners UK bar awards 2020.

Extradition

• USA v. T (2022-3) leading counsel for the USA in high profile extradition proceedings concerning allegations of fraud.
• Germany v. V (2021) leading counsel for the Government of Germany in extradition request concerning large scale VAT fraud.
• USA v. O (2021) counsel for UK citizen accused in the USA of sexual offending. Discharged on the basis that extradition was barred by forum.
• India v. S (2021) leading junior representing defendant in extradition proceedings concerning terrorism linked conspiracy to murder. Successful argument as to prima facie case.
• Belgium v. K (2021). Junior counsel in extradition proceedings concerning allegations arising from Cum/Ex trading.
• Australia v. S (2021) representation of defendant facing historic sexual allegations with delay of over 40 years.
• Poland v. R (2020) representation of Polish government in proceedings concerning independence of judiciary and impact of Polish judicial reforms.
• Slovakia v. T (2019). Successful representation of a victim of modern slavery who faced extradition to Slovakia.
• G and others v. Hungary (2019). Leading counsel for the government of Hungary in longstanding litigation concerning prison conditions.
• Y & Y v. Turkey (2019) counsel for a requested person in a Turkish request raising issues as to compatibility of the Turkish prison estate with international human rights standards.
• Di Benedetto v. Italy, Alexander v. France [2018] Q.B 408, Divisional Court guidance on “correcting” invalid European Arrest Warrants through the provision of extraneous information.
• Georgiev and others v. Bulgaria [2018] EWHC 359 (Admin). Leading counsel for the Bulgarian government in long running litigation concerning prison conditions.
• Bermuda v. D (2017). Counsel for the requested person facing extradition to Bermuda following an allegation of gang related murder.
• Sarao v. USA (2016). Junior counsel representing the requested person in the so-called “flash crash” extradition proceedings.
• Paraguay v. S and G (2016). Counsel for a requested person in a case concerning the first extradition request to be received from Paraguay.
• Bucnys and ors. v. Lithuanian and Estonian Ministries of Justice [2013] 3 W.L.R 1485. Supreme Court. Junior counsel for the Appellant Bucnys. Meaning of a “judicial authority” for the purposes of s.2 of the Extradition Act 2003.Bucnys and ors. v. Lithuanian and Estonian Ministries of Justice [2013] 3 W.L.R 1485. Supreme Court. Junior counsel for the Appellant Bucnys. Meaning of a “judicial authority” for the purposes of s.2 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Crime

• R v. H (2023) sole prosecution counsel in murder trial arising out of a domestic dispute.
• Operation Intervention (2023) junior counsel to the Crown in five handed murder and perverting trial.
• Operation Tarfia (2023) junior counsel to the Crown in double murder trial.
• Operation Tenbruy (2023) junior counsel to the Crown in murder trial. Elderly victim’s body discovered shortly before trial.
• Operation Ryegate (2022) junior counsel to the Crown in 8 defendant murder and perverting the course of justice trial.
• R v. H & S (2022) junior counsel to the Crown in murder trial concerning the death of a baby child.
• R v. A and others (2021-2) junior counsel to the Crown in five handed murder trial.
• Operation Shenton (2021) junior counsel to the Crown, murder by stabbing of teenager.
• R v. Jaffer and Lewis (2021) counsel for the prosecution of two serving police officers for misconduct in a public office involving taking and dissemination of photographs at a murder scene.
• Operation Saxonstreet (2021). Junior counsel to the Crown in high profile double murder.
• Operation Ridgeview (2021) junior counsel to the Crown in prosecution for murder and wounding against background of gang violence.
• Operation Rolpa (2021) junior counsel to the Crown in prosecution for murder and perverting the course of justice arising out of a shooting at a snooker club.
• R v. Chang (2021). High profile prosecution of former principal dancer at English National Ballet for sexual offending.
• Operation Riocreek (2020). Junior counsel to the Crown in allegation of murder by scopolamine poisoning.
• Operation Marnock (2020). Junior counsel to the Crown in prosecution for double murder with a firearm.
• Operation Ramnad (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in six handed case concerning an allegation of murder of a delivery driver by six youths who had tried to steal his moped.
• Operation Raton (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in high profile murder of a 17 year old girl.
• Operation Nacton (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in six handed murder and perverting prosecution arising from a “drive by” shooting.
• Operation Rapla (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in prosecution of a 16 year old defendant for murder with a knife.
• R v. P (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown concerning the death of a baby caused by a carer by means of a “shake/throw”.
• Operation Pinemartin (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in the first ever successful FGM prosecution in England and Wales.
• Operation Glout (2019) Kingston Crown Court. Leading counsel for the Crown in the prosecution of a UK based cyber-criminal for infecting online advertising with ransomware, and for linked blackmail and money laundering offences.
• Operation Mapledurham (2019) Central Criminal Court. Junior counsel to the Crown in prosecution of a father alleged to have murdered his baby son.

Memberships

Joel is a member of the Criminal Bar Association, the South Eastern Circuit and the Extradition Lawyers’ Association