Christopher Coltart KC

Christopher Coltart KC’s background was originally in commercial property litigation. During that time, he had an extensive portfolio of cases, representing banks, pension funds and other financial institutions in high-value claims.

For the last 25 years, he has specialised in business crime, professional disciplinary cases and sports law. He is recommended by the legal directories in relation to all of these practice areas.

Christopher is head of the Business Crime team at 2 Hare Court and is considered one of the leaders at the Bar in this field. Typically, he represents companies and senior executives accused of financial wrongdoing (eg. by the SFO or the FCA). The cases are invariably complex and cover a wide range of alleged offending, including: fraud, false accounting, market abuse, Companies Act offences, tax evasion, insider dealing, corruption, bribery, money laundering and data protection breaches. He has been involved in some of the most high profile cases in recent years (for details, see expertise below).

Christopher’s professional disciplinary practice has involved him acting for and against the primary regulators, including: the General Medical Council, the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Security Industry Authority and the Takeover Panel. He has particular experience of representing accountants before the Financial Reporting Council and has been instructed in cases involving (amongst others) Tesco, Sports Direct, Serco and Carillion.

In relation to sports law, Christopher is appointed as an arbitrator with Sport Resolutions. He is also appointed to the disciplinary panel of the Rugby Football Union. He has acted for The Football Association in some of the most significant disciplinary cases it has brought (eg against Joey Barton and Daniel Sturridge). Last year, he sat on an MCC disciplinary panel arising out of events in the pavilion at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes Test Match (the ‘Jonny Bairstow incident’).

Christopher also has significant experience of major inquest work. His instructions include representing clients in the 7/7 London bombing inquest and the inquest into the Hillsborough tragedy.

Finally, Christopher also had a significant prosecution practice as a junior and was on the ‘A’ Panel of selected advocates for the SFO. He now undertakes private prosecution work and is a member of the 2 Hare Court dedicated private prosecution team. Recently, he has prosecuted a significant fraud on behalf of a UK based hedge fund and separately advised a major airline in relation to a possible private prosecution. He is presently defending in a private prosecution arising out of a contested will. He is one of only a handful of silks recommended for this area of work in Chambers UK.

Christopher accepts Direct Access instructions.

Expertise