Max Mills represents individuals, companies, and government departments in a multi-disciplinary practice encompassing Public Law, Business Crime and Financial Services, and Inquests and Public Inquiries. He is a leading junior in Inquests and Public Inquiries, ranked in Legal 500, and has recently been recognised in the Up & Coming category for the same practice area in Chambers UK Bar.
His versatility means he is uniquely placed to act in complex cases on the cusp of criminal, regulatory and public law, particularly where individuals and corporate clients require strategic advice in matters where financial regulation and white-collar crime intersect. He is the perfect choice for high-profile judicial review proceedings, inquests or public inquiries which feature national security concerns or sensitive criminal allegations at their core.
He is a natural advocate, equally at ease in the criminal and civil jurisdictions, who is polished, confident and measured on his feet. Recent examples of his advocacy at the Covid-19 Inquiry can be viewed here and here.
Max is a sought-after junior in Business Crime and Financial Services, with experience well beyond his year of Call, acting in complex cases brought by the broad spectrum of prosecuting authorities and enforcement agencies in this area, including: the SFO, the FCA, the FRC, the Insolvency Service, and the Bank of England. In relation to the latter, he is unique in the marketplace, having been consistently instructed by the Bank of England in various criminal and regulatory matters since 2020. He is the perfect junior for clients facing the vast array of criminal, regulatory, and disciplinary allegations that can arise in the white-collar space, and he is able to deploy his Public Law experience to use judicial review as a mechanism to challenge the decisions of investigating bodies to the strategic advantage of white-collar clients.
FRC v X
Instructed by the FRC in an ongoing investigation into a company executive (led by Nicholas Medcroft KC).
FCDO v X
Instructed by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to defend a private law challenge by an individual who alleges he was denied consular assistance when he claimed whistleblower status in a multi-national SFO corruption case.
FCA v X
Instructed to advise a funeral-care company on the impact of the FCA’s regulation of pre-paid funeral plans on their business activities.
Bank of England v Credit Suisse
Instructed by the Bank of England as an Investigator in an investigation into Credit Suisse for significant failures in risk management and governance in connection with its exposures to Archegos Capital Management. Max’s role included conducting interviews with senior individuals involved in the client relationship and participating in month-long settlement negotiations with the legal representatives of Credit Suisse and UBS (which acquired Credit Suisse in June 2023). Credit Suisse was fined £87m, the largest ever imposed by the PRA.
Operation Adonis
Instructed to represent an investment fund director in a £4m binary options trading fraud trial at Southwark Crown Court (led by Jane Osborne KC).
Bank of England v Standard Chartered
Instructed by the Bank of England as an Investigator in an investigation into Standard Chartered for failing to be open with the PRA in respect of a tailored PRA liquidity expectation. Max acted in all the settlement negotiations with SC’s representatives and SC was fined £46.5m, which – at the time – constituted the largest fine imposed in a PRA-only enforcement case.
Max is frequently instructed in well-publicised and high-profile Inquests and Public Inquiries in difficult cases that have allegations of criminality or gross negligence at their core. Having acted as CTI in Module 3 of the Covid-19 Inquiry, which focused on the response of the healthcare system during the pandemic, he has particular expertise in representing healthcare providers in Inquests and is regularly instructed by NHS Trusts and private healthcare companies alike. His experience of national security cases makes him an excellent choice for terrorism-related Inquests and Public Inquiries.
Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan
Instructed by the Ministry of Defence to represent UK Special Forces in an inquiry into alleged unlawful activity in Afghanistan (led by Brian Altman KC and Melanie Cumberland KC).
Covid-19 Inquiry
Counsel to the Inquiry in Module 3, examining thirteen witnesses, including Judith Paget CBE (the CEO of NHS Wales) [from 00:00:21], Dr Paul Chrisp (a Director of NICE) [from 01:42:40] and Dr Sarah Powell (who gave evidence using British Sign Language) [from 00:17:19] and featured on the BBC’s Covid Inquiry podcast and on Channel 4 News (led by Jacqueline Carey KC).
Inquest into the death of RF
Instructed to represent an NHS Trust in an Article 2 inquest before a jury, following a judicial review challenging the decision of the CPS not to bring criminal proceedings in respect of the death at HMP Woodhill. The jury’s conclusion of unlawful killing, on the basis of gross negligence manslaughter by two prison officers, was the first time unlawful killing was returned in a self-inflicted death.
Inquest into the death of CH
Instructed to represent a medical professional in a five-week inquest into the death of a 17-year-old boy who had an undiagnosed cardiomyopathy.
Inquest into the death of MM
Instructed to represent a GP in a two-week Article 2 inquest before a jury following the death of a prisoner at HMP Forest Hill as a result of a combination of prescribed and illicitly-obtained medication.
Inquest into the death of LC
Instructed to represent an NHS Trust in an Article 2 inquest before a jury following the death of a 13-year-old girl by hanging.
Fishmongers’ Hall Inquests
Instructed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to represent the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice in the inquests into the terrorist attack at Fishmongers’ Hall.
Max has a broad Public Law practice, which primarily focuses on cases involving national security and human rights, but also encompasses commercial judicial review and challenges related to the functioning of the criminal justice system. He has expertise in bringing and defending challenges to decisions of Coroners and Chairs of public inquiries and is particularly adept at using judicial review as a mechanism to challenge the decisions of investigating bodies in criminal proceedings to the strategic advantage of white-collar clients.
Independent Inquiry relating to Afghanistan
Judicial review challenge to the Chair’s decision to hold hearings in the absence of representatives of UK Special Forces (led by Kate Grange KC and Melanie Cumberland KC).
Windrush Inquiry
Instructed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department in a judicial review challenge that a statutory inquiry should be established into the Windrush Scandal (led by Andrew O’Connor KC).
Oxford & Ors v CAA
Instructed by the Ministry of Defence to represent RAF Northolt in a judicial review challenge to decisions made by the Civil Aviation Authority in respect of its airfield (led by Gemma White KC).
Local Faith v Registrar General
Instructed by the Registrar General to defend a decision not to designate a property as a place of religious worship, which would have had beneficial tax consequences for claimant’s clients (led by Andrew O’Connor KC).
UK Research and Innovation
Instructed by UKRI to defend a threatened judicial review challenge to the integrity of its advertised funding opportunity into gambling research.
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