Will Martin is a highly regarded junior, ranked in the Legal 500 as a leader in his core practice areas: serious crime, fraud and sport.
In April 2024, he was appointed by the Attorney-General as Treasury Counsel monitoree for a period of three years.
Considered to be a first-class advocate and astute tactician, Will advises and acts for individuals and companies in a diverse array of matters across the criminal spectrum, from pre-charge through to trial.
Will’s criminal practice focuses primarily on defending and prosecuting serious crime, white-collar crime and regulatory crime. He has particular experience in complex cases, including murder, terrorism and national security matters, bribery and high-value fraud.
He also has a busy sports law practice, with an expertise in football. He regularly acts for sports’ governing bodies, as well as other participants, in high-profile regulatory and disciplinary dispute. He was shortlisted as Sport Junior of the Year in The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023.
Will specialises in defending and prosecuting cases of business and white collar crime, including high value fraud, bribery, money laundering, and bankruptcy and insolvency offences.
He is experienced in defending in high-value cases involving cryptocurrencies, and engaging with complex concepts such as Bitcoin clustering and tracing.
He is also experienced in defending complex confiscation proceedings at first instance and before the Court of Appeal.
R v MD & Ors: Southwark Crown Court [2025]
Led junior representing the company director of an engineering firm charged with defrauding TfL using false invoices over the course of 7 years.
R v AH & Ors: Southwark Crown Court [2025]
Led junior defending the company director of a demolition company charged with bribed employees of a large multinational construction company to favour his workers.
R v JL & Ors: Bristol Crown Court [2024]
Defence of individual charged with involvement in a conspiracy to defraud customers of Blockchain.com of massive amounts of Bitcoin (£15m plus) using a spoofed website.
Insolvency Service v A, B & C [2023]
Advising the directors of a MedTech company in relation to an Insolvency Service investigation into an alleged failure to notify creditors of an application to strike off a company.
R v JR & Ors [2022]
Leading junior defending a disqualified company director accused of the laundering the proceeds of a £13m Ponzi scheme.
Lam v R: Court of Appeal Criminal Division [2021]
Appeal against first instance judge’s determination of a wife’s interest in assets available to satisfy confiscation order (the marital home) following the husband’s conviction for tax evasion. Reported at Lam v R. [2022] EWCA Crim 448.
A fearless and agile advocate, Will’s defence practice has a particular focus on serious and complex cases, and encompasses matters such as homicide, national security, business crime (see the business crime section), drug importation and supply, and public disorder including protests.
Will has particular experience in representing professionals, including company directors and executives, doctors and police officers.
R v PW & Ors: Central Criminal Court [2026]
Representing a dual Hong Kong / UK national in relation to allegations of assisting a foreign intelligence service in the first prosecution brought under the recent National Security Act 2023. Led by Aftab Jafferjee KC.
R v JL & Ors: Southwark Crown Court [2023]
Represented first of three defendants at Bristol Crown Court. Operation Jigsaw investigated a sophisticated fraud perpetrated on thousands of cryptocurrency wallets held at Blockchain.com. More than £5m is known to have been lost by victims.
R v RO & Ors: St Albans Crown Court [2023]
Leading Eleanor Fox, represented one of three defendants at St Albans Crown Court charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. This was an ‘EncroChat’ case arising from the NCA’s Operation Venetic.
R v RL & Ors: Guildford Crown Court [2023]
Defence (led) of defendant accused of part-financing £30 million international cocaine importation.
R v RW: Northampton Crown Court [2020]
Defence (led) of a 15 year old charged with murder.
Will frequently advises and represents clients who wish to bring or defend private prosecution proceedings, and has successfully conducted numerous prosecutions in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts.
He brings invaluable public prosecution experience to bear on the private sphere, having advised on investigation, restraint of assets, evidence, charging, disclosure, and confiscation for agencies as diverse as the CPS, SFO, FCA, UKBA and the Home Office.
He has particular expertise managing issues of disclosure, a potential pitfall of private prosecution, and has drafted numerous disclosure management documents and protocols.
He has also helped train private investigators to assist them in giving live evidence in court.
R v B & Ors
Will defended three businessmen against a private prosecution brought by a disgruntled associate. The associate alleged a conspiracy to commit blackmail in relation to the purchase of a property.
Following written representations, the DPP was persuaded to take over the case and the CPS then offered no evidence against the three men. Will obtained costs against the private prosecutor for having brought the case improperly, a decision ratified by the Divisional Court: The Queen (on the application of Ayodeji Holloway) and Harrow Crown Court and Adamneet Singh Bhui, Jimneet Singh Bhui and Gurpinder Singh Bhui [2019] EWHC 1731 (Admin)
Will specialises in sports professional discipline, particularly within football. Please see the Sports Law tab for more detail.
Additionally, Will has appeared before other disciplinary tribunals, including at the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
Will is a Treasury Counsel monitoree and grade 4 Prosecutor. He is frequently instructed as junior counsel, as well as acting alone.
His prosecution practice encompasses cases across the criminal spectrum, including difficult and sensitive matters such as homicide, terrorism, serious violence, and drug importation.
R v KM, DS & CS: Central Criminal Court [2026]
Currently instructed as prosecution junior in relation an to an allegation of murder arising from a gangland shooting in Lambeth.
R v BA, MP & AA: Nottingham Crown Court [2026]
Currently instructed as prosecution junior in relation to an allegation that three parties supported and funded Hamas.
R v DS: Snaresbrook Criminal Court [2026]
Currently instructed as prosecution junior in relation an to an allegation of murder arising from a gangland stabbing on Wembley Way.
R v DB & LK: Central Criminal Court [2025]
Instructed as prosecution junior in relation an to an allegation of murder arising from a stabbing in Tottenham.
R v EW: Central Criminal Court [2025]
Prosecution of a man who burgled the victim’s house and, when confronted, then ran over the victim with his own stolen vehicle, killing him
R v ZN & EZ: Chelmsford Crown Court [2024]
Leading prosecution counsel. Prosecution of two men for importation of millions of cigarettes with a loss to HMRC of c.£20m.
Will advises and represents clients in sports regulatory and disciplinary disputes. He is considered by The Legal 500 to be “one of the best juniors in sports regulatory disputes out there”, and “in football matters ahead of many silks”.
He has particular expertise in football, and regularly acts in high-profile cases for sports’ governing bodies, such as the Football Association and the English Football League. He has represented The FA at appellate level, and advised both The FA and The EFL in relation to High Court proceedings.
He is adept at dealing with both on and off-field disputes. On-field, he is often instructed in matters relating to violent or abusive conduct by players, coaches, or supporters. Off-field, he specialises in proceedings relating to intermediaries (players’ and clubs’ agents), and disputes concerning the ownership of, and interests held in, clubs.
He was shortlisted as Sports Junior of the Year in The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023.
This was the season of the points deduction. Specifically, the first season of points deductions…
On 3 May 2024, defendants were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court, having earlier pleaded guilty…
Will Martin has been appointed to the Treasury Counsel monitoree scheme commencing April 2024. Treasury…
