Sophia Dower

Sophia Dower joined Chambers in October 2018 and has built up a busy practice across many areas of 2 Hare Court’s specialisms, including general crime, professional discipline/regulatory and licensing. Sophia is instructed both as an advocate and in an advisory capacity.

Sophia has a strong criminal practice, both prosecuting and defending cases in the Youth Court, Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court. Her cases encompass a wide range of offences, including allegations of serious violence, public disorder, dishonesty, illicit drugs and road traffic offences. She has particular expertise successfully defending “victimless prosecutions” in domestic violence cases where the Prosecution have sought to rely on evidence under the complex hearsay provisions. Sophia has also made numerous successful submissions of no case to answer in both the Magistrates and Crown Court and also applications to exclude evidence during trial.

Sophia also undertakes private prosecution work.

In addition, Sophia has a growing regulatory practice. She is regularly instructed on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Council in a variety of hearings, from interim order applications to substantive fitness to practice hearings.

Sophia also accepts instructions in licensing matters. She recently successfully appealed against a decision by Transport for London to revoke a former Uber driver’s Private Hire Vehicle Licence before City of London Magistrates Court.

For several months, Sophia was seconded to Northridge Law, a specialist sports law firm where she assisted in matters relating to Chelsea FC and the Football Association. She has also just concluded a large-scale disclosure review project concerning a multi-million pound private prosecution.

Prior to joining Chambers, Sophia worked as a paralegal in the Crime Team at Hughmans Solicitors during which time she gained invaluable experience in the most serious criminal cases, such as Operation Tabernula which was the largest and most complex insider trading case in legal history.

Sophia is also a committed anti-death penalty advocate having spent several months working at the Office of Capital Defence Counsel in Jackson, Mississippi. She spent several months working with clients on death row who were appealing against their convictions and also with clients who were potentially facing the death penalty if convicted at trial.