Leila Chaker

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“Leila is an excellent all-rounder, terrific with difficult clients and always well prepared for conferences. A brilliant advocate too.”
Legal 500 (2023)

Personal profile

Leila Chaker prosecutes and defends in Crime and Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary cases. She delivers balanced advice in clear terms and is persuasive in both oral and written advocacy.

Leila has substantial experience in Healthcare Regulation and Professional Discipline and has been instructed in a wide range of cases involving allegations of clinical malpractice and professional misconduct.

A strong technical lawyer, Leila is experienced in complex cases and investigations. She works well as part of a team, taking a collaborative and friendly approach. She prioritises organisation and communication to ensure effective preparation and to achieve the best available outcomes.

Leila is currently instructed by the Dame Linda Dobbs Review.

Recommendations

Leila is an excellent all-rounder, terrific with difficult clients and always well prepared for conferences. A brilliant advocate too.

― Legal 500 (2023)

Serious Violence

Featured cases

R v M – Instructed to prosecute a s18 GBH domestic violence.
R v S – Instructed to defend various weapons offences resulting in an acquittal after successful application to exclude evidence from police officers.

Serious & Organised Crime

Leila prosecutes and defends in serious organised crime cases. She is experienced in marshalling the complex evidence such cases often involve, as well as disclosure and PII evidence.

Featured cases

Operation Y (ongoing) – Instructed as a led prosecution junior in relation to large-scale Class A drugs importation and supply.
R v H – Instructed to prosecute conspiracy to blackmail, money laundering, and exploitation of prostitution offences.

Fraud

Leila is experienced in Fraud and other dishonesty cases from large scale corporate fraud to offences contrary to the Insolvency Act committed by individuals.

Featured cases

R v P and others – Instructed to prosecute a multi-handed fraud involving trustees of a charity and a company.
DBIS v B – Instructed to prosecute Insolvency Act offences involving transfers of large sums of money in and out of the country prior to insolvency.
DBIS v T – Instructed to prosecute a company director and shadow director of an insolvent company for offences involving misuse of corporate titles.
DEFRA v J – Instructed to prosecute fraud offences relating to claims for EU agricultural subsidies by the director of an insolvent company.
SFO v Standard Bank – Instructed by the SFO in the first case to result in a deferred prosecution agreement.
R v T – Instructed to defend an individual alleged to have been the only outstanding suspect in a ‘boiler-room’ fraud and associated money-laundering offences worth upwards of £2m.
R v N – Instructed to defend contested POCA proceedings where more than £500k of hidden assets were alleged. The final order was for less than £6k.
R v P – Instructed to defend contested POCA proceedings in which complex issues of third-party interests in relation to property and insolvency arose.

Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary

Leila is regularly instructed by regulators and on behalf of registered professionals. She appears before the General Medical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, General Optical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, and Solicitors Regulation Authority.

She is experienced in cases requiring expert evidence and following complex investigations. She has specialist experience in cases alleging governance and systemic failings involving regulated professionals, such as those concerning the collapse of Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust. Several of Leila’s cases have involved sensitive issues requiring careful engagement with those who have been caused harm or been bereaved by alleged failings.

Featured cases

Clinical error/deficient performance

GOC v DD – An optometrist alleged to have misdiagnosed a patient resulting in blindness. Charges not proved.
HCPC v IS – Podiatrist who performed inappropriate treatment on a patient who subsequently had both legs amputated. Four expert witnesses gave evidence on highly specialised areas of podiatric and cardiology practice.
HCPC v PP – Radiologist whose clinical errors made during pre-natal scans led to parents being given incorrect advice, including in one case that there was no foetal heartbeat, and in another, that the baby would be born with severe disabilities.
HCPC v MM – Specialist paediatric dietician whose clinical errors led to several patients being transferred to Intensive Care. One child was left permanently disabled.
HCPC v JD – Paramedic who failed to identify sepsis in an infant patient. The baby died within hours of being examined.

Dishonesty

GOC v BG – An optometrist who admitted defrauding her employer of large sums of money over a period of time. Secured a period of suspension, avoiding a striking off order.
GMC v EE – Respiratory consultant alleged to have lied to his employer about the progress and outcome of previous fitness to practice proceedings.

Sexually motivated misconduct

GMC v NI – Instructed to present the case against a doctor who sexually abused young patients over a number of years.
NMC v DC – Instructed to defend a nurse alleged to have sexually harassed and assaulted a colleague.

Other misconduct

NMC v HL and others – Instructed to defend a nurse in a senior leadership role at an NHS Trust which collapsed amidst allegations of widespread failings in care across all services which placed patients at risk. Following a five-year investigation and four months of evidence at trial from more than 40 witnesses, including multiple experts, a finding of ‘no case to answer’ was reached.