Felicia Davy

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“Felicia is incredibly thorough, prepared and hard-working. In court her advocacy style is direct and persuasive. She is always ahead of everyone else in court in matters of law and her arguments are immaculately prepared and coherent. She is a star.”
Legal 500 (2025)
“Felicia is extremely thorough in her approach and in her analysis of large amounts of evidence. She has an excellent manner with clients and is very good at approaching difficult issues with clients with significant learning difficulties. She is fearless and fights for the best possible outcome for clients.”
Legal 500 (2025)
“She is measured and thoroughly hard-working, as well as great with clients. Her drafting is very persuasive.”
Chambers UK (2025)
“She offers robust defense for her clients and doesn't leave anything unexplored and unconsidered.”
Chambers UK (2025)
“She is a superb advocate and her dedication to clients is second to none. She achieves excellent results time after time.”
Chambers UK (2025)
“Felicia has an excellent brain and she is incredibly hard-working, prepares thoroughly and has excellent legal knowledge. She has a forthright and punchy advocacy style.”
Chambers UK (2025)
“Felicia can master voluminous cases and can identify the important issues with ease. She has a pleasant rapport with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive and demonstrates her competence with her legal knowledge and through understanding of her cases.”
Legal 500 (2024)
“On her feet, Felicia is a fearless and commanding advocate. She is intense and committed and juries and clients love her. She is focussed on what needs to be done and is excellent at communicating and delegating as necessary.”
Legal 500 (2024)
“A pleasure to work with and always on hand to offer advice.”
Chambers UK (2023)
“Felicia can master voluminous cases and can identify the important issues with ease. She has a pleasant rapport with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive and demonstrates her competence with her legal knowledge and through understanding of her cases.”
Legal 500 (2023)
“Felicia is a fearless, tenacious and very persuasive advocate.”
Legal 500 (2023)
“A skilful, credible and cogent advocate who leaves no stone unturned in her case preparation.”
Chambers UK (2022)
“A ‘go to’ junior for fraud”
Chambers UK (2022)
“Felicia is extremely bright and talented. She is an all rounded counsel who clients love. Felicia is well respected and sought after and has an erring ability to work out the issues in a case with diligence and speed.”
Legal 500 (2022)
“Clever, subtle and charming. No detail is missed by her.”
Chambers UK (2021)

Personal profile

Consistently ranked in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading junior for Crime and Business Crime & Fraud matters and shortlisted for the Legal 500 Financial Crime Junior of the Year award (2023), Felicia is recognised as a skilled and versatile advocate whose practice encompasses Serious Fraud and Restraint, Civil Recovery & Confiscation, as well as heavyweight crime including Murder & Manslaughter and serious Sexual Offences (often historic, multi-complainant).

She has considerable experience of handling all manner of witnesses and is approved as a trainer in the handling of vulnerable witnesses. She is also used to defending in cases in which cut-throat defences or conflicts arise.

Felicia has been appointed to a number of specialist panels and is frequently instructed on behalf of a number of specialist government departments and regulatory bodies. Often instructed pre-charge, Felicia is regularly required to provide advice on charge, disclosure management and general case strategy from an early stage. She is adept at managing and presenting paper heavy cases, often involving complex financial material.

Felicia has appeared before the divisional and appellate courts in a number of key appeals in relation to abuse of process, Restraint, Civil Recovery & Confiscation and Bribery & Corruption. She has also appeared before regulatory tribunals representing individuals facing disciplinary offences and before the companies court on behalf of liquidators in cases where suspected fraudulent conduct and/or breaches of the Insolvency Act are alleged.

Felicia also advises individual and corporate clients concerning discrete issues such as directors’ disqualification and regulatory compliance.

Felicia’s wide range of work has given her experience in a number of areas of law, ranging from the deployment of complex legal argument, abuse of process, the applicability of local and foreign domestic laws, RIPA and autrefois acquit through to bad character, PII, LPP, non-disclosure and human rights. She is also skilled in handling cases involving forensic and expert evidence (including cell site analysis and call data, forensic, footwear tread pattern, DNA, blood distribution and splatter evidence, firearms evidence, CCTV continuity) as well as pathology, neuro-pathology and psychiatric expert evidence (diminished responsibility).

In her Fraud practice Felicia is skilled in handling matters concerning corporate and financial structures, including international and multiple off-shore or jurisdictional bank accounts and entities.

Recommendations

Felicia is incredibly thorough, prepared and hard-working. In court her advocacy style is direct and persuasive. She is always ahead of everyone else in court in matters of law and her arguments are immaculately prepared and coherent. She is a star.

― Legal 500 (2025)

Felicia is extremely thorough in her approach and in her analysis of large amounts of evidence. She has an excellent manner with clients and is very good at approaching difficult issues with clients with significant learning difficulties. She is fearless and fights for the best possible outcome for clients.

― Legal 500 (2025)

She is measured and thoroughly hard-working, as well as great with clients. Her drafting is very persuasive.

― Chambers UK (2025)

She offers robust defense for her clients and doesn't leave anything unexplored and unconsidered.

― Chambers UK (2025)

She is a superb advocate and her dedication to clients is second to none. She achieves excellent results time after time.

― Chambers UK (2025)

Felicia has an excellent brain and she is incredibly hard-working, prepares thoroughly and has excellent legal knowledge. She has a forthright and punchy advocacy style.

― Chambers UK (2025)

Felicia can master voluminous cases and can identify the important issues with ease. She has a pleasant rapport with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive and demonstrates her competence with her legal knowledge and through understanding of her cases.

― Legal 500 (2024)

On her feet, Felicia is a fearless and commanding advocate. She is intense and committed and juries and clients love her. She is focussed on what needs to be done and is excellent at communicating and delegating as necessary.

― Legal 500 (2024)

A pleasure to work with and always on hand to offer advice.

― Chambers UK (2023)

Felicia can master voluminous cases and can identify the important issues with ease. She has a pleasant rapport with clients. Her advocacy is persuasive and demonstrates her competence with her legal knowledge and through understanding of her cases.

― Legal 500 (2023)

Felicia is a fearless, tenacious and very persuasive advocate.

― Legal 500 (2023)

A hard-working and measured barrister.

― Chambers UK (2022)

A skilful, credible and cogent advocate who leaves no stone unturned in her case preparation.

― Chambers UK (2022)

A ‘go to’ junior for fraud

― Chambers UK (2022)

Entirely unflappable in court

― Chambers UK (2022)

Felicia is extremely bright and talented. She is an all rounded counsel who clients love. Felicia is well respected and sought after and has an erring ability to work out the issues in a case with diligence and speed.

― Legal 500 (2022)

Clever, subtle and charming. No detail is missed by her.

― Chambers UK (2021)

A go-to junior for serious fraud cases.

― Legal 500 (2021)

A first-class junior. Very thorough and organised. Good with her leader to whom she will give the best possible solutions to any issue in the trial. I found her refreshingly independent minded and an able and nerveless advocate. She takes her role as counsel very seriously and forms excellent working relationships with solicitors and clients

― Legal 500 (2021)

A skilful, credible and cogent advocate who leaves no stone unturned in her case preparation.

― Legal 500 (2020)

Entirely unflappable in court.

― Legal 500 (2020)

Fraud

Felicia has a wealth of experience both prosecuting and defending cases concerning serious fraud, where a mastery of the facts and attention to detail are key. She is adept at preparing and presenting cases involving voluminous and complex financial material, complex corporate structures, multiple off-shore or jurisdictional bank accounts and entities through which alleged fraudulent funds are passed.

Felicia is used to working closely with the entire case team in such cases, providing ongoing advice on all aspects of case presentation and management.

Since 2009 Felicia has been appointed to the SFO’s specialist panel of advocates and more recently to the CPS specialist fraud panel.

Given the nature of her practice, almost all the cases in which she is instructed involve Money Laundering & Proceeds of Crime issues, including restraint, cash seizure and/or complex confiscation proceedings.

Featured cases

SFO v CM and (3) others (ongoing) (Def Jnr). Instructed to defend in high profile conspiracy to defraud following the collapse of Patisserie Holdings plc (PHp) and its principal trading subsidiary, Stonebeach Limited. Charges brought following a 5 year investigation into PHp’s self-report of fraud and false accounting following an announcement that its financial position had been misstated by c.£20M.
R v OD and (7) others (ongoing) (Pros leader). Instructed to advise on evidence and charge in respect of multi-million pound phishing fraud and associated money laundering through numerous companies/accounts in which the NHS were defrauded of funds intended to pay for a major, ongoing construction project. Involves extensive expert evidence.
R v MW and (2) others (ongoing) (Pros leader). Instructed to prosecute alleged fraud by abuse of position of trust/bribes offered by consultants acting on behalf of the LLDA to secure multi-million pound construction contracts to redevelop Sadler’s Wells theatre.
R v MH and (10) others (ongoing) (Def leader). Case leader for D1 said to be the orchestrator of a £25M conspiracy to cheat the revenue. Sophisticated scheme alleged to have involved the use of more than 300 bogus companies, false accounts and corporate documentation, stolen identities as well as an entirely false paper trail, all in an attempt to defraud the revenue out of false reclaims for research and development.
Re Aquila Advisory Ltd. Successfully opposed an application by the enforcement receiver in confiscation proceedings to vary an ERO which expressly included the terms of settlement agreement reached between AAL (as interested 3^rd party) and the CPS (having intervened in related proceedings before the High Court). Legal argument included consideration of a linked appeal in the CA and pending application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. Issue being whether AAL was permitted to assert a propriety interest in secret profits fraudulently obtained by two dishonest directors in breach of their fiduciary duties in priority to the making of a confiscation order.
R v PH and (2) others. Pros Jnr from pre charge case involved sophisticated conspiracy to defraud, cheat and associated money laundering of £5M in corporation tax and VAT paid to rogue accountancy firm by clients for onward payment to HMRC. Funds diverted and accounts manipulated to suppress earnings and inflate expenses for purposes of submitting Corporation Tax returns. Case complicated by virtue of preceding civil investigation the outcome of which was successfully appealed to the First Tier Tax Tribunal; judicial review and appeal to the Court of Appeal; substantial disclosure/ LPP related issues.
R v RR and (7) others. Pros Jnr from pre charge, case involved a multi-million pound conspiracy to commit fraud by a number of individuals using multiple corporate entities as vehicles to make fraudulent claims arising out of staged RTAs and claims for alleged associated services/expenditure. Dealt with multiple s.8 disclosure and related abuse of process arguments relating to applications before the civil courts for retrospective permission to use material disclosed by third-party insurers.
R v BP and (4) others (Def Jnr). Successfully defended complex alleged VAT and tax fraud arising out of the sale of novel psychoactive substances. Case involved novel legal argument on the correct interpretation of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 and “high value dealer” as a result of which the prosecution offered no evidence and triggered an amendment to the MLR. (Def Jnr)

Serious & Organised Crime

Felicia has extensive experience of cases involving organised crime groups (OCG) in relation to the importation and supply of commercial quantities of illicit drugs, the use of EncroChat, cross-border money laundering; human trafficking and exploitation involving joint investigations with other jurisdictions; largescale immigration conspiracies and firearms offences.

Featured case:

R v EB and others. Case leader instructed to defend in multi-handed trial involving complex/cut-throat human trafficking and Class A county lines drugs conspiracies.
R v MU and others. Case leader instructed to prosecute complex multi-handed conspiracy to supply class A drugs across SE London and Essex together with associated money laundering over a 12 month period. Case involved extensive mobile phone and cell site expert evidence, financial and evidence from abroad.
R v KF and ML. Initially instructed alone pre-charge to prosecute a substantial, high-profile, multi-complainant case of non-recent sexual abuse dating back to the early 1970s against staff at a boarding school for “mal-adjusted boys”. Following a wholesale review of two previous investigations, neither of which had resulted in a positive decision to charge, both KF and ML were successfully prosecuted.
R v KF. Pros junior in complex case involving fabricated induced illness by D in her three children by the chronic, excessive administration of paracetamol and codeine. This resulted in acute liver failure and the need for an urgent liver transplant in the youngest child. Case involved the presentation of extensive paediatric medical expert evidence and medical records spanning a decade.
R v JB and others. Successfully defended D who was charged with being party to conspiracies to supply commercial quantities of Class A drugs; associated money laundering and a violent conspiracy to rob an OCG of 30Kg of cocaine. Prosecution case relied upon extensive EncroChat communications.
R v IM and others. Case leader instructed to defend in substantial conspiracy to commit human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Case involved complex issues as to disclosure of material from Bulgaria arising from a joint investigation. Cut-throat defences.
R v UR and others. Instructed to defend (sole counsel) D1 alleged to have been party to an international money-laundering OGC, in which legitimate commercial debts were acquired in Pakistan and Dubai as cover for approximately £2m proceeds of crime, being laundered through hundreds of designated UK bank accounts. This was a complex investigation and evidential matrix involving various heads of expert evidence, including international money laundering methodology, Hawala banking, cell site evidence, directed surveillance and substantial banking evidence being relied upon in tandem with mobile phone/cell site evidence.
R v JI and others (2015-2016). Successfully defended, as leading junior, the alleged main protagonist in a complex sham marriage conspiracy concerning Slovakian females, trafficked into the UK to marry non-EU males living in the Rochdale area, who sought leave to remain.
R v HSM. Instructed as defence junior in a trilogy of cases involving conspiracy to import cocaine and heroin as well as associated money laundering and mortgage fraud. Involved substantial body of intercept evidence obtained abroad, the admissibility of which was challenged. Successfully resisted Prosecutor’s appeal to the CACD on a terminatory ruling, seeking to reverse the trial judge’s decision to stay money laundering counts as an abuse of process of the court.
R v M and others. Successfully defended NCA investigation of complex, multi-handed money laundering conspiracies involving the theft and subsequent conversion/laundering of £15m, stolen from a German bank by an international OCG. Case involved extensive analysis of multi-jurisdictional corporate structures and bank accounts.

Murder & Manslaughter

Over the past 10 years Felicia has been instructed to defend in a number of murder and manslaughter cases, frequently involving complex evidential issues. In addition, Felicia is frequently instructed in multi-handed gang-related cases involving cut-throat defences, serious violence, kidnap, false imprisonment and torture.

Featured cases

R v HA and others. Instructed as Case Leader to defend D1 in a multi-handed double conspiracy to murder and associated firearms offences arising from a drive-by shooting. Involved extensive expert evidence and cut-throat defences. Following a successful submission of no case to answer the case was dismissed on all counts.
R v KL. Instructed as sole counsel to defend D charged with fatally stabbing another after an alcohol fuelled argument.
R v ST. Instructed as sole counsel to defend D charged with the manslaughter of a shop-lifter he had pursued and detained.
R v CS and another. Successfully defended mother charged with causing or allowing the death of her 4 week old baby, who was murdered by the father through repeated shaking and blunt force trauma resulting in irrecoverable brain injury.
R v VK. Instructed as defence junior in high-profile and sensitive manslaughter by D of her 20 month old baby who starved to death having allegedly been left alone by D for nearly a week to celebrate her 18^th
R v MC. Instructed as sole counsel and successfully defended a 26-year-old farmer charged with the murder/manslaughter of a co-worker involved in a confrontation with a third party. This case involved the calling of extensive expert evidence including, pathologists, neuropathologists and agricultural experts (concerning hazards of slurry pits and slurry waste).
R v IP and other. Successfully defended (led by Kate Bex QC) allegations of murder/manslaughter in relation to a female washed up in the River Wye. The case involved extensive expert evidence, including diatoms, pathology and cell site experts. There was legal argument concerning the admissibility of covert surveillance not previously disclosed and evidence obtained mid-trial from a co-defendant turned Queen’s Evidence, including an alleged partial confession by IP.
R v AS and others. Instructed to defend (led by David Etherington QC) an allegation of a brutal revenge gang murder within the Romanian community.
R v SO. Successfully defended a defendant charged with stabbing his father-in-law to death in front of his wife. This case involved expert psychiatric evidence on diminished responsibility and loss of control.
R v A and others. Instructed as defence junior in this case concerning a husband alleged to have arranged and taken part in his wife’s murder.
R v B, K, E and others. Instructed as junior alone in this murder of a wealthy business woman whose body was dismembered and found in the boot of a lock up in south west London.
R v A and others. – Successfully defended a husband alleged to have killed and set fire to his wife’s body. Sole and decisive hearsay evidence excluded.
R v SL. Successfully defended a defendant alleged to have bludgeoned his partner to death before setting fire to her body whilst her two children slept upstairs.
R v B. Successfully defended a youth charged with murder by allegedly stabbing the deceased twice before seeking to dispose of the knife.

Sexual Offences

As a specialist CPS rape and serious Sexual Offences advocate, Felicia has significant experience prosecuting and defending the most serious and sensitive sexual cases. These include multi-complainant cases often alleging historic sexual abuse and those involving very young or vulnerable witnesses.
Felicia has undertaken specialist training in the use of intermediaries and is skilled in the handling of vulnerable witnesses of all ages in court.

Featured cases

Op Bream (2018 – ongoing) – Instructed by CPS complex crime unit initially as sole counsel to advise on allegations of institutional historic sexual abuse dating back to 1960s/1970s. This case involves allegations from multiple, vulnerable complainants. There was an extensive disclosure exercise due to linked police investigations conducted more recently.
R v T-B (2016) – Instructed to prosecute a five-child-complainant case (ages six-14), involving allegations of child rape and child cruelty. The case involved extensive use of intermediaries.
R v S and S (2016) – Instructed as junior prosecution counsel in a six-complainant case involving historic sexual offences and child cruelty dating back to the 50s, 60s and 70s. The case involved use of an intermediary.
R v J and J (2015) – Instructed as junior prosecution counsel in a nine-complainant case involving historic allegations of rape, unlawful sexual intercourse and child cruelty.
R v SH (2015-2016) – Successfully defended multiple counts of rape, sexual penetration and sexual assault.
R v FC (2014-2015) – Instructed to prosecute a doctor charged with sexually assaulting male patients suffering from erectile dysfunction and related complaints.

Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary

Felicia is frequently instructed for and against local authorities across the full range of criminal and regulatory breaches.

These include Health & Safety offences/breaches, food safety/hygiene (including a number of high profile prosecutions such as Starbucks and TGI Fridays), licensing, Trading Standards, planning enforcement, Environmental Act offences and civil breaches, Education Act offences, injunctions to prevent nuisance and annoyance (including the first ‘dog’ IPNA (formerly ASBO)), housing and council tax benefit fraud, homeless housing fraud and resulting applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Featured cases

R v Dewgate Limited and others (2013) – Instructed to advise RB Greenwich this involved the successful prosecution of a Higher Education college and company, providing work-placement training, for breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations and offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Operation Bronze (2012-13) – Instructed to advise a local authority case team (investigators, lawyers and senior management) pre- and post-charge in multiple cases concerning fraudulently obtaining homeless accommodation, and the alleged misconduct in public office by council employees complicit in the frauds, requiring a review of the internal systems and controls.
HSE v AWAD UK and AW (2018) – Successfully prosecuted a case (including contested Newton Hearing) involving multiple, repeated breaches of health and safety regulations. Instructed and advised on the case from the outset.

Road Traffic Offences

Felicia has acted in a number of cases concerning allegations of death by dangerous driving, frequently involving technical expert evidence and difficult tactical decisions.

Professional Discipline

Felicia has considerable experience across a broad range of regulatory tribunals including the Police Disciplinary Tribunal, Nursing and Midwifery Council (three-month secondment), General Medical Council, Bar Standards Board, FCA Regulatory and Disciplinary Committee, Disclosure and Barring Service (Upper Tribunal, Administrative Appeals Chambers) and First Tier Tax Tribunal.

She is instructed frequently to advise regulated individuals and corporate clients in respect of pending investigations and/or proceedings in which parallel regulatory and criminal proceedings may be brought (for example, parallel disciplinary/criminal offences and, in the context of FCA investigations, potential FSMA offences, insider dealing, other FCA regulatory breaches and civil settlements).

Featured cases

NMC v AS (2014) – Successfully defended a registrant charged with misconduct (allegedly assaulting an elderly, vulnerable patient suffering with advanced Alzheimer’s disease and forcefully administering medication to patient whilst not under her care).
DPS v DI B (2013) – Successfully defended a senior police officer charged with gross misconduct following an IPCC-led re-investigation into an officer’s handling of a criminal investigation of six TSG officers, charged with assault and misconduct in public office, following which all were acquitted in a high profile crown court trial.
Re PC RW and others (2012) – Successfully defended an officer charged with gross misconduct. Police disciplinary proceedings were brought following an ACC led investigation. This involved significant legal arguments as to abuse of process, non-disclosure and admissibility of evidence.

Human Trafficking

Featured cases

R v IM & others (2019) – Instructed as leading defence junior in this multi-handed case involving allegations of human trafficking of females and transgender females, controlling prostitution for gain and supplying Class A drugs. The case involved extensive cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses over international live link as well as issues of cross-contamination/collusion between complainants. The case was complicated by virtue of being a joint investigation between British and Bulgarian authorities.
R v C (2017) – Instructed to prosecute allegations of modern day slavery (servitude and forced labour).
R v JI and others (2015-2016) – Successful defence as leading junior of alleged main orchestrator of a complex sham marriage conspiracy concerning Slovakian females trafficked into the UK in a mail order type system to marry non-EU males living in the Rochdale area seeking leave to remain.

Education

Kings College London Postgraduate Medical Law Short Course – Coroners & Inquests given by former Chief Coroner of England & Wales, HHJ Peter Thornton QC (2020)
LLB (Law with German)
BVC