Mary Cowe

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“Mary’s manner with clients is incredible, inspiring confidence from the first meeting. Her written work is first-class, showing considerable skill in law and mounting an argument”
Legal 500 2025
“She has it all: attention to detail, client care and advocacy skills”
Chambers and Partners 2025
“Mary is as impressive on paper as she is in court.”
Chambers and Partners 2023 Crime
“'Mary is incredibly hardworking and brilliant in court. She is a great all rounder who is an asset to any serious and complex case.'”
Legal 500 2023 Crime
“She is easy to work with and has an extraordinary eye for the finer details in a case, as well as a clear grasp of strategy.”
Chambers & Partners UK 2022 Crime
“‘She is a formidable cross-examiner. She can see the nuances and understands how to use them to persuade the judge. Her witness handling is excellent, particularly when it comes to vulnerable witnesses.’”
Legal 500 2022 Crime Ranked Tier 1

Personal profile

Mary has an established practice in Business Crime & Fraud. She regularly prosecutes and defends in complex fraud cases which require both forensic legal acumen and robust, persuasive advocacy.

Her broader background in other serious criminal cases means that she is well placed to deal with both expert witnesses and with clients who may need additional assistance in navigating the criminal courts.

Mary is a member of the Criminal Bar Association Law Reform Committee, an advocacy trainer on the Western Circuit and a mentor with the Inner Temple.

Recommendations

“Mary’s manner with clients is incredible, inspiring confidence from the first meeting. Her written work is first-class, showing considerable skill in law and mounting an argument”

― Legal 500 2025

“She has it all: attention to detail, client care and advocacy skills”

― Chambers and Partners 2025

"Mary is as impressive on paper as she is in court."

― Chambers and Partners 2023 Crime

'Mary is incredibly hardworking and brilliant in court. She is a great all rounder who is an asset to any serious and complex case.'

― Legal 500 2023 Crime

"She is easy to work with and has an extraordinary eye for the finer details in a case, as well as a clear grasp of strategy."

― Chambers & Partners UK 2022 Crime

‘She is a formidable cross-examiner. She can see the nuances and understands how to use them to persuade the judge. Her witness handling is excellent, particularly when it comes to vulnerable witnesses.’

― Legal 500 2022 Crime Ranked Tier 1

An experienced junior who prosecutes and defends serious criminal cases, including sexual offences, child cruelty, drugs, serious violence and high-value frauds. As a Grade 4 prosecutor she is regularly instructed by the CPS in complex criminal matters.
“She is unflappable in court and always very calm and firm.”
“She is brilliant in cross-examinations and is always fully prepared.”
“She is a really strong advocate and her tenacity and no-nonsense approach is fantastic.”

― Chambers & Partners UK 2021: Crime Band 2

“A class act – precise, considered, clever and persuasive.”

― Legal 500 2021: Crime, Leading Junior Tier 1

“She is extremely hard-working and very well respected by the Bristol Court.”
“A superb hands-on approach, great client care, sharp and a natural advocate.”

― Chambers & Partners UK 2020: Crime

Prosecuted nine defendants who were charged with operating a class A drugs conspiracy from a flat in Weston-super-Mare.

― Chambers & Partners UK 2019: Crime

Prosecutes and defends in cases of fraud, sexual offences and multi-handed drugs conspiracies.

― Legal 500 2019: Crime

An experienced junior who prosecutes and defends serious criminal cases, including sexual offences, child cruelty, drugs, serious violence and high-value frauds.
“She is meticulous in preparation, sensitive and thorough in cross-examination and particularly strong in dealing with vulnerable witnesses.”
“She is contactable and will always provide advice – nothing is too much hassle.”

― Chambers & Partners UK 2018 Crime Band 3

“She shows judgement beyond her years of call.”

― Legal 500 2017: Crime, Leading Junior

“She has a powerful intellect, and is a formidable and hardworking advocate.”

― Legal 500 2016: Crime, Leading Junior

“Her ability to identify the important issues of any case ensures thorough preparation.”

― Legal 500 2015: Crime, Leading Junior

Business Crime & Fraud

Mary has a hard-to-find mix of forensic intellectual ability and real-world advocacy experience. This comes from a general criminal practice which has become increasingly specialised in recent years. Now regarded as a Fraud specialist, she both prosecutes and defends large-scale complex cases including providing pre-charge advice.

Featured Cases

Operation Sheridan (ongoing) – Instructed by CPS SFD as a led junior in a case involving allegations of misconduct in a public office
R v Freckleton and Jay, Southwark CC (2023) – Instructed by CPS SEOCID to prosecute an unusual ‘cryptocurrency boiler room’ conspiracy. Mary appeared alone against a silk instructed by the defence to deal with preliminary legal argument before the 5-week trial commenced
Operation Recoil, Bristol CC (2023) – Instructed as leading junior to defend a chartered accountant charged with £7.5 million fraud
R v Alaghband, Southwark CC (2022/2023) – Instructed by the SFO as a part of a silk-led team in a 20 week trial concerning allegations of conspiracy to defraud on the part of Balli Steel, who went into administration with debts of over $500 million.
R v Riley, Bristol CC (2021) – Mary prosecuted as a led junior, in a case involving allegations of fraud by abuse of position and attempted murder.

Serious & Organised Crime

Mary continues to accept instructions in other areas of Serious & Organised Crime, beyond her Fraud practice, frequently being instructed in cases where assimilating and challenging expert evidence is essential.

Featured Cases

R v KH (ongoing) – Pre-charge advice in a homicide investigation with experts in extreme cold, neurology and pathology
R v W (ongoing) – Pre-charge advice in modern slavery case involving allegations that a woman had been subject to forced or compulsory labour for much of her adult life
R v MS (ongoing) – Defending a former soldier charged with murder