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Max Baines

Max Baines

Call: 2005

T: 0207 520 6000    E: chambers@18rlc.co.uk

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"Very commercial, 100% reliable, and his technical expertise stands out in particular.
"
"He's extremely personable and builds really good relationships with clients."
"Max is very bright and able to quickly grasp issues and suggest solutions. He is also personable, accommodating and easy to work with."
"He's very smooth, very professional and full of promise."
"Intelligent, perceptive and diligent."
"His advocacy is known for its easy manner, sound analysis and intelligence."
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Max is ranked as a Leading Junior in financial crime, business and regulatory crime (including global investigations), and sport.

“Max is very bright and able to quickly grasp issues and suggest solutions. He is also personable, accommodating and easy to work with.” – Legal 500 (2021)

“Very calm and measured.” – Chambers UK (2021)

“Very commercial, 100% reliable, and his technical expertise stands out in particular.” – Chambers UK (2021)

“He’s extremely personable and builds really good relationships with clients.” – Chambers UK (2021)

“Intelligent, perceptive and diligent” – Legal 500 (2020)

“His advocacy is known for its easy manner, sounds analysis and intelligence” – Legal 500 (2020)

“He’s very smooth, very professional and full of promise” – Chambers UK (2020)

A specialist in serious crime and fraud, both prosecuting and defending, Max has been instructed in some of the most complex and high-profile cases in recent years including LIBOR and Forex. Over the last decade Max has appeared in cases ranging across the criminal spectrum, including homicide, organised crime, drug conspiracies and serious violence. He also has experience in private prosecutions.

Max is a member of the SFO’s A panel and a level 4 prosecutor for the CPS. He is also a level 4 member of the CPS Specialist Panels for both Fraud and Serious Crime, and a level 3 member of the Counter Terrorism Panel.

Max is also a leading practitioner in the Sports arena. He is regularly instructed to represent The Football Association in matters of professional discipline and has appeared on behalf of the British Horseracing Authority. He is additionally an advisor to UK Anti-Doping and has undertaken work for the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League.

Crime

Max has been instructed across a broad range of criminal matters, including homicide, organised crime and drugs, with a particular focus currently on financial and corporate crime.

Fraud, Corruption & Corporate Crime

  • R v GP (2018 to date) Max is currently instructed in a private prosecution arising from alleged international property fraud and forgery against a background of related international civil proceedings.
  • PIVOT 3 (2017 to date) Max is currently instructed by the SFO to advise on a complex investigation into a real estate company alleged to have been involved in international bribery and multi-million pound money laundering.
  • Forex (2016-2018) Represented one of the principal suspects in the international investigation into manipulation of foreign exchange rates. Following the closure of the SFO’s investigation in March 2016, Max continued to provide representation in respect of the ongoing investigation by the Anti-Trust Division of the US Department of Justice through to the conclusion of the defendant’s trial in the Southern District of New York.
  • LIBOR 1 (R v Hayes) and LIBOR 2 (brokers) (2014-2016) Instructed by the SFO before trial to advise on all aspects of the investigation and drafting extensive legal argument within the preparatory hearing. As junior counsel, with Gillian Jones, he performed a central role during the trials, as advocate and advisor.
  • Insider Dealing – Operation Saturn (2009-2012) Instructed by the FCA in (at the time) its most valuable and complex insider dealing. The case involved insiders operating in the print rooms of two major investment banks in the City, copying market-sensitive material around forthcoming mergers and acquisitions to a ring of traders. Max was instructed pre-charge, and at trial, to
    advise on all aspects and to oversee a vast and complex disclosure exercise.

Sport

Max is a foremost practitioner in the field of Sports law. He is routinely instructed by The Football Association, having acted as a resident senior legal advisor to The FA between 2013-2014. He has appeared or advised in a number of the most high-profile matters of recent years.

  • The Football Association v Turner (2017) Represented The FA in respect of an allegation of racial abuse during a Championship match.
  • The Football Association v Townsend (2013) Represented The FA in respect of multiple betting charges brought against the England international Andros Townsend which set a benchmark in the sanctioning of future betting cases.
  • The Football Association v Gerard Kinsella (2013) Represented The FA in a high-profile anti-doping case.

Max has also represented the British Horseracing Authority in front of its disciplinary panel, in respect of appeals brought by jockeys and trainers against the decisions of racecourse stewards.

  • The British Horseracing Authority v Jason Maguire (2011) Involving a high-profile jockey attempting to overturn a suspension that ruled him out of a key ride in a championship race.

Max is also routinely instructed to advise UK Anti-Doping, including on the sufficiency of prosecutions against athletes suspected of serious doping offences.

Inquiries & Appellate Work

Max has appeared in a number of inquests, principally on behalf of the family of the deceased.

  • Inquest into the Death of T (an infant) Represented a 15 year-old mother in a coroner’s inquest into the mother’s actions leading up to the death of her newborn baby where medical staff had failed to identify the pregnancy

Other Specialisms

Military Law

Max has experience in Courts Martial, in particular on behalf of British military personnel based in Germany.

  • R v Corporal H Max represented a Corporal in the British Army in a Court Martial in Germany charged with theft from a German national. Considered more serious than in a civilian Court, as an offence of dishonesty, the defendant faced dishonourable discharge from the Army. In the event, Max was able to persuade the Court to permit Corporal H to retain his position within his regiment.

Recommendations

  • “Very calm and measured.” – Chambers UK (2021)
  • “Very commercial, 100% reliable, and his technical expertise stands out in particular.” – Chambers UK (2021)
  • “He’s extremely personable and builds really good relationships with clients.” – Chambers UK (2021)
  • “Intelligent, perceptive and diligent” – Legal 500 (2020)
  • “His advocacy is known for its easy manner, sounds analysis and intelligence” – Legal 500 (2020)
  • “He’s very smooth, very professional and full of promise” – Chambers UK (2020)



Education

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BA hons Classics (Oxon)

Memberships

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Criminal Bar Association

South Eastern Circuit Fraud Lawyers

Fraud Lawyers

Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers

 

Professional Appointments

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FA Anti-Discrimination Chairman’s Panel

Awards

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Leading individual in the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Bar directories (see Recommendations

Languages

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French (fluent)

Italian (conversational)