Louise Oakley

Practice Areas

Louise is the first woman in history to be appointed to Senior Treasury Counsel, and only the fourth person since 1879 to have done so, having never been appointed as a Junior.

Louise regularly receives instructions from various CPS units, including Special Crime, London Complex Case Work Unit, and the Appeal Unit, as leading junior and junior alone, involving multiple defendants and substantial complicating factors of gravity, sensitivity, complexity, and responsibility.

Louise prosecutes and defends offences of homicide and serious non-fatal violence and predominately appears in cases at the Central Criminal Court. The prosecution of homicide offences involves a high degree of legal knowledge, and she is a specialist in disclosure. She is regularly required to engage with officers from the Covert Policing Command, Dedicated Source Unit (DSU), and Gangs Unit, regarding complex issues involving police informants and protected witnesses. She has also advised on how individuals should be approached and the appropriateness of full immunity pursuant to section 71 SOCPA in consultation with the CPS, AG and DPP.

Louise also prosecutes and defends cases involving serious sexual violence including rape, sexual assault and indecent images. She understands the weaknesses in police investigations and disclosure. She was instructed as counsel to Sir Richard Henriques in his independent review of the CPS’s decision making and handling of allegations against a Labour MP, and the Metropolitan Police Service’s handling of non-recent sexual offences alleged against a number of high-profile persons (politicians and celebrities).

Career

Called to the Bar (2001)

Senior Treasury Council (2024)