11KBW’s licensing offer has been strengthened by the arrival of sector leader Philip Kolvin KC from Cornerstone Barristers. It is pleased to be able to offer expertise in practice areas going well beyond traditional licensing fields, and at all levels from licensing sub-committees to the Supreme and European Court, including administrative tribunals.
Alcohol and entertainment
Members of Chambers act for F+B operators, arts promoters, retailers, trade associations, local authorities, police and local communities. Cases have involved some of the most celebrated of the last decade including Fabric’s successful appeal against closure and the Court of Appeal’s upholding of the right of local authorities to promote large events in public parks in the case of Live Nation’s Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park.
Philip Kolvin KC boasts an array of blue chip clients, and is a Patron of the Institute of Licensing, a member of the Advisory Board of the Night Time Industries Association and a former Chair of the Night Time Commission for London, Best Bar None and Purple Flag. Clive Sheldon KC successfully defended the London Borough of Camden’s decision to license busking in its area in Keep Streets Live Campaign Ltd v Camden LBC [2014] L.L.R. 502.
Gambling
Our silks and juniors have extensive experience acting for the Gambling Commission in advisory and litigious work, including in the Court of Appeal and First Tier and Upper Tier Tribunals. We also act for terrestrial and remote operators in cases involving al the main fields of betting, gaming and lotteries. Our expertise includes advice on the boundaries between gambling and other activity not regulated by the Gambling Act including social gaming, prize competitions and financial instruments including spread betting and contracts for difference.
Transportation
11 KBW’s barristers have extensive experience of advisory work and litigation at the cutting edge of modern transportation law, including for Uber, other operators and taxi licensing authorities. They have appeared in many of the highest profile recent cases in the High Court for the industry and local authorities.
Tom Cross has also advised the City of London on the licensing of party boats on the River Thames, while Peter Oldham KC has experience of the regulation of car parking in environmentally sensitive settings.
Sex licensing
Members of our Chambers act for the largest to the smallest industry operators as well as for local authorities in their regulatory and policy-making capacities, as well as campaign groups, including in the High Court. Philip Kolvin KC, acting for Soho sex shop operators, appeared in the Supreme Court and the European Court (the first licensing case to get that far) in litigation which resulted in a 90% reduction of licence fees and a redrawing of the principles for the calculation of licence fees.
Alcohol and tobacco approvals
Our barristers have advised and acted for businesses that are required to be approved under the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme and the Raw Tobacco Approval Scheme, and businesses that require approvals to hold goods in duty suspense.
