David Hughes, BA. (Hons)

David Hughes, (Consultant)

Barrister & Acting Solicitor

David was called to the Bar in Gibraltar and England & Wales in 1997 and (save for a year as a pupil in a London chambers, practised full-time in Gibraltar with Phillips until 2007. He now combines a full-time practice in United Kingdom and acting as an advocate in Gibraltar with Phillips. His practice at the Bar of England and Wales is carried on from chambers in Cardiff and London.

David's Gibraltar practice is focused on Constitutional and Administrative law, and Defamation cases. He also has a strong interest in housing and mental health/mental capacity law.

David was at the forefront of the development of Constitutional litigation in Gibraltar, appearing successfully in key cases that established the unconstitutionality of all-male juries, the obligation to provide legal assistance before the Mental Health Tribunal, the duty of the magistrates' court to give reasons for decisions and the Supreme Court's power to give remedies in Constitutional cases. David has published articles in professional media on the development of constitutional litigation in Gibraltar. In Wales, David has given evidence to the Welsh Assembly's Constitutional & Legislative Affairs Committee on proposals for a Welsh jurisdiction, on the Wales Act 2017, and on the impact on the Welsh Assembly of Brexit.

Apart from Public Law Litigation, David undertakes a significant amount of Defamation work. In the UK, he also acts in more conventional commercial and civil litigation, including contractual disputes, partnership disputes and construction cases, professional disciplinary proceedings and an increasing amount of work before the Court of Protection He represents claimants suing police forces across England & Wales. He is an experienced advocate at both trial and appeal level.

'Well known for partnership and building disputes' Legal 500 UK Bar, Wales & Chester Circuit, Commercial, Banking, Insolvency & Chancery law, leading juniors.'

'Noted for handling cases involving mental health issues.' Legal 500 UK Bar, Wales & Chester Circuit, Public Law.'

• Qualifications and Memberships:
• B.A. (hons) Modern Languages (French & Spanish), University of Wolverhampton (1995)
• CPE University of Glamorgan (1996)
• Called to the Bar (Middle Temple) 1997, where he was awarded the Blackstones Entrance Exhibition, was appointed the Jules Thorn Scholar and received the Anglo-American Scholarship award
• David is a Committee Member of the Wales Commercial Law Association, Public Law Wales and formerly of the British Spanish Law Association
• David is a Member of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Administrative Law Bar Association, the Planning and Environmental Bar Association, the Police Action Lawyers Group, and Lawyers for Liberty
• Elected member of Liberty's policy council
• Director of Snowsport Wales and Wales Rugby League