Exchange Chambers has welcomed four new barristers in Leeds.
In recent weeks Hal Watson, Angus MacDonald and Matthew Maddison have all joined the Northern Powerhouse set as full members. Exchange has also welcomed leading silk Jane Bewsey KC as a door tenant.
Hal Watson, who was called to the Bar in 2003, is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers UK for financial crime. He is a highly-adept advocate, instructed as leading or led junior to prosecute and defend complex criminal and quasi-criminal cases, specialising in fraud and other financial misconduct in both criminal and civil jurisdictions; including very complex asset freezing, forfeiture, and confiscation proceedings.
The focus of Hal’s practice is substantial and or complicated fraud, tax fraud, and corruption type offences where quantum is significantly in excess of £100M, allied money laundering, and subsequent confiscation proceedings. He is currently instructed in a number of international/cross-border investigations involving multinational corporates and allied bribery allegations, including section 7 Bribery Act 2010 (the corporate failure to prevent).
Angus MacDonald, who was called to the Bar in 2009, is renowned for expertise in cases involving complex financial crime, serious organised crime, regulatory offending and terrorism. He is recognised in the Legal 500 as ‘completely unflappable’, ‘tenacious’ with an attention to detail which is ‘unsurpassed’. Angus successfully prosecuted Mohammad Farooq, who was last month jailed for life with a minimum of 37 years for preparing acts of terrorism. Farooq took a pressure cooker bomb to St James’s Hospital in Leeds and planned a terrorist attack on an RAF base.
Jane Bewsey KC was called to the Bar in 1986 and took silk in 2010. She principally prosecutes in serious and complex corporate fraud, proceeds of crime, money laundering and proceeds of crime tax cases instructed by the CPS and the SFO appearing as lead advocate in the Crown Court and the appellate courts. Jane is described as “an experienced prosecutor valued for her ability to handle significant cases” by Chambers UK 2025 and is familiar with all aspects of disclosure, public interest immunity and confiscation issues. She also has extensive experience of prosecuting serious crime and drugs offences.
In joining Exchange Chambers as a door tenant, Jane Bewsey KC continues her long-standing working relationship with Hal Watson and Angus MacDonald. Jane, Hal and Angus were instructed counsel in the first ever Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) entered into by the CPS. The CPS entered into the deferred prosecution agreement with Entain plc, a global online sports betting and gaming business (owner of Ladbrokes and Coral bookmakers) headquartered in London, to settle a HM Revenue & Customs investigation into the Company (and its group). As part of the terms of the DPA, Entain plc agreed to pay a financial penalty plus disgorgement of profits totalling £585 million, to make a charitable donation of £20 million and to pay a contribution of £10 million to the CPS and HMRC costs.
Matthew Maddison, who was called to the Bar in 2010, is a leading junior in commercial litigation and insolvency. His recent notable cases include representing the applicant creditor in the first Part 26A Restructuring Plan to be sanctioned outside of London (Re. The Good Box Labs Co Ltd). Matthew represents clients at courts across the country, including frequently appearing in the Insolvency and Companies Court in London.
Image provided by Exchange Chambers: Hal Watson (left), Angus MacDonald (right).
