Alfred joined Chambers as a tenant in October 2019 after completing pupillage. His supervisors were Rob Williams, Philip Woolfe, and Anneliese Blackwood.
During pupillage, he assisted his supervisors and other members of Chambers in a range of matters, from competition and regulatory cases to public procurement and VAT. Since accepting tenancy, he has received a number of instructions as a junior for both government and commercial clients, and is presently a member of the counsel team representing the Department for Transport in the ongoing rail franchise litigation. He also appears regularly as sole counsel in County Court matters.
- Competition law
During pupillage, Alfred worked on a range of significant competition matters, including:
- Viagogo AG v CMA: regulatory action against the online ticket resale platform Viagogo.
- CMA v Concordia International: challenges to a CMA search warrant granted in the course of a competition investigation into a pharmaceutical company.
- J Sainsbury plc v CMA: challenge by Sainsbury’s and Asda to the procedural timetable set by the CMA for a Phase 2 merger investigation.
- Secretary of State for Health v Servier Laboratories: damages claims brought by the UK health authorities against a pharmaceutical company for infringements of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.
- Gutmann v London & South Eastern Railway: collective proceedings application in respect of alleged abuse of dominance by train companies involving ‘boundary fares’.
- Achilles Information v Network Rail: successful challenge to Network Rail’s supplier assurance regime for infringements of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU (see case note).
- Royal Mail v Office of Communications: appeal against a fine imposed by the regulator in respect of alleged abusive price discrimination.
- Public Procurement
During pupillage, Alfred gained experience in a range of important public procurement cases, including:
- Bombardier Transportation UK v London Underground: ‘Deep Tube’ procurement challenge to the contract for new Piccadilly line trains – successful application by the defendant to lift the automatic suspension.
- P&O v Secretary of State for Transport: ‘Brexit ferries’ litigation – challenge by P&O to the original settlement agreement with Eurotunnel.
More recently, Alfred has advised both government and industry clients on procurement matters. He is currently instructed as one of the junior counsel to the Department for Transport in the ‘2019 Rail Franchising Proceedings’, complex multi-party litigation involving a number of the disqualified bidders’ challenges to three rail franchise competitions.
- EU
Alfred is currently instructed by Testbiotech eV in a challenge to a GM marketing authorisation granted by the European Commission (led by Kassie Smith QC).
- VAT
Alfred is keen to develop a tax practice. During pupillage, he assisted Peter Mantle in a successful challenge to recover input tax based on a direct and immediate link between theatre production costs and taxable catering supplies (Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation v HMRC [2019] TC7157).
- Public law
During pupillage, Alfred worked on a number of judicial review cases and drafted advice for clients on Brexit-related issues and other matters. Cases included:
- R. (RD) v Worcestershire County Council: successful challenge to a local authority decision to cut children’s services.
- R. (Utilita) v BEIS: energy firm’s challenge to the smart meter rollout programme.
- Information law
Alfred is currently instructed as junior counsel to the Department for International Trade in respect of an upcoming freedom of information appeal.
- Publications
- Case note on Achilles Information Limited v Network Rail Infrastructure Limited [2019] CAT 20, Corporate Briefing and Public Procurement Law Review (forthcoming)
- ‘Permanent exclusions from school: the case for radical reform’, Education Law Monitor (August/September 2018)
- Ovid Amores II: A Selection, Bloomsbury Academic (2018)
- Additional Information
Before coming to the bar, Alfred spent four years teaching Classics at Winchester College. His commentary on Ovid Amores II was published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2018.
Education
- BPTC, BPP London (2018): Outstanding (ranked top five in year)
- GDL, Oxford Brookes University (2017): Distinction (ranked first in year)
- BA Literae Humaniores, Merton College, Oxford (2012): Double First
Scholarships and prizes
- Lord Denning Scholarship, Hardwicke Entrance Award, Buchanan Prize, Megarry Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn)
- BPP Excellence Award
- Oxford University Press Prize for highest Distinction on GDL; Oxford Brookes University GDL Scholarship
- Postmaster (Merton College scholarship)
Languages
- French (advanced)
- German (basic)