Jack Jennett

Jack is a meticulous advocate who combines legal expertise with a human touch and tactical nuance. He appears before the Magistrates’ Court, Youth Court, Crown Court, High Court and Court of Appeal.

Prior to joining Chambers, Jack worked for a well-known criminal defence and civil liberties firm in central London. Jack worked primarily in confiscation, asset seizure and forfeiture and financial crime. Jack played a key role defending a multi-million-pound private prosecution whereby trading algorithms (signals) said to be worth a billion pounds were alleged to have been stolen and stored overseas. As a result, Jack has a keen interest and experience in financial and cyber-crime and is comfortable dealing with large amounts of data which arise in such cases.

Jack runs an exclusively defence practice and has grown his practice as a led junior and junior alone. Jack is regularly instructed across the full spectrum of criminal matters including financial crime and fraud, drug offences (including Encrochat), firearms, matters of serious violence, public disorder and motoring offences.

Outside of his criminal practice, Jack has experience in Prison Law and has successfully appeared in the High Court appealing Parole decision by way of Judicial Review.

Jack is regularly praised for his interpersonal skills and for the ability to explain complex matters in a calm manner which is easily digestible. As such, Jack is regularly instructed to represent young and/or vulnerable clients and can advise in relation to experts and intermediary use.

General Crime

Jack appears both as a junior alone and as a led junior in the full spectrum of criminal cases including attempted murder, drugs conspiracies (including Encrochat), firearms and dishonesty offences.

He often represents youth and adult clients, many of whom are vulnerable and have mental health difficulties. Jack takes pride in tailoring his approach to each case and taking the time to understand his client’s circumstances installing trust that he will do all he can to defend them. He also has significant experience in recognising vulnerabilities and circumstances which give rise to defences under the Modern Slavery principles and has successfully identified and defended matters on this basis.

Jack has in-depth knowledge in relation to the rules on disclosure and has been successful in having cases withdrawn due to his submissions on the topic.

Jack has been commended for being a fearless advocate who goes the extra mile for his clients and for having a genuine passion in the cases he is instructed in. In many circumstances he has been successful in drafting legal applications which result in cases being dismissed prior to trial. In trial, Jack takes a meticulous approach in analysing evidence and presents it in a digestible, ‘real life’, terms so that juries understand and resonate with him.

Outside of court, Jack has a practice in providing legal opinion in relation to evidence and appeals.

Financial Crime, Confiscation, Asset Seizure and Forfeiture

Jack has a strong background and key interest in financial crime, as well as asset seizure and forfeiture and associated proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Jack regularly defends in Cash Forfeiture, Cash Seizure and Confiscation proceedings and he has successfully defended many of these cases. He has had success in Confiscation proceedings being stayed due to them being an Abuse of Process.

Jack has also undertaken work for the Serious Fraud Office in relation to disclosure review in cases involving financial crime spanning across multiple jurisdictions.

He has had recent success defending in a £9million Fraud against Barclays bank.

Jack is comfortable in dealing with the large amounts of evidence that often come in such proceedings and can advise on the instruction of appropriate experts and the collation of supportive evidence.

Motoring Offences

Jack has a busy motoring practice and has been described as an expert in the area. He is instructed both in the Magistrates’ Court and the Crown Court dealing with such cases on behalf of individuals and insurers on a private basis.

Jack has significant experience with contested proceedings and technical defences as well as arguments in relation to special reasons and exceptional hardship and as a result, is instructed to represent professional drivers, members of the armed forces and business owners regularly.

Jack is familiar with the law including charging time-limits and procedure and has been successful in having no evidence offered in relation to charges such as drink driving due to his submissions.

Judicial Review

Jack has experience in conducting Judicial Reviews against decisions of the Parole Board and the Secretary of State in relation to decisions of release and transfers prisoners to open conditions and has succeeded before the High Court in such matters.

Jack is keen to expand his Public Law and Prison Law practice

R v CN and another – Maidstone Crown Court

Let junior defending in relation to an allegation of attempted murder following a shooting

R v RJ and others – Southwark Crown Court

Led junior in a £9million fraud against Barclays bank.

R v SA and others – Cardiff Crown Court

Led junior defending in a multi kilogram Class A Encrochat conspiracy.

R v MV and others – Cardiff Crown Court

Led Junior in relation to Cannabis cultivation said to have a yield of 98-379kg.

R v EH and others – Derby Crown Court

Led junior in relation to drugs conspiracy said to have supplied £1million worth of Cocaine to end users.

R v MN and others – Isleworth Crown Court

Led junior in relation to a Conspiracy to Steal and Conspiracy to Convert Criminal Property in relation to approximate £1million worth of stolen duty free items at Heathrow.

R v AE and others – Birmingham Crown Court

Led junior defending in relation to a NCA prosecution with an indictment relating to over 150 counts of sexual offences, fraud, blackmail and money laundering.

R v AP and others – Basildon Crown Court

Jack represented an individual in relation to an initial allegation of 46kg of Cocaine, 19kg of Cannabis and a firearm. The Cocaine was later reduced to 1.25kg and street dealing and the possession of a firearm was not pursued.

R v MD and others – Woolwich Crown Court

Represented an individual charged with Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life, duress defence.

R v HM (Operation Abasia) – Snaresbrook Crown Court

Led junior in relation to a Conspiracy to cause GBH and Possession of Firearms with Intent to Endanger Life in relation to a ‘shootout’ involving multiple firearms.

OS v The Parole Board – Royal Courts of Justice (Admin Court) 

Successful Judicial Review of the Board’s view not to transfer to open conditions.

OS v Secretary State of Justice – Royal Courts of Justice (Admin Court) 

Representing the Claimant in a Judicial Review against the SSJ following their decision to refuse a transfer to open conditions despite Parole Board recommendation.

R v LH – Kingston Crown Court

Defended an individual charged with conveying drugs into custody during a social visit. The alleged incident was captured on CCTV and the Crown offered no evidence after a defence statement was served.

R v PW – Barkingside Magistrates’ Court

Successful defence of a Cash Forfeiture application of £10,000 which was found alongside a large quantity of Cannabis at the Defendant’s home.

R v LH and Others – Southend Magistrates’ Court

Multi-handed youth drugs conspiracy connected to adults in the Crown Court – the Crown offered no evidence on the basis of Modern Slavery.

R v TC and Others – Folkestone Magistrates’ Court

Opposed four applications of extension of cash seizure in relation to ongoing Home Office investigation of people trafficking and money laundering.

R v IP – Westminster Magistrates’ Court

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R v LS – Northampton Magistrates’ Court

Defendant at least 64 times over the limit for Drug Driving. The Defendant pleaded Guilty alongside other driving offences and was sentenced to the minimum mandatory ban of 12 months together with a financial penalty.

• City Law School, Bar Professional Training Course (Very Competent) (2015)

• Anglia Ruskin University, LLB Degree – (1^st Class Honours)

Jack is a member of Lincoln’s Inn and received the Lord Denning Scholarship for the Bar Professional Training Course (2014).

Jack is also an ADR Group accredited Civil and Commercial Mediator (2015).

When he is not at work, Jack enjoys football and takes a significant interest in world culture and travel.

Professional Memberships

• Lincoln's Inn
• Lord Denning Society