Philippa Harper

Practice areas

General crime
Regulatory crime

Profile

Originally from Worcestershire, Pip joined Chambers as a pupil under the supervision of Edward Bailey in October 2021. She achieved a first-class LLB Law degree from Aston University and completed the BPTC at the University of Law in Birmingham following receipt of a Lord Denning Scholarship from Lincoln’s Inn.

Pip’s tenancy began in October 2022, following successful completion of a mixed common law pupillage, and she now focuses predominantly on her criminal law practice. She is a Grade 2 prosecutor and both prosecutes and defends in the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts on a regular basis, in hearings ranging from probation breaches to trials and appeals. She has experience in dealing with vulnerable defendants, such as those subject to Mental Health Act proceedings.

Pip has been instructed counsel in cases including:

R v F – Defending a vulnerable individual charged with stalking

R v R+S – Prosecuting two defendants charged with supplying Class A drugs

R v H – Defending an individual subject to a hospital order charged with s.18 GBH

R v C – Defending an individual charged with robbery

R v C – Prosecuting a trial whereby a dangerous dog had attacked a police officer

R v T – Defending in an RSPCA appeal where the appellant was permitted to keep her pet

R v W – Court-appointed counsel to defend a volatile defendant charged with burglary

Pip’s practice also includes regulatory work and she has undertaken cases such as trading standards matters on behalf of Devon County Council, taxi licensing appeals and RSPCA appeals. Pip is frequently instructed by Devon and Cornwall Police in applications such as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and Sexual Risk Orders.

Pip is regulated by the Bar Standards Board.