14 July 2023
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Drystone Chambers
35 Bedford Row
London
WC1R 4JH
DX: 332 London/Chancery Lane
CONTACT US
Drystone Chambers
35 Bedford Row
London
WC1R 4JH
DX: 332 London/Chancery Lane
Call 1988 | Silk 2011
Michael Magarian KC
Call 1988 | Silk 2011
Michael Magarian KC is regarded as one of the top criminal silks practising at the Old Bailey.
Since appearing in the original Damilola Taylor murder trial, in which his client was acquitted, he has built a formidable reputation as an exclusively defending counsel who stands shoulder to shoulder with his client and cross-examines fearlessly. He has been in many of the leading gang murder cases over the last few years and has an expertise in the use of drill music in such cases.
Michael is regarded as one of the top criminal silks practising at the Old Bailey. Since appearing in the original Damilola Taylor murder trial, in which his client was acquitted, he has built a formidable reputation as an exclusively defending counsel who stands shoulder to shoulder with his client and cross-examines fearlessly. He has been in many of the leading gang murder cases over the last few years and has an expertise in the use of drill music in such cases.
Michael is instructed regularly by Wells Burcombe in appeals. He has built up a reputation as one of the main appellate silks working in criminal law. He was recently praised by the Court of Appeal for his advocacy:
See para 26 of Hodges, R. v (Rev1) [2021] EWCA Crim 1298 (30 July 2021) (bailii.org)
Michael has appeared in countless grave and high profile cases such as:
Pair who killed and disembowelled inmate given life sentences | Crime | The Guardian
He has a proven track record of acquittals as in these matters:
Uber driver, 39, sobs as he’s cleared of murdering eight-week son | Daily Mail Online
Innocent London woman was ‘gunned down near children’s playground | Daily Mail Online
In the McClymont case his client was cleared whilst the co-accused, with whom there was a cut-throat defence, was convicted of murder:
BREAKING: Man jailed for life for murder of Karl Bunster | SussexWorld (sussexexpress.co.uk)
In the case below he achieved success with Jonathan Black of BSB solicitors in a cold case murder:
Michael appears in cases with sexual allegations upon a private basis. He has built up a practice of also taking on appeals in cases where people have been convicted using other lawyers. He is adept at drafting grounds of appeal and succeeding where others have not pursued all avenues which were open to the defendant.
In a recent case he achieved a major success in a sex case where a special constitution of the Court of Appeal agreed with his submissions that there had been major procedural errors in the Crown Court:
See para 62 of Gould & Ors v R. [2021] EWCA Crim 447 (30/03/2021 Before (bailii.org)
Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge where he was a Scholar and took a First.
