Celia Rooney

Represented Calor Gas in a lengthy fraud trial in the High Court, in which the company brought claims for unlawful means conspiracy, bribery, inducement of a breach of contract, dishonest assistance, knowing receipt and unjustified enrichment (led by Anthony Peto QC).

Instructed to assist in a substantial multi-jurisdictional fraud claim, in which the claimant sought a freezing order in aid of foreign proceedings (led by Anthony Peto QC and Victoria Windle). The claimant sought advice on: the merits of an application under s.25 of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, the availability of disclosure orders in aid of foreign proceedings, the significance of the availability of treble damages in the US on the relief sought, the availability of tipstaff relief and the privilege against self-incrimination.

Instructed in a claim for a freezing order in aid of foreign proceedings in Saudi Arabia (led by Andrew Green QC). 

Instructed by a purchaser of various 'Old Master' paintings in a claim for deceit against a well-established fine art dealer (led by Andrew Green QC). 

Instructed to represent a musician in a claim for unfair prejudice and winding up, following his expulsion from a chart-topping band.

Representing a Grammy-award and Brit-award winning musician in a dispute with his record company, concerning the royalties payable to the artist in respect of revenue generated by 'streaming'. 

Represented the defendant in an application to strike out the claim against it in a contractual dispute.

Successfully defended a claim in a contractual dispute for sums allegedly owed for the provision of recruitment services. 

Instructed by a commercial agency to advise in respect of proposed contractual claim against Cricket South Africa, arising out of the newly established T20 league (led by Nick de Marco QC).

Counsel for the Claimant in a contractual dispute for unpaid commission. 

A case in which the National Crime Agency is defending a High Court claim for over £11 million in damages relating to the execution of search warrants upon a large business (assisting James Segan).

Counsel for the Defendant in a contractual dispute concerning sums allegedly due and owing for the provision of consultancy and recruitment services.

Successfully applied to set aside default judgment, strike out the claim and recover costs associated with both hearings as counsel for the Defendant.

Instructed by BT in a two-day judicial review challenge of the decision of the Treasury to implement an extension of the indexation of certain benefits in public sector pension schemes in a way which increased the company's liabilities in respect of its pension scheme by £120 million (led by Dinah Rose QC and Fraser Campbell). 

Instructed by Privacy International, Reprieve, the Committee on the Administration of Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre in a challenge to the so-called 'Third Direction' from the Prime Minister to the Intelligence Services Commissioner. By that direction - the existence of which was only disclosed during other proceedings - the Prime Minister invited the Commissioner to oversee the application of hitherto undisclosed guidelines which purport to authorise the Intelligence Services to authorise agents to participate in criminal conduct in the UK (led by Ben Jaffey QC).

Celia acts as sole legal counsel advising the Payment Systems Regulator on its response to a ‘super-complaint’ by the consumer group, Which?, concerning authorised push payment fraud. 

Instructed to advise on a potential disability discrimination claim by a junior doctor against the GMC, Health Education England and various local education and training boards. 

Instructed to advise a non-departmental public body on potential claims against it arising from a funding competition.

Advising the Payment Systems Regulator on the scope and extent of its powers under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013. 

A case in which the claimant sought to judicially review the ‘decision’ of KPMG as an independent reviewer of the sale of Interest Rate Hedging Products by Barclays (assisting Ben Jaffey).

A tax dispute, in which HMRC had refused the Claimant’s claim for gift aid (assisting Ben Jaffey).

A case in which a taxpayer sought to avoid paying tax on a redundancy payment in purported reliance of one of HMRC’s statutory concessions (assisting Ben Jaffey).

Instructed by Privacy International, Reprieve, the Committee on the Administration of Justice and the Pat Finucane Centre in a challenge to the so-called 'Third Direction' from the Prime Minister to the Intelligence Services Commissioner. By that direction - the existence of which was only disclosed during other proceedings - the Prime Minister invited the Commissioner to oversee the application of hitherto undisclosed guidelines which purport to authorise the Intelligence Services to authorise agents to participate in criminal conduct in the UK (led by Ben Jaffey QC).

Instructed by BT in a two-day judicial review challenge of the decision of the Treasury to implement an extension of the indexation of certain benefits in public sector pension schemes in a way which increased the company's liabilities in respect of its pension scheme by £120 million (led by Dinah Rose QC and Fraser Campbell). 

A case challenging the lawfulness of detention in Iraq and Afghanistan by HM armed forces under international law, the European Convention on Human Rights and domestic law, which was heard by nine Justices of the Supreme Court (assisting Ben Jaffey).

A case involving a number of ‘campaign claimants’, each of which had brought claims arising out of earlier litigation in the IPT, concerning bulk surveillance, the receipt of intercepted private material from foreign security and intelligence services (assisting Ben Jaffey).

An application for a protective costs order made by the Public Law Project on appeal to the Supreme Court in its challenge to the legal aid residence test (assisting Ben Jaffey).

An appeal to the Supreme Court in a claim in which a number of individuals had been detained on the day of the Royal Wedding and sought to challenge the lawfulness of their detention under the ECHR and domestic law (assisting Ben Jaffey).

Representing the British Boxing  Board of Control in various appeals against the Board's decisions to withdraw the boxer's licence.

Instructed by Middlesbrough FC in a High Court claim in which the Club sought to enforce the restrictive covenants in the employment contracts of each member of its backroom team, following the departure of its then manager, Mr Garry Monk. While the matter did not proceed to trial, the Club successfully applied to expedite the proceedings (led by Ian Mill QC).

Represented The FA in a two-day Rule K arbitration against the owner of a football club (led by Kate Gallafent QC). The case, which involved alleged breaches of the betting rules, was ultimately determined on a preliminary issue of jurisdiction.

Instructed by the Premier League in a Rule K arbitration involving a Premier League club (led by Michael Beloff QC). 

Instructed to advise the Premier League in respect of a case involving allegations of so-called 'tapping up'.

Advising The FA on its 2018-19 Safeguarding Policy (with Kate Gallafent QC).

Advising the Premier League as to potential claims under EU competition law and the rules of free movement in respect of a proposed rule change. 

Advising female golfers as to their potential claims under the Equality Act 2010 in respect of the discriminatory rules of their club.

Represented a golfer at a disciplinary hearing at which she sought to challenge a ban imposed upon her by the prestigious golf club in respect of allegations of cheating.

Instructed by a commercial agency to advise in respect of proposed contractual claim against Cricket South Africa, arising out of the newly established T20 league (led by Nick de Marco QC).

Instructed to advise a national rugby union as to its potential claims agains World Rugby in respect of the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers 2019. 

Advising a football club in respect of potential safeguarding allegations against it (led by Nick de Marco QC).

Represented the LTA in a safeguarding case, in which the individual sought to challenge the sanction imposed upon him by the sports governing body.

A copyright claim brought by the English Cricket Board and SKY TV against a website and App creator that was using clips of their footage (assisting Robert Howe QC and Nick De Marco).

Instructed to represent an athlete in a challenge to UKAD's proposed sanction in respect of an anti-doping violation, in which he sought to establish 'no significant fault' on his part, in light of his personal circumstances. 

Assisted Nick De Marco in a case in which he successfully represented football player, Jake Livermore, in an FA Anti-Doping hearing following Mr Livermore’s positive test for cocaine.

A case in which Reading FC, which had been fined £100,000 by The FA for a celebratory pitch invasion, successfully appealed that sanction (assisting Nick De Marco).

A case before the FA Disciplinary Panel involving allegations of on-field racism (assisting Nick De Marco).

An independent review of UKAD’s conclusions on whether there was sufficient evidence to bring anti-doping proceedings against an individual (assisting Nick De Marco).

A dispute concerning the transfer of goalkeeper Michel Vorm, Ben Davies and Gylfi Sigurðsson (assisting Nick De Marco).

A case in which an Italian kit manufacturer sought payment from a football club for sums owed under contract (assisting Nick De Marco).

An arbitration between the Football League and QPR FC concerning the legality of the Championship Financial Fair Play Rules (assisting James Segan).

Instructed by Middlesbrough FC in a High Court claim in which the Club sought to enforce the restrictive covenants in the employment contracts of each member of its backroom team, following the departure of its then manager, Mr Garry Monk. While the matter did not proceed to trial, the Club successfully applied to expedite the proceedings (led by Ian Mill QC).

Celia is instructed by a law firm in a claim for pregnancy and maternity discrimination, victimisation and harassment (led by Kate Gallafent QC). 

Celia was instructed by a law firm in a claim for discrimination, victimisation and harassment brought against it by a practice development lawyer (appearing on her own for the CMC, otherwise led by Kate Gallafent QC).

Instructed to advise on a potential disability discrimination claim by a junior doctor against the GMC, Health Education England and various local education and training boards. 

Counsel for the Respondent opposing a claim for unfair dismissal, race discrimination, and unpaid holiday pay.

A number of cases involving various claims by former Foreign Exchange traders arising from their dismissal for sharing client confidential information in Bloomberg Chats, which have been widely reported in the press (assisting Paul Goulding QC and Diya Sen Gupta).

Drafted witness statements on behalf of the claimants in a dispute in the employment tribunal involving allegations of discrimination, detriment and dismissal for whistleblowing, unlawful deductions from wages and unfair dismissal. 

A claim for unpaid commission in the Employment Tribunal (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

A case in the High Court in which a number of care home workers brought claims for breach of contract claim for unpaid wages (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

A case before the Employment Tribunal involving multiple claims of harassment (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

A whistleblowing claim brought by a broker against his former employers (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

A company brought claims for misuse of confidential information, breach of contract, breach of common law and statutory directors’ duties, and infringement of the database right against a former employee (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

A team move case (assisting Paul Goulding QC and Diya Sen Gupta).

A potential claim of unfair dismissal and pregnancy discrimination (assisting Diya Sen Gupta).

Representing a Grammy-award and Brit-award winning musician in a dispute with his record company, concerning the royalties payable to the artist in respect of revenue generated by 'streaming'. 

Instructed to represent a musician in a claim for unfair prejudice and winding up, following his expulsion from a chart-topping band.

Advising an internet media and news company as to its potential liability for publication of a report prepared by the FCA under s.166 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

Instructed by a large car manufacturer in a claim for follow-on damages arising from a cartel between maritime car carriers in respect of the provision of "Ro-Ro" services (led by Thomas de la Mare QC).

Celia is instructed by Peugeot and others in a claim for follow on damages in a matter relating to an automotive bearings cartel. The claims are pending before the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the High Court.

Instructed (with Ravi Mehta) by HMRC in a dispute concerning the tax treatment of rental income from UK property, earned and received by foreign real estate investment funds. The Appellants are seeking to challenge and obtain repayment of income tax accounted for under self-assessment, claiming that their treatment, alternatively the requirement for their ultimate beneficial owners to register with HMRC to benefit from certain tax relief, is contrary to the principle of equal treatment under EU law and amounts to an unjustified restriction on the free movement of capital. 

Advising a company that specialised in the modification (or 'tuning') of luxury vehicles as to its potential competition law claims against the original manufacturer of the vehicles (led by Thomas de la Mare QC).

Advising the Premier League as to potential claims under EU competition law and the rules of free movement in respect of a proposed rule change. 

Advising an importer as to the regulatory obligations under EU and English consumer law and trading standards associated with labelling and packaging.

A case before the High Court concerning competition law damages, in a dispute between Huawei, Unwired Planet, Samsung, Google and Ericsson relating to the technical standards for 4G, 3G and 2G devices (assisting James Segan).