Who? Andrew Gregg, 63-year-old senior partner at Bristol firm Gregg Latchams WRH, who specialises in regulatory and white-collar crime.


Why is he in the news? Represented Christopher Fleming-Brown, one of the parties in an argument at the High Court about what constituted playing football. He was taken to court by his neighbour, Paula Lawton, who objected to him kicking a ball with his son in their residents-only garden in Kensington, West London. Ms Lawton took out a private prosecution and claimed Mr Fleming-Brown had breached by-laws banning football and other games in the Arundel and Elgin ornamental gardens. Last November, West London Magistrates' Court ruled that under the Oxford Dictionary definition of the game - two teams seeking to put the ball into the opposition's goal - a kick-about did not constitute football and rejected her case. The High Court dismissed that ruling and said the lower court had taken too narrow a view of what constituted football. However, the judges refused to order a retrial on the grounds that it would not be in the public interest and refused Ms Lawton leave to appeal. The court ruled that the cost of the action would be met from the public purse.



Background: Five-year articles at Raper & Fovargue (which became Heringtons) in Battle and Hastings. He qualified in 1970 and joined Ramsgate firm Geoffrey Borg Wootton & Young. In 1972 he moved to Osborne Clarke in Bristol and became a partner there the following year. In 1991 he set up his own firm, Andrew Gregg & Co, which has merged with other firms over the years to become Gregg Latchams WRH.



Route to the case: 'This case was referred to me from another firm of solicitors.'



Thoughts on the case: 'In this sort of case, where a private individual is bringing a private prosecution, I question whether there should not be some sort of filtration process or pre-assessment hearing of the merits of the case before it goes to court. This was really not an appropriate matter to have come before the court, particularly given the potential harmful consequences that may have followed had my client been convicted.'



Dealing with the media: 'The media portrayed this case very well and hit the right note in describing the nature of the prosecution. Overall the matter was reported very fairly. I would say to any lawyer dealing with the media to be wary of the pressure that they will try to put on the client, who in this case did not want to be in the spotlight.'



Catherine Baksi