Christopher is vastly experienced criminal silk with an international and national sports law practice. Since taking silk in 2011 he has prosecuted and defended cases of the utmost gravity in South Wales and the South West of England.
He appears before and chairs tribunals adjudicating upon on-field foul play, off-field misconduct, anti-doping, safeguarding and selection appeals in a wide range of sports and competitions. Christopher has officiated at international and national tournaments and competitions including Olympic Games (2020, 2024) every Rugby World Cup (men and women) since 2007, British & Irish Lions 2021 & 2025 tours and Premier League and Championship football. He is World Rugby’s Judicial Panel Chair (2017- ), was the Football Association’s first independent JPC (2019-2025) and In January 2023 was appointed and remains Chair of the English Football League (EFL) Club Financial Review Panel. In 2016 he led a review of the structure and composition of the British Horseracing Authority (‘BHA’) Disciplinary Panel, Appeal Board and Licensing Committee. In summer of 2020 Christopher conducted an independent review of the safeguarding policies and procedures of UK Athletics. Christopher helped develop the Head Contact Process (‘HCP’) used by match officials, citing commissioners and judicial panels at every level of the game worldwide to assess the seriousness of foul play involving head/neck contact in rugby union. He is a Recorder and a legal member of World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal, National Anti-Doping Panel, National Safeguarding Panel and Sport Resolutions Panel of Arbitrators.
Directory Quotes
Sport
You will struggle to find another barrister with his hands-on experience as both an advocate and judge. Christopher has officiated at two Olympic Games and men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2011, 2023 and 2025 and the British & Irish Lions 2021 & 2025 tours.
He has experience as an advocate and/or tribunal chair judge in the following sports and disciplines:
- Football, rugby union, rugby league, horseracing, gymnastics, boxing, tennis and table tennis and athletics
- On-field discipline, off-field misconduct, anti-doping, safeguarding, selection appeals and licensing.
He has leadership roles in football, rugby union and gymnastics. He has advised and acted for and against governing bodies. He has drafted laws and safeguarding polices and procedure.
His reach is such that every game of rugby union played anywhere in the world today will involve application of a law guideline (the Head Contact process) he helped create and draft. He does not just appear in cases; he shapes sport.
Regulatory & Disciplinary
Christopher appears before and is a highly experienced chair of numerous sport disciplinary bodies and panels.
He is World Rugby’s independent Judicial Panel Chair and held the same position for the Football Association (2009-2025). In January 2023 he was appointed and remains Chair of the English Football League (EFL) Club Financial Review Panel.
He has led a number of substantial reviews for governing bodies including the ‘Quinlan Review’ which restructured the British Horseracing Authority’s disciplinary procedure and an independent review and evaluation of the safeguarding policies and procedures of UK Athletics.
Serious Crime
Christopher is an outstanding criminal silk and natural team leader. In the last year or so he has prosecuted and defended in a series of high profile and challenging homicide and serious sexual offences cases.
- R v KW – represented a seventeen-year-old boy charged with double murder in the notorious trial arising out of the unlawful killing of two children in Bristol.
- R v SC, CB & LK – prosecuted three young boys charged with murder arising out the unlawful killing of a child at a sixteenth birthday party in Bath.
- R v RW – represented in Cardiff one defendant who stood trial with his father alleged to have committed serious sexual offences against his sister and brother. The prosecution called as a complainant an accomplice (who was never prosecuted) of the same alleged sexual abuse.
Health, Safety & Environmental
Christopher developed his regulatory junior practice in silk, with an expertise in Environmental Law. He has prosecuted several high-profile cases for Natural Resources Wales (and its predecessor Environment Agency Wales). Those complex cases concerned the illegal depositing of millions of pounds of waste within and outside the UK.
Noteable Cases
Education & Qualifications
- LLB (Hons).
Appointments & Memberships
- Recorder of the Crown Court.
- Bencher, Inner Temple.
- Judicial Panel Chair, World Rugby (2017 – present).
- Judicial Panel Chair, Football Association (2019- July 2025).
- Chair, English Football league Club Financial Review Panel.
- World Athletics, Disciplinary Tribunal member.
- Legal Member, National Anti-Doping Panel.
- Legal Member, National Safeguarding Panel.
- Sport Resolutions Panel of Arbitrators.
- British Association for Sport & Law.
- Bristol Medico-Legal Society.
- Criminal Bar Association.
- Western Circuit.
- Wales & Chester Circuit.
Publications
- Sports Law & Practice, Lewis & Taylor (chapter co-author).
- Practical Advocacy in the Crown Court (chapter author).
- British Horseracing Authority Review of the Disciplinary Panel, Licensing Committee & Appeal Board (‘Quinlan Review’), 2016.
- Lawn Tennis Association independent review into events at Wrexham Tennis Centre, 2019.
- UK Athletics Independent Safeguarding Review, July 2020.
- A silk at the Olympic games: https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/item/a-silks-story-what-its-like-to-experience-and-officiate-at-the-paris-2024-olympics
Personal Interests
Rugby (Clifton RFC & Bristol Bears), sailing (FGSC & RFYC), football (Liverpool FC) and classic cars (911, mini and MGB)
To instruct Christopher Quinlan KC or obtain more information
Our clerking team, led by Chief Executive & Director of Clerking, Paul Cray, will be pleased to help with any enquiry regarding Christopher Quinlan KC, including suitability, availability, and fees. The team offers responsive, commercially focused, and highly professional support.