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Raphael Louis Levy

Philosopher | Aspiring Barrister | Blogger | Traveller

Education

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London School of Economics | LLM (2022-2023)

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Overall: Merit, Legal Research and Writing Skills (67%), Commercial Remedies (68%), Comparative Constitutional Law (67%), Comparative Constitutional Rights (71%), European Human Rights Law (72%), Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law (68%), Principles of Global Competition Law (68%) and Rethinking EU Law (65%).

 

BPP University | BPTC (2019-2020)

 

Overall: Very Competent (71%), Professional Ethics (88%), REDOC (86%), Drafting (84%), Conference (81%), Commercial Dispute Resolution (80%), Civil Litigation (71%) Advocacy 3 (69%), Judicial Review (67%), Advocacy 1 (67%), Criminal Litigation (66%), Advocacy 2 (60%), Opinion Writing (60%)

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The University of Oxford | Jurisprudence BA with Senior Status (2017-2019)

 

Overall: 2.1, EU Law (70%), Administrative Law (70%), Tort Law (68%), Jurisprudence (67%), Constitutional Law (67%), Contract Law (66%), Trusts Law (65%), Criminal Law (66%) and Land Law (61%). I was awarded the Law Network prize for outstanding performance.

 

The University of Cambridge | Philosophy M.Phil. (2015-2017)

 

Overall: Pass. My 12,000-word thesis critically assessed the role, if any, that backwards-looking emotions should have in criminal punishment. I intermitted in Easter Term 2016 on medical grounds.

 

The University of Warwick | Philosophy, Politics and Economics BA (2012-2015)

 

Overall: 69.4%, 2.1 (1st year: 71.8%, 2nd year: 71% and 3rd Year: 67.8%) including 81% in both my 10,000-word dissertation entitled: ‘Unfinished business: How Socrates responds to Callicles in the Republic’ (second highest in the year) and my 5000-word extended essay entitled: ‘Is Locke’s account of personal identity threatened by Kant’s argument in the third paralogism?’ (third highest in the year).

 

Employment History

 

Stamp Duty Rebate Ltd | Head of the Legal Department (October 2022-present)

 

Stamp Duty Rebate Ltd specialises in recovering overpaid stamp duty from HMRC. I have overall responsibility for the legal team, reviewing claims and expanding the types of SDLT reliefs we offer. I have also led our response to a HMRC investigation, drafting our pre action protocol to issue judicial review proceedings and advising on the law regarding legitimate expectations and abuse of power as well as the procedure for bringing proceedings.

 

Intelligent Data Technologies Ltd (t/a Lucid) | Head of Marketing (October 2020-August 2022)

 

Successfully created a comprehensive marketing plan from scratch and set up and managed Lucid’s social media accounts. I wrote engaging copy for different audiences across our pages on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, researching news articles and developments in renewable energy, electric vehicles and related fields. I led successful pitches to investors, clients and potential partners, often at short notice and offered preliminary advice on various legal topics including protecting Lucid’s intellectual property and our contractual arrangements.

 

Wolters Kluwer | Editorial Consultant (June 2014-present)

 

I am responsible for researching tax law and other relevant information for conducting business in Israel, updating two separate files monthly.

 

Legal Work Experience

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RD&L Investments and Legal Services Ltd (RD&L) | Director (Legal) (June 2020-present)

 

I set up, with my Father, RD&L. We provide a complete range of unreserved legal services to litigants in person. For example, I have advised on drafting documents and given preliminary legal advice. Most recently, I have represented a client in the first-tier tribunal on a s.27A Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 application, cross-examining witnesses and making legal submissions against an experienced barrister.

 

11KBW | Assessed Mini-pupil (February 2020)

 

This was a three-day assessed mini-pupillage. I completed a standardised assessed task concerning the definition of a judicial function for the purposes of paragraph 3, Schedule 18 of the Equality Act 2010. I also attended employment tribunal in an age-discrimination claim.

 

3 Verulam Buildings | Assessed Mini-pupil (January 2019)

 

I read a case concerning the removal of a director from his position. The case had an almost unbelievable set of facts, whereby the director had, unbeknownst to him, been removed as director by another director who subsequently asked him to resign four days later. I enjoyed reading the case and applying the Companies Act 2006 to the unusual facts.

 

Brick Court Chambers | Assessed Mini-pupil (December 2018)

 

Sitting with Jemima Stratford QC and Gerard Rothschild, I drafted an advice on the role of the public interest in deciding whether to grant an interim injunction in a pharmaceutical patent case and researched the circumstances in which foreign law would be applicable in British courts. I enjoyed assisting with cases across Brick Court’s three main practice areas.

 

Asserson Law Offices | Summer Vacation Intern (August 2018)

 

This was a two-week internship in Asserson’s offices in Tel Aviv. I drafted advice concerning the teaching of LGBT issues in faith schools, specifically concerning s.149 of the Equality Act 2010 and Article 9 of the ECHR. I was commended on my clarity and persuasiveness. I enjoyed aspects of the experience, specifically drafting the advice, but it confirmed my desire to pursue a career at the Bar.

 

South Square Chambers | Mini-pupil (July 2018)

 

I especially enjoyed a case concerning an innocent third party and their costs of complying with a court order. I researched the law of costs and when a firm of solicitors counts as a litigant in person. This offered an invaluable insight into the practical side of being a barrister and the sort of research it will be necessary to conduct as a pupil.

 

Landmark Chambers | Mini-pupil (June 2018)

 

I spent time discussing cases with Miriam Seitler and attending court. I was commended on my contractual interpretation and which I found a challenging but rewarding task. I especially enjoyed discussing the contractual aspect of leases and, specifically, the value (or otherwise) of assured shorthold tenancies.

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Advocacy and Public Speaking

 

Lay Representative | Mayor’s and City of London County Court (30th January 2019)

 

My client was a defendant in a summary judgment hearing concerning a debt. I was successful in securing an adjournment, having received my instructions the afternoon before. My client praised my calmness and I further developed client management and interpersonal skills, necessary for a career at the Bar.

 

Free Representation Unit (FRU) | Social Security and Employment (October 2018-present)

 

Mooting encouraged me to apply to FRU to develop my oral and written advocacy in a more practical setting. I initially attended a Social Security training day but on 13/10/2019 I attended an employment training day as well. I successfully represented an ESA claimant, ensuring her appeal was allowed and built up a strong relationship with my client. I look forward to taking on further cases and gaining more experience in both areas of law.

 

Mooting Experience (March 2015 - present)

 

I began mooting at Warwick before I had even started studying law, developing my legal research and drafting skills. Since then, I have participated in moots at every university I have attended, including representing both Warwick and Oxford. I am consistently commended on the strength of my oral advocacy, the clarity of my legal argument and have been described as a “powerful advocate” and a “future attorney general”! I reached the semi-finals of the 7KBW Moot in 2018 and the semi-finals of the OUP-ICCA National Mooting competition in 2019 and have frequently received top marks in individual rounds, including in every round of the OUP-ICCA Moot.

 

Model United Nations (MUN) Experience (March 2009 – June 2012)

 

I participated in numerous MUN conferences, representing my school both nationally and internationally. I received the best delegate award at the majority of conferences I participated in, including in UNESCO headquarters in Paris at Paris MUN. I was President of the General Assembly at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School (HABS) MUN in 2012 and the student-in-charge of MUN at HABS 2011-2012, responsible for organising our participation in external competitions.

 

Debating Experience (September 2003 - present)

 

I have enjoyed debating since I was at primary school, and it encouraged me to pursue further experiences in public speaking. I represented my school on numerous occasions, including at Cambridge Schools’ Final Day in 2011, and continued debating throughout university. I recently reached the final of the Lincoln’s Inn Debating Shield 2020.

 

Awards, Scholarships and Publications

 

 

Other Skills and Interests

 

  • I speak fluent Hebrew and have achieved French level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference.

  • I attended weekly salsa classes at Warwick, advancing from the beginner to the intermediate class in under a year.

  • I enjoy travelling and writing my travel blog: The Croissant Chronicles.

  • I blog about current affairs, mental health and philosophy at The Cous Cous Diaries.

  • I am a Manchester United season ticket holder and follow them home and away.

  • I volunteer for the Social Mobility Foundation, checking personal statements for prospective university applicants.

  • I am a keen rugby player, representing my school and Queens’ College, Cambridge.

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