Legal Experience
Keen served as standing junior counsel in Scotland to the Department of Trade and Industry from 1986–93, and is chairman of the appeals committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He specialises in commercial law, property law and administrative law.
Known as the rottweiler, Keen is the Scottish QC most other advocates least like facing in court. Defending Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah, one of the two accused Libyans, at the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial he deployed his legal arguments meticulously. In cross-examination, he spoke towards the Judges rather than the witnesses. Acerbically, Keen asked the prosecution "star" witness, Abdul Majid Giaka, if he had ever heard of a fictional character named "Mitty, first name Walter". When another witness, Edwin Bollier, told a fantastic tale about a mystery man ordering him to take a letter to the American embassy in Austria, Keen asked him if, as he walked the streets of Vienna, he had heard the sound of the zither playing the Harry Lime theme music.
Fhimah was acquitted whilst his co-defendant Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was represented by William Taylor QC, was convicted of the Lockerbie bombing.
Glasgow Rangers FC
Mr Keen will represent the Scottish football club at their appeal against a one year transfer/registration embargo which was held on May, 16th, 2012. The result of the appeal was unsuccessful.
Rangers FC subsequently appealed the decision commencing on May 25, 2012. Mr Keen is arguing that "If the additional sanction was to remain in place for all or the material part of the transfer window the prejudice on the petitioners would be utterly irretrievable."
On May 29, 2012, Mr Keen was ultimately successful in getting the transfer/registration embargo overturned.
Read more about this topic: Richard Keen
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