London boutique Birnberg Peirce & Partners has taken centre stage as Wikileaks founder Julian Assange today (2 October) failed in a High Court appeal against his extradition to Sweden to face rape allegations.

The north London firm instructed Ben Emmerson QC and Mark Summers QC from Matrix Chambers, who were unsuccessful in appealing an earlier ruling that Assange should be extradited.

The Crown Prosecution Service appointed Clare Montgomery QC, also of Matrix, to act on behalf of the Swedish Prosecution Authority, with assistance from criminal barrister Aaron Watkins of 7 Bedford Row Chambers and criminal practitioner Hannah Pye of 5 St Andrew's Hill.

The Swedish authorities have requested that Assange is extradited to answer accusations of rape and sexual molestation allegedly committed in Stockholm last year – allegations that Assange denies.

In a hearing at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in February, District Judge Howard Riddle had ruled that Assange should be extradited from his home in Norfolk to face investigation.

The High Court today supported that ruling, with Sir John Thomas, the President of the Queen's Bench Division, and Mr Justice Ouseley saying that the issue of Assange's European arrest warrant and all subsequent proceedings to extradite him were "lawful".

The ruling said: "Although it is clear a decision has not been taken to charge him, that is because, under Swedish procedure that decision is taken at a late stage with the trial following quickly thereafter."

It added: "The prosecutor must be entitled to seek to apply the provisions of Swedish law to the procedure once it has been determined that Mr Assange is an accused and is required for the purposes of prosecution."

Assange, whose legal team has 14 days to launch an appeal at the Supreme Court, was formerly represented by Finers Stephens Innocent partner Mark Stephens.

Wikileaks, which since its launch in 2006 has published hundreds of thousands of classified US Government documents, has been temporarily suspended due to financial difficulties and has appealed for public donations.