33 Chancery Lane – Leading Barristers in POCA & Commercial Law

Ian is a commercial litigator, dealing with complex and high value civil cases, usually with an international dimension. Ian represents both corporations and individuals from a diverse range of commercial sectors, and countries.

He is a specialist in asset recovery, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, anti-tax evasion, financial sanctions laws, risk management and compliance.

Before coming to the bar, Ian practiced as a solicitor in London from 1995 and was a solicitor advocate until his call to the Bar in 2003. He is often instructed by a range of law firms in the UK and overseas.

He is approved and authorised to accept Public Access clients and to Conduct Litigation.

Ian is also well known and highly regarded for his advice to City and other law firms, professional services firms, real estate service firms and financial services firms in relation to their own issues of compliance and reputation management, in particular in relation to anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering, sanctions legislation, anti-tax evasion and related civil and professional liability issues.

He is currently advising several law firms in relation to anti-financial crime compliance issues.

Contact

Download CV

"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."

"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."
"An extremy intelligent and organised Junior."
"Faisal is Excellent. His written work is clear, he is very measured and he has very good legal analysis."

Ian Smith's Expertises

All

Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Enforcement

POCA & Asset Recovery

View cases

Commercial Dispute Resolution

Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Enforcement

Ian acts both for claimants and defendants in the Business and Property Courts. Many of his cases involve allegations of fraud, corruption and breach of fiduciary duties as well as contract and restitution claims.

Ian is routinely involved in international asset recovery investigations and proceedings, obtaining or defending against freezing orders, search and seizure orders, disclosure orders and letters of request to overseas jurisdictions.

Ian also represents victims of fraud in their relations with the police and prosecuting agencies and in the criminal courts. He is renowned for his expertise in advising on the interaction between civil and criminal investigations and proceedings.

Ranked as a leading junior in civil fraud.

Commercial Dispute Resolution

Civil Fraud, Asset Recovery & Enforcement

Ranked as a leading junior in civil fraud.

White Collar, Crime & Investigations

POCA & Asset Recovery

Ian litigates and advising on Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) issues in a range of courts including:

• Court of Appeal

• Criminal Courts (victims’ claims for restitution and compensation, and confiscation)

• Administrative Court (civil recovery, in particular the rights of victims and third parties)

• Business Courts (for example, insurance claims with POCA issues)

• Tax Tribunal (POCA tax assessments)

• Magistrates’ Courts (forfeiture and cash seizure)

• Technical advice in cases in other jurisdictions.

He is also ranked as a leading junior in the legal directories for POCA and Asset Forfeiture.

He acts across the client spectrum, from foreign states, institutions and large corporates, to SMEs and private clients. Many of his fraud cases are cross-border and he regularly works in conjunction with lawyers in other jurisdictions (recent examples include Russia / CIS, Malta, Switzerland, Sweden, the UAE, New Zealand and the US) on multi-jurisdictional claims involving fraud and misfeasance and associated asset-tracing issues including offshore trusts, corporate governance and regulatory issues.

Barry Stancombe