Financial Crime

33 Chancery Lane Financial Crime Set of the Year 2024 | Legal 500

We regularly act on behalf of corporate clients and individuals in matters of financial wrongdoing, fraud, bribery and corruption.

Members advise and act for companies and individuals on UK Bribery Act Liabilities and FCPA exposure, as well as seeking civil recovery settlements in lieu of criminal proceedings. In addition, we conduct review of search, seizure, production.

The team has represented various individuals, directors and corporates in relation to applications for account freezing & forfeiture orders, as well as those charged with corruption concerning substantial contracts, across multiple jurisdictions and industries within financial, property and real estate, construction and engineering, energy and natural resources, manufacturing and supply, transport and healthcare sectors.   

As part of our offering, members often conduct and review stress testing of internal controls, corporate policy and adequate measures. We also advise and represent firms on their approaches to UK regulators including anonymised scoping, and corporates in relation to regulatory action brought by the FCA for any breach of FSMA and in relation to criminal liability. 
The team often advises on internal investigations, and we have also been involved in some of the largest HMRC, FCA and SFO investigations and trials to date. We acted in the first LIBOR and EURIBOR trials, as well as the following investigations GPT Special Project Management Limited, Glencore, Unaoil, Petrofac, ENRC, Chemring Group Plc, Tesco, Glaxo, JJB, Alstom, Capita Oak Pension, Ethical Forestry Limited, London Capital & Finance, Rolls-Royce, Quindell, Tesco, Barclays, Operation Naples, Ashland, Chandler, Tidworth, Gillingham, Kempston, Tabernula, Alfreton, and Pontefract.  

Members are also currently acting as independent counsel in major SFO and Metropolitan Police operations. 

Many of our cases have an international element including Turks and Caicos Islands (Missick and others) where we were instructed on an investigation, prosecution and defence of individuals on charges of bribery and corruption in the Turks and Caicos Islands (following a Commission of Inquiry). We also acted in the most ground-breaking case of, Innospec in which the criminal matters to corruption in Indonesia were dealt with in the UK and US Courts, simultaneously.  

Our members have also conducted cases throughout the US and Caribbean Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and offshore jurisdictions.