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BCL Burton Copeland has an outstanding reputation. Harry Travers is ‘an excellent tactician’; Jane Glass ‘brings in one great result after another’; Brian Spiro is ‘clear thinking, calm, unfussy, and courageous’; and Ian Burton and Richard Sallybanks are also recommended. Recent work includes acting for directors and senior employees involved in the SFO’s separate investigations into Kaupthing Bank, BAE, and Alstom.

Bark & Co has ‘become a powerhouse in the field of white-collar crime’, with practice head Giles Bark-Jones ‘one of the leading fraud lawyers of his generation’. The team is currently acting for the former CEO of Polly Peck, Asil Nadir, in an SFO prosecution regarding allegations of theft amounting to over £300m. Alison Hill is also recommended.

Bindmans LLP is ‘attracting more and more high-quality criminal fraud work’. Neil O’May is ‘a master tactician’; and Katie Wheatley is ‘very shrewd, and keeps the SFO on their toes’. The team is representing a former director of Mabey & Johnson in a multi-jurisdictional SFO investigation.

The highly recommended Michael Potts at Byrne and Partners LLP defends individuals in investigations and prosecutions brought by domestic and international regulators. His recent work includes representing three individuals in an FSA investigation regarding insider dealing. Matthew Frankland is well known and highly regarded.

Corker Binning continues to ‘punch well above its weight’. Recent work includes acting for the defendant in an insider dealing prosecution by the FSA; and representing the defendant in the largest-ever direct tax investigation by HMRC. Nicola Finnerty is ‘terrific with the most demanding of clients, incisive and tactically very astute’; David Corker is ‘amongst the elite group of UK criminal defence lawyers’; and Peter Binning is ‘a charming and clever lawyer who is a real rainmaker’.

Kingsley Napley LLP has exceptional strength in depth. Stephen Gentle provides ‘calm, unflappable and considered advice’; Mark Beardsworth is ‘good with clients, has good judgment and gets good results’; and Stephen Pollard has ‘depth of experience, freshness of vision, and commercial acumen’. Recent work includes advising senior members of British Airways in the OFT’s price-fixing investigation. The team is led by the highly recommended Stephen Parkinson.

Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP lost Jo Rickards to DLA Piper UK LLP in 2010, but the combined expertise of Michael O’Kane, Anand Doobay and Monty Raphael QC continues to attract high-profile, international cases. Highlights included acting for two British citizens facing criminal proceedings in Italy following the collapse of Parmalat. The team also has a strong track record acting for individuals facing extradition.

Rod Fletcher at Russell Jones & Walker is ‘excellent in all areas: extremely supportive during difficult periods, and makes the whole process more bearable’. Fletcher is advising a senior manager of a large automotive company in two major investigations by the European Commission and the OFT; and Jeremy Summers is representing two former senior members of Innospec Limited regarding the SFO’s investigation into the UN Oil for Food Programme.

Bivonas LLP acts on some significant and complex cases, led by the experienced Antony Brown. Recent work includes acting for an individual in an MTIC fraud described by HMRC as its largest ongoing prosecution; and negotiating a confiscation order for the main defendant in the RBG Resources fraud, for substantially less than the $2bn claimed by the SFO.

Blackfords LLP is representing a number of key defendants in some of the most significant cases currently being prosecuted by the SFO, the FSA, and HMRC. Other work has included the successful representation of three clients in the UN Oil for Food investigation. Gary Bloxsome and Trevor Francis are both highly respected.

Crowell & Moring has experience in dealing with cases acting for one or more main parties in parallel investigations and court proceedings, dealing with multiple regulators and jurisdictions. Practice head Gerallt Owen has advised on some of the largest FSA and SFO investigations to date.

At DLA Piper UK LLP, the arrival of the highly experienced and well-respected Jo Rickards from Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP cushioned the loss of Neil Gerrard and Jonathan Pickworth to Dechert LLP. The team remains ‘always available, very thorough, very committed to the client, and calm under pressure’. Simon Airey is advising an individual facing charges under export control legislation and three counts of money laundering.

Neill Blundell leads the team at Eversheds LLP, which successfully defended the managing director of a large property company in a large-scale insurance fraud; and successfully challenged a cash seizure by the CPS from overseas individuals accused of fraud in online gaming. The firm’s large public sector group has been assisting in a corruption investigation in the health sector.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is acting for numerous individuals in substantial prosecutions involving the FSA, the SFO, and HMRC. Kevin Robinson ‘combines client care of the highest order with thorough preparation, insight into the real issues in a case, and truly excellent judgment’. The team successfully defended a British Airways director in the OFT’s price-fixing investigation and subsequent criminal prosecution.

Simmons & Simmons is acting for several senior individuals in ongoing joint investigations by the DOJ and SFO into alleged corruption. The highly respected Louise Delahunty is also representing a director in a multi-jurisdictional price-fixing investigation involving multiple regulators. Nick Benwell is highly recommended.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is acting for a number of high-profile individuals in overseas investigations. The highly recommended Elizabeth Robertson acted for several Pakistani cricketers subject to the Metropolitan Police investigation into spot fixing.

John Williams at Bankside Law has acted on some of the largest SFO prosecutions to date, including acting for a senior employee in the SFO’s investigation of BAE. Bill Wilson is also experienced in the area.

Davenport Lyons acted for Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly following his arrest as part of the SFO’s investigation into corruption by BAE, securing the withdrawal of all charges. Practice head Michael Hatchwell is ‘an inspirational team leader’, and Trevor Sears is also recommended.

David Phillips & Partners has acted in some significant carousel fraud matters, including a HMRC prosecution regarding a £230m VAT fraud. Scott Ewing is recommended.

Debevoise & Plimpton LLP acted for a European national in an SFO investigation into alleged overseas bribery in the oil and gas sector; and for the chairman of Meinl Bank in an investigation regarding investor fraud.

Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is ‘a top-class outfit with a high-profile client base’. Ian Ryan has ‘established a real reputation as one of the best solicitors in this field in London’; he acts in many significant fraud investigations, and regularly appears as defence advocate at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Hodge Jones & Allen LLP is ‘thorough and utterly committed to its clients’. With Pamela Reddy, clients ‘can trust that the standard and professionalism will be of the highest order. She is a breath of fresh air’. The team is representing a senior executive in the SFO’s investigation into BAE.

Anil Rajani at IBB (Iliffes Booth Bennett) is ‘absolutely outstanding’: ‘straightforward, brutally honest and completely transparent’. Recent work for Rajani includes acting in one of the largest MTIC fraud cases, involving a potential loss of revenue of over £1bn in VAT.

Lewis Nedas & Co has ‘quietly built a thriving practice in fraud and business crime without bragging about it’. Work includes acting in a groundbreaking insurance fraud prosecution; and a £350m Ponzi fraud case. Jeffrey Lewis and Keith Wood are ‘top drawer’, and Siobhain Egan is also recommended.

Kevin Roberts is the driving force behind the white-collar practice at Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP. He is acting for a number of high-profile individuals in investigations in the financial services sector, including one of the largest multi-agency investigations of recent times.

Russell-Cooke LLP has ‘the resources to handle the big work, both in terms of quality people and physical resources’. Jae Carwardine has ‘a no-nonsense, pragmatic approach’. Recent work includes acting on substantial SFO prosecutions, large money laundering cases, and tax, VAT and revenue frauds.

Stephenson Harwood’s practice was boosted by the arrival of former FSA prosecutor Sara George from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Recent work for practice head Tony Woodcock includes representing a retired former partner of Cazenove & Co in high-profile criminal proceedings brought by the FSA.

Tuckers Solicitors has seen a significant increase in high-quality, high-value instructions. Richard Egan and Jim Meyer advised a senior employee at BAE in the SFO’s international corruption investigation.

Steven Barker at Barker Gillette LLP has experience in dealing with excise duty and tax fraud, and government investigations.

Steven Bird at Birds Solicitors is ‘an able and committed lawyer’. The team is currently acting in a SFO enquiry regarding a £100m property fraud. Richard Locke deals with smaller-scale fraud matters.

Daniel Berman & Co deals with financial crime, confiscation and asset forfeiture matters. Its track record includes representing one of the lead defendants in the largest-ever Royal Mail fraud.

Ben Rose at Hickman and Rose acts for a range of professionals, including politicians suspected of electoral law breaches.

J D Spicer & Co has been involved in some of the most complex conspiracy trials in the UK. Philip Spicer heads the team.

Sara Teasdale heads up Pannone LLP’s new London office, having returned from Roiter Zucker Solicitors. She is currently acting for the former finance director in the Cattles plc FSA market abuse investigation.

James Saunders at Saunders Law Ltd is ‘a consummate strategist, and his judgment on the long view of cases is spot on’. In 2010, the team successfully defended an insider dealing investigation by the FSA.

Simons Muirhead & Burton regularly acts for professionals including solicitors and accountants. Anthony Burton is currently representing a solicitor in an SRA matter relating to money laundering.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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