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Business And Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations)

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Cloth Fair Chambers
Matrix Chambers
QEB Hollis Whiteman
Three Raymond Buildings
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2 Bedford Row
2 Hare Court
6KBW College Hill
Red Lion Chambers
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25 Bedford Row
33 Chancery Lane
Fountain Court Chambers

Leading Silks

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Alex Bailin QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Capable of dealing directly with commercial clients in a very effective way; he thinks strategically and commercially and is very easy to work with; he has a good understanding of cross-border issues, which is rare to find. ’
Michael Bowes QC - Outer Temple Chambers ‘ Michael has significant expertise working on complex investigations spanning FCA regulatory and criminal issues. He is in his element dealing with cases with complicated factual backgrounds, different enforcement agencies and cross-border issues. He can assess competing interests and risks and devise a clear strategy for the client in these situations. He is impressive with clients and presents technical legal issues in a simple, easily understood form. ’
George Carter-Stephenson QC - 25 Bedford Row ‘ George has a wide knowledge of all regulatory issues to which he applies his outstanding tactical awareness. He provides solutions, not problems. ’
Christopher Coltart QC - 2 Hare Court ‘ Chris is extremely easy to work with. He works hand in glove with his solicitors, is very approachable and a joy to work with. His attention to detail is unrivalled and his preparation for trial is exemplary. He cuts through the complexity of cases and can identify potentially winning points in even the most difficult cases. ’
Adrian Darbishire QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Adrian is a formidable barrister who combines a razor-sharp intellect with unparalleled eloquence in both written documents and oral submissions. He is meticulous in his case preparation and often thinks of novel ways to approach cases. A master of his art. ’
Jonathan Fisher QC - Red Lion Chambers ‘ One of the brightest financial crime lawyers in the country, accessible, an excellent communicator and a pleasure to deal with. ’
Patrick Gibbs QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ Excellent all-rounder with great judgment. ’
Neil Hawes QC  – Crucible Chambers
Hugo Keith QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ Hugo is without a doubt at the top of his field; he has an exceptionally strong intellect and client friendly manner; his grip of the detail is outstanding. ’
John Kelsey-Fry QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Probably the leading criminal advocate in London. Great with clients and a real pleasure to work with. ’
Richard Lissack QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A stellar performer, with unsurpassed positive energy. He is a clear-sighted thinker who is fabulous with clients. ’
Hodge Malek QC - 3 Verulam Buildings ‘ Hodge has a deep understanding of SFO prosecutions and is highly sought after by the agency and suspects. His experience means he brings an invaluable sense of perspective to problems. In cross-jurisdictional cases there are few who have his understanding of the different agencies and possible political considerations. ’
Clare Montgomery QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Clare is on top of her game. What a brilliant legal brain! ’
Tim Owen QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ Very helpful to solicitors and has an excellent client manner; very persuasive is court, both in terms of his advocacy skills and his written arguments; highly experienced, calm under pressure and international in scope and vision. ’
Duncan Penny QC - 6KBW College Hill ‘ Highly intelligent and a master of strategy; a true joy to work with; great with clients and brilliant trial advocate. ’
David Perry QC - 6KBW College Hill ‘ A master in the courts, a genius. There are no safer hands in the legal planet. ’
Alison Pople QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Alison has excellent judgement that was immensely valued by our clients. She is a joy to work with - empathetic, responsive, clever and strategic: the full package. ’
Nicholas Purnell QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Clever, experienced, and strategic. ’
Mark Rainsford QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘ Mark demonstrates command of his brief, looks outside of the box, with a willingness to always go the extra mile. He is extremely good with clients and provides the reassurance as required. An outstanding silk with a keen eye for detail. ’
Jim Sturman QC - 2 Bedford Row ‘ Jim Sturman has forensic detail on all his briefs and is rigorous in his preparation. His skills in cross-examination are peerless. He cuts through to the core issues and ensures the client is aware of every stage of the process they are in. He is a doyen of the criminal bar, and rightly so. ’
Ian Winter QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ A tremendous and fearless advocate, who applies his huge intelligence with inexhaustible rigor and energy. Having him lead the team can be the difference between winning and losing. A pleasure to work with. ’
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Tom Allen QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Tom does not approach any case from a traditional perspective and this uncommon trait means that he is able to navigate complex cases and evidence with innovation and creativity. Clients love Tom's passion for the law and their case, both of which he argues giving his full attention and commitment. ’
Brian Altman QC - 2 Bedford Row ‘ Brian is hugely experienced, strategically astute, has impeccable judgment of risk and commands the respect of both the client and the judiciary. An inspirational leader who demands high standards of himself and others. He is a role model in his capacity for hard work, attention to detail but never losing sight of the bigger picture. ’
William Boyce QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ A top-notch cross-examiner. Meticulous in preparation. Incredibly clever. Highly persuasive advocate. ’
Graham Brodie QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘ Graham’s imagination is second to none. He is like a creative midfielder: able to see everything from above, and work out where the best avenues of success might be. His ideas are often akin to legal alchemy. ’
Gideon Cammerman QC - 187 Fleet Street Chambers ‘ Gideon is extremely hardworking, client-focused and commercially-minded. He concentrates on both the detail and the bigger picture. ’
Sarah Clarke QC - Serjeants' Inn Chambers ‘ A truly excellent all-rounder. She is a very hard worker who is very thorough in her preparation. Brilliant on very technical aspects of the law but also has great courtroom presence. She conducts near-flawless cross-examinations in difficult circumstances and very quickly gains the trust of the judge and jury. ’
Mark Ellison QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman
Gillian Jones QC - Red Lion Chambers ‘ Incredibly charming and smooth advocate. Tough when necessary and collegiate when appropriate. Rare barrister in that equally good defending as prosecuting. ’
Jonathan Kinnear QC - 2 Hare Court ‘ Extremely bright and conscientious; off-the-chart client-care skills exuding the right mix of confidence, reassurance and top-rate advice. ’
Antony Shaw QC –Red Lion Chambers
James Waddington QC - Foundry Chambers ‘ James is extremely energetic and ensures that he is fully conversant with the entirety of the matter in hand, going way beyond what is expected. Very hardworking, great client manner and ability to unravel complex data. Always available, as and when needed. ’
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Jonathan Ashley-Norman QC - Three Raymond Buildings
Crispin Aylett QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ An excellent criminal lawyer. ’
Emma Deacon QC - 5 Paper Buildings
Michael Goodwin QC - Red Lion Chambers ‘ Eye for detail and always fully prepared. ’
Alexandra Healy QC - Foundry Chambers ‘ Alexandra has particular gravitas at court and is extremely well-respected. She is highly intelligent with a phenomenal memory for case details, quick to reach sound tactical conclusions and an excellent cross-examiner. ’
James Hines QC - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ Great advocate, who is at home with the most complex cases. ’
Nicola Howard QC - 25 Bedford Row ‘ Nicola has always been a confident and fearless advocate who is able to build excellent relationships with clients in what are often stressful and difficult cases where the stakes could not be higher. Clients form a trusting bond with Nicola and which is backed up by excellent representation both in and out of court. ’
Brendan Kelly QC - 2 Hare Court
Jonathan Laidlaw QC - 2 Hare Court ‘ Preeminent in this field. ’
Sean Larkin QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Solid and reliable, he thinks outside the box and advances his client's position with great clarity and tenacity. ’
Alison Macdonald QC - Essex Court Chambers ‘ An excellent lawyer: pragmatic and a practical problem solver, she takes full ownership of cases and is one of the nicest people you will meet. ’
Nicholas Medcroft QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Nicholas has an outstanding grasp of banking law and the application of banking processes to the legal concepts. He is the go-to lawyer for many of the UK's biggest retail banks for money laundering, fraud and proceeds of crime matters. ’
Mark Milliken-Smith QC - 2 Bedford Row
Amanda Pinto QC - 33 Chancery Lane ‘ A charming polished advocate with superb judgement and great experience; always meticulously prepared; clients love her; prodigiously clever. ’
Selva Ramasamy QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Extremely bright, with astounding knowledge of the law in this field. He is able to navigate solutions with a good strategic sense. ’
Clare Sibson QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Clare has clear and decisive views, which in the right matter is very helpful. Her written advocacy is excellent. She is on top of relevant detail. She is easily contactable and client-friendly. ’
Sasha Wass QC - 6KBW College Hill
Richard Whittam QC - Matrix Chambers ‘ An advocate who understands not only the facts of his case and applies the law to it effectively, but also sees the bigger picture so knows how to persuade his audience. Excellent, thoughtful, foresighted and fully prepared, with great court presence. ’

2020 Silks

Robin Barclay QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ Robin is an extremely hands-on and user-friendly silk. He combines the best of both the criminal and the commercial Bar. Perfect for complex civil fraud claims as well. Overall a very impressive and insightful silk. ’
Jonathan Barnard QC - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Highly experienced and sought-after counsel; razor-sharp intelligence combined with persuasive advocacy and an imperturbable manner. ’
Jennifer Carter-Manning QC - 7BR
Allison Clare QC - Red Lion Chambers
Jamas Hodivala QC - Matrix Chambers
Tamara Oppenheimer QC - Fountain Court Chambers ‘ A prodigious talent who will be as successful in silk as she was as a junior. ’
Paul Raudnitz QC - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ He has a great analytical mind and is superb with clients. Judges respect Paul’s intelligence and acumen. He is destined to make it big. ’

2021 Silks

Simon Baker QC - 2 Bedford Row ‘ Simon is a highly effective advocate who gives very pragmatic and strategic advice in applying an extensive knowledge of the law and broader commercial factors relevant to business crime and regulatory matters. Able to rapidly assimilate and absorb the meticulous detail of generally very voluminous and complex cases, Simon distils and anticipates issues at a very early stage and advises without delay. ’
Nathaniel Rudolf QC - 25 Bedford Row ‘ Nathaniel’s knowledge of relevant law and procedural rules is second to none. An exceptional advocate who is clearly well respected by judges, both in and out of the court arena. ’

Leading Juniors

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Ben Fitzgerald - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Ben is extraordinarily hard-working, clever, with great attention to detail and calm under fire. ’
Rachna Gokani - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Rachna is incredibly astute and hardworking and leaves no stone unturned when acting for individual or corporate clients. Her legal analysis, drafting and advocacy are all first-rate. An absolute joy to work with - she is a genuine team player and is able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life. ’
Katherine Hardcastle - 6KBW College Hill ‘ Katherine has an enviable place in the market, seemingly being instructed in some capacity on all of the major white-collar enforcement matters in London. A dream to work with, presenting with gravitas to clients for the headline issues and working incredibly collegiately with all team members on the detail. Katherine is not a star of the future - she is already a star. ’
Nichola Higgins - Matrix Chambers ‘ She has extraordinary drive, commitment and legal knowledge; relentless work ethic; huge legal knowledge and capacity to recall details which is so important in a long, complex case. One of the most impressive barristers in the field. A brilliant legal talent. ’
Vivienne Tanchel - 2 Hare Court ‘ Vivienne is an extremely hardworking and conscientious advocate who provides confident and robust advice on extremely complex matters. Fantastic in urgent business-critical situations. Unflappable, knows the law inside out and is able to apply extensive experience to quickly identify the key points in a complex problem. ’
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Rachel Barnes - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ An amazing ability to digest and analyse complex facts into a clear narrative summary. Rachel is an expert in issues of admissibility of evidence; she keeps her eye on how best to present a large quantity of technical financial evidence to the court. ’
Stuart Biggs - Three Raymond Buildings ‘ Stuart is an outstanding lawyer; he is excellent in distilling difficult legal issues into clear and persuasive legal submissions; he has a charming manner with the jury and is a formidable cross-examiner of experts. ’
Eleanor Davison - Fountain Court Chambers
Kathryn Arnot Drummond - Cloth Fair Chambers
Miranda Hill - 6KBW College Hill ‘ Simply a pleasure to instruct; she instils confidence in both client and solicitor; unflappable and calm in all situations and great at preparation. ’
Rachel Kapila - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ Incredibly hard-working, very bright and an absolute pleasure to work with. Combines a fierce intellect with a prodigious capacity for work, mastering complex and heaving paper-based matters in remarkably short time-frames, all the while instilling confidence in her lay and professional clients. ’
Jason Mansell - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ He is a clever, versatile, no-nonsense barrister who adds real value in matters. Happy taking the lead or stepping in and out of a matter, bringing superb insight and strategic vision. ’
Peter Ratliff - 6KBW College Hill ‘ A calming influence when corporates find themselves in difficulty. Peter is clear, strategic and just so easy to get along with. An absolute to joy to work. ’
Simon Ray - 6KBW College Hill ‘ Simon impresses with his detailed grasp of areas of law that crop up in business crime investigations. Responsive, well-organised and tactically sound approach to case preparation and advocacy. ’
Ben Summers - Three Raymond Buildings
Aaron Watkins - Cloth Fair Chambers ‘ A wonderful strategist. ’
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Trevor Archer - Red Lion Chambers ‘ Trevor is exceptionally bright, down to earth and reliable and a real pleasure to work with. ’
Faras Baloch - Red Lion Chambers
Tom Broomfield - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Tom drafts impeccable written legal submissions – in our case, this resulted in the prosecution abandoning vast swathes of evidence in their case. Gentle but firm approach with the client. Excellent under pressure and performs well. ’
Rebecca Chalkley - Red Lion Chambers ‘ A great advocate and disclosure expert. ’
Thomas Daniel - 2 Bedford Row
Tom Doble - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Very intelligent; incredible hard worker who always has a mastery of the papers; exceptional drafting skills, coupled with strong advocacy. ’
Christopher Foulkes - 2 Hare Court ‘ A first-class advocate who marries the unique mix of technical brilliance with a sensible down to earth strategic approach. ’
Ben Isaacs - 7BR
Duncan Jones - 25 Bedford Row ‘ Duncan is incredibly diligent and hardworking and this ensures he has a thorough knowledge of the case papers; really gets into the detail of a case. Duncan's drafting is fantastic, and so is his calm and measured approach. Trusted and well-liked by clients. ’
Timothy Kendal - 2 Bedford Row
Helen Law - Matrix Chambers ‘ Extremely responsive, with outstanding abilities. ’
Jocelyn Ledward - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Jocelyn demonstrates great tactical and legal insight, and is phenomenally hard-working and thorough. Well-organised, on top of the papers and has all the evidence at her fingertips. Fantastic team player, working well with the solicitors' team and the QC. Great client handling skills. ’
Dominic Lewis - 5 Paper Buildings
Rhys Meggy - QEB Hollis Whiteman ‘ Competent and assured; whether in front of the senior judiciary, a jury or advising in the boardroom, he displays a deep knowledge of the law, fine and balanced judgment, and the ability to consistently impress with excellent results. Undoubtedly destined to rise. ’
Oliver Powell - Outer Temple Chambers ‘ Oliver has a strong grasp of technical FCA regulation; he combines this with a solid understanding of criminal law across relevant areas such as fraud and money laundering. ’
Leonora Sagan –Fountain Court Chambers 'She approaches complex problems with clear thinking and sharp solutions.'
Alexander dos Santos - Serjeants' Inn Chambers ‘ Alex is incredibly patient and calm in a difficult situation. Unflappable, no matter the situation, with a great sense of humour. He is meticulous in his approach and prepares his cases very thoroughly. Polite but has an air of authority about him that clients appreciate. ’
Esther Schutzer-Weissmann - 6KBW College Hill ‘ Esther commands a presence and is ferocious in court; extremely dedicated to her craft and is the go-to person for criminal and regulatory investigations. ’
David Stern - 5 St Andrews Hill ‘ David is an exceptionally good barrister well able to persuade judges and jurors alike. His detailed approach to cases is impressive. He is calm and unflappable. His cross-examination ability is first-class. ’

Business and regulatory crime (including global investigations) in London Bar

Cloth Fair Chambers

Cloth Fair Chambers’ high-profile work is closely followed in the market, particularly in relation to SFO prosecutions and investigations. In one ongoing highlight, John Kelsey-Fry QC and a team including Rachel Kapila are acting for the chairman of Balli Group as a defendant in an SFO prosecution involving allegations of various fraud offences in the commodities trading sector. Further, the set is routinely involved in precedent-setting prosecutions brought by other UK agencies as well. Nicholas Purnell QC is instructed by law firm Dechert LLP and Neil Gerrard in defending a civil claim by Kazakh mining company ENRC against the retired solicitor and his former firm - the claimants allege that Gerrard expanded the scale of the internal investigation he was instructed to carry out, and worked with the Serious Fraud Office to bring about a criminal inquiry in to his former client. Alison Pople QC acted as counsel for Airline Services Limited in achieving a deferred prosecution agreement with the SFO, resulting from an investigation into the company's failure to comply with its obligation to implement the adequate procedures necessary to protect against bribery.

Testimonials

Set

‘Real specialist criminal trial experience and handling of high-profile clients.’

‘Cloth Fair has long been established as the go-to set for all serious/complex bribery and corruption matters and their track record supports this.’

‘Cloth Fair Chambers, as a whole, can claim – with considerable justification – to be the leading set in this area. Their roster of silks and juniors (to which they have added in recent years with some very good hires) is absolutely first-rate. They are our first port of call-in for serious business crime matters.’

‘An outstanding set for business crime. I have worked with numerous of the barristers there and they are preeminent.’

Clerking

‘Excellent. Adrian Chapman and Mark O’Neill are always quick to respond and take on the admin side of liaising with court and other tasks.’

‘Accessible and responsive.’

‘I find the service from the clerks’ room to be very good. Adrian Chapman and Mark O’Neill are easy to get hold of, responsive, and efficient.’

‘A great service is provided by the clerks and chambers is of a size where a personal service is always guaranteed.’

Matrix Chambers

Matrix Chambers offers ‘a large talent pool at several different levels of seniority’ and multi-disciplinary approach to enforcement proceedings. The set enjoys a strong reputation internationally, thanks in part to its strong work relationships with firms in the US and Hong Kong, as well as its extensive experience of engaging with foreign authorities the likes of the US DoJ; in addition, Tim Owen QC is also noted for his focus on offshore jurisdictions, including a judicial appointment to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. Another strength of the team lies in its representation of a mix of global companies, banks and financial institutions in fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering investigations conducted by UK agencies, including the SFO and the FCA; Clare Montgomery QC and Alex Bailin QC remain among the country’s most highly regarded specialists in this space. In October 2020, the set expanded its market visibility in the financial regulatory space with multiple lateral hires, including those of Nichola Higgins of Doughty Street Chambers and former First Senior Treasury Counsel Richard Whittam QC of 2 Bedford Row.

Testimonials

Set

‘Matrix Chambers has a large talent pool at several different levels of seniority, covering libel, white-collar crime, human rights and other areas.’

‘Chambers has a wealth of counsel who are able to assist in the field of regulatory offences.’

‘I know several barristers in different practice areas in the set. Many are at the top of their game and very well-regarded. Their white-collar department is actively growing.’

Clerking

‘A great clerking team.’

‘Paul Venables is excellent.’

QEB Hollis Whiteman

QEB Hollis Whiteman maintains a focus on both defending corporate clients as well as providing strategic prosecution advice to various authorities in all aspects of financial crime; head of chambers Mark Ellison QC and William Boyce QC are among multiple members of chambers noted in this respect. The set is particularly well-known for its extensive experience of high-profile SFO investigations on the prosecution side as well; Crispin Aylett QC and Rachna Gokani successfully acted for the SFO in concluding a deferred prosecution agreement with Airline Services Limited in relation to the company’s failure to prevent bribery.

Testimonials

Set

‘QEB Hollis Whiteman are now established as the top white collar crime chambers. A very strong set of QCs and juniors.’

‘They set the gold standard for handling serious and complex business crime matters. We know that we can trust any one of them to do a phenomenal job.’

‘QEB have considerable strength at all levels across the board. It’s noticeable that five of the six defence counsel one of the SFO’s biggest recent cases were from QEB.’

‘Chambers has gone from strength to strength in this field in recent years – with work now undertaken at the very highest levels and across the range of seniority, for the SFO, the FCA, government agencies and leading defence solicitors.’

Clerking

‘Professional and assured, led by the experienced and capable Chris Emmings.’

‘The clerks are always friendly and know their market exceptionally well. They are excellent at promoting their barristers and developing business.’

‘Chris Emmings is a pleasure to work with. Very good at finding the right person for the job and understands the area well.’

‘Chris Emmings is one of the nicest, most efficient, trusted and able senior clerks in crime. Faye Stimpson is also fantastic. Both enjoy, and will continue to enjoy, a fabulous profile within the market place.’

Three Raymond Buildings

Three Raymond Buildings ‘boasts a breadth and depth of business crime lawyers’, who have a wealth of experience of investigations and prosecutions involving allegations of bribery and corruption, corporate fraud, and anti-competitive conduct, among other offences. Chambers’ notable workload includes some of the most closely-watched SFO investigations over the years in sectors such as manufacturing and mining; Hugo Keith QC is highly regarded in this space, while Jonathan Ashley-Norman QC and James Hines QC are also appointed to the SFO’s panel of silks. The set is also routinely instructed with respect to significant multi-jurisdictional issues, such as violations of international economic sanctions regimes, an area in which Rachel Barnes has niche expertise. In addition to their advocacy skills, multiple members, including Patrick Gibbs QC and Ben Summers, are also well-versed in advisory and compliance work for both companies and individuals relating to potential exposure to risk or criminal liability. Summers returned from a 17-month secondment at Hogan Lovells International LLP in August 2021. Alexander Cameron QC retired in November 2020.

Testimonials

Set

‘Three Raymond Buildings boasts a breadth and depth of business crime lawyers who are highly regarded in their field.’ 

‘Great set, good clerks, happy to deliver training.’

‘Overall, the set has the greatest strength in depth. This means that when you look to instruct one of their barristers, even though your first choice might not be available, there is always another who is equally effective to take on the case.’

‘A range of outstandingly good advocates and is one of London’s go-to criminal sets.’

Clerking

‘The clerks are friendly, helpful and efficient.’

‘Very client-friendly clerks’ room. Eddie Holland is a delight to deal with.’

‘Having used 3 Raymond Buildings for over ten years, I have no hesitation in saying their clerks’ room is of the highest calibre. Responsive and knowledgeable, special mention must be made of Dean Brown whose attitude and work ethic are second to none. A senior clerk in the making.’

‘Clerks are very professional and accommodating.’

2 Bedford Row

2 Bedford Row is a destination preferred by both corporate and individual clients for high-profile investigations into allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption, market abuse and misconduct, and sanctions violations, among others. Multiple set members are highly experienced in SFO investigations; in a recent standout highlight, Jim Sturman QC led a team on defending Ziad Akle, a former Unaoil executive, in relation to the SFO’s headline-grabbing investigation into bribery and corruption. Thomas Daniel was part of the SFO’s team in the Unaoil matter; following significant pandemic-related procedural complications, Akle was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Sturman heads up chambers alongside Brian Altman QC. Simon Baker QC took silk in 2021.

Testimonials

Set

‘I have dealt with several barristers from 2 Bedford Row and have always been impressed with their professionalism, ability, and preparation. In particular, in circumstances where a hearing has to be covered by Counsel whom is not generally instructed on the case, I have always had full confidence that the Chambers will provide Counsel of the appropriate experience and ability for the case.’

‘The set has some very strong members at all levels.’

‘2 Bedford Row is a very strong criminal and regulatory law set. They have some very good juniors coming up through the ranks as well.’

Clerking

‘Head clerk John Grimmer is a delight to deal with and always goes the extra mile to meet client needs.’

‘The clerks are very professional and know the right fit of counsel for a particular case.’

‘John Grimmer is a legend. Paul Rodgers is a very fine clerk.’

‘Always excellent service from the clerks in those chambers.’

2 Hare Court

2 Hare Court’s ‘top-quality crime set’ is highly regarded for its criminal fraud expertise, but handles a wide range of other offences, including anti-competitive behaviour, sanctions violations and contentious regulatory issues. Chambers is also regularly sought after for private prosecution work, which is among the areas of expertise of Jonathan Laidlaw QC and Christopher Coltart QC. In a standout ongoing highlight, Coltart is also leading Christopher Foulkes on representing a former director of Redcentric, in a case brought before the Westminster Magistrates' Court with respect to allegations of false accounting, among other charges.

Testimonials

Set

‘A premium set with barristers you would be happy to instruct at any level.’

‘2 Hare Court is one of the premier London criminal sets, approaching every case with a high degree of professionalism.’

‘A top-quality crime set with great strength in depth.’

Clerking

‘Great clerking – very efficient and helpful.’

‘They have an excellent clerking team – always willing to go the extra mile to provide assistance. Julian Campbell does an excellent job.’ 

6KBW College Hill

6KBW College Hill’s ‘impressive line-up of excellent barristers’ is very active on the prosecution as well as the defence side of ‘top cases of the day’, in which it is adept at representing both individuals and companies. A particular area of strength for the set are high-profile prosecutions and investigations conducted by the SFO, often in relation to allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption. Chambers’ standout caseload includes Duncan Penny QC representing the former treasurer of the company in a five-defendant SFO prosecution for charges of fraudulent trading and conspiracy to defraud concerning events in the run-up to Balli Group’s collapse.

Testimonials

Set

‘A very good set with an impressive line-up of excellent barristers.’

‘One of the best white-collar and corporate crime sets that has an array of heavy-hitting counsel engaged by both the prosecution and defence in top cases of the day.’

‘6KBW are a heavyweight set for financial crime with incomparable expertise at hand.’

‘6KBW has a deep bench. I have worked with many barristers in chambers and all are uniformly high quality, whatever their level.’

Clerking

‘Andrew Barnes is a brilliant clerk. A pleasure to work with, responsive and totally understands what is important to me and my clients.’

‘Andrew Barnes and Mark Essex both display an enthusiasm to be highly responsive and effective senior clerks.’

‘Mark Essex is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is dynamic and commercially aware.’

‘Richard Summerscales is ahead of his time and is highly experienced.’

Red Lion Chambers

Red Lion Chambers utilises its ‘great strength in depth’ to defend and prosecute high-profile corporate crime cases involving allegations of fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption. The set is also highly experienced in all stages of domestic and cross-border investigations into suspected offences.

Testimonials

Set

‘Great strength in depth both in relation to their expertise and breadth of experience from juniors through to their QCs.’

‘I have instructed several barristers over the years and have always been impressed with their knowledge and expertise in financial crime and their commitment. They are highly sought after, meaning diaries get booked up well in advance. Chambers have also been helpful in enabling the use of their conference facilities as required.’

Clerking

‘They are all incredibly well-organised and proactive.’

‘Highly professional, fee notes have been accurate and on time.’

25 Bedford Row

25 Bedford Row acts for both individual and corporate clients in investigations and prosecutions brought by a variety of UK authorities, including the SFO, the FCA and the Environment Agency. Bribery and corruption, fraud and money laundering all form areas of focus for the set. Recent highlights include Duncan Jones acting as junior counsel for the company's former Iraq country manager in the Unaoil case, concerning company's alleged payment of bribes to secure high-value contracts in Iraq.

Testimonials

Set

‘The set provided a very strong team of counsel. They have proved easy to work with and adaptable during the current pandemic.’

‘Chambers have a great offering and, despite their size, are able to offer a dynamic and personal service.’

‘All members of Chambers whom I have had contact with have been happy to assist for the general benefit of the set. 25 Bedford Row is now a large set. In my experience, they always have someone available who is capable of dealing with the largest case and indeed the smallest.’

‘Very good, straightforward to deal with, accommodating and dynamic.’

Clerking

‘Chambers’ administration is superb with a particularly friendly clerks’ room. From the senior clerk, Guy Williams, down to the most junior member of the clerks’ room, I have found all to be polite, helpful and attentive.’

‘Alfie Lee is an excellent clerk, always approachable and willing to assist.’ 

‘Emma Makepeace is a superb organiser of the wider functions of Chambers and, particularly, conferences and lectures.’

‘Emma Makepeace and Alfie Lee in particular offer an excellent service and are always willing to assist and make sure any matter is dealt with, regardless of how small or urgent.’

33 Chancery Lane

33 Chancery Lane is an ‘extremely strong set’ traditionally known for its POCA expertise, but its members are also adept at handling all stages of agency investigations and proceedings involving allegations of money laundering, fraud, and bribery and corruption, among others. Members of chambers are highly active in SFO and HMRC investigations in particular; chair of the Bar Amanda Pinto QC is instructed by the SFO in relation to the aftermath of its Global Forestry Investments investigation. John Carl Townsend joined from Carmelite Chambers in June 2020.

Testimonials

Set

‘Extremely strong set, with an array of talent across a range of topics.’

‘33 is the go-to set for all matters relating to financial crime and AML. Their annual financial crime seminar day is fantastic.’

‘An excellent set experienced in business and regulatory crime. Best for anything POCA-related.’

‘Everyone there is very clever and tactically astute.’

Clerking

‘Clerks have always demonstrated a willingness to facilitate whatever required, even at very short notice.’

‘Martin Adams is a pleasure to deal with and makes fee discussions straightforward and comfortable.’

‘Chris Chiles goes above and beyond having gone out of his way to deliver documents to me on his way home!’

‘Martin Evans and Chris Chiles are wonderful.’

Fountain Court Chambers

Five years after its launch, Fountain Court Chambers’ commercial crime practice continues to grow, most recently with the addition of Robin Lööf from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s white-collar and regulatory defence team in June 2021. The set has a wealth of experience in high-profile investigations into commercial fraud allegations; in this space, Richard Lissack QC is singled out for having recently led a team representing Serco Geografix, which entered into a deferred prosecution agreement after the electronic tagging subsidiary of the outsourcing firm defrauded the Ministry of Justice.

Testimonials

Set

‘An excellent set for all types of disputes and investigations, including corporate crime investigations.’

‘An excellent, top set.’

‘Very good depth of knowledge and experience and availability of counsel. Open to training and development programmes and keen to know and learn about the solicitors they are working with.’

‘Fountain Court is superbly strong for criminal issues arising in financial services and banking disputes.’

Clerking

‘Strong, reliable clerking function.’

‘Clerks are very commercial and accommodating.’

‘Very good. Responsive and approachable.’