Proceeds Of Crime (POCA) And Asset Forfeiture

Leading Silks

Martin Evans KC –33 Chancery Lane ‘A go to barrister for Supreme Court POCA work. Outstanding advocacy - highly persuasive with silky elegance and charm.'

Jonathan Fisher KC –Red Lion Chambers 'Jonathan is user-friendly, astute, authoritative and inspires confidence in clients.'

David Perry KC –6KBW College Hill

Kennedy Talbot KC –33 Chancery Lane ‘Precise, detailed and fanatically knowledgeable in both his verbal and written advice, as well as a phenomenally appealing advocate in court. Whomever is your opponent, they sit up a little straighter and shift a little more nervously when Kennedy is on your end of the bench.‘

Graham Brodie KC –33 Chancery Lane ‘Hugely bright, provides clear and pragmatic advice and very user friendly. Really one of the team and rolls his sleeves up when required.'

Richard Fisher KC –Doughty Street Chambers ‘Richard has an in depth knowledge of the area and also very good experience of advising and representing clients in court.'

Hugo Keith KC –Three Raymond Buildings ‘Hugo is hard working ad incredibly user friendly. Clients really like him.'

Andrew Mitchell KC –33 Chancery Lane ‘Andrew is an absolute force of nature; always available, a silk at the absolute peak of his powers, a pleasure to work with and a professional that commands the respect of clients.‘

Mark Rainsford KC –33 Chancery Lane ‘Robust and confident in court. Very likeable. Gets a real grip of the issues.'

Andrew Sutcliffe KC –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Andrew is an outstanding advocate and adviser. He brings his immense commercial litigation experience to POCA cases, which is particularly valuable for complex financial and asset tracing matters.'

Jonathan Ashley-Norman KC –Three Raymond Buildings ‘Jonathan brings a thoughtful and intellectual approach to the knotty questions of POCA, but without ignoring the sharp end.’

Charles Bott KC –Mountford Chambers

Jonathan Hall KC –6KBW College Hill 'An incredibly skilled and powerful advocate, and an excellent tactician. Jonathan deserves his place as one of the most in-demand silks for POCA work. He has a wealth of experience. He always knows which argument will work and which will not.'

Gillian Jones KC – Red Lion Chambers ‘She is a barrister of outstanding ability, one of the best of her generation of silks in all fraud related fields, including POCA: very clever, very knowledgeable, relentlessly hard-working and a superb advocate held in high regard by judges and opponents alike.‘

Nicholas Medcroft KC –Fountain Court Chambers ‘Very knowledgeable in a niche but difficult area of law, nice person and efficient/gets it done on time.'

Tim Owen KC –Matrix Chambers ‘Tim is highly regarded for his work on the Proceeds of Crime Act and in particular its application to companies in the emerging cannabis sector, particularly those with complex overseas operations that need to be considered in light of POCA.'

2022 Silks

Rachel Barnes KC –Three Raymond Buildings ‘She provides very high-level written work and advice on strategy and is extremely hard working and accessible. She has encyclopaedic knowledge of this area, delivers focused cross-examination and has good negotiating skills.’

Tim Green KC –Henderson Chambers ‘Tim is a natural communicator, and has a fantastic ability to provide clear and succulent legal advice.’

2023 Silks

Alexander Cook KC –4 Stone Buildings

Jonathan Lennon KC –Doughty Street Chambers ‘A class act – Jonathan is a first rate advocate, who is incredibly incisive, very strategic and exceptionally good at cutting through fine detail quickly and with ease. He has an elegant and captivating style to his advocacy, achieving the right results form a tribunal.'

Leading Juniors

Christopher Convey –33 Chancery Lane ‘He has a wonderful ability to explain very complex legal terminology in an easy to understand manner to lay clients. His legal drafting is superb, and his presence in court rivals that of any KC.‘

James Fletcher –5 St Andrews Hill ‘He is excellent. He is very thorough in his preparation, a great eye for detail and presents well in court.'

Fiona Jackson –33 Chancery Lane ‘Fiona is a polished and thoughtful advocate who prepares her cases meticulously. As an advocate, on her feet she is thorough, but not adverse to moments of light-heartedness. She is definitely a silk of the near future.‘

Ian Smith –33 Chancery Lane ‘Tremendous grasp of the complexities of proceeds of crime and civil recovery legislation and practice, and attention to detail, while able to summarise in a readily assimilable way.'

Barry Stancombe –33 Chancery Lane ‘Barry is an extremely talented counsel who is unflappable in his approach to cases. With excellent written work and equally exceptional oral advocacy he wins over tribunals.'

Sarah Wood –5 St Andrews Hill ‘Her written submissions are clear, concise and persuasive. She has a calm and authoritative manner in Court and with clients. She is a powerhouse of POCA knowledge.‘

Nicholas Yeo –Three Raymond Buildings 'Nick's knowledge of the provisions is encyclopaedic and he can get to the nub of the issues very quickly. In court, he has a good understanding of where the judge is likely to be coming from and how to manage that in the client's interests.'

Anita Clifford – Red Lion Chambers ‘Anita is absolutely fantastic – she is extremely knowledgeable and responsive, in addition to being very confident. Her advice is implicitly trusted because it is to-the-point, confident and prompt. Highly recommended.‘

Catherine Collins –33 Chancery Lane ‘Catherine fights incredibly hard at each and every stage of her client's case. She always ensures that every conceivable positive point is explored and she prepares for every eventuality.'

Edward Craven –Matrix Chambers 'He is a really really clever guy. He does incredible quality work. His written work is superb. He is excellent with clients and has a huge brain.'

Lisa Freeman –Furnival Chambers ‘Lisa has the ability to absorb complex factual matrices and condense them into user friendly chunks.'

Barnaby Hone –5 St Andrews Hill ‘Barnaby has a depth of knowledge which rivals any silk, and an ability to master the facts, advise the client and deliver the advice with clarity and precision. An excellent presence in court.‘

Anne Jeavons –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very clam. Very measured. Very commercial/practical in her approach to difficult issues. Thorough legal analysis. Team player.'

John McNamara –5 St Andrews Hill ‘He has an in-depth knowledge of the statutory provisions and the relevant case law, and is able to apply to that to the factual circumstances of his own cases. He is calm under pressure and extremely good with both clients and judges alike.‘

Michael Newbold –Foundry Chambers

Gary Pons – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Gary is clear and concise in his drafting and his advocacy. He is also very approachable and easy to get on with. He is quick to respond to instructions and very easy to deal with.‘

Oliver Powell –Outer Temple Chambers

Penelope Small –33 Chancery Lane ‘She is a truly dynamic barrister. She quickly gets to the nub of the issue and always seeks a pragmatic and commercially sound resolution. She has a non-nonsense approach. Her written submissions are exceptional. She is the queen of POCA.‘

John Carl Townsend –33 Chancery Lane ‘Great depth of knowledge of all matters POCA related. John is a true expert in asset freezing and forfeiture under the Proceeds of Crime Act.'

Eleanor Davison –Fountain Court Chambers

William Hays –6KBW College Hill

Thomas Hoskins – Foundry Chambers

Paul Jarvis –6KBW College Hill ‘Paul knows the law inside out and is well prepared and able to deal well with clients.'

Anna Keighley – 187 Chambers 'A superb POCA lawyer. Brilliant on the law. Defends and prosecutes with equal alacrity. Has some significant higher court cases to her name. A star.'

Sophie O’Sullivan – Outer Temple Chambers

'Sophie is bright and settled some very good paper work. A future star in this area of work.'

Faisal Osman –33 Chancery Lane ‘Faisal is developing a strong reputation in financial crime and proceeds of crime cases. He has a sound knowledge of the legislation.'

Tom Rainsbury –3 Verulam Buildings ‘Very efficient junior, with good knowledge of both criminal and civil aspects of asset recovery.'

Theodor van Sante –3 Verulam Buildings

Benjamin Waidhofer – Foundry Chambers ‘Ben is tenacious and grasps points quickly. His advocacy is forceful and measured without being rude. When he speaks, judges listen. His arguments, both written and oral, are well thought through and concise.‘

Rising Stars

Gemma Rose – 5 St Andrews Hill ‘Gemma is a barrister who attends court thoroughly prepared, and knowing all the details of the case. She is calm, reassuring, and thoughtful to the client’s needs.‘

Proceeds of crime (POCA) and asset forfeiture in London Bar

Tier 1 sets

33 Chancery Lane

As ‘the first set that one calls when needing work done on a POCA case‘, 33 Chancery Lane benefits from ‘sheer depth of expertise’, with members acting for a range of clients, including companies, agencies, and regulatory bodies. Kennedy Talbot KC represents the FCA in an investigation concerning the collapse of Worthington Group Ltd, alongside relevant asset freezing orders. In CPS v Aquila Advisory Limited, Martin Evans KC acted in the Supreme Court in proceedings evaluating the impact of a POCA confiscation order on the “no profit/no conflict” rule. Mark Rainsford KC prosecuted on behalf of the CPS in R v Bellway Homes plc, focused on confiscation proceedings resulting in a £600,000 fine. Also representing the CPS, Fiona Jackson acted in confiscation proceedings in connection with fraud by false representation by a defendant extradited from Switzerland.

Testimonials

Set

‘33CL is a leading POCA and commercial set with good counsel.‘

‘Without doubt the preeminent set for POCA and asset forfeiture. Advice and service are always excellent and just having counsel from 33 Chancery Lane on board shows the other side you mean business.‘

‘33 Chancery Lane is a specialist set with significant expertise and strength in depth in this field.‘

‘33 CL has a well-deserved reputation in the field of fraud and confiscation.‘

‘The set is a go to for POCA work. They have a real strength in depth and always a good choice of counsel.‘

‘The first set that one calls when needing work done on a POCA case. The sheer depth of expertise is second to none.‘

Clerking

Tier 2 sets

Three Raymond Buildings

‘One of the premier sets for POCA and asset forfeiture‘, members of Three Raymond Buildings represent a range of agencies in relation to restraint, confiscation and civil recovery proceedings targeted towards corporates and individuals. Hugo Keith KC, considered a ‘superb‘ advocate, acted in forfeiture proceedings relating to the son of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. Jonathan Ashley-Norman KC acted in R v Mazzarello, £50 million contested confiscation proceedings concerning an absconding defendant connected to Swiss and Lichtenstein funds. Led by Keith KC, Nicholas Yeo represented the defendants in the Court of Appeal in Dines and Others, acting against an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions for mutual legal assistance in connection with alleged VAT fraud.

Testimonials

Set

‘Three Raymond Buildings is the pre-eminent set for criminal litigation. It contains first-class barristers from the most senior to the most junior. An astonishing array of talent really.‘

‘3RB are a very strong set generally.’

‘Three Raymond Buildings are an excellent set.‘

‘One of the premier sets for POCA and asset forfeiture.‘

Clerking

‘The clerking at 3RB is at the very pinnacle in crime. The service received is akin to one of the leading civil sets. Dean Brown in particular is an outstanding clerk. The service is genuinely 5 star.‘

‘Eddie Holland and Dean Brown – five stars to both of them.‘

Tier 3 sets

3 Verulam Buildings

Recognized as an ‘impressive set and a go-to set for proceeds of crime and asset recovery‘, the barristers at 3 Verulam Buildings have expertise in civil recovery procedures, with further emphasis on representing government agencies. Andrew Sutcliffe KC, who is considered an ‘outstanding advocate and adviser‘, led Anne Jeavons in NCA v Nuttall, proceedings focused on the civil recovery of assets stemming from a money laundering operation. Sutcliffe also led Jeavon in Crown Prosecution Service v Aquila Advisory Ltd, a case covering the CPS’ prevention to obtain confiscation proceedings for proceeds of crime directors have received in breach of fiduciary duties. In addition, Tom Rainsbury was instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions to apply a property freezing order in relation to a bundle of assets, which included cryptoassets, believed to have been obtained through an extensive fraud scheme.

Testimonials

Set

‘3 Verulam Buildings is an impressive set and a go-to set for proceeds of crime and asset recovery.’

‘They are very professional, responsive and practical in their advice.‘

‘Very good set. Consistent across the board.‘

‘3 Verulam Buildings is an excellent set all round for commercial litigation and civil fraud matters.‘

Clerking

‘The clerks are very friendly and helpful. Stephen Penson and Richard Ansell have stood out as going the extra mile to communicate with solicitors.‘

‘Extremely user friendly. Very commercial.’

5 St Andrews Hill

With ‘a number of excellent practitioners in this field‘, the set at 5 St Andrews Hill often deals with account freezing and forfeiture orders, investigation orders and warrants, and unexplained wealth orders, acting on behalf of applicants and respondents alike. Andrew Bird KC – who took silk in 2021 and leads the POCA team – acted for the SFO in R v Petrofac Limited, confiscation proceedings surrounding property obtained as a result of an international bribery scheme surmounting £22 million. Representing the NCA, James Fletcher was successful in enforcement proceedings by achieving final charging orders over land connected to income from criminal conduct. In addition, Gary Pons was instructed by the SFO in relation to a £40 million confiscation order in the Gerald Smith case.

Testimonials

Set

‘5 SAH are an exceptional set. They have been successful in carving out other successful practice areas and a number of members of chambers are seen as experts in their field of specialism.‘

‘A good set all round with some stand out individuals.‘

‘5SAH is increasingly a go-to set for POCA work: they’ve got several really excellent members in this area, and are very easy to get along with as well as fearsomely knowledgeable and intelligent.‘

‘An increasingly formidable POCA set. Highly professional and organised Chambers.‘

‘SAH chambers is really good at POCA and asset forfeiture. They have a number of excellent practitioners in this field.‘

Clerking

‘Dave Scothern is exceptionally helpful and efficient.‘

6KBW College Hill

Members of 6KBW handle a range of proceeds of crime and asset forfeiture matters, with experience prosecuting and defending individuals and corporates in relation to freezing orders, disclosure orders, and overseas applications. Leading William Hays, David Perry KC advised the CPS in connection with issues relating to confiscation orders made in 2016 against two individuals, with further compensation orders sought by the prosecution concerning their roles in a line of acquisitive offending. In addition, in R v Premsaran Patel, Paul Jarvis acted for the CPS in relation to multiple offences of mortgage fraud, a prosecution accompanied by varying third party restraint orders.

Coverage By Practice AreaLondon Bar