Bark&co > London, England > Firm Profile
Bark&co Offices
Bark&co
BRIDEWELL COURT
14 NEW BRIDGE STREET
LONDON
EC4V 6AG
England
BRIDEWELL COURT
14 NEW BRIDGE STREET
LONDON
EC4V 6AG
England
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Bark&co > The Legal 500 Rankings
Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general Tier 2
The team at Bark&co is well experienced in matters concerning murder, organised crime, and sexual assault. Heading the team, Giles Bark-Jones often acts in serious and sensitive criminal investigations for high profile clients in the public eye. Vanessa Wiggins, described as ‘a superstar’ and ‘exceptional’, is a safe pair of hands for matters concerning conspiracies to murder, murder, and distribution of class A drugs. Ria Kudrati, who ‘always goes the extra mile for her clients’ regularly acts in cases concerning organised crime, sexual assault and drug offences, while Dharsh Lokaswaran is experienced regarding criminal conspiracies and organised crime.Practice head(s):
Giles Bark-Jones
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A top firm providing first class service to those accused of the most serious and complex crimes. They have a large staff of experienced and expert individuals but what makes the firm stand out is the commitment across the firm to each and every client, with everyone from the founding partner to the junior associates showing commitment to the case.’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is still absolutely hands on and committed to ensuring the best possible result for each client.
‘Giles Bark-Jones is still one of the real heavyweights of the criminal defence world. He is actively involved in client management and providing high-level strategic and tactical advice. Clients feel hugely and justifiably reassured knowing that Giles is in their corner.
‘Vanessa Wiggins is great with clients, and has huge experience of cases of murder and serious violence.’
‘They are one of the strongest firms. Because of their large team, they are able to deal with the biggest of cases.’
‘Large scale firm with multiple lawyers all with different specialisms in the area of criminal law.’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is a rainmaker.’
Work highlights
- Successfully represented an individual charged (with others) with the murder of a man who died from a stab wound sustained during an incident outside a nightclub in Bodmin in April 2023, securing not guilty verdicts for murder and manslaughter.
- Acting for a high-profile individual under investigation for alleged historic sexual offences.
- Acting for one of multiple defendants charged in relation to the activities of two organised crime gangs operating in and around the South East of England and the alleged supply of very substantial quantities of Class A drugs.
Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax Tier 3
Bark&co is well known for its strength in fraud and white collar crime, but additionally handles tax investigations and litigation involving VAT and excise duty. Its expertise fully equips the firm to handle VAT tribunals, HMRC interventions, seizures, and searches. Founding partner Giles Bark-Jones heads up the practice, which benefits from his significant experience handling VAT frauds and HMRC disputes.Practice head(s):
Giles Bark-Jones
Other key lawyers:
Pat Wilson; Peter Finbow; Maria Stalbow; Sabrik Dhamu
Testimonials
‘Well-placed to deal with cases that straddle criminal and civil spheres (e.g. fraud and abuse cases).’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is very experienced and knows how to ensure his client’s interests are best looked after. He is commercially astute and tactically aware. ’
‘Sabrik Dhamu is super-efficient and knows her cases inside-out. Pat Wilson understands and identifies the crucial aspects of a case from the outset.’
Work highlights
Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals) Tier 4
Criminal defence boutique firm Bark&co ‘always goes the extra mile’ when representing senior executives, non-executive directors, and clients in the finance sector across the full spectrum of fraud issues. Founding partner Giles Bark-Jones is ‘commercially astute and tactically aware’; he leads the criminal fraud department and takes point on international fraud and corruption cases. David Byrne
focuses his broad practice on regulatory investigations, particularly HMRC investigations. For insider dealing and boiler room fraud mandates, Peter Finbow is the name to note, while Maria Stalbow is a key contact for individuals in the financial sector.
Practice head(s):
Giles Bark-Jones
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The whole team at Bark & Co always goes the extra mile to make sure they have covered all angles to get justice in a case. Their attention to detail is second to none.’
‘Excellent service and commitment to the client.’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is very experienced and knows how to ensure his client’s interests are best looked after. He is commercially astute and tactically aware. His experience is unrivalled.’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is still one of the real heavyweights of the criminal defence world. He is actively involved in client management and providing high-level strategic and tactical advice. Clients really know that he is on their side.’
‘David Byrne has a remarkable knack of finding the fault-lines in a case that no one else spots. He has decades of experience of the biggest cases, and has lost none of his hunger for the fight.’
‘Peter Finbow is someone who provides a reassuring presence in any case. He has excellent instincts, and is adept at spotting and resolving issues long before they become a problem.’
‘Maria Stalbow gets under the skin of a case and has a knack of getting straight to the heart of the case. Clients like her and she’s always on top of the detail.’
‘The team has excellent breadth and depth in the field of financial crime, and is one of the stand out firms doing legal aid work.’
Work highlights
- Acting for an individual in relation to an HMRC investigation concerning online gambling activity in Turkey.
- Acting for a former employee of Glencore Energy UK Limited, Glencore’s UK subsidiary, following the conclusion of the SFO’s investigation into the company; the SFO is investigating further potential charges against individual employees.
Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations Tier 4
Bark&co fields a 'very well regarded and experienced team' with a growing reputation in civil litigation and investigations, in particular VAT and excise duty cases. The group additionally boasts core strength in criminal tax matters, including high profile tax fraud. Giles Bark-Jones leads the team, with a strong reputation in international tax fraud and corruption. White collar crime expert Peter Finbow and fraud specialist Maria Stalbow are core team members.Practice head(s):
Giles Bark-Jones
Other key lawyers:
Peter Finbow; Sabrik Dhamu; Maria Stalbow
Testimonials
‘A very well regarded and experienced team. Well suited to deal with both criminal and civil fraud cases.’
‘Giles Bark-Jones is very experienced and knows how to ensure his client’s interests are best looked after. He is commercially astute and tactically aware.’
‘They have a growing tax and investigations profile arising out of their massive presence in criminal defence.’
‘The firm is well able to look after their clients’ interests over numerous practice areas, with practitioners covering all aspects of serious crime, fraud, tax whether through investigation or into trial. ’
‘Ditesh Patel is a great focal point for client and barrister relationships.’
‘Pat Wilson understands and identifies the crucial aspects of a case from the outset.’
Work highlights
- Acting for an individual in relation to an HMRC investigation concerning online gambling activity in Turkey.
- Acting for one of multiple individuals charged concerning an alleged criminal scheme by which a number of directors of a film production company cheated the Revenue out of £13m+ of VAT.
- Acted for a defendant charged following an HMRC investigation into relation to an alleged £3.5m Cheat on the Revenue and associated money laundering offences.
Bark&co > Firm Profile
Bark&co has one of the UK’s leading fraud and business crime practices, with specialist expertise in heavyweight prosecutions and investigations brought by the SFO, the FCA, HMRC and other national and international prosecuting bodies. It is committed to fighting tenaciously to protect its clients’ interests, and has represented clients in relation to many of the largest and most important frauds of recent years.
The firm: Bark&co is one of the UK’s most progressive and successful fraud and business crime firms. An original member of the Specialist Fraud Panel, it handles civil and criminal fraud, business and tax regulation, tax investigations, white-collar crime, bribery and corruption, and serious crime cases for high-net-worth individuals, as well as national and international companies. The firm has a flexible approach, tailoring its advice to meet each client’s individual needs. Its rigorous commitment to quality and discretion is widely recognised and generates significant referrals from satisfied clients. The firm also appreciates the importance of working with specialists to create robust PR and media management plans.
Principal areas
Fraud: white-collar crime: Bark&co handles a wide range of white-collar crime and fraud cases, including prosecutions and investigations brought by the SFO, the FCA, HMRC, the Special Compliance Office of the Inland Revenue, the CPS, the NCA, SOCA and other prosecuting bodies. Specialists in heavyweight criminal fraud work of all kinds, Bark&co’s advice is increasingly also sought in major civil fraud cases. Acknowledged as a leader in the field, the firm has helped clients in connection with many of the highest-profile prosecutions brought by the SFO and other agencies. Its recent record includes representing some 55 clients at Southwark Crown Court (over the past year, or awaiting trial) as well as acting in a succession of large-scale FCA investigations and prosecutions. Expertise includes money laundering and carousel fraud, mortgage fraud, investment fraud, corruption, pension fund fraud, telecoms fraud, theft, fraudulent trading by company directors and internet fraud. Dedicated teams also assist in relation to confiscation and post- and pre-charge restraint proceedings.
The firm has acted for individuals in many of the largest and most important frauds of recent years, such as the Cheney Pension fraud (the largest theft from a pension fund since Maxwell); the high-profile Asil Nadir case (an SFO prosecution involving allegations of theft from Polly Peck International – including acting for Ersin Tatar (then Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus) in connection thereto); the US$1bn BAE Systems corruption claims; and the Adoboli case (the former trader at UBS charged in relation to US$2.3bn trading losses); and acted for an individual in relation to the SFO’s bribery and corruption investigation into Amec Foster Wheeler (the SFO confirming that it will not proceed with the case after entering a DFA with the company). The firm also acted for a defendant in the SFO prosecution following the Libor scandal; represented key individuals in the high-profile SFO investigations into alleged corruption at Rolls-Royce; and acted in R v F & Others: described by prosecution counsel as the ‘biggest case ever’ involving allegations of carbon trading fraud. More recently it acted for three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker in relation to criminal charges brought by the Insolvency Service following his bankruptcy. The firm also won, in 2022, a landmark victory in the Supreme Court for a high-net-worth client, concerning the extent to which suspects of crime are entitled to privacy – a highly significant decision with profound implications for media reporting as well as for individuals subject to criminal investigation.
The firm’s civil fraud, VAT and indirect tax practice has grown rapidly in recent years. Much of its work in this area is highly confidential, but recent highlights include representing Dominic Chappell in relation to his prosecution for various counts of tax fraud arising from his takeover of BHS from Sir Philip Green; assisting a client in relation to National Crime Agency and SKAT (Danish tax authority) investigations into a £1.5bn fraud against the tax authorities in a number of countries; acting in a substantial MTIC fraud case, in which an Organised Crime Group was alleged to be accountable for significant losses to the UK Exchequer through associated large-scale VAT and Excise duty frauds; and acting for one of a number of individuals charged in relation to an alleged alcohol diversion fraud operated on a massive scale in 2009 and 2010. The firm’s track record also includes acting in relation to an £800m international tax fraud, and assisting a client in a £108m case arising out of Operation Amazon, described by KPMG and The Daily Telegraph as ‘one of the biggest direct tax frauds in UK history’.
Crime: general: The firm also continues to act in large, high-profile criminal cases, following arrests for murder, money laundering, drugs importation, sexual offences and people smuggling. The firm focuses on high-end work, much of it with an international dimension. Bark&co is also active in the fast-growing area of cyber crime, and advises individuals and companies facing investigations or criminal proceedings as a result of health and safety and environmental breaches. The specialist team carefully guides clients through all stages of criminal proceedings from pre-charge interviews through to trial and, where appropriate, appeal.
Bark&co has an impressive track record of representing clients in complex criminal matters. These have included the News of the World ‘phone hacking’ prosecution and subsequent computer hacking investigations; the Melanie Hall historical murder case; the case of cricket match fixing / conspiracy to pervert the course of justice involving former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns; the Clerkenwell ‘crime syndicate’ case; the Operation Yewtree sexual offences investigation; the landmark Agnes Taylor case, involving torture offences dating back to the Liberian civil war and the largest criminal case of its time; and the UK’s largest ever burglary case (carried out by an international criminal gang against a series of celebrities in December 2019). It was recently successful in securing seven murder acquittals, including the acquittal of a client on one of two conspiracies to murder following a ten-week trial at the Central Criminal Court. It also successfully acted in a high-value theft case concerning an alleged conspiracy involving the acquisition of stolen car parts for international exportation on an industrial scale; secured an acquittal in a multi-defendant ‘county lines’ drugs and modern slavery case; and acted for a high-profile individual under investigation for alleged historic sexual offences – as well as assisting clients in international drugs supply, cyber crime, firearms and terrorism matters. While the firm is well known for its discretion, Bark&co’s services are also sought after in cutting-edge matters in the public eye.
International: The firm’s work frequently extends overseas with specialist teams deployed for cases with a multi-jurisdictional element. Its international credentials are demonstrated by its involvement in R v Marrache & Co (the Gibraltar/international law firm fraud case).
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior partner | Giles Bark-Jones | [email protected] | |
| White-collar crime/fraud | Giles Bark-Jones | [email protected] | |
| General crime | Giles Bark-Jones | [email protected] | |
| Civil fraud | Riz Majid | [email protected] | |
| Adverse Possession | Riz Majid | [email protected] | |
| VAT and indirect tax | Riz Majid | [email protected] | |
| Extradition | Magdalena Motyl | [email protected] |
Meet The Team(s)
Lawyer Profiles
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Mr David Byrne | Up until February 2003, partner and head of litigation and investigations in… | View Profile |
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Paul Cameron | Senior Consultant | View Profile |
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Sabrik Dhamu | Senior Solicitor | View Profile |
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Peter Finbow | Senior Solicitor Particular experience in defending cases of serious crime, fraud, corporate… | View Profile |
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Ms Ria Kudrati | Ria qualified as a Solicitor in 1999, gained her Duty Solicitor status… | View Profile |
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Riz Majid | Head of Litigation | View Profile |
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Ms Magdalena Motyl | Legal Consultant | View Profile |
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Ms Malisha Patel | Malisha is a para-legal at Bark & Co who assists solicitors as… | View Profile |
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Maria Stalbow | Senior Solicitor | View Profile |
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Vanessa Wiggins | Solicitor | View Profile |
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Patricia Wilson | Pat is a criminal defence expert in white collar and business crime,… | View Profile |
Solicitor Profiles
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Giles Bark-Jones | Giles Bark-Jones has defended clients in many of the largest white-collar crime… | View Profile |
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Ms Dharsh Lokaswaran | Dharsh is a Solicitor Advocate with a wide-ranging general crime practice. She… | View Profile |
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Ms Safiya Sinclair | At the start of her career, Safiya trained with Bark&co to qualify… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 1 Number of other UK fee-earners : 30Client Testimonials
CLIENT: TM EYE
TESTIMONIAL: TM Eye have used Bark & Co for over 8 years in both criminal and civil proceedings in over 60 cases. They provide an outstanding service that is professional, friendly, and cost effective. They are client focussed with an attention to detail second to none.
COUNSEL: Richard Christie QC
TESTIMONIAL: Giles Bark-Jones is a first rate specialist fraud lawyer. He is the power-house behind his firm which is one of the pre-eminent firms in this area of practice, especially with regard to high net worth individuals. If I were asked to recommend a practitioner in this area he would always be on my list.
CLIENT: Clive Garrad
TESTIMONIAL: Bark and Co solicitors, in my opinion are one of the best, if not the best solicitors in London. Their team go to extraordinary lengths to understand complicated situations. They provide accurate and clear information without the complicated legal jargon and smokes and mirrors that I have encountered previously with some legal service providers. They have served me well and I can only recommend them from my own experience.
CLIENT: TW
TESTIMONIAL: If ever you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you need representation, you need to speak to these guys. The last thing you need, is a flurry of fancy sales pitches. You need sound advice from people who are expert in what they do and – crucially – who know what it takes to organise and deliver a winning strategy.
CLIENT: David Noyes
TESTIMONIAL: I owe my family’s freedom to Bark and Co. They believed in me from the beginning and defended me with great loyalty. I would recommend them to anyone/everyone and do.
CLIENT: Ian Edmondson
TESTIMONIAL: Great team, led by a great legal mind. I have recommended Giles and his team to many clients and they always do a great job.
CLIENT: Samid Shah
Highly recommended! Support and help every step of the way, always on the phone if something needed no matter what the time or situation, do not think there is anyone better I can think of to be represented by.
CLIENT: Aminoor Ahmed
TESTIMONIAL: Bark and Co are without a doubt the best firm in London. They have provided me with outstanding service. Manager Ditesh’s client care has been amazing, he was always supportive. My solicitor at the firm Vanessa Wiggins has been instrumental, she has worked relentlessly throughout the case and was always contactable via phone or e-mail at all times. I always felt confident with my team and that was down to Bark and Co business ethos. I have already recommended a friend to use Bark and Co as I know they will do everything they can to help. Thank you Bark and Co.
CLIENT: Pardeep Briah
TESTIMONIAL: What an outstanding service. Historically I have used other firms who were good however after using Bark and Co I will never use any other firm. From representation and support at the beginning of the problem all the way to getting the result in court. Absolutely outstanding.
CLIENT: Jason Marshall-Smith
Consumate professionalism afforded to me throughout the legal process. I cannot recommend Bark and Co. highly enough. In my case, absolutely at the very top of their chosen specialist field. Thank you Bark and Co.
CLIENT: Aneta Rydlinska
Excellent service received from Bark&Co and their legal consultant Magdalena Motyl for my British citizenship application. Very helpful – from filling in the forms to precise information about documents and procedures. Ms Motyl intervened very effectively during lengthy time of the process and I received positive decisions within timeline – my application can qualify as a difficult one due to my circumstances. Excellent communication via emails, phone calls and texts – even in busy periods I always received very quick response. Highly recommended.
CLIENT: SR
TESTIMONIAL: I initially was with a different firm and they let me down by not turning up! I was recommended Bark&Co by a friend and it was the best decision. Very efficient to get things done, and always went over and beyond! I got an in depth plan of what the other side were saying about me which made me really understand what was going on and what was about to happen. Cannot recommend this firm enough – Huge Thanks!
CLIENT: Tomasz Swidzinski
I recently used Bark&co services for my British Citizenship application. I was extremely happy with the service from start to finish. Magdalena Motyl is highly professional, the documents were prepared flawlessly and the whole process was very smooth. She always responded quickly to emails and phone calls. I would have no reservation about recommending Bark&Co for any immigration matters.
CLIENT: KS
TESTIMONIAL: Top law firm Highly recommend.
CLIENT: Paulina Bednarska
I highly recommend Bark & Co. Full professionalism, fantastic contact and high commitment to the case. If I need a future solicitor definitely I will contact Bark & Co.
CLIENT: RC
Amazing client care. Totally worth the money, amazing attention to detail. Props to Ditesh, Ria & Sef who have been available instantly to assist with any questions. Got me a great result on sentencing and now waiting for them to deal with a confiscation and I am sure I will be back to leave a great review. Thanks everyone.
CLIENT: Rico Smith
TESTIMONIAL: There is a reason why Bark&Co are one of if not the top law firms in London. They have an amazing team who are very knowledgeable and very helpful. Has a family feel when you arrive on site. Vanessa Wiggins in particular has been a key figure at Bark & Co. Her passion to do her job leaves her contactable 24/7. She goes above and beyond to make sure that you’re supported and achieve the best possible solution. Would definitely use their services again and have already recommended Bark & Co and in particular Vanessa. Keep up the amazing work you are doing.
CLIENT: Nas Ahmed
TESTIMONIAL: My case was dealt with very quickly thanks to Ditesh Patel and the help of Sefer Mani. They were available 24/7, gave me updates and even helped me after the case. They are very knowledgeable and professional. Top tier law firm, would recommend highly.
CLIENT: Baljinder Sangha
I cannot speak highly enough of Bark & Co. With this being my first time having to use solicitors I could not have asked for anymore. Having wasted thousands of pounds on other solicitors who were more interested in getting payments than dealing with my case, Bark & Co were a breath of fresh air. From my first meeting with Ditesh & Sef to the conclusion of my case I always felt in safe hands. Sef Mani who managed my case was excellent. He always keeps me in the loop and was always pushing to get the best for me. He takes real passion in his work and I am very pleased with the support and work he put into my case.
CEO: ADMYHER
TESTIMONIAL: During my times of uncertainty, they have been here to help which has been really great for myself, allowing me to focus on the far more important challenges life has to offer. I would highly recommend their service, they are reliable, trustworthy, and extremely experienced. They have a good team around them and know what they are doing. Thank you guys for your previous support and wish you all the best going forward.
CLIENT: Tara Tucker
TESTIMONIAL: I’m writing on behalf of Ian Tucker. The whole Tucker family are so grateful for the professionalism and courteousness we experienced with Sef Mani, Patricia Wilson. Outstanding legal work was carried out by the team from start to finish with no stone left unturned in the pursuit to prove my innocence. Words can’t describe how thankful we are, I feel indebted to them for the rest of my life. Thanks to everyone at Bark & Co for believing in me and giving me so much support.
CLIENT: Alex Neville
TESTIMONIAL: Amazing law firm recommend them to any one and rate them very highly.
CLIENT: Chris Garrett
TESTIMONIAL: This law firm is brilliant, professional and the team are amazing. They took my case and was very honest about possible outcomes, with regards to my solicitor Vanessa Wiggins, she was amazing. Very hard working, patient with absolute professionalism. They always made time for me, whether it was a meeting or a simple query they were there. Guiding and supporting me through a trouble time I was under no illusion. But they worked extremely hard to get the result we all wanted and deserved so a massive thank you to the Bark and Co firm, especially to Vanessa Wiggins, without her I wouldn’t have had the confidence to face my charges. Thanks again guys.
CLIENT: Fidell Williams
Definitely a top tier firm, I’m extremely pleased with the service provided, efficiency, correspondence and result were second to none. Highly recommend.
CLIENT: Vahit Oktar
TESTIMONIAL: Best of the best, very helpful from start to end, I would recommend without any doubt.
CLIENT: Richard Turner
TESTIMONIAL: Words cannot describe what Bark & Co. have done for me and my family. The professionalism and empathy they have shown is unbelievable. Pat Wilson is an absolute asset to their organisation, she was available every step of the way and contactable 24/7. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work and commitment!
CLIENT: Rebecca Jones
TESTIMONIAL: I was very pleased with this firm and in particular my solicitor. I was kept fully up to date. If I rang and she was not available, it wouldn’t take her long to get back to me. I was very much impressed. Would definitely recommend.
CLIENT: TKI
TESTIMONIAL: Pat was more than helpful and always available.