David Sleight > Kingsley Napley LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Experienced in assistance in disciplinary proceedings, allegations of sexual misconduct, academic appeals, plagiarism, and harassment, Kingsley Napley LLP‘s education practice draws from the firm’s strengths on regulatory, criminal law and public law to assist students and their parents, as well as academic staff in a wide range of education matters. The department is led by Shannett Thompson who is an expert for education and healthcare and is experienced in relation to sexual misconduct allegations. Key members of the team are public lawyer Sophie Kemp, Matthew Hardcastle, who is an expert in police investigations involving child suspects, and criminal litigators Sandra Paul and David Sleight .

Hailed by clients as ‘simply the best,’ Kingsley Napley LLP maintains a leading criminal litigation practice with expertise spanning the full range of white-collar crimes. Seasoned financial crime specialist Louise Hodges oversees the department and routinely acts for high-net-worth individuals facing investigations by the SFO and FCA. The ‘very skillful‘ Jonathan Grimes leads on high-value civil asset recovery proceedings, sanctions, and fraud issues, while Nicola Finnerty handles criminal cartels, corruption, and money laundering allegations. Caroline Day specialises in business crime; Rebecca Niblock handles extradition, Red Notices, and sanctions matters; and David Sleight is a key contact for tax evasion and overseas corruption investigations. Also in the core team are financial services specialist Jill Lorimer and former SFO general counsel Alun Milford. The team is ably assisted by the ‘tactically astute‘ Sophie Wood and the ‘supremely talented‘ Gemma Tombs.

Kingsley Napley LLP, ‘a Rolls-Royce outfit’, offers a wide range of legal services for high profile and media-sensitive clients. Louise Hodges heads the criminal litigation team, while Sandra Paul and David Sleight co-lead the general crime division. Described as ‘absolutely exceptional and at the top of her game’, Paul is an expert in matters concerning homicide drug offences, and sexual misconduct. Sleight represents a range of clients and is often sought after by Premier League football clubs. Regarded for her expertise in extradition matters, Rebecca Niblock represents clients regarding submissions from INTERPOL and international counsels. Matthew Hardcastle acts for clients on a variety of sensitive issues, including representation in Parliamentary Standards Authority investigations. Edward Jones supports the practice with ‘great strategic and tactical skills’ on a wide range of matters, including murder, manslaughter, and rape.

Kingsley Napley LLP‘s contentious tax team offers support in both civil and criminal tax matters, and is composed of ‘experienced, skilful practitioners’. Leading the team is Waqar Shah, ‘undoubtedly one of the most dynamic tax litigation partners in the industry’, who has experience representing individuals and corporate clients in both litigation and ADR. Criminal tax specialist David Sleight‘s practice includes matters relating to fraud, tax evasion, and overseas corruption. Krishna Mahajan joined the team from Stewarts in January 2024.