The Legal 500

London: Crime, fraud and licensing

Crime: general

Within: Crime: general

Blackfords LLP combines ‘excellent private work with a busy legal aid practice’. The firm advises on matters such as thefts, murders, sexual offences, drug cases, assaults, property crimes and money laundering offences. The firm acted for Lavinia Woodward who stabbed her boyfriend in a high-profile case in which she received a 10 month suspended sentence due to mitigating factors. The team is headed by ‘charismatic rainmaker’ Gary Bloxsome and ‘real grafter’ Trevor Francis , they are supported by the ‘pragmatic, pro-active, and highly experienced’ Diana Payne. Barrister Rachel Wilson and Consultant Gary Rubin are also recommended.

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Fraud: white-collar crime

Within: Leading individuals

Trevor Francis - Blackfords LLP

Within: Fraud: white-collar crime

‘A go-to practice for all complex financial offences’, Blackfords LLP is ‘most definitely at the top-end of the premiership’. It deals with all aspects of serious fraud, serious crime and money laundering and is adept at defending those prosecuted by the SFO, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Fraud Prosecution Division. The firm continues to act for five defendants in the Hare Wines II case, this was a value-added tax (VAT) diversion fraud involving the importation of alcohol and is estimated to be worth over £200m. Key practitioner Gary Bloxsome has ‘great tactical awareness’ and is ‘a brilliant lawyer, master tactician and as cool as a cucumber’. Daniel Cundy is ‘an exceptionally intelligent lawyer who has the ability to quickly understand extremely complex issues and fearlessly fights his clients’ cases’. Trevor Francis ‘masters huge and complex cases easily’.

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London: Dispute resolution

Professional discipline

Within: Professional discipline

Blackfords LLP 'has a fabulous outfit that has made real strides in this area over the past few years'. The team has a particular strength in acting in matters where professional discipline matters overlap with ongoing or completed criminal investigations. It has a focus on the health and social care sectors as well as considerable expertise in representing serving police and Ministry of Defence police personnel in misconduct proceedings. In other areas, the practice acts for football professionals facing sexual abuse allegations of a historic nature; and represents solicitors in Solicitors Regulation Authority investigations. The team represented the registrant, a registered mental health nurse, in relation to allegations stemming from a fatality that occurred in a mental health unit. The 'first-class' Head of Regulatory Gary Rubin is 'a very talented lawyer who is tenacious and clever'; other key names are Trevor Francis  and Gary Bloxsome, while solicitor advocate Jennifer Richardson is 'a smashing lawyer who is calm and assured and brilliant with clients'.

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London: Human resources

Health and safety

Within: Health and safety

At Blackfords LLP, department head Gary Rubin is 'a star from start to finish' with 'excellent tactical skills and unrivalled experience'. Highlights for Rubin include acting for a tram driver in an investigation following a tram crash in Croydon in which seven people died, representing a machine worker in a gross negligence manslaughter investigation following the fatal injuring of another worker, and working with Gary Bloxsome to act for Martinisation and one of its directors in an investigation following a double fatality in which a balcony collapsed killing two and injuring six others. Trevor Francis and consultant Philip Williams are also recommended.

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South East: Crime, fraud and licensing

Crime: fraud

Within: Leading individuals

Trevor Francis - Blackfords LLP

Within: Crime: fraud

Blackfords LLP's team is ‘excellent and has a well-earned reputation’ for handling high-value and frequently high-profile fraud cases. Its work is principally based in London and the South East but it also handles cases with international aspects. The team, which includes ‘excellent lawyers at all levels’, has deep expertise in defending cases ranging from fraudulent investment schemes and frauds concerning both individuals and companies to money laundering, bribery and corruption. ‘Very tough criminal litigator’ Gary Bloxsome and ‘diligent, clever and hardworking’ Trevor Francis, who jointly head the department, have successfully defended a number of high-profile white-collar crime cases. Daniel Cundy, who is ‘a hardworking, personable and tactical lawyer and one of the first names to be called in any complex fraud’, is handling a caseload that includes a ‘cash for crash’ conspiracy to defraud insurance companies and a carbon markets share scheme where the client and others were alleged to have sold Certified Emission Reductions and Voluntary Emission Reductions to individuals who were induced into buying worthless shares.

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Crime: general

Within: Leading individuals

Trevor Francis - Blackfords LLP

Within: Crime: general

Blackfords LLP’s ‘senior, established and talented team’ is ‘among the best’ for criminal defence matters. The sizeable team, includes 15 solicitor-advocates, handles cases nationally. Its caseload includes murder, GBH, sexual crimes, child abuse, kidnapping and drugs offences, many of which attract intense media interest. Co-head Trevor Francis is handling a case of historic rape where new DNA evidence has been discovered. Fellow co-head Gary Bloxsome  is ‘a very tough criminal litigator, excellent in the police station and in persuading the police not to proceed’. Diana Payne, who heads the general crime team, and litigation executive Anne Marie Geraghty ‘are both excellent, serious crime practitioners’.

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