Mr Justin McClelland > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Stephenson Harwood Offices

1 FINSBURY CIRCUS
LONDON
EC2M 7SH
England
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Mr Justin McClelland

Work Department
Commercial litigation
Position
Justin leads the specialist Regulatory and Investigations team and is co-Head of the broader Commercial Litigation practice in London.
He is acknowledged as a leading individual in the areas of both regulatory investigations and corporate crime, with the leading legal directories noting that “Justin McClelland can be a game-changer; he knows the case backwards and has superb instincts”.
He is described as “knowledgeable, astute and empathetic” and “‘excellent’ at handling multi-jurisdictional investigations,” where his “structured, calm and thorough” approach has proved invaluable in resolving the most challenging matters for clients, whether corporate or individuals. The Directories have noted that “Justin McClelland is the main selling point as he brings considerable experience, expertise and judgement in the field’.” and that “Justin McClelland is the stand-out practitioner. He has considerable cross-over experience, excellent judgement and secures great results.”
Justin’s practice is international and covers a number of sectors, including financial services, transport, construction, pharmaceuticals and energy, in the following areas:
Regulatory investigations: Leading and managing the defence of corporate clients and individuals in complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations on issues such as market abuse, insider dealing, breaches of the FCA’s Principles and Rules, and cartel behaviour. The investigative agencies with which he has dealt include, in the UK, the FCA, the PRA, the FRC, the ICAEW, the MHRA, the NCA and the SFO and, overseas, the European Commission, the US DOJ, the NYAG, the US CFTC, the Dubai FSA and the Japanese FSA;
Regulatory advice: Managing interactions with regulators in supervisory environments to avoid or minimise the impact of regulatory breaches pre-enforcement. The agencies dealt with have included (in the UK), the FCA, PRA, MCA, ICAEW and MHRA;
Corporate investigations: Managing internal investigations involving POCA concerns, employment disputes, internal fraud allegations, export compliance/sanctions issues, bribery issues and data protection issues;
High-value litigation: Representing clients in commercial and financial disputes including cross-jurisdictional litigation, multi-party actions, appellate proceedings, and follow-on actions arising from regulatory investigations;
Compliance programmes: Providing assistance to clients in developing, implementing and reviewing compliance programmes.
Prior to his private practice, Justin served as a lawyer in the British Army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and prosecuting cases spanning the criminal spectrum at Courts Martial, as well as advising and negotiating internationally and at the highest levels of government. Justin was awarded the MBE in June 1998.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
Senior traders, executives, and employees across a diverse array of industries regularly instruct the white-collar crime team at Stephenson Harwood on the full range of financial crime defence matters. Former prosecutor Justin McClelland now heads up the team and takes point on both criminal and regulatory investigations, handling allegations of cartel activity, market misconduct, and internal investigations. David Capps leverages his in-house experience from the banking industry to advise clients on the full range of financial regulatory enforcement matters. The ‘dedicated, compassionate, and brilliant‘ Alan Ward is a key contact for multijurisdictional mandates, while Sean Jeffrey is the name to note for financial sanctions issues.
London > Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
(Leading partners)Stephenson Harwood is regularly instructed to advise investment clients, large banks, retailers, and asset management companies on the full range of corporate crime issues. Justin McClelland heads up the team and handles cartel issues, market misconduct work, and internal investigations, attracting praise for his ‘impeccable judgement’. Sean Jeffrey takes point on matters concerning financial sanctions, while the ‘immensely knowledgeable and hardworking‘ Alan Ward is routinely instructed by financial institutions on multijurisdictional regulatory investigations. 2023 saw the firm strengthening its financial regulatory offering with the arrival of the ‘outstanding‘ David Capps, previously at Ashurst. Tony Woodcock left the team in 2023.
London > Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
(Leading partners)Drawing upon a ‘good breadth and depth of expertise’, Stephenson Harwood provides ‘incredibly responsive, pragmatic and commercial’ advice to individuals and entities facing regulatory scrutiny. Sean Jeffrey is ‘very knowledgeable’ across an array of regulatory and fraud issues facing the sector and has achieved very favourable results for clients in both FCA enforcement matters and S166 reviews. Recognised as a ‘terrific strategist’, team head Justin McClelland is ‘perfect for any really tough financial services dispute’, including those with an international dimension and/or parallel regulatory enforcement actions and civil disputes. Alan Ward is ‘clever, savvy and hardworking’, and continues to gain market recognition as a result of his work for individuals and entities subject to regulatory and criminal investigations, as well as in internal investigations.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners London > Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Leading partners London > Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Financial services: contentious London > Corporate and commercial
- Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) London > Risk advisory
- Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals) London > Crime, fraud and licensing
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Private client > Art and cultural property
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Transport > Rail
Firm Rankings
- Transport > Aviation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Employment > Employers
- Dispute resolution > Group litigation: Claimant
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Employment > Senior executives
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Real estate > Property finance
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Renewables
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport