Polly Sprenger > Addleshaw Goddard > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The global investigations team at Addleshaw Goddard expertly handles a broad range of corporate crime mandates, including international sanctions issues, contentious financial services regulatory matters, and investigations. The highly regarded Michelle de Kluyver, described by clients as a ‘superstar of the field’, oversees the team; de Kluyver takes point on cross-border financial crime investigations, as well as compliance and governance issues. Working alongside her is Nichola Peters, whose extensive expertise encompasses DPAs, corporate advisory work, and investigations into corruption, sanctions violations, terrorist financing, and fraud. Polly Sprenger is a key name for private prosecutions as well as complex fraud and workplace misconduct investigations. Also in the core team is Neeta Chityal, who was promoted to partner in May 2023; Chityal is a key contact for financial institutions seeking advice on cross-border corporate crime and regulatory investigations.

Leveraging its credentials in insolvency, private prosecutions, and commercial and financial litigation, Addleshaw Goddard has the ‘ability to handle large-scale, complex, international fraud litigation in an agile way’. The practice is co-led by Polly Sprenger, whose recent experience includes fraud investigations, along with asset tracing and recovery work for investment funds, and civil fraud, asset tracing and recovery specialist Maria Frangeskides, who ‘builds incredibly strong relationships with clients’. The team further includes Alex Hogarth, an expert in fraud claims that are supported by urgent injunctive relief; civil fraud claim-focused Mark Chesher; and Lauren Hamilton, whose caseload takes in technology-related disputes.

Addleshaw Goddard‘s multi-disciplinary private prosecutions group is adept at handling early-stage investigations, relationships with law enforcement, financial cases, and Proceeds of Crime Act applications. The group is referred to as ‘one of the most experienced in bringing private prosecutions in the UK‘. Practice head Polly Sprenger‘s prior experience at the Serious Fraud Office enables her to provide clients with an ‘understanding of the approach taken by the police in criminal matters’. Among the key clients for the group are multinational corporations hailing from sectors such as pharmaceuticals, retail, and gaming. Matt Stockton has experience not only in dealing with UK authorities in private prosecutions, but also in commercial litigation and fraud disputes.