Hickman & Rose

Business Crime

Tom Bushnell is a senior associate and barrister in the business crime and regulatory department, acting on complex financial crime, business crime and regulatory matters. He draws on extensive experience prosecuting and defending such cases prior to joining Hickman & Rose.

Tom has been closely involved in some of the most significant financial crime cases of the last decade.

Tom acted for Carlo Palombo in his landmark, successful appeal to the Supreme Court (with Tom Hayes) against conviction in relation to EURIBOR and LIBOR. The Supreme Court overturned Mr Palombo and Mr Hayes’ convictions, after the Court of Appeal had refused similar appeals against conviction on five occasions. Tom is now advising four other traders on appeals in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.

He was also part of the Hickman & Rose team which successfully defended the former Managing Director of G4S Care and Justice Services in criminal proceedings brought by the SFO.

Whilst at the Bar (as a member of leading chambers Three Raymond Buildings) Tom was the FCA’s junior counsel in its investigation and prosecution of NatWest for breaches of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007. The case was the first time the FCA had prosecuted a large bank and culminated in the highest ever fine imposed on conviction in the UK (over £264m).

Tom is an expert in contentious FCA cases, having previously been seconded into and instructed by the FCA’s Criminal Prosecutions Team. He is particularly adept in situations where the FCA’s criminal and regulatory jurisdictions overlap. In addition to the milestone prosecution of NatWest, Tom advised the FCA on two significant insider dealing prosecutions whilst at the Bar, and defended a third insider dealing trial against the FCA. Whilst at Hickman & Rose, he has advised multiple individuals on voluntary requests by the FCA for information in relation to trading; and represented three individuals under dual-track investigation for insider dealing/market abuse.

Tom’s FCA regulatory experience includes representing an individual who has referred a prohibition order and financial penalty to the Upper Tribunal, and advising a senior executive within a regulated firm on a high-stakes internal investigation.

Tom is also well placed to advise when criminal or regulatory issues arise in relation to licensed premises and in the hospitality sector, having developed a busy licensing practice at the Bar. Recent work includes successfully avoiding prosecution for an innovative restaurant in Westminster following pest issues; and acting for a food production business and director in an extensive Food Standards Agency investigation.

Tom brings deep and practical experience of criminal litigation to all his cases. At the Bar, he regularly represented individuals accused of serious general criminal matters in the magistrates’ and Crown Courts: often professionals whose livelihoods were at stake.

Tom studied law at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he graduated with a first and received multiple scholarships and prizes. He completed the BPTC at Kaplan Law School, received an ‘Outstanding’ overall and was awarded a Certificate of Honour by Middle Temple.

Tom is a member of the Financial Services Lawyers Association.