Tom Allen KC KC > Cloth Fair Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Cloth Fair Chambers Offices
39-40 CLOTH FAIR
LONDON
EC1A 7NT
England
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Tom Allen KC KC
Position
Tom Allen focuses on commercial and business crime alongside financial regulation. He represents corporate entities and individuals, in respect of both domestic and international matters involving allegations of fraud, bribery, corruption, and money laundering.
Career
Bribery and Corruption
Recent instructions include multiple SFO investigations into cross-jurisdictional bribery and corruption offences.
- Currently acting in SFO vs Cook – listed as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2023
- Represented David Lufkin, global head of sales at Petrofac, in connection with bribery allegations relating to the obtaining of contracts worth $8bn and the payment of bribes of over $80m across three jurisdictions.
- Defended English QC in Trinidad, charged with entering a corrupt agreement with a former Attorney General.
- Successfully defended the CEO of Guralp Systems Ltd in respect of bribery allegations relating to business in South Korea.
- Advising directors about allegations of corruption in connection with numerous SFO investigations, including Rolls Royce PLC.
Fraud
- Successfully defended trader alleged to have defrauded Otkritie Bank of $150m.
- Successfully defended the CEO of an international mining company in SFO proceedings relating to s.2 powers.
- Advising directors in connection with fraud allegations by SFO relating to Serco, Barclays and G4S.
Tax
- Advising Premier League football club in connection with an ongoing HMRC investigation into payment of VAT.
- Instructed to defend in film financing fraud.
Regulatory Matters
- Recently instructed in Guernsey FSC hearings into a series of collapsed cross-border investment funds.
- Acted in multiple FRC cases, including acting against PwC (auditors for JP Morgan) for failure to notice the non-segregation of up to $23bn of client funds over a period of seven years.
Disciplinary and Sports
- Instructed in proceedings brought by British Rowing (Olympic selection) and British Fencing (allegations of racism).
- Acted in disciplinary proceedings relating to barristers, accountants, solicitors, architects, and surveyors.
Memberships
Called to the Bar – 1994
QC – 2015 | KC – 2022
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Business and regulatory crime (including global investigations)
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1Tom Allen KC – Cloth Fair Chambers ‘Tom is knowledgeable, clear in his advice and strategic in his thinking. The additional benefit is that he regularly defends individuals in business crime cases so he has an excellent insight into the defence arguments to run.’
Well-versed in multi-jurisdictional work, Cloth Fair Chambers is lauded for its expertise in all aspects of bribery, corruption, money laundering, and insider dealing as part of the set’s varied caseload, which frequently extends to the intersection of criminal and civil law. Tom Allen KC is highlighted for acting for the lead defendant in R (SFO) v Cook, Mason, proceedings regarding charges of corruption in relation to military contracts related to work carried out for the Saudi Arabian National Guard, which included allegations about the involvement of senior UK politicians and civil servants. Stuart Biggs represents a director pre-charge in the SFO investigation into the collapse of London Capital & Finance, while Robert Dacre joined the set in March 2024 from 2 Hare Court, and prosecutes for the London Borough of Hillingdon in a case related to infringement of the copyright of a number of leading brands. Rhys Meggy arrived in May 2023 from QEB Hollis Whiteman.