2 Hare Court

Leon Kazakos KC’s practice divides into business crime, general crime, regulatory proceedings, tax appeals, and police disciplinary work.

Now in his fifth year in silk, he is ranked Band 2 for both General and Financial Crime by Chambers and Partners and ranked by the Legal 500 in three categories – crime, business & regulatory crime (including global investigations) and fraud. Prior to taking silk, Leon was shortlisted for Crime Junior of the Year 2019 and ranked Band 1 for Crime by Chambers and Partners.

In business crime he is instructed to defend across the spectrum of misconduct; from allegations of high value fraud, corruption, and misconduct in public office to cheating the public revenue, money laundering, insolvency offences, breaches of FSMA, and other related misconduct.

His general criminal practice encompasses homicide (murder and manslaughter), human trafficking and slavery, serious drugs and firearms offences, and serious sexual offending.

His regulatory work spans firearms licensing, breaches of planning notices, wildlife offences (CITES regulations) and some health and safety work.

His tax work focuses on bringing appeals to the First and Upper Tier Tribunals in a variety of direct and indirect taxation cases, often where evasion or dishonesty is alleged by HMRC.

He provides advice and advocacy in substantial, sensitive and complex cases, usually from a pre-charge stage; representing individuals and companies who are under investigation or being prosecuted for serious wrongdoing. He is an accredited advocacy trainer (Lincoln’s Inn), a pupil supervisor, and a trained facilitator for advocacy and the vulnerable. Leon lectures and delivers training to solicitors’ and accountancy firms in relation to criminal and regulatory matters, with a particular focus on financial misconduct and money laundering.

Leon was elected to Lead the South Eastern Circuit in 2023 and 2024. He is proud to be a Vice Chair of the Kalisher Trust. He is a contributing editor to Butterworths “Fraud Law, Practice and Procedure.”, a contributing author on corporate crime to LexisNexis and a contributor to Banks on Sentence.

Year of Call 1999; Appointed King's Counsel 2020.

Advocacy Trainer (Lincoln’s Inn); South Eastern Circuit; Criminal Bar Association; Fraud Lawyers Association; Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers; Financial Services Lawyers Association; Revenue Bar Association; Private Prosecution Association.