Clifford Chance LLP remains at the forefront of regulatory, investigations and financial crime work. Its ‘highly experienced’ team is a key port of call for high-profile financial services clients, as well as a number of corporate clients across sectors including aerospace, healthcare, defence, electronics and tech. The scope of the team’s work is broad, from precedent-setting PRA and FCA investigations to sanction prosecutions and criminal proceedings under money laundering regulations. Increasingly, the group is also applying its contentious expertise to ESG, corruption, and fraud issues. The ’experienced and pragmatic’ Dorian Drew co-heads the practice, leveraging decades of experience in high-stakes regulatory investigations and enforcement action. Drew leads the team alongside the ‘extremely capable…considered and conscientious’ Oliver Pegden, who is regularly instructed on complex regulatory enforcement matters, including high-profile FCA and PRA investigations into insider dealing, gilt market manipulation, and dividend arbitrage schemes; Pegden also leads sensitive internal investigations involving data sharing within investment banks. Kelwin Nicholls advises across a broad spectrum of contentious regulatory matters, from precedent-setting investigations in the blockchain sector to multi-agency proceedings involving complex allegations of misconduct. Michael Lyons brings deep expertise in financial crime and regulatory enforcement, routinely advising institutions on high-stakes investigations involving sanctions, AML breaches, export controls, and bribery concerns. Samantha Ward combines expertise in competition litigation and contentious regulatory enforcement, frequently supporting financial institutions in high-profile investigations spanning cartel conduct, systems and controls failures, and financial market integrity.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Very strong, all-round excellence.’

  • ‘Highly experienced team. The partner and senior associate we have worked with understand the sector and the issues faced by clients in that sector, including regulatory focus.’

  • ‘Dorian Drew is highly experienced, pragmatic, and commands respect from clients.'

  • 'Sophie Cunliffe is thoughtful and responsive.’

  • ‘Simply the best in the UK.’

  • ‘Oliver Pegden, Dorian Drew and Kelwin Nicholls are kingmakers. The biggest cases and the best service. Excellent teamwork.'

  • ‘A market leader in financial services work with an excellent reputation.’

  • ‘Oliver Pegden stands out as an extremely capable, eminently reasonable, equanimous, considered and conscientious solicitor.’

  • 'Excellent regulatory expertise.'

  • 'Dorian Drew is my go-to lawyer for anything involving the FCA or PRA. He really knows his stuff but presents it in a commercial and pragmatic way. He brings gravitas and I have no hesitation putting him in front of my senior execs or the Board.'

Lawyers

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Michael Lyons
Oliver Pegden
Samantha Ward

Leading associates

Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Sophie Cunliffe

Practice head

Dorian Drew; Oliver Pegden

Other key lawyers

Kelwin Nicholls; Michael Lyons; Samantha Ward; Sophie Cunliffe