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England - North West • Crime, fraud and licensing
1

General crime and fraud

Forbes Solicitors

More information
Hailed for its ‘first class knowledge of the legal system’, Forbes Solicitors excels in cases concerning drug trafficking, modern slavery, fraud, bribery and corruption and various other financial crime cases, often covering high-profile and multijurisdictional mandates. The team is jointly led by Daniel King, who took up a consultant position in May 2024 and is a preeminent criminal practitioner dealing with complex business and financial crime and asset recovery cases, and the ’astute, practical and tenacious’ Craig Liversidge, an expert in drug conspiracy and financial crime cases. Shane Parkin regularly handles terrorism, murder, cyber-crime and drug-related matters, Craig MacKenzie represents HNW and UHNW individuals against allegations of fraud and Michael O’Garra, who joined the firm in March 2024 from O’Garra Cohen Cramer, has extensive experience defending cases brought by various governmental agencies.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The criminal team at Forbes is at the forefront of the criminal justice system - they stand out way ahead of others. They are remarkable. They have a first class knowledge of the legal system and can deal with everyone in the same, fair way.’

  • ‘Carrie Gilgun can really do any sort of case. She is inspiring, insightful and industrious and clients respect her and so does the Bar. Her hard work always pays off. Craig MacKenzie is brilliant. He leaves no stone unturned and gets results.’

  • ‘They are clearly diligent and sought after as at that time they were attracting clients in major fraud cases from as far afield as the south of England.’

  • ‘Daniel King is utterly charming in a field that can be terse! His comprehension and control of the case are equally marked. These skills are only trumped by his extraordinary levels of client care; seldom have I witnessed such understanding of and respect towards the lay client.’

  • ‘The star performer is Shane Parkin. He has extremely good judgement, is an excellent forensic lawyer and always commands the trust of his clients. He is a joy to work with, efficient, appreciative and fun.’

  • ‘Craig Liversidge is astute, practical and tenacious.’

  • ‘Daniel King is one of the most respected fraud lawyers in the Northwest. He has been in most of the leading fraud cases nationally. He is as at home in Southwark as he is in Manchester or Preston. Craig Liversidge is an extremely talented solicitor who should be your first choice on a fraud case. He is always in demand on the most complex of cases.’

  • ‘I have found Phil Blackburn to be a truly exceptional solicitor in terms of quality of client care, tactical acumen and case preparation. He is also both extremely responsive and proactive in his dealings with counsel. It is a pleasure to be able to write this reference and I would not hesitate to recommend him.’

Practice head

Daniel King; Craig Liversidge

Other key lawyers

Shane Parkin; Craig MacKenzie; Michael O'Garra; Carrie Gilgun; Phil Blackburn