Our commercial and international expertise enables a holistic approach to cases involving bribery, corruption, sanctions, complex fraud and extradition matters. One of our team previously headed the International Assistance Unit at the UK Serious Fraud Office.
We have undertaken includes hundreds of judicial reviews on matters involving extradition (including the first UK case under the European Arrest Warrant framework and the first case under the UK/US extradition treaty of 2003), very high profile fraud, corruption and mutual legal assistance investigations and proceedings, as well as the prosecution of complex and serious frauds.
In addition to speaking regularly at international conferences, our practitioners have written widely on this area, with publications (in addition to regular articles in legal and academic journals) including contributions to The SFO Operational Handbook, Fraud: Criminal Law and Procedure (Loose-leaf OUP 2008), Left out of the Bargain: Settlements in Foreign Bribery Cases and Implications for Asset Recovery (World Bank StAR 2010) and Typology on Mutual Legal Assistance in Foreign Bribery Cases (OECD:2012).
Examples of our engagements are set out below. For more details of our experience in specific sectors or jurisdictions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Investigations and Mutual Legal Assistance
- Advising and assisting a Middle Eastern prosecution department on the process, procedure, and evidence required to locate and freeze the proceeds of a massive fraud which came to light as a result of the collapse of a banking institution
- Liaising with prosecution bodies and regulators in the US, UK, and Canada on the appropriate investigation body and means of sharing and transferring evidence in relation to the alleged manipulation of the financial markets in multiple jurisdictions
- Investigating those responsible for an alleged fraud on a German Landesbank, involving interviewing witnesses, professional firms and successfully applying for warrants for the search and seizure of evidence
- Obtaining warrants from the Crown Court to search solicitor’s offices and other premises for evidence on behalf of a US investigation concerning a project in Bonny Island, Nigeria
- Resisting judicial review applications of decisions to investigate and search premises in connection with allegations of corruption and money laundering arising out of an Eastern European power contract
- Re: Koopman and Georgiadis – representing the Director of the SFO in Judicial Review proceedings concerning a South African Mutual Legal Assistance request (alleged corruption)
- Re: an African State – advising the SFO in respect of a mutual legal assistance request made by an African State concerning alleged corruption underpinning large scale commercial contracts
- Advising the SFO in respect of a high profile mutual legal assistance request made by an EU state concerning alleged criminality (dumping of hazardous waste)
- Re: Berlusconi and Mills – representing the Prosecutor of Milan in evidence gathering proceedings before the English Court (cross examining witnesses in England for proceedings in Italy)
- Re: Jeffrey Tesler – advising and representing the Director of the SFO in Judicial Review proceedings concerning a US Mutual Legal Assistance request (re: Halliburton and alleged corruption in the Nigerian Bonney Island LNG project)
- Re: Abacha – advising and representing the Home Secretary in respect of a contested MLA request
- Re: Bribery Act 2010 – advising a listed company in respect of SFO investigations
Regulatory Proceedings
- Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority v First Abu Dhabi Bank – appointed as Advocate to the Court in regulatory proceedings before the Qatar International Court
- Re: Silverleaf – representing Directors in the first case brought before the Qatar Financial Centre Court
- Re: QFCRA/Al-Mal – advising Directors of a Bank subject to regulatory intervention
- Re: Garnet – advising and representing the Guernsey authorities in respect of a failed legal challenge relating to “no-consent” vis-à-vis suspicious transactions and financial regulation (Court of Appeal/Privy Council)
- Re: Telecoms – advising and representing one of the world’s leading telecom operators in respect of a dispute (foreign regulatory and Court proceedings) concerning Mobile Telephone Licence/interference by the incumbent – leading to sanctions against the incumbent
Fraud and Corruption
- Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu – lead counsel for Kenya’s Director of Public Prosecutions in criminal proceedings and related civil and administrative proceedings in Kenya
- Advising a major multi-national corporation on an alleged corruption investigation
Judicial Review
- Advised and represented a Central Asian government intervening in judicial review proceedings in the English High Court
- Re: Ramy Lakah – representing the Director of the SFO in Judicial Review proceedings
- Re: Nigeria – advising and representing the Nigerian Government in Judicial Review proceedings in Jersey
