Business Crime

We can advise and represent you if you are being investigated or prosecuted for:

• Bribery or corruption
• Insider dealing or market abuse
• Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) offences, such as providing regulated services without authorisation or failing to meet governance standards
• Fraud
• Tax Evasion
• Money laundering and related Proceeds of Crime Act offences
• Asset forfeiture and seizure
• Trading standards breaches
• Road traffic offences.

Interviews with the police and other authorities can be stressful and intimidating, whatever the circumstances. Our solicitors will help you prepare for the entire process and support you every step of the way. Your business may be criminally liable too if it has failed to prevent bribery, tax evasion, money laundering and other crimes being committed by an employee. We can advise and represent your business through these investigations as well. 

We can also help your business develop policies and procedures to help prevent crimes taking place and report them if they do. You’ll get advice on risk assessments, due diligence, auditing and monitoring. We’ll train your staff on their obligations under the UK Bribery Act, Criminal Finances Act, and Anti Money Laundering legislation. 

As part of one of the UK’s largest national law firms, we help people and businesses all across the country. We work with:

• Employees, senior managers, directors, and business owners
• Owner-managed businesses
• Small and medium-sized companies
• PLCs
• Institutions and charities
• Blue chip companies.

Your criminal liability and the legislation you must follow depends on which sector you work in. We have solicitors with experience across all major sectors so you’ll always work with someone that understands your specific business needs. We can help if you are being investigated or prosecuted by:

• Serious Fraud Office (SFO)
• Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
• The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
• Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
• Trading Standards
• Local Authorities
• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

At times of crisis, you need people on your side who understand the big picture. Our team includes both solicitors, to give you advice, and advocates, to represent you in court. For decades, we’ve helped people and businesses like you through the entire investigation and prosecution process, not just parts of it. 

We’re skilled at reading witnesses, cross-examining, challenging case theories, making speeches to judges and juries. All this impacts the advice that you get and means you’re fully prepared at all times. Your best possible outcome is always our focus. We’ll investigate and explain all your options to minimise the impact the investigation has on you or your business. You’ll learn about potential issues early on and we’ll tell you how exactly to handle them. 

Our lawyers understand how stressful an investigation or prosecution can be. You’ll have our discrete, sensitive and professional support throughout. We’ll always try to limit any disruption for both your personal and professional lives. Modern businesses have more compliance and liability to worry about than ever. Our sector-specific approach will help you focus on the relevant issues for your business, saving you time, money, and energy to spend on more valuable activity.