Chris advises businesses and individuals across various sectors on business crime and sanctions risk compliance.

He has extensive experience advising clients on complex internal investigations, as well as providing representation in external investigations. Recent matters have included investigations and prosecutions brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the Environment Agency (EA), as well as various domestic professional services regulators.

Chris has recently acted in proceedings involving allegations of misconduct in the financial services industry, conspiracy to defraud, bribery, insider dealing, market abuse, export control & trade sanctions as well as complex civil recover matters involving confiscation, restraint orders, and cash seizures.

He has achieved particular success negotiating with prosecutors and regulators on the disposal of enforcement proceedings at an early stage, including under The Attorney General’s Guidelines on Plea Discussions in Cases of Serious or Complex Fraud and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. 

Chris advises on all aspects of sanctions-related challenges, particularly for financial services, professional services and insurance clients. Providing analysis of applicable legislation, assistance with crucial due diligence work, licence applications, reporting obligations and training. 

In 2010, Chris worked in the General Counsel’s Division of the Financial Conduct Authority, where he was involved in advising on public, regulatory, and financial services law relating to policy and supervision within the regulation of the financial services industry. 

Chris was called to the Bar in 2007 and cross-qualified as a solicitor with a leading white-collar crime firm in London where he acted for HNW and high-profile individuals, directors and officers. 

Featured experience:

• Acting for multiple defendants in Operation Tabernula, the FCA’s largest ever investigation into insider dealing 

• Acting for multiple parties in the US/UK LIBOR investigations conducted by the SFO, FCA and Department of Justice with other US regulators 

• Acting for a senior manager of a multi-national company charged by the SFO with corruption offences relating to the payment of bribes to foreign public officials 

• Represented a professional services firm in an enforcement investigation by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation