Crisis Management

Enforcement and criminal investigations

With power comes responsibility. There are many ways in which a director can be found personally liable for criminal offences committed in connection with their position. In some circumstances, a director may also face prosecution where the company itself, or someone associated with it, commits an offence. The consequences can be serious, and include substantial fines, prison sentences, disqualification, other court orders, and personal liability for company debts.

We provide robust, reassuring and discreet advice to company directors risking or facing investigation or prosecution in the UK, including in relation to:

• Internal company investigations, for example where there are suspicions of fraud, bribery, money laundering, facilitation of tax evasion, sexual misconduct, cross-border issues or data protection breaches
• Investigation and prosecution by the Serious Fraud Office, City of London Police, Crown Prosecution Service, HM Revenue and Customs, Insolvency Service, Health and Safety Executive, Environment Agency, Companies House, and Competition and Markets Authority
• Regulatory interventions from agencies such as the Financial Conduct Authority, Gambling Commission and Ofcom
• Pre- and post-charge advice, including representations to the police
• Dawn raids and searches and seizures on company or residential premises
• Arrest, interviews under caution and advice at the police station
• Criminal court proceedings
• Companies Act offences and investigations
• Corporate manslaughter, environmental and health and safety offences (including fire and food safety)
• Compliance with the Competition Act 1998, Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Fraud Act 2006, Bribery Act 2010, Modern Slavery Act 2015 and Criminal Finances Act 2017

For more details, please read our Criminal Litigation page.

Protecting reputations

If you have been accused of something, either in your professional or personal capacity, it is critical to assess the problems that will arise quickly and strategically.

Whatever the allegations or dispute may be, when you are in the middle it can be hard to know how to respond while the investigators or regulators seek to establish cause and to apportion blame. Our team of reputational lawyers will be able to help.

Our services include:

• Defamation and harassment
• Privacy law
• Libel
• Media management
• Blackmail and extortion

For more details, please read our Protecting Your Reputation page.