Nicola Finnerty

NOTABLE CASES

• currently advising a number of individuals in relation to investigations into alleged Competition Act 1998 infringements by the CMA and the FCA;
• presently instructed in a number of insider dealing cases being investigated by the FCA. She has acted in several FCA prosecutions for insider dealing (including Operation Tabernula – the FCA’s largest insider dealing case to date);
• represented individuals in relation to criminal cartel investigations by the CMA (and OFT) in various sectors;
• advised a high profile businessman in respect of an investigation by the NCA into alleged donor offences relating to the EU referendum – the investigation was discontinued following successful representations;
• advising an individual in respect of the high profile collapse of Russell Hulme;
• advising a corporate on a high profile investigation by the Environment Agency;
• acted for 2 people investigated by the GLAA in respect of allegations of modern day slavery. Following extensive representations the case was discontinued;
• acted in the first case prosecuted by the SFO under the Bribery Act 2010;
• advised a participant in the Leveson Inquiry;
• advised a number of suspects in Operations Weeting and Elveden (the police investigation into journalists for hacking and corruption);
• acted for a director of Madoff Securities International Ltd;
• acted for various clients in SFO investigations/prosecutions including R v Achilleas Kallakis, the high profile SFO prosecution in respect of Allied Irish Bank and HBOS;
• acted for a peer in the parliamentary expenses scandal;
• advised in relation to the LIBOR investigation in the UK and US;
• acted for professionals accused of fraud for criminal wrongdoing including a barrister cleared of VAT fraud and a London solicitor acquitted of a multi-million pound mortgage fraud;
• acted for a defendant acquitted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs;
• acted for Anne Darwin, in the ‘missing canoeist’ insurance fraud case.

what clients and directories have said

“Nicola is superb.” –Chambers & Partners 2025

“She is a fabulous advocate.” – Chambers & Partners 2025

“Nicola Finnerty’s commercial vision is very strong. She’s excellent in all types of criminal work.” – Chambers High Net Worth 2024

“Nicola Finnerty’s commercial vision is very strong. She’s excellent in all types of criminal work.” – Chambers and Partners – High Net Worth 2024

“Nicola was invaluable and very calming to have in the room.” – Chambers UK 2024

“She is a tenacious solicitor to have on your side.” – Chambers UK 2023

“Nicola Finnerty is strategically very astute.” – Chambers UK 2023

“Her remarkable drive and innovative thinking have cemented her reputation as an opponent to be admired and feared.” – Legal 500 2022

“We were impressed with Nicola’s thoroughness and strategy and the way she was able to keep the client on board through a very difficult process.” – Legal 500 2022

“Nicola Finnerty is an exceptionally able lawyer with a great breadth of experience across crime and regulatory. Spiky and determined. A pleasure to work with.” – Legal 500 2022

“She is very talented, and is passionately committed to her clients.” – Chambers and Partners 2022

“One of the great lawyers of her generation.” – Legal 500 UK

“She is a very capable lawyer. She has great knowledge.” – Legal 500 UK

“Outstanding ability to guide clients through extremely stressful processes of investigation and prosecution… praised for her ability to manage large-scale complex litigation.” – Chambers and Partners

“A force to be reckoned with, she’s a fighter and a thinker who relishes new law and the toughest of challenges.” – Legal 500 UK

“A fierce defender who’s utterly client-focused.” – Chambers and Partners

“She is smart, experienced and approachable.” – Chambers High Net Worth Guide

“Nicola Finnerty is “Well established” and noted for being able to quickly pick up a case and “achieve results” without getting intimidated.” – Chambers and Partners

Sources admire Nicola Finnerty for her “excellent client management skills,” “great understanding of the issues and ability to identify weak spots in the prosecution’s case.” – Chambers and Partners

Nicola Finnerty is applauded for the strong rapport that she builds with clients. Sources are impressed by her commitment, noting “her efforts to secure the right result were exceptional.” – Chambers and Partners

Nicola Finnerty garnered votes for her “sound commercial judgement “ and “client friendly manner”. – Who’s Who Legal, Business Crime Defence Lawyers

Nicola Finnerty is strongly acclaimed for her “fabulous tactical sense, and extremely good client skills.” She advised a high-profile peer in relation to the fallout from the UK parliamentary expenses investigation, and is also involved in major SFO prosecutions.” – Chambers and Partners

Nicola Finnerty’s “work rate is phenomenal” and she is “unflappable”. – Legal 500

“Nicola Finnerty is a great addition to the team and has brought a huge back catalogue of high-profile experience.” – Legal 500

“(Nicola) has arrived in a major way: the quality of her work is superb and she is very bright, with exceptional people and organisational skills.” – Chambers and Partners

“A practitioner with a wealth of experience; who leaves no stone unturned; her preparation and understanding is impeccable.” – Chambers and Partners

“Excellent client management skills, great understanding of the issues and ability to identify weak spots in the prosecution’s case.” – Chambers UK

“Immensely experienced” and “excellent.” – Legal 500

“Applauded for the strong rapport that she builds with clients… her efforts to secure the right result were exceptional.” – Chambers UK

“Terrific with the most demanding of clients, incisive and tactically very astute.” – Legal 500

“Admired for her strong commitment to her client’s best interest.” – Chambers UK

PUBLICATIONS, PRESS HIGHLIGHTS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Independent Rankings and other Information

• Listed in the Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers 2025/2026
• Listed in the Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers 2024/2025
• Listed in Leaders League 2024 in Compliance – Individuals as Leading
• Chambers & Partners: Financial Crime – Individuals UK (2024 and ranked for the previous 10 years)
• Legal 500: Leading Individual – Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) (2024)
• Legal 500: Leading Individual – Risk Advisory: Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime (Advice to Corporates) (2024)
• Best Lawyers: Lawyer of The Year in Criminal Practice 2024, and ranked since 2021
• Leaders League: Compliance and Fraud – Leading Individual (2023)
• Lawyer of the Year in Criminal Practice in London (2023)
• Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defence (2023) – recommended leader
• Who’s Who Legal: Investigations (2023) – recommended leader
• Legal 500: Leading Individual – Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) (2023)
• Ranked in the top 200 Cannabis Lawyers (2023)
• Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide: Financial Crime Individuals (2023)
• Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide: Financial Crime Individuals (2022)
• Ranked in the top 200 Cannabis Lawyers (2022)
• Legal 500: Leading Individual – Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) (2022)
• Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide: Financial Crime Individuals (2021)
• Global Investigations Review: Women in Investigations 2021
• Legal 500: Leading Individual – Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) (2021)
• Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defence (2021) – recommended leader
• Listed in Leader League as Incontournable for Compliance and Fraud – Individus