Genevieve Woods practises primarily in criminal and public law, with a particular focus on public inquiries, international sanctions and safeguarding cases.

Genevieve is security cleared to SC level.

Legal Expertise

Sanctions and Financial Crime overview

Genevieve regularly advises on cases involving breaches of sanctions and export controls and on internal sanctions compliance policies.

She has advised international corporations, large financial institutions, insurance companies and maritime/shipping corporations on sanctions and export control matters, with particular experience of the impact of the Russia/Ukraine sanctions regime. She has acted for high-net worth individuals and politically exposed persons, and has advised on the impact of financial sanctions on business or employment connected with designated persons.

Her work ranges from the provision of confidential advice on contemplated transactions and suspected violations, to enforcement cases following the identification of breaches, to complex compliance reviews and the provision of practical training.

Genevieve appears in serious criminal cases for both the defence and the prosecution. She is able to provide advice and representation pre-charge, during trial and in relation to ancillary orders, such as confiscation or forfeiture proceedings.

She works on complex financial matters, including cases prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office and HMRC. She represents individuals charged with a broad range of offences, including fraud, money laundering, bribery and blackmail.

Genevieve acts on behalf of individuals seeking to discharge Account Freezing Orders and resist applications for cash and account forfeiture. She has also appeared on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service in high value and complex applications for forfeiture.

Notable Sanctions and Financial Crime cases

Re potential sanctions exposure

(2021) Advised a company director and non-executive director regarding the risk of liability and the practical effect of financial sanctions following the designation of the part-owner of the business under the Ukraine/Russia sanctions regime (as junior counsel).

Re potential breaches of international sanctions

(2019 - 2020) Provided advice on compliance and training to a financial institution regarding potential breaches of sanctions.

Re the sanctions implications of a contemplated funds transfer

(2019) Advised an insurance company on the sanctions implications of making a payment to a claimant which was potentially subject to financial restrictions (as junior counsel).

MPS v N

(2019) Successfully acted as junior counsel on behalf of two persons subject to Account Freezing Orders as a result of a transfer of funds from Syria.

HMRC v L

(2019) Acted on behalf of an individual subject to a forfeiture application involving funds transferred from China using an IVTS.

MPS v A

(2018) Successfully acted for the Commissioner in a high value cash forfeiture application involving allegations of money laundering and the funding of terrorist activities.

Re breaches of export controls

(2019) Acted as part of a team representing a maritime company accused of breaches of export controls by HMRC, resulting in a minimal financial penalty.

MPS v N and N

(2019 - 2021) Acted on behalf of two high net worth individuals resisting Account Freezing Orders.

Safeguarding overview

Genevieve has advised individuals, schools, charitable, sporting and commercial organisations on safeguarding matters and DBS requirements. She has drafted and reviewed safeguarding policies for a variety of organisations.

She has acted on behalf of seven clients in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, including the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

Genevieve has worked as one of two independent reviewers in an institutional inquiry into historical child sexual abuse.

Genevieve also provides safeguarding and sexual consent training to sports organisations, including Premier League football teams. She has been instructed by sports governing bodies and has worked on sporting appeals. She is able to provide advice on a wide range of safeguarding issues.

Notable Safeguarding cases

MPS v T (2020)

Successfully acted for the MPS in an application for a Sexual Risk Order against a sports coach accused of committing sexual assault against multiple players.

R v C and R v D (2019 – 2020)

Acted on behalf of a school in separate criminal proceedings against former staff members charged with offences related to indecent images of children. Advised and made representations regarding reporting restrictions and the role of the school in the proceedings.

MPS v P and T (2019)

Successfully acted for the Commissioner in an application for a Sexual Risk Order against two men accused of sending explicit messages and images to children.

Crime overview

Genevieve regularly appears in both the Magistrates’ Courts and Crown Courts for both the defence and the prosecution.

She has worked on a number of complex financial matters and cases prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office. She represents individuals charged with a broad range of offences, including fraud and white collar crime, violent crimes, theft, and drug offences.

In addition, she prosecutes cases on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, National Probation Service and Transport for London.

Notable Crime cases

R v Forbes and Lewis

(2020) Successfully defended two men accused of public order offences committed on the London Underground.

Inquests & Inquiries overview

Genevieve has broad experience working as counsel in public inquiries.

She acted on behalf of the Methodist Church of Great Britain in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. She also appeared on behalf of a number of educational institutions as part of the case study relating to Residential Music Schools.

She acted as junior counsel to Richard Horwell QC on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

She was a junior counsel in the Undercover Policing Inquiry on behalf of a number of police officers attached to the Special Demonstration Squad who have been granted core participant status.

Genevieve has also undertaken work on behalf of the London Fire Brigade in relation to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

Notable Inquests & Inquiries cases

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

(2018-Present) Instructed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and other clients, led by Richard Horwell QC.

Fishmongers Hall Inquest

(2020-Present) Acting as junior to Matthew Butt QC on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service

Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing

(2017-Present) Acting on behalf of police officers granted core participant status in the Inquiry.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry

(2019-Present)

Extradition

Extradition overview

Genevieve has successfully acted on behalf of requested persons in challenging their extradition from the UK. She provides representation from initial arrest through to full hearings and appeals.

Regulatory & Licensing overview

Genevieve has experience in a broad range of regulatory and health and safety matters, including fire safety cases and hearings before professional regulatory bodies.

Genevieve regularly appears in licensing matters on behalf of the police and premises holders.

She acts on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service in firearms licensing cases and is able to provide advice to applicants in appeals against a decision to refuse or revoke a firearms certificate.

She also appears on behalf of Transport for London in licensing appeals in the Magistrates’ Court and Crown Court.

Notable Regulatory & Licensing cases

R (London Fire Commissioner) v B (2020 – 2021)

Acting as junior to Saba Naqshbandi in a fire safety prosecution in the Crown Court.

ARB v C (2020 - 2021)

Acted for an architect in a 6-day hearing regarding allegations of unacceptable professional conduct.

Other overview

Genevieve has provided advice and representation in inquest proceedings on behalf of both individuals and institutions. In 2020, she assisted in the pro bono representation of Sean Emmett in the inquest into the death of his wife, Abigail Elson.

In 2020, Genevieve acted as part of a team of counsel in relation to the review of criminal cases involving the Post Office Horizon system.

She regularly appears in matters relating to civil orders such as Account Freezing Orders, Cash Forfeiture applications, Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, Sexual Risk Orders and Stalking Protection Orders. She also has experience in judicial review proceedings.

In addition, Genevieve is able to provide advice in relation to international human rights law, humanitarian law and matters relating to the United Nations and other international organisations.

ARB v C (2020 – 2021)

Acted for an architect in a 6-day hearing regarding allegations of unacceptable professional conduct.

R v Forbes and Lewis (2020)

Successfully defended two men accused of public order offences committed on the London Underground.

MPS v T (2020)

Successfully acted for the MPS in an application for a Sexual Risk Order against a sports coach accused of committing sexual assault against multiple players.

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2019 – 2020)

Instructed by the Methodist Church of Great Britain, Wells Cathedral School and the Yehudi Menuhin School.

MPS v P and T (2019)

Successfully acted for the Commissioner in an application for a Sexual Risk Order against two men accused of sending explicit messages and images to children.

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2018 – 2019)

Instructed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, led by Richard Horwell QC.

Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing (2017 – 2019)

Acting on behalf of a number of police officers granted core participant status in the Inquiry, led by Ben Brandon.

MPS v A (2018)

Successfully acted for the Commissioner in a high value cash forfeiture application involving allegations of money laundering and the funding of terrorist activities.

MPS v S (2018)

Successfully defended an appeal against a SHPO imposed on a defendant accused of the kidnapping and rape of a child under the age of 16.

 

 

  • Bar Transfer Test, BPP
  • Masters of International Human Rights Law (Distinction), Oxon
  • Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (Distinction), College of Law
  • Combined Bachelor of Arts & Laws (Hons 1), Sydney University
  • Winner of the One Essex Court/Times Law Award (2017)
  • Winner of the Oxford Law Society Essay Competition (2014)
  • Finalist, Lawyers’ Weekly Law Student of the Year Award (2014)
  • Honours Scholarship, Sydney University (2011)
  • Sydney Lyceum Prize (2010)
  • Dean’s Scholarship, Sydney University (2008)
  • The Guide to Sanctions’ (GIR) – full publication available here (2020)

Genevieve was admitted as a solicitor on the rolls of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia. Prior to joining the bar, she worked for the United Nations Association, Salvos Legal, the Faculty of Law at Sydney University and the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia.

Genevieve is a member of Defence Extradition Lawyers Forum and the Young Fraud Lawyers’ Association.

I, Genevieve Woods, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at genevieve.woods@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.

All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:

  1. my Chambers, which supplies professional and administrative support to my practice;
  2. Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;
  3. my lay and professional clients;
  4. potential witnesses, in particular experts, and friends or family of the data subject;
  5. solicitors, barristers, pupils, mini pupils and other legal representatives;
  6. ombudsmen and regulatory authorities;
  7. current, past or prospective employers;
  8. education and examining bodies;
  9. business associates, professional advisers and trade bodies.

I retain personal data for no longer than 7 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.

I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).

Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).

In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.

Rev 1.1 – 20.03.2019

Data Protection Policy

Legitimate Interests Assessment

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