Bribery & Corruption

"It boasts an excellent reputation for its expertise spanning the full range of financial crime matters."

Chambers UK 2024

“A set with considerable experience of the full range of business crime cases, particularly bribery and corruption, sanctions, and corporate fraud.“

Legal 500 2023

“A premier league set for financial crime."

Chambers UK 2022

“Three Raymond Buildings are one of the go-to sets for serious economic crime.”

Legal 500 2022

“Amongst the handful of go-to sets for fraud and financial crime, with unparalleled strength in depth.”

Legal 500 2021

Chambers has a long established reputation in bribery and corruption cases. We are regularly instructed to advise upon, prosecute and defend complex and high-profile corruption cases involving criminal allegations, as well as in regulatory and civil cases, judicial reviews and arbitrations.

We are known for our particular expertise in international and overseas corruption cases in which we act for governments, companies and individuals. These cases often result in cross-border investigations and prosecutions, requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance and state immunity issues, areas in which Chambers has an unparalleled reputation. These include cases in the United States, Hong Kong, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

We are frequently instructed in the very early stages of cases, such as during:

  • internal investigations by companies;
  • Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigations;
  • other UK investigations by, eg, CPS, FCA, OFT;
  • foreign investigations and prosecutions (eg, by US authorities).

Our experience in advising and representing parties in domestic and foreign corruption cases and our proficiency in handling complex regulatory and criminal matters mean that we are well positioned to advise companies and individuals about compliance with the Bribery Act 2010 – which created a crime of strict liability for companies whose agents have bribed another anywhere in the world, subject to the defence of ‘adequate procedures’ to prevent bribery.

Members of Chambers also deliver custom-designed training packages on compliance and other issues relating to the legislation.

The first dedicated book on this subject was co-authored by Colin Nicholls KC: Corruption and Misuse of Public Office (1st ed OUP 2006). In the second edition a chapter on the investigation and prosecution of corruption in the United States was authored by Rachel Barnes (2nd ed OUP 2011).

Find the right barrister

To find the right bribery & corruption barrister, and to discuss any possible instructions, please contact our clerks on +44 (0)20 7400 6400 or email clerks@3rblaw.com.

Alstom

French parent company and prosecutions of UK and Swiss subsidiaries.

Anglo Leasing

SFO investigation of corruption in Kenya; mutual legal assistance request from the Kenyan authorities.

Balfour Beatty

SFO investigation into allegations of bribery over an overseas contract.

Barclays Bank & Qatar Holdings

SFO and FCA investigations.

BSG Resources Ltd

Corruption investigation re. mining rights in Guinea; judicial review of SFO decisions under letters of request.

FIFA

Alleged corruption by officials at the International Federation of Football Associations.

Innospec Inc UK

(SFO) and US (DoJ) prosecutions for foreign corruption and sanctions breaches.

Johnson & Johnson

Investigation into bribery committed by an acquired subsidiary in Europe.

Operation Elveden

Various prosecutions of public officials and journalists at The Sun and News of the World for payments for confidential information.

R v Ryjenko & Another

Alleged corrupt official at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

“The best set for business crime.”  Legal 500 2020

“Three Raymond Buildings boasts an excellent reputation for its expertise spanning the full range of financial crime matters.”  Chambers UK 2021

“Amongst the handful of go-to sets for fraud and financial crime, with unparalleled strength in depth.”  Legal 500 2021

“A highly respected chambers with enviable expertise across the full spectrum of financial crime work.”  Chambers UK 2020

“Recognised leader in the field of financial crime, with great strength in depth and excellent counsel.”  Legal 500 2020

“Highly experienced trial advocates who handle a broad gamut of business and financial crime cases.”  Legal 500 2020

Bribery & Corruption barristers

King's Counsel

James Lewis KC

Call: 1987 / Silk: 2002

Barrister - James Lewis KC

Hugo Keith KC

Call: 1989 / Silk: 2009

Barrister - Hugo Keith KC

Richard Horwell KC

Call: 1976 / Silk: 2006

Barrister - Richard Horwell KC

Michael Borrelli KC

Call: 1977 / Silk: 2000

Barrister - Michael Borrelli KC

Trevor Burke KC

Call: 1981 / Silk: 2001

Barrister - Trevor Burke KC

Michael Bromley-Martin KC

Call: 1979 / Silk: 2002

Barrister - Michael Bromley-Martin KC

Simon Farrell KC

Call: 1983 / Silk: 2003

Barrister - Simon Farrell KC

Patrick Gibbs KC

Call: 1986 / Silk: 2006

Barrister - Patrick Gibbs KC

Helen Malcolm KC

Call: 1986 / Silk: 2006

Barrister - Helen Malcolm KC

John Hardy KC

Call: 1988 / Silk: 2008

Barrister - John Hardy KC

Hugh Davies OBE KC

Call: 1990 / Silk: 2013

Barrister - Hugh Davies OBE KC

James Hines KC

Call: 1982 / Silk: 2015

Barrister - James Hines KC

Jonathan Ashley-Norman KC

Call: 1989 / Silk: 2016

Barrister - Jonathan Ashley-Norman KC

Alisdair Williamson KC

Call: 1994 / Silk: 2017

Barrister - Alisdair Williamson KC

Richard Wormald KC

Call: 1993 / Silk: 2019

Barrister - Richard Wormald KC

Matthew Butt KC

Call: 2002 / Silk: 2020

Barrister - Matthew Butt KC

William Emlyn Jones KC

Call: 1996 / Silk: 2021

Barrister - William Emlyn Jones KC

Ben Watson KC

Call: 2002 / Silk: 2021

Barrister - Ben Watson KC

Rachel Barnes KC

Call: 2004 / Silk: 2022

Barrister - Rachel Barnes KC

Saba Naqshbandi KC

Call: 1996

Barrister - Saba Naqshbandi KC
Junior Barristers

Neil Saunders

Call: 1983

Barrister - Neil Saunders

Ben Summers

Call: 1994

Barrister - Ben Summers

Edmund Gritt

Call: 1997

Barrister - Edmund Gritt

Ailsa Williamson

Call: 1997

Barrister - Ailsa Williamson

Guy Ladenburg

Call: 2000

Barrister - Guy Ladenburg

Nicholas Yeo

Call: 1999

Barrister - Nicholas Yeo

Luke Ponte

Call: 2003

Barrister - Luke Ponte

Rachel Scott

Call: 2004

Barrister - Rachel Scott

Bo-Eun Jung

Call: 2005

Barrister - Bo-Eun Jung

Robert Morris

Call: 2008

Barrister - Robert Morris

Emma Collins

Call: 2008

Barrister - Emma Collins

Heather Oliver

Call: 2010

Barrister - Heather Oliver

John Greany

Call: 2012

Barrister - John Greany

Rebecca Hadgett

Call: 2015

Barrister - Rebecca Hadgett

Genevieve Woods

Call: 2016

Barrister - Genevieve Woods

Stephen Bailey

Call: 2022

Barrister - Stephen Bailey

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