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Financial Crime and Confiscation

"Impressed solicitors note that the individuals at the set represent an amazing level of excellence."

Chambers UK Bar Guide

“The clerks are easy to get on with, reliable, extremely well organised and quick to respond to calls and e-mails. They work to a very high and professional standard.”

Chambers UK Bar Guide​

"The service of the clerks is second to none. They are professional but personable, and always willing to assist with any query no matter how small or seemingly trivial."

Chambers UK Bar Guide​

Garden Court Chambers is recognised by the market for having members whose "wealth of knowledge and experience enables them to handle serious and complex matters seamlessly".

Chambers UK Bar Guide​

To contact the Crime Clerks, please email crimeclerksmailbox@gclaw.co.uk or phone

+44 (0)20 7993 7600

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Winner Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year 2015
Winner Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year 2015

Our fraud law barristers bring decades of expertise defending in some of the largest and most complex fraud and confiscation cases in the UK and abroad.

Garden Court is consistently recognised for its outstanding contribution to criminal defence law. The Garden Court Chambers Crime Team was shortlisted as 'Crime Set of the Year' at the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2023. We won the Legal 500 Crime Set of the Year 2015 and have been shortlisted for the same award four times.

Members of our team are also ranked in the Legal 500 for fraud law and have authored the highly regarded Confiscation Manual, the authoritative guide for lawyers on applications under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Areas of Expertise

  • Pre-charge advice
  • Bribery and Corruption
  • International fraud
  • Money laundering
  • Other large scale fraud, e.g Boiler Room Fraud
  • Land banking fraud
  • Unexplained Wealth Orders
  • Confiscation
  • Restraint Orders
  • Criminal anti-competitive cartels e.g. LIBOR Fixing

the work we do

We represent individuals and companies facing regulatory investigations or prosecutions brought by: 

  • The Serious Fraud Office
  • Financial Conduct Authority
  • HMRC
  • National Crime Agency
  • The Environment Agency
  • The Department of Business Innovation and Skills
  • The Health and Safety Executive

Our clients include professionals such as accountants, solicitors, bankers and architects. 

 

Recent notable cases and news

Elizabeth Lambert joins Garden Court Chambers as new tenant

We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth Lambert has joined Garden Court Chambers as a new tenant.

23 July 2024

Garden Court barristers secure acquittals for clients in multi-million pound fraud

Alex Taylor-Camara and Daniel Jameson were instructed by Morgan Has Solicitors. Helen Butcher was instructed by ADH Solicitors.

16 May 2024

Defendants found with nearly £500,000 cash in baggage acquitted of money laundering

Lucie Wibberley and Russell Fraser of the Garden Court Crime Team represented MT & AU in a 12-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, instructed by Ali Has & Dilara Demir of Morgan Has Solicitors.

19 April 2024

Alex Taylor-Camara secures acquittal in fraud trial

Alex Taylor-Camara of the Garden Court Crime Team acted for the defendant, instructed by Abdul Mojid and Tarjana Hussain at Wainwright Cummings.

13 November 2023

Garden Court secures top tier rankings in the Legal 500 UK 2024

Garden Court Chambers is proud to be recognised as a Top Tier set again in the Legal 500 UK 2024 rankings.

4 October 2023

Gerwyn Wise secures the only not guilty verdict after courier fraud trial

Gerwyn Wise of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team represented SK, one of nine defendants accused of being involved in a courier fraud at St Albans Crown Court.

25 July 2023

Tom Wainwright and Justine Compton appointed as Recorders

We are delighted to announce Tom Wainwright (Call: 2003) and Justine Compton (Call: 2005) of Garden Court Chambers have been newly appointed as Recorders by the Queen on the advice of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.

18 May 2023

Mark Robinson instructed in two high-profile financial crime cases

Mark Robinson of the Financial Crime & Confiscation Team accepts instructions for all serious and complex financial crime.

19 April 2023

Tom Wainwright and Shina Animashaun secure acquittal in £20m cryptocurrency money laundering trial

Tom and Shina of Garden Court Chambers were instructed by Anna Sidgwick of Stuart Miller Solicitors.

22 July 2022

Garden Court Crime Team statement on no returns action

30 March 2022

Defendant unanimously acquitted of £12 million money laundering duty evasion fraud

Nerida Harford-Bell of the Garden Court Chambers Financial Crime Team represented Michael Howard, instructed by Ghulam Sohail of MPR Solicitors Hounslow.

11 January 2022

Nicola Braganza, Mark Gatley and Liz Davies of Garden Court Chambers to be appointed Queen’s Counsel

Garden Court Chambers is delighted to announce that Nicola Braganza, Mark Gatley and Liz Davies of Garden Court Chambers will be formally appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2022.

22 December 2021

Garden Court secures number one rankings in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2022

21 October 2021

Garden Court Chambers Crime Team shortlisted for Crime Set of the Year by Chambers Bar Awards 2021

We are delighted to announce that the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team has been shortlisted by the Chambers Bar Awards 2021 for Crime Set of the Year.

27 August 2021

Garden Court Chambers Response to Law Commission Consultation on ‘Confiscation of the Proceeds of Crime After Conviction'

Tom Wainwright, Jacob Bindman and Meredoc McMinn of the Garden Court Chambers Financial Crime and Confiscation Team have put together a response to the Law Commission's Consultation on ‘Confiscation of the Proceeds of Crime After Conviction'.

21 December 2020

Garden Court Chambers ranked in Band 1 in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2020

We are delighted to have once again been ranked in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in the Chambers UK Bar Guide 2020.

17 October 2019

Client found not guilty of £1.4 million fraud allegations after 6-week 'Gatwick Airport Parking' trial

Keir Monteith QC and Shahida Begum were instructed by Shahid Khan and Abraar Ayaz at Advice Wise Solicitors.

12 April 2019

Henry Blaxland QC shortlisted for Crime Silk of the Year by the Legal 500 Awards 2019

Henry Blaxland QC has been shortlisted by the Legal 500 Awards 2019 for Crime Silk of the Year.

4 December 2018

Garden Court Chambers ranked in Band 1 in Chambers UK Bar Guide 2019

We are delighted to have once again been ranked in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in the Chambers UK Bar Guide 2019.

5 November 2018

Client alleged to have conspired to supply £3.8 million worth of cocaine and accused of associated money laundering allegations found 'not guilty'

Keir Monteith was instructed by Mohsin Ariff at Lloyds PR Solicitors on behalf of the defendant, AT. 

29 October 2018

Two 'not guilty' verdicts secured in seven-handed £1 million insurance conspiracy

Keir Monteith represented KN, and was instructed by Pan Symeou of Faradays Solicitors.

16 October 2018

Garden Court Chambers announces no returns action in response to legal aid cuts

As of 25 May 2018, members of Garden Court Chambers will be implementing a no returns policy in line with the CBA protocol.

9 May 2018

Garden Court Chambers supports and welcomes statement from Criminal Bar Association on legal aid cuts and AGFS

Garden Court will not take any criminal work under representation orders dated from 1st April 2018. We will support any days of action proposed by CBA.

29 March 2018

Garden Court Shortlisted by Legal 500 Awards for Crime Set of the Year - third year running

We are delighted to announce that Garden Court Chambers has been shortlisted by the Legal 500 Awards for Crime Set of the Year for the third year running.

4 December 2017

Counterfeit clothing case ends in acquittal for all defendants

Henry Blaxland QC appeared for a defendant charged with involvement in commercial scale trading in counterfeit clothing.

12 November 2017

Garden Court Chambers sponsor London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association's Annual Autumn Conference 2017

The LCCSA Annual Autumn Conference took place in Seville from 7-8 October.

12 October 2017

Henry Blaxland QC shortlisted for Crime Silk of the Year at Chambers UK Bar Awards 2017

Ranked in Band 1 of the Chambers & Partners Bar Guide 2017, Henry is recognised as one of the leading criminal defence advocates in the UK.

6 September 2017

Tom Wainwright secures acquittal for nurse accused of stealing drugs from children’s hospital

The defendant was represented by Tom Wainwright of Garden Court Chambers.

21 July 2017

Proof magazine #3: ‘Life in the Justice Gap: Why legal aid matters’ launch supported by Garden Court Chambers

Garden Court Chambers is proud to sponsor Proof magazine. The third issue of Proof was co-produced by the Justice Gap and the Justice Alliance.

20 July 2017

Garden Court Chambers extends condolences and solidarity to all those affected by Grenfell Tower tragedy

Garden Court Chambers is horrified by the fire at Grenfell Towers. We extend our condolences and our solidarity to all those bereaved, injured or rendered homeless.

16 June 2017

Di Middleton appointed Queen’s Counsel

Di Middleton QC is a member of the Garden Court Chambers Crime Team.

14 February 2017

Leslie Thomas QC, Judy Khan QC and Marc Willers QC elected as Joint Heads of Chambers

Garden Court is delighted to announce that Leslie Thomas QC, Judy Khan QC and Marc Willers QC have been elected as Joint Heads of Chambers.

31 January 2017

Notable cases

 

Our notable cases include:

  • LIBOR-fixing fraud
  • Pakistani cricket spot-fixing corruption
  • Operation Emersed – largest ever VAT ‘carousel’ fraud
  • Operation Hornet – corruption and fraud at HBOS
  • R v Omar and others – bribery of Ghanaian, Kenyan and Somalian officials
  • R v Karim – Bollywood international film fraud
  • R v Van Badlo – large scale Ponzi fraud
  • R v Wilmot and others – biggest ever ‘boiler room’ fraud
  • R v Childs – fraud against Libyan Investment Authority

Contact team

We are top ranked by independent legal directories and consistently win awards.

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