William Boyce KC

A master of the complex, he is frequently instructed in the most intricate, prominent and high value financial crime cases.

Overview 

William Boyce KC is sought out to defend corporates and individuals in the complex and the high profile. His expertise and experience includes: frauds in banking, mortgages, market making and mergers and acquisitions; false announcements to the market; insider dealing; FX manipulation; arms to lraq sanctions breaches; international bribery and corruption; cartel offences; and health & safety breaches.

William has a broad advisory practice, providing advice, guidance and direction to companies and to individuals.

Experience 

William Boyce KC has acted in many and various frauds – banking, mortgage, market making, insider dealing, false announcements to the market including the first prosecution of its kind for the then FSA (R v Rigby & Others), LIBOR, arms to Iraq, international bribery and corruption, cartel, and relating to M&A.

William’s vast experience includes: representing a defendant in the largest insider dealing case to date brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); advising a technology company regarding discussions with the MoJ concerning the admissibility of data from new technology; advising the Gambling Commission in relation to criminal prosecutions arising out of a misuse of relevant licences; action in appellate proceedings regarding confiscation procedures and the impact of the ECHR; prosecuting in the highest value private prosecution in the Crown Court to date (regarding alleged fraud, in the context of international business dealings between high net worth individuals); advising London and US lawyers regarding a global corporation on suspected bribery and corruption in the lead-up period to an international M&A; advising prosecuting entities in relation to a case involving allegations of international corruption in the context of cartel infringements; advising a client facing two sets of criminal proceedings and linked civil proceedings in the UK arising out of alleged corrupt practices in a West African state, and using banks in a central European state to process the alleged proceeds; advising a client facing confiscation proceedings under Jersey law, following his conviction (when differently represented in Jersey) in relation to corrupt practices in West Africa and the Balkans and advising a major international car manufacturing corporate on major health and safety breaches.

William has been instructed to act for a high-profile trader and rate-setter in relation to alleged LIBOR manipulation; is instructed to advise a senior executive in relation to the bribery and corruption investigation into Rolls Royce; is instructed to advise and represent a senior party regarding an investigation into whether dealings between a global corporation and a sovereign wealth fund involved bribery and corruption at the highest level; and is currently instructed in three very high value arbitrations involving the oil and gas industry.

His vast knowledge and intellect means he is often engaged to take matters to the highest tiers of the legal system; he is regularly instructed in the Court of Appeal in relation to cases in which he was not instructed in the courts below. He has been at the forefront of changes to our law in the field of corporate and financial crime; in R v Harvey, in the UK Supreme Court, he argued that VAT should be taken into account when making orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

William is the head of QEB Hollis Whiteman's Corporate & Financial Crime team.

Notable Cases

Operation Tabernula (Andrew Hind) (2016)
Two convicted and three acquitted in the biggest insider trading trial to date; William Boyce QC instructed on behalf of accountant Andrew Hind who was sentenced to just three years and six months. 

R v PD & EB (2012)
After four-and-a-half years, proceedings in the prosecution of PD and EB for Iraqi sanctions busting finally ended on 24th February 2012 when the prosecution offered no evidence as a result of serious failing in the disclosure process. 

British Airways/Virgin Price-Fixing Trial (2010)
Instructed by British Airways plc in the first trial of of a charge under the cartel offence (section 188, Enterprise Act). The prosecution offered no evidence and all defendants were acquitted.

Operation Eaglewood (2010)
This was the largest-ever criminal case in London prosecuted by the CPS and the Metropolitan Police Service. This case, involving the laundering of €100m in cash and the seizure of more than £5m worth of cocaine, resulted in the convictions of 32 defendants, who together received a total sentence in excess of 200 years.

R v Ikilat & Others (2008)
Instructed, with five juniors, by CPS HQ Special Casework to prosecute a huge (more than 40 defendants) series of interlinked allegations of money laundering (£100m through one office alone in less than six months) and drug-trafficking.

Reviews

Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime – Band 1

Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime - Band 1

Legal 500 2023: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) - Tier 2; Fraud: Crime - Tier 4

'A highly effective silk with an impressively persuasive manner in front of judges and juries. 'William is very experienced, wise and lovely to work with.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2023)

‘Fantastic cross-examiner, a real fighter, excellent attention to detail.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2023)

'He is a master strategist, a very thoughtful lawyer and a brilliant advocate." "Very insightful and his judgement is remarkable.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)

'He is a master strategist and a consummate advocate.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2022)

'A top-notch cross-examiner. Meticulous in preparation. Incredibly clever. Highly persuasive advocate.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2022)

'A highly effective silk with an impressively persuasive manner in front of judges and juries. He has the ability to explain complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner. He is excellent and his attention to detail is superb. He has an excellent client manner, is extremely knowledgeable and is an outstanding advocate.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2021) 

'A top-drawer silk. One of the best. Devastating cross-examiner. Fabulous team player.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2021)

'A force of nature in advocacy. A master strategist and tactician.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2021)

‘He is extremely gentle with clients going through extraordinarily difficult times but is capable of being utterly ruthless when he's on his feet.’ ‘William has a very good ability to explain complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2020)

‘He combines a warm and solicitous bedside manner with a razor-sharp intellect.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2020)

‘His advocacy can spell-bind a court.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2020)

‘A devastating cross-examiner and a meticulous preparer of a cases.’ ‘He's a master of detail and he works exceptionally hard.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2019)

‘A superb case strategist, with a second-to-none bedside manner.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2018)

‘A genuine team player who is a pleasure to work with.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2018)

‘Wise and formidably clever,’ ‘he is delightful and impressive in equal measure.’ ‘A pleasure to work with, he's very good at explaining complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2018)

‘His skill and commitment to cases gets results.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2017)

‘Among the leading criminal silks in London; he is intellectually very strong and clients trust him implicitly.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2017)