• 'A hard-working barrister who has a lovely understated manner - he is just so unfussy.' 'He has fantastic judgement.' Chambers UK 2023

  • 'His bags of experience of both defending and prosecuting for the SFO give him great perspective.' Legal 500 2018
  • "He is very calm, unflappable and very experienced. He has great command of the law."  Chambers UK 2024

  • 'Professional, thoughtful, considered, and someone with a nice understated style.' Chambers UK 2018
 

Peter Finnigan KC

Called to the Bar:1979

Silk:2009

  • A veteran of heavy weight and financial crime, Peter Finnigan KC is instructed for his wealth of knowledge, firm grasp of the complex and effortless advocacy.

    Corporate & Financial Crime

    Former Standing Counsel to the HMRC, Peter has vast experience of cases involving bribery, corruption, money laundering, missing trader intra-community (MTIC) frauds, insider dealing, and asset restraint involving both civil and criminal recovery. His experience of corporate and financial crime has frequently involved cross-border crime, mutual legal assistance and plea agreements.

    He is well place to lead on any financial crime brief, particularly where there is an international element.

    Crime 

    Peter is a highly experienced practitioner in the sphere of high profile and complex cases across the broad spectrum of serious criminal investigations and prosecutions. He both defends and prosecutes and is regularly instructed in sensitive investigations where he often advises on law and strategy before charge. Peter has considerable experience of serious organised crime often involving international jurisdictions.

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime – Band 3; Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2024: Crime - Tier 4

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime – Band 3; Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2023: Crime - Tier 3

    "He is very calm, unflappable and very experienced. He has great command of the law." Chambers UK Crime (2024)

    "Peter is really conscientious, personable and has a collaborative approach." Chambers UK Crime (2024)

    'A hard-working barrister who has a lovely understated manner - he is just so unfussy." "He has fantastic judgement" Chambers UK Crime (2023)

    'A straightforward man of integrity and a good operator.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)

    'He has a lovely understated manner and is so hard-working. An absolute delight to work with - he has the ability to bring a sense of calm and values the solicitor's opinion.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)

    'Deals with difficult situations elegantly and persuasively.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)

    'He is very calm under pressure and always able to deal with points that arise with almost no notice at all. He is a great jury advocate, someone that judges listen to, and has a great presence in court.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2021)

    'First and foremost good communication skills, both with professional and lay client. An approachable style both in and out of court that puts clients at their ease, and manifestly appeals to judge and jury alike. Astute at identifying the significant issues in a case. The ability to win the trust of a lay client makes difficult forensic decisions so much easier.' Legal 500 Crime (2021) 

    ‘Has a very good manner and is a safe pair of hands. He’s calm, sensible and has very good judgment.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020)

    ‘He's very charming and fantastic with clients.’ ‘He's a wonderful jury advocate.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2020)

    ‘A shrewd lawyer; his composed manner conceals steely determination.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) (2020)

    ‘An incredibly subtle defence counsel who is incredibly effective.’ ‘He's a very good jury advocate who is good at explaining difficult concepts.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2019) 

    ‘His bags of experience of both defending and prosecuting for the SFO give him great perspective.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2018)

    ‘A really effective advocate who never backs away from a fight, but always with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Crime (2018)

    ‘He is a very civilised man who is very professional, thoughtful, considered, and someone with a nice understated style.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2018) 

    ‘A really effective advocate, who fights with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2017)

    ‘He can roll with the punches without losing his cool.’ Legal 500 Crime (2017)

    ‘He is meticulous in his preparation, calm, effective, and someone you can trust with any brief.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2017)

    ‘A really effective advocate, who fights with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2017)

    ‘Has great experience and gives brilliant written advice on the most complex of legal issues.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2016)

    Appointments

    • 1996-2006: Standing Counsel to HMRC 

    Professional Memberships

    • Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers
    • Criminal Bar Association
    • Fraud Lawyers Association

    Education

    • Inns of Court School of Law
    • University of Newcastle upon Tyne (LLB Hons)

       

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  • Corporate and Financial Crime

    Meticulous, calm and effective in the face of the complexities of financial and corporate crime, this is Peter Finnigan KC’s specialism.

    Overview 

    Former Standing Counsel to the HMRC, Peter has vast experience of cases involving bribery, corruption, money laundering, missing trader intra-community (MTIC) frauds, insider dealing, and asset restraint involving both civil and criminal recovery. His experience of corporate and financial crime has frequently involved cross-border crime, mutual legal assistance and plea agreements.

    He is well placed to lead on any financial crime brief, particularly where there is an international element.

    Experience 

    Peter has a well-established and substantial practice in the field of financial crime, having appeared for both the defence and the prosecution in a number of high-profile and notable cases ranging from Blue Arrow (defence of the corporate broker UBS Phillips & Drew) through Innospec and Mabey and Johnson (prosecution of the companies and individual directors) up to the recent LIBOR trial (defence of one of the brokers).

    He has been instructed in many City cases (conspiracy to defraud, insider dealing) as well as in numerous business fraud cases (including revenue and missing trader fraud).

    He has particular experience of money laundering, asset restraint and both criminal and civil recovery, in addition to cross-border crime, mutual legal assistance and plea agreements.

    Peter is frequently instructed in sanctions cases, most notably in Saddam Hussein’s ‘Oil for food’ scheme.

    Notably, in 2016 Peter successfully defended one of the brokers in the second LIBOR trial. He was also instructed for the defence of a procurement consultant concerned in World Bank financed projects. Peter continues to represent the former chief of an education charity for numerous counts of fraud.

    Notable Cases

    R v Uzoma-Ubani & Others (2012)
    Prosecuted a multi-million-pound fraud that allegedly targeted 'sensitive' targets around the world. The Defendants were convicted.

    R v Mabey & Forsyth (2011)
    Acted for the SFO in its prosecution of two men, former directed of Mabey & Johnson Ltd, who were convicted of authorising 'kickbacks' worth £55,000 to be paid to the regime of Saddam Hussein in order to secure a contract to provide bridging.

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime – Band 3

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime – Band 3

    'He has a lovely understated manner and is so hard-working. An absolute delight to work with - he has the ability to bring a sense of calm ad values the solicitor's opinion.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)

    'He is very calm under pressure and always able to deal with points that arise with almost no notice at all. He is a great jury advocate, someone that judges listen to, and has a great presence in court.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2021)

    ‘He's very charming and fantastic with clients.’ ‘He's a wonderful jury advocate.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2020)

    ‘A shrewd lawyer; his composed manner conceals steely determination.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) (2020)

    ‘An incredibly subtle defence counsel who is incredibly effective.’ ‘He's a very good jury advocate who is good at explaining difficult concepts.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2019) 

    ‘His bags of experience of both defending and prosecuting for the SFO give him great perspective.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2018)

    ‘He is a very civilised man who is very professional, thoughtful, considered, and someone with a nice understated style.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2018) 

    ‘A really effective advocate, who fights with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2017)

    ‘He is meticulous in his preparation, calm, effective, and someone you can trust with any brief.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2017)

    ‘A really effective advocate, who fights with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2017)

    ‘Has great experience and gives brilliant written advice on the most complex of legal issues.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2016)

    ‘His work encompasses rate-rigging, bribery and sanctions matters.’ Legal 500 (2016)

    ‘A very safe pair of hands.’ Chambers UK (2015)

    ‘Peter Finnigan QC is very smart, pays attention to detail and is thorough in his law. His views are extremely well researched and well thought out.’ Chambers UK (2014)

    ‘Peter Finnigan QC is admired as a tenacious advocate who takes an inclusive, team based approach to his work.’ Chambers UK (2012) 

    Recent Cases

  • A silk well-versed in serious, complex and organised crime, he is recognised for his unflappable approach and attractive advocacy.

    Overview

    Peter is a highly experienced practitioner in the sphere of high-profile and complex cases across the broad spectrum of serious criminal investigations and prosecutions. He both defends and prosecutes and is regularly instructed in sensitive investigations where he often advises on law and strategy before charge. Peter has considerable experience of serious organised crime, often involving international jurisdictions.

    Experience

    Peter has extensive experience of the full spectrum of serious criminal offences including: the full gamut of murder cases, manslaughter cases and cases involving firearms, gang related offences, serious sexual offences, drug trafficking, kidnapping and robbery.

    Peter’s particular expertise is of the complex; he has extensive experience of multi-handed cases and of cases involving complex and sensitive disclosure issues. Whatever the difficulties of a criminal case, Peter will master them calmly and present them to a court with effortless grace. He was instructed in the case of Kenneth Noye for both murder and for laundering the proceeds of the Brink’s-Mat gold bullion robbery.

    Notable Cases

    R v Gikawa (2014)
    Peter Finnigan QC and Eloise Emanuel were instructed by CPS London, in the four-week-trial of David Gikawa, who was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Linah Keza.

    R v Jeyasuthan Theiventhrampillai and others (2013)
    Defence of man acquitted of murder. Gang attack. Issues of joint liability were argued before the Central Criminal Court and the Court of Appeal. 

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2024: Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2024: Crime - Tier 4

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime – Band 3; Crime – Band 3 

    Legal 500 2023: Crime - Tier 3

    'A hard-working barrister who has a lovely understated manner - he is just so unfussy." "He has fantastic judgement" Chambers UK Crime (2023)

    'A straightforward man of integrity and a good operator.' Chamber UK Crime (2022)

    'Deals with difficult situations elegantly and persuasively.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)

    'First and foremost good communication skills, both with professional and lay client. An approachable style both in and out of court that puts clients at their ease, and manifestly appeals to judge and jury alike. Astute at identifying the significant issues in a case. The ability to win the trust of a lay client makes difficult forensic decisions so much easier.' Legal 500 Crime (2021)

    ‘Has a very good manner and is a safe pair of hands. He’s calm, sensible and has very good judgment.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020)

    ‘A really effective advocate who never backs away from a fight, but always with utter charm and grace.’ Legal 500 Crime (2018)

    ‘He can roll with the punches without losing his cool.’ Legal 500 Crime (2017)

    ‘Has great experience and gives brilliant written advice on the most complex of legal issues.’ Chambers UK (2016)

    ‘Peter Finnigan QC is admired as a tenacious advocate who takes an inclusive, team based approach to his work.’ Chambers UK (2012)

    Recent Cases

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