• 'Rachna is a joy to work with. She is very industrious and strategic.' Chambers UK 2023
  • 'She is phenomenal' Chambers UK 2023
  • ‘Intelligent and insightful; a star at the junior Bar.’
    Legal 500 2020
  • ‘A standout junior.’
    Chambers High Net Worth 2019
  • ‘Without a doubt one of the brightest and best junior tenants around.’ 
    Chambers UK 2018
 

Rachna Gokani

Called to the Bar:2006

  • Overview

    The go-to junior barrister of the moment, Rachna Gokani excels in all areas she practices in. She is sought-after for complex and novel areas of law or where a client needs utter commitment and skill. Rachna won Crime Junior of the Year at the Chambers & Partners 2018 Bar Awards.

    Corporate & Financial Crime

    Rachna Gokani has a wealth of experience in the field of corporate and financial crime.  Since she began practising at the bar she has been instructed in cases that would ordinarily be considered beyond her years of call.  She defends and prosecutes and is involved pre-charge through to appeal.  She has extensive experience of private prosecutions, both of their prosecution and their defence.  Much of her work involves multiple jurisdictions.  Her tactical awareness and application of her vast intellect impresses those she works for and against.

    Crime

    An impressive advocate with experience of serious, complex and nuanced areas of crime. Rachna prosecutes and defends at a senior level, displaying ability beyond her years. She acts as both sole and led Junior.

    Regulatory

    Rachna has developed a regulatory practice that spans across the spectrum of regulators.  She has experience of medical regulation although specialises in legal and financial regulation and specifically of the defence of professionals.

    Private Prosecutions 

    After her involvement in the record breaking private prosecution of Ketan Somaia, Rachna Gokani has become the go-to junior in this field. She prosecutes and defends all varieties of criminal offences at every level. Her particular expertise lies in complex corporate criminal offences where she acts on both sides for individuals and companies.

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime – Band 1; Financial Crime: Corporates - Band 1; Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions – Spotlight;

    Legal 500 2024: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) – Tier 1; Fraud: Crime – Tier 3; Crime - Tier 4

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime – Band 1; Financial Crime: Corporates - Band 2; Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions – Spotlight; Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2023: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) – Tier 1; Fraud: Crime – Tier 3; Crime - Tier 4

    Chambers High Net Worth 2019: Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals – Band 1

    Recommended in Who's Who Legal 2018 as an expert in Investigations.

    "She is incredibly intelligent, hard-working and has a very calm, lovely advocacy style." Chambers UK (2024)

    "She can turn her mind to anything. She is just brilliant." Chambers UK (2024)

    "Rachna is now established as a leading junior in the very competitive world of corporate crime." Chambers UK (2024)

    ‘A superstar white collar fraud junior: Insightful, committed, hard-working, a deep strategic thinker and a delight to work with. Can’t praise her enough.’  Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2024)

    'Rachna is a joy to work with. She is very industrious and strategic.' 'She is very bright and well respected.' 'Rachna is an exceptional, hard-working lawyer who always goes the extra mile for her clients.' 'She is phenomenal.' 'Committed, tenacious and extremely hard-working. She has a sharp mind.' Chambers UK (2023)

    'Rachna is a first-class criminal junior and an absolute joy to work with. Clever, responsive, proactive, astute, strategic, incredibly hard-working, and very passionate about her work.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2023)

    'Rachna is incredibly astute and hardworking and leaves no stone unturned when acting for individual or corporate clients. Her legal analysis, drafting and advocacy are all first-rate. An absolute joy to work with – she is a genuine team player and is able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) (2023).

    'Passionate about her cases, she puts everything into them.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)

    'She is the most hard-working barrister at the Bar and goes the extra mile every time. She is exceptional. She is one of the most exemplary juniors at the Bar and has an absolutely fantastic legal brain. Her drafting is superb and concise, and she's very eloquent in both written and oral submissions.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)

    'Rachna is fantastically clever, has an incredible work ethic and will go the extra mile to get the job done. A top junior in this area.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2022)

    'Rachna is incredibly astute and hardworking and leaves no stone unturned when acting for individual or corporate clients. Her legal analysis, drafting and advocacy are all first-rate.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2022)

    'She is clever, thorough and extremely hard-working. Solicitors love her as she just covers everything in a case for them.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)

    'She is brilliant to work with, thoughtful and will roll her sleeves up.' 'She is highly regarded, intelligent, insightful and a standout junior.' 'She is super bright, thoughtful, hard-working and adds greatly to the team.' 'She is one of the most sought-after white-collar juniors.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2021)

    'A truly outstanding barrister. Rachna is in her element when prosecuting. She is a superb prosecutor and has bags of experience.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2021)

    'She is extremely cerebral, diligent and innovative. She is bright, hardworking and really lives her cases. A joy to instruct.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2021)

    ‘Enormously impressive, she's an incredibly able junior who is very clever and able to give advice in a way clients will appreciate.’ ‘A force to be reckoned with,’ ‘she is a quiet assassin.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2020)

    ‘She brings a complete mastery of the facts and law to every case, and stands out for her great judgement.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020) 

    ‘Intelligent and insightful; a star at the junior Bar.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) (2020)

    ‘Her advice is cogent and clear, and she is excellent with clients.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2020)

    ‘She never stops working and is really impressive.’ ‘Her hallmark is extraordinary conscientiousness; she works like it's going out of fashion.’ Chambers UK Crime (2019)

    ‘Hard-working and talented.’ ‘She is a clever and responsive lawyer.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2019)

    ‘She does private prosecution work and is very clever and very hard-working’. ‘A standout junior’. Chambers High Net Worth (2019)

    ‘Extremely conscientious, perceptive and bright.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2018)

    ‘One of the most talented juniors at the criminal Bar – she has the ability to make it to the very top.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2018)

    ‘Rachna Gokani is one of the leading juniors in the investigations space. Her outstanding practice encompasses a wide array of matters from fraud to financial and corporate crime.’ Who's Who Legal (Investigations) 2018

    ‘Without a doubt one of the brightest and best junior tenants around.’ ‘She really gets stuck in and gives practical and very detailed advice, which is something you can implement and use straight away.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2018)

    ‘Hard-working and knows the cases inside out.’ ‘She is a bright and capable junior who punches above her weight.’ Chambers UK Crime (2018)

    ‘She has fantastic judgment and is a delight to work with.’ Chambers UK Crime (2017)

    ‘Intelligent, diligent and a delight to work with.’ Legal 500 (2017)

    ‘She is unshakably tenacious, fighting to the very last drop of blood for her client.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2017)

    ‘An absolute star of the future, who works tirelessly for her clients.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2014)

    Professional Memberships

    • Criminal Bar Association
    • Female Fraud Forum
    • Fraud Lawyers Association
    • Young Fraud Lawyers Association
    • Educational Secretary - Private Prosecution Association

    Education

    • 2006 Bar Vocational Course, College of Law, London (Outstanding)
    • 2006 Lincoln’s Inn Buchanan Prize
    • 2006 College of Law Prize for Advocacy
    • 2005 University of Leicester, LLB (Hons)

       

    Privacy Notice

    Recent Cases

    News

    Articles

  • Corporate and Financial Crime

    An absolute star junior sought after by the serious players in the market, Rachna Gokani has intelligence, judgement and expertise beyond her years. Rachna won Crime Junior of the Year at the Chambers & Partners 2018 Bar Awards.

    Overview

    Rachna Gokani has a wealth of experience in the field of corporate and financial crime.  Since she began practising at the bar she has been instructed in cases that would ordinarily be considered beyond her years of call.  She defends and prosecutes and is involved pre-charge through to appeal.  She has extensive experience of private prosecutions, both of their prosecution and their defence.  Much of her work involves multiple jurisdictions.  Her tactical awareness and application of her vast intellect impresses those she works for and against.

    Experience

    Rachna defends and prosecutes in cases of serious corporate and financial crime. She has extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional cases, including a multi-million-pound private prosecution for historic fraud offences, believed to be the largest successful private prosecution brought by an individual, R v Ketan Somaia. 

    Rachna has unrivalled experience of private prosecutions, both of their prosecution and defence.  Since the success of R – v – Ketan Somaia, Rachna has become the go-to junior for the defence of private prosecutions, often stopping them at their earliest stages. 

    She has been instructed in cases of domestic and overseas corruption (including on behalf of a former executive of the Swift Technical Group), fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud, sanctions offences, false accounting and perverting the course of justice.

    Rachna appeared as a junior in the Court of Appeal in R v PD (2011), which considered the manner in which Security Council Resolutions relating to the arms trade are implemented in the domestic law of the UK under the United Nations Act 1946.

    Rachna is on the SFO’s list of approved counsel. She also has defence and prosecution experience in cases involving restraint, forfeiture and confiscation.

    Rachna is a contributing author to Blackstone’s Guide to the Bribery Act (Monty Raphael QC; foreword by The Right Hon. Lord Woolf; OUP) and to Bribery: Law and Practice (Monty Raphael QC; foreword by Sir David Calvert-Smith QC; OUP)

    Before joining QEB Hollis Whiteman, Rachna was researcher to Monty Raphael QC, Special Counsel at law firm Peters & Peters.

    Notable Cases

    R v V (2015)
    Former Swift executives acquitted of corruption charges.

    R v Somaia (Ketan) (2014)
    Successful private prosecution. Ketan Somaia was convicted by a jury of nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception.

    R v Shoyeju (2014)
    Acted for the prosecution in the Court of Appeal (Lord Chief Justice presiding) in this sentencing guideline case for misconduct in a public office.

    R v Semsarilar (2012)
    Successful defence of client charged with sanctions busting.

    R v PD & EB (2012)
    Major sanctions busting case collapses.

    Iraqi sanction-busting offence invalid (2011)
    Offence invalid.

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2024: Financial Crime – Band 1; Financial Crime: Corporates - Band 1

    Legal 500 2024: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) – Tier 1; Fraud: Crime – Tier 3

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime – Band 1; Financial Crime: Corporates - Band 2; Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions – Spotlight; Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2023: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) – Tier 1; Fraud: Crime – Tier 3

    Chambers High Net Worth 2019: Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals – Band 1

    Recommended in Who's Who Legal 2018 as an expert in Investigations.

    'Rachna is a joy to work with. She is very industrious and strategic.' 'She is very bright and well respected.' 'Rachna is an exceptional, hard-working lawyer who always goes the extra mile for her clients.' 'She is phenomenal.' Chambers UK (2023)

    'Rachna is a first-class criminal junior and an absolute joy to work with. Clever, responsive, proactive, astute, strategic, incredibly hard-working, and very passionate about her work.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2023)

    ‘Rachna is incredibly astute and hardworking and leaves no stone unturned when acting for individual or corporate clients. Her legal analysis, drafting and advocacy are all first-rate. An absolute joy to work with – she is a genuine team player and is able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life.’ - Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2023)

    'She is the most hard-working barister at the Bar and goes the extra mile every time. She is exceptional. She is one of the most exemplary juniors at the Bar and has an absolutely fantastic legal brain. Her drafting is superb and concise, and she's very eloquent in both written and oral submissions.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2022)

    'Rachna is fantastically clever, has an incredible work ethic and will go the extra mile to get the job done. A top junior in this area.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2022)

    'Rachna is incredibly astute and hardworking and leaves no stone unturned when acting for individual or corporate clients. Her legal analysis, drafting and advocacy are all first-rate.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2022)

    'She is brilliant to work with, thoughtful and will roll her sleeves up.' 'She is highly regarded, intelligent, insightful and a standout junior.' 'She is super bright, thoughtful, hard-working and adds greatly to the team.' 'She is one of the most sought-after white-collar juniors.' Chambers UK Financial Crime (2021)

    'A truly outstanding barrister. Rachna is in her element when prosecuting. She is a superb prosecutor and has bags of experience.' Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2021)

    'She is extremely cerebral, diligent and innovative. She is bright, hardworking and really lives her cases. A joy to instruct.' Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2021)

    ‘Enormously impressive, she's an incredibly able junior who is very clever and able to give advice in a way clients will appreciate.’ ‘A force to be reckoned with,’ ‘she is a quiet assassin.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2020)

    ‘Intelligent and insightful; a star at the junior Bar.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) (2020)

    ‘Her advice is cogent and clear, and she is excellent with clients.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2020)

    ‘Hard-working and talented.’ ‘She is a clever and responsive lawyer.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2019)

    ‘She does private prosecution work and is very clever and very hard-working’. ‘A standout junior’. Chambers High Net Worth (2019)

    ‘Extremely conscientious, perceptive and bright.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2018)

    ‘One of the most talented juniors at the criminal Bar – she has the ability to make it to the very top.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2018)

    ‘Rachna Gokani is one of the leading juniors in the investigations space. Her outstanding practice encompasses a wide array of matters from fraud to financial and corporate crime.’ Who's Who Legal (Investigations) 2018

    ‘Without a doubt one of the brightest and best junior tenants around.’ ‘She really gets stuck in and gives practical and very detailed advice, which is something you can implement and use straight away.’ Chambers UK Financial Crime (2018)

    ‘Intelligent, diligent and a delight to work with.’ Legal 500 (2017)

    ‘She is unshakably tenacious, fighting to the very last drop of blood for her client.’ Legal 500 Fraud: Crime (2017)

    ‘An absolute star of the future, who works tirelessly for her clients.’ Legal 500 Business and Regulatory Crime (2014)

    Recent Cases

    • Defendants acquitted in SFO prosecution of former G4S executives

      Today, the SFO offered no evidence against James Jardine, Mark Preston and Richard Morris, bringing to an end an investigation which has lasted nearly a decade with the acquittal of all individuals charged.The defendants, former directors and employees of...

      Read more

    • SFO enters into DPA with Airline Services Limited. Crispin Aylett QC and Rachna Gokani represent the SFO.

      The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...

      Read more

    • SFO - v - G4S (2020). Crispin Aylett QC instructed by the SFO.

      The SFO received approval in principle for the DPA with G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Ltd on Tuesday 14th July.Crispin Aylett has been instructed by the SFO to lead the investigation and subsequent DPA negotiations. The SFO has received approval in p...

      Read more

    • RE: X

      Rachna Gokani is acting for a suspect in the SFO’s criminal investigation into a company. The investigation is focused on allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption around the acquisition of substantial mineral assets.Couns

      Read more

    • R v Alrayssi (2019)

      Sean Larkin QC and Katherine Lloyd defended in a private prosecution brought by a casino against a high net worth individual said to have issued a fraudulent cheque for £2m. There were complicated issues surrounding the principles of the Gambling Act link...

      Read more

    • Re: Alstom (2018)

      Alstom is a multi-national conglomerate with its headquarters in Paris. It is engaged in the transport and power markets. This case involved a multi-phase prosecution of the corporate and individuals in relation to bribery allegations occurring in multipl...

      Read more

    • R v Jones (2018)

      Tom Kark QC and Rachna Gokani defended Jones in a private prosecution of a multi-million pound fraud. 

      Read more

    • R v Somaia (2009-2017)

      In 2014, Ketan Somaia was convicted by a jury of nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, contrary to section 15A of the Theft Act 1968.

      Read more

    News

    • QEB Hollis Whiteman Recognised by Chambers & Partners Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals

       Chambers and Partners released their rankings for Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals and QEB Hollis Whiteman and its members are acknowledged as leaders in the field.Chambers is ranked as Band 1 and nine members of Chambers  are ranked as leader...

      Read more

    • QEB Hollis Whiteman Recognised by Chambers & Partners Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals

      Chambers and Partners released their rankings for Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals today and QEB Hollis Whiteman and its members are acknowledged as leaders in the field.Chambers is ranked as Band 1 with sources describing us as "a set of chamb...

      Read more

    • SFO enters into DPA with Airline Services Limited. Crispin Aylett QC and Rachna Gokani represent the SFO.

      The Serious Fraud Office has reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airline Services Limited (ASL).The DPA was given final approval by Mrs Justice May at a public hearing at Southwark Crown Court, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, today...

      Read more

    • QEB Hollis Whiteman ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide

      Chambers & Partners’ High Net Worth publication ranks the top lawyers and law firms for international private wealth.Its 2019 edition launched on Thursday 11th June and marks the first time that Chambers HNW has featured barristers who specialise in...

      Read more

    • Rachna Gokani co-authors new guide Bribery: Law and Practice

      A new work on bribery, Bribery: Law and Practice is published by Oxford University Press in March 2016. QEB Hollis Whiteman co-authored the book with leading expert Monty Raphael QC, Special Counsel at solicitors Peters and Peters. The book provides a com...

      Read more

    • Private Prosecutor secures £38 million in confiscation and compensation against "formidable and serial fraudsman" Ketan Somaia

      Ketan Somaia was ordered to pay a total of £38.86m in compensation and confiscation.

      Read more

    Articles

  • Crime

    An outstanding and well liked junior; Rachna Gokani impresses the market with her shrewd tactics, attractive advocacy and sheer likeability. Rachna won Crime Junior of the Year at the Chambers & Partners 2018 Bar Awards.

    Overview

    An impressive advocate with experience of serious, complex and nuanced areas of crime. Rachna prosecutes and defends at a senior level, displaying ability beyond her years.  She acts as both sole and led Junior.

    Experience

    Rachna defends and prosecutes in cases of serious general crime. She has extensive experience in multi-jurisdictional cases, including a multi-million-pound private prosecution for historic fraud offences, believed to be the largest successful private prosecution brought by an individual, R v Ketan Somaia.

    She has been instructed in cases of domestic and overseas corruption (most recently on behalf of a former executive of the Swift Technical Group), fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud, sanctions offences, false accounting, perverting the course of justice, commercial-scale immigration offences, perjury and historic sexual offences, including as junior counsel for former newspaper boss Eddy Shah and most recently for MP, Charlie Elphicke.  Rachna was also instructed for the prosecution in R v Sheikh and others, in which three of the defendants, including the eldest son of Abu Hamza, were convicted of conspiracy to kidnap.

    Appearing alone, she has defended and prosecuted cases of robbery, burglary, weapon possession, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, sexual assault, arranging child sex offences, religiously aggravated assault and cases of serious violence.

    Rachna has a niche interest and practice in driving offences.  She has experience across the full gamut of offences, including: speeding; driving without insurance; driving under the influence of drugs; drink driving, driving without due care; driving whilst disqualified; and dangerous driving, Her clients are often professionals or high profile; she has a good appreciation of the importance of such cases and of maintaining a person's reputation.

    Notable cases

    R v Sheikh (Tito) (2014)
    Roger Smart and Rachna Gokani were instructed for the prosecution.

    R v Shah (2013)
    Former newspaper boss Eddy Shah acquitted of rape on a school girl.

    R v F (2011)
    Successful representation of former detective charged with perverting the course of justice.

    R v Crosdale (2010)
    Successful section 23 POCA.

    R v Virdee (2009)
    Acquittal in tendering counterfeit currency case.

    Reviews

    Legal 500 2024: Crime - Tier 4

    Chambers UK 2023: Crime – Band 3

    Legal 500 2023: Crime - Tier 4

    'Passionate about her cases, she puts everything into them.' Chambers UK Crime (2022)

    'She is clever, thorough and extremely hard-working. Solicitors love her as she just covers everything in a case for them.' Chambers UK Crime (2021)

    ‘She brings a complete mastery of the facts and law to every case, and stands out for her great judgement.’ Chambers UK Crime (2020) 

    ‘She never stops working and is really impressive.’ ‘Her hallmark is extraordinary conscientiousness; she works like it's going out of fashion.’ Chambers UK Crime (2019)

    ‘Hard-working and knows the cases inside out.’ ‘She is a bright and capable junior who punches above her weight.’ Chambers UK Crime (2018)

    ‘She has fantastic judgment and is a delight to work with.’ Chambers UK Crime (2017)

    ‘Intelligent, diligent and a delight to work with.’ Legal 500 (2017)

    Recent Cases

    News

  • Regulatory

    Experienced across a host of disciplines Rachna Gokani has become sought after to defend professionals in the legal and financial industries.

    Overview

    Rachna has developed a regulatory practice that spans across the spectrum of regulators.  She has experience of medical regulation although specialises in legal and financial regulation and specifically of the defence of professionals.

    Experience

    Rachna has experience in regulatory law, having been instructed to appear before the General Medical Council, Financial Conduct Authority, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal.

    Rachna also practices in the financial regulatory sphere which dovetails with her work in Corporate and Financial Crime. Her current instructions include representing an individual being disciplined by the FCA for alleged Libor manipulation. In 2017, she acted as junior counsel for the Gambling Commission in its first ever social gaming prosecution.

    Notable Cases

    FCA v X (2017)
    Led by Jason Mansell in advising a trader in connection with the FCA's regulatory investigation of LIBOR.

    CIMA v GJ (2017)
    Instruced by Kingsley Napley solicitors to defend an accountant in a disciplinary hearing before the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

    Reviews

    Legal 500 2024: Business and Regulatory Crime (Including Global Investigations) – Tier 1

    'Passionate about her cases, she puts everything into them.' Chambers UK (2022)

    'She is clever, thorough and extremely hard-working. Solicitors love her as she just covers everything in a case for them.' Chambers UK (2021)

    ‘Enormously impressive, she's an incredibly able junior who is very clever and able to give advice in a way clients will appreciate.’ Chambers UK (2020)

    ‘Intelligent and insightful; a star at the junior Bar.’ Legal 500 (2020)

    ‘She never stops working and is really impressive.' 'Her hallmark is extraordinary conscientiousness; she works like it's going out of fashion.’ Chambers UK (2019)

    ‘She really gets stuck in and gives practical and very detailed advice, which is something you can implement and use straight away.’ Chambers UK (2018)

    ‘She is unshakably tenacious, fighting to the very last drop of blood for her client.’ Legal 500 (2017)

    ‘A star, who is hugely sought after by the top solicitors. ... Highly intelligent, fantastically hardworking and a delight to be with.’ Legal 500 (2016)

    Recent Cases

    News

    • Jason Mansell and Rachna Gokani act for RBS Trader in FCA LIBOR Investigation

      Jason Mansell and Rachna Gokani acted for former RBS trader Neil Danziger in connection with contested regulatory proceedings before the RDC arising out of the FCA’s investigation of LIBOR. Jason and Rachna were instructed by Ben Rose and Charles Ku...

      Read more

    • Two men convicted in first Social Gaming Prosecution

      On 6 February 2017, Dylan Rigby and Craig Douglas were convicted of offering and advertising a form of illegal gambling that was "parasitic" upon the popular EA computer game, FIFA. Having entered guilty pleas to offences under the Gambling Act 2005, the ...

      Read more

  • Private Prosecutions

    Rachna Gokani is sagacious, creative in her approach, impressive in her written work and convincing in her advocacy; she is a trailblazer in the field of criminal private prosecutions, and is sought out for her unrivalled expertise.

    Overview

    After her involvement in the record breaking private prosecution of Ketan Somaia, Rachna Gokani has become the go-to junior in this field.  She prosecutes and defends all varieties of criminal offences at every level.  Her particular expertise lies in complex corporate criminal offences where she acts on both sides for individuals and companies.

    Experience

    Rachna is regularly instructed to advise upon, prosecute and defend companies and individuals in complex and high profile private prosecutions.

    From 2009 to 2017, she acted for the prosecution in what is believed to be the largest prosecution ever brought by an individual (R v Somaia).  The prosecution resulted in nine convictions for obtaining money transfers by deception, with a value of US$19.7m. The defendant was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.  In refusing a defence application to stop the proceedings, the Judge observed that the prosecuting solicitors (Peters & Peters) and “the experienced leading and junior counsel instructed by them have progressed this private prosecution in a professional and principled way observing the duties owed to the court to ensure that the trial is fair”. 

    Rachna’s reputation for bringing private prosecutions in the field of fraud has made her the obvious choice for defending them, as she has impressed for the prosecution, so too has she for the defence; she is uniquely experienced to identify the weaknesses in any Private Prosecution being brought and to exploit them to the advantage of the defendant.  In 2016, Rachna successfully acted for a former director of a British bank, who, together with the Bank itself, was the subject of a private prosecution for allegations of historic fraud. The proceedings were withdrawn in the Magistrates’ Court.

    Rachna has had involvement of a large variety of other private prosecutions including one brought by the world’s largest legal expenses insurer against, amongst others, its former CEO and one brought in the context of a long-running, multi-jurisdictional family dispute.

    She has experience of all tiers of the legal system in this field and of advancing difficult arguments at every level to great effect; she is an established leader in the field.

    Reviews

    Chambers UK 2023: Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions - Spotlight 

    'Rachna is a joy to work with. She is very industrious and strategic.' 'She is very bright and well respected.' 'Rachna is an exceptional, hard-working lawyer who always goes the extra mile for her clients.' 'She is phenomenal.' Chambers UK (2023)

    'She is the most hard-working barristers at the Bar and goes the extra mile every time. She is exceptional. She is one of the most exemplary juniors at the Bar and has an absolutely fantastic legal brain. Her drafting is superb and concise, and she's very eloquent in both written and oral submissions.' Chambers UK Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions (2022)

    'She is brilliant to work with, thoughtful and will roll her sleeves up.' 'She is highly regarded, intelligent, insightful and a standout junior.' 'She is super bright, thoughtful, hard-working and adds greatly to the team.' 'She is one of the most sought-after white-collar juniors.' Chambers UK Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions (2021)

    ‘She brings a complete mastery of the facts and law to every case, and stands out for her great judgement.’ Chambers UK (2020) 

    ‘Intelligent and insightful; a star at the junior Bar.’ Legal 500 (2020)

    ‘She never stops working and is really impressive. Her hallmark is extraordinary conscientiousness; she works like it's going out of fashion.’ Chambers UK (2019)

    ‘She really gets stuck in and gives practical and very detailed advice, which is something you can implement and use straight away.’ Chambers UK (2018)

    ‘She is unshakably tenacious, fighting to the very last drop of blood for her client.’ Legal 500 (2017)

    ‘Has an absolute mastery of the facts and produces written work of the highest standard. She possesses an assurance and presence way beyond her years, and combines it with a highly approachable manner.’ Chambers UK (2016)

    ‘Highly intelligent, fantastically hardworking and a delight to be with.’ Legal 500 (2016)

    Recent Cases

    • Indemnity Costs Order in "unreasonable" and "vexatious" prosecution of Boris Johnson

      The Court concluded that the Private Prosecutor should pay the Claimant's costs on an indemnity basis.

      Read more

    • R v Alrayssi (2019)

      Sean Larkin QC and Katherine Lloyd defended in a private prosecution brought by a casino against a high net worth individual said to have issued a fraudulent cheque for £2m. There were complicated issues surrounding the principles of the Gambling Act link...

      Read more

    • R v Jones (2018)

      Tom Kark QC and Rachna Gokani defended Jones in a private prosecution of a multi-million pound fraud. 

      Read more

    • R v Somaia (2009-2017)

      In 2014, Ketan Somaia was convicted by a jury of nine counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, contrary to section 15A of the Theft Act 1968.

      Read more

    • R v X (2016)

      Adrian Darbishire QC and Rachna Gokani acted for the defence in a private prosecution of a large British Bank and its former Director for offences of conspiracy to defraud and perjury.

      Read more

    News

    Articles

    • Briefing Note: A Prosecutor's Duty of Candour

      On 23 May, the High Court (Lord Justice Gross and Mr Justice Sweeney) allowed an application for judicial review against the refusal of Leeds Magistrates' Court to dismiss summonses that had been issued upon the application of a private prosecutor.The Cla...

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    • William Boyce QC and Rachna Gokani feature on Private Prosecutions in Law Society Gazette

      William Boyce QC and Rachna Gokani consider the 'growth industry' of private prosecutions and their role in safeguarding justice.

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