• 'A number of its members have prior or current experience of prosecuting financial crime cases, which affords them valuable insight into the best approach to take when defending such actions' Chambers UK 2017
  • 'Members provide pre-charge and post-charge advice to a diverse list of high-profile corporates and private individuals' Chambers UK 2016
  • 'A top-flight set from the quality of its senior silks to its diligent pupils' Legal 500 2017

Internal Investigations

Drawing from our expertise in closely related fields, Chambers has built an expert team adept at equipping companies with measures to prevent internal crisis and to assist to resolve issues, when they arise.

Overview

Barristers at QEB Hollis Whiteman have considerable experience of acting on behalf of multi-jurisdictional corporates as well as smaller UK based companies when they encounter internal crises which have the potential to turn into civil, criminal, regulatory and/or inquisitorial proceedings. Chambers can provide independent expertise; its members not only have vast experience of the allegations companies may face but they have a detailed understanding of the operation and dynamics of internal investigations, having represented both the organisers and subjects of such inquiries. We have knowledge and experience of Dawn Raids and are often instructed as independent Counsel to review material linked to them.  We have knowledge of the mechanics of numerous professions due to our vast experience in professional regulation.

Our Experience

Compliance

Members of Chambers provide preventative advice, including guidance relating to enforcement action and assistance with compliance issues. We advise on setting up new policies and risk assessments of existing policies. 

We have provided advice and assistance to the Global Financial Crime Division of  various leading and smaller international financial institutions on anti-money laundering practices. This has involved advising on issues such as KYC and due diligence, secrecy jurisdiction complexities, cross-platform banking, bearer shares, corroboration regarding source of wealth and source of funds and mandatory regulatory requirements surrounding politically exposed persons.

Members can offer on-site advice and assistance on the application of guidance provided by the Financial Conduct Authority, both in this jurisdiction and abroad. For example, our Barristers have travelled within Europe and to the United States to train individuals on regulatory requirements and ways to ensure adherence to the 2007 money laundering regulations.

Separately we have provided professional institutions with advice on how to deal with an issue when something has gone wrong which has had the potential to lead to or has led to an investigation by a regulator or by the police.  We have advised law firms and schools amongst others.  Our involvement has been preventative as much as it has been to address an existing issue.  Our work has dealt with regulatory procedure as well as criminal issues such as harassment and sexual assault.

Disclosure, LPP and RIPA

We are specialists in the application of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and advise a range of clients on this topic, including companies, professional regulatory bodies and public bodies.

We provide advice and assistance during searches, seizure and production of material and review material as appointed independent Counsel in large-scale multi-jurisdictional investigations.

Our Junior Barristers in particular are specialists in document reviews, advising on issues such as LPP and disclosure, whether acting for or against an individual, corporate or prosecution body such as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), FCA or HMRC.  Members of Chambers have lead LPP review teams.

Chambers also advises financial institutions and others on making protected and authorised disclosures to regulatory bodies.

News

Is it Fair to Refer?

The recent case of Dr Arora, an Indian qualified female doctor, has once again shone a spotlight on the fairness of fitness to practise investigations, and has again highlighted concerns about the discrimination which appears to exist in the referral and...

Selva Ramasamy QC invited to speak at the British Medical Association (BMA) Medico-legal conference

Selva Ramasamy QC has been invited to speak at the British Medical Association (BMA) Medico-legal conference, to be held Thursday 7th July, between 9:15 AM – 16:40 PM at BMA House Tavistock Square London WC1H 9JP. Selva will be...

Anne Whyte QC's report into the mistreatment of gymnasts published

In July 2020 a significant number of gymnasts, and parents of gymnasts, made allegations about mistreatment within the sport of gymnastics. A number of the concerns alleged that British Gymnastics had failed to deal appropriately with complaints it had...

Mark Ellison QC and Kathryn Hughes act for the FRC in their case against KPMG

Mark Ellison QC and Kathryn Hughes act for the FRC in 'The Executive Counsel to the FRC v KPMG, Peter Noel Meehan, Alistair Wright, Richard William Kitchen, Adam David Bennett, Pratik Paw, Stuart Peter and James Smith (alongside ...

Anne Whyte QC, Rebecca Harris & Orla Daly discuss the scandal of widespread sexual abuse in schools in The Times yesterday

Members of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers write for The Times to consider the fallout from Everyone's Invited  and to recommend that schools implement a code of conduct to tackle the issues and provide safe and...

Articles

"A Trojan Horse? The FCA's Proposals on Reforming the RDC" by Jason Mansell

Jason Mansell is a barrister specialising in FCA litigation.  He has advised firms and individuals in relation to more than 100 FCA enforcement investigations and associated proceedings in the RDC, Upper Tribunal and High Court.  In this...

The not so long arm of the law - the Supreme Court's decision in R (on the application of KBR, Inc) v Serious Fraud Office [2021] UKSC 2

A Briefing Note by Jason Mansell and Kathryn Hughes . In a long-awaited judgment, the Supreme Court has unanimously rejected the Serious Fraud Office’s (“ SFO ”) claim that its powers under s.2(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1987...