Constantine Law, the consultant-led “agile” employment, business immigration and regulatory specialist law firm has recruited a new partner, Vivien Cochrane, to its growing regulatory team. Vivien’s appointment is the regulatory team’s third partner hire in 2025 following the recruitment of high-profile partner John Milner and Tina Lakhani, taking the specialist regulatory practice to a headcount of seven partners.
Constantine Law, which also recently launched a business immigration practice, now has a total number of 19 partners and 26 fee earning staff.
Vivien joins Constantine Law from Shearman Bowen, where she had been a partner for four years. Before that, Vivien spent 9 years at Kingsley Napley in their Criminal Litigation department. b
Vivien is a highly experienced lawyer and police station representative, specialising in general crime, financial crime fraud and Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) investigations. . She advises and defends individuals, professionals and corporations who are subject to investigation or prosecution and has extensive experience of dealing with the FCA, SFO and CPS.
Vivien has been involved in complex multi-handed fraud and bribery prosecutions including:
- advising an individual charged with bribery involving various London nightclubs owners alleged to have offered bribes to a serving police officer
- advising a company director charged with fraud, money/laundering and false accounting following an investigation into a large scale fraud in which London Underground was the alleged victim
Vivien's fraud and financial crime practice also encompasses advising corporates and individuals in respect of various aspects of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) including confiscation proceedings, account and asset freezing orders and forfeiture proceedings.
Her general crime practice spans the full range of offences with a recent focus on relationship-based offences including allegations of race and sexual offences, coercive and controlling behaviour and intimate partner violence and harassment.
Vivien is the co-author of a highly regarded practitioner text: Legal Professional Privilege in Criminal Investigations and Proceedings which was published in 2024.
Commenting on the new appointment, Managing Partner John Hayes said, “We welcome Vivien to the firm. Her wide-ranging experience brings even further depth to our regulatory practice and boosts our reputation in this increasingly complex legal market.
The team has been busy this year and have distinguished themselves by offering integrated advice across the “triangle” of criminal defence, regulatory proceedings, and employment law - a combination essential for professionals to receive when facing complex investigations that can be career-limiting, if not career-ending. This joined-up, tactical and seamless approach is vital for professionals in regulated sectors, where the overlap of legal exposure requires a coordinated strategy.”
Regulatory partner, Sarah Wallace added, “I’m excited and proud to welcome Vivien into our regulatory and criminal investigations team.”
John Hayes added, ”Constantine Law is expanding. We have taken on five new partners in 2025 alone, including launching our new Business Immigration practice. Our ability to recruit partners of Vivien’s level shows both our growing reputation and the attractions of working for a progressive, collegiate firm like ours without the fixed costs and targets of many firms. Our lawyers have the freedom to work and develop their work in a way that suits them best and to be rewarded according to their successes, whilst having the broader support of being part of a wider team.”
“This blend of experience, depth and agility continues to set us apart from other firms and we will continue to hire highly rated employment, business immigration and regulatory lawyers to further develop our business.”