Department profile
25 Bedford Row

Financial Crime

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

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25 Bedford Row

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About

Provided by 25 Bedford Row

With an approachable and down-to-earth manner, we are renowned for preparing cases meticulously ensuring that every detail is grasped. Chambers are known to offer practical, realistic advice, empathising with lay clients about the impact of an investigation and providing professional support from the outset. Our defence-only perspective sets us apart in this regard. We offer a hard-headed, commercial and pragmatic approach.

Our financial crime expertise relates to complex, international financial transactions and multifaceted accountancy and banking evidence. The cases in which we act and advise include cartel and competition cases, bribery and corruption allegations, fraudulent trading and offense under FSMA,  investment frauds, stock market and banking frauds, insider trading, boiler room frauds, ‘Ponzi’ schemes, advanced fee frauds, pension, carbon credit and election frauds, VAT and diversion frauds, property frauds. More recently cases involving Crypto currencies as items seized or intrinsic to the fraud are becoming more prevalent. Chambers has kept abreast of these changes in terms of expertise and knowledge. We are experts in defending cases prosecuted by SFO, HMRC, and FCA as well as other bodies like Companies House. We advise in specialist areas including abuse of process, warrants, disclosure, legal professional privilege, restraint and forfeiture proceedings, confiscation and asset recovery, international and cross-border law, extradition and mutual assistance.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Financial Crime - London (Bar)

Band 2

What the Team is Known For

25 Bedford Row is a highly regarded set with "a range of silks and juniors who are all instructed in the most complex of cases", noted for its defence of individuals and corporations in a wide range of financial crime cases. Members are routinely instructed in prosecutions brought by the Serious Fraud Office and HMRC, and are experienced in the handling of cases involving allegations of fraud, bribery, money laundering and insider trading. The team is also frequently called upon to advise a range of clients on bribery prevention and AML procedures. Case highlights include acting for the FCA in R v Bayes & Swann, an eight-week prosecution of insider dealing relating to an international manufacturing company around the announcement of a corporate acquisition.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Alfie Lee has really found his feet as director of clerking. He and his team provide a top-notch service.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

  • I am staggered by the amount of plates the clerking team keep in the air. They always answer the phone on the first ring and do a really impressive job of managing everyone.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

  • The clerksroom has long been one of the greatest strengths of the set. Alfie Lee is a superb leader, hard-working and friendly.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

  • 25 Bedford Row will go the extra mile to make a difference.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Ben Summers
    Ben Summers

    Ben Summers

    Ben Summers is a highly competent and well-organised barrister with laudable experience of advising on bribery, fraud and regulatory issues. Corporations and public bodies, as well as individuals, feature highly on his client roster. His practice also draws on complementary Financial Conduct Authority enforcement expertise. He is rated for his advice on data protection compliance in relation to financial crime.

    • Ben is an excellent advocate, very knowledgeable and very bright. He operates at the level of a KC.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Ben is great for technical issues in criminal law. He is very calm and has very good legal and analytical skills.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • He is a first class lawyer.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Duncan Jones
    Duncan Jones

    Duncan Jones

    Duncan Jones specialises in white-collar crime defence work. He is known for working on high-profile cases, often those involving an international element. He acts for individuals in major Serious Fraud Office investigations.

    • Duncan is a future silk in waiting. He is calm, hard-working and superb on the law. Nothing is too much trouble and he is utterly realistic about outcomes.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • A smart and dedicated lawyer who commands the confidence of the client. He carefully considers issues, advises well on tactics and produces quality written advocacy.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Duncan's written skeletons are phenomenal, bulletproof arguments.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • George Carter-Stephenson
    George Carter-Stephenson

    George Carter-Stephenson

    George Carter-Stephenson KC is a leading silk who impresses interviewees with his passion and persuasiveness when addressing a jury, as well as his meticulous case preparation. He has proven expertise in cases involving alleged tax frauds, corrupt payments and rate manipulation. His clients also include senior professionals charged with offences such as money laundering and the miss-selling of shares. He is noted for his ability to handle large, significant cases.

    • George is simply superb. He is one of the top five criminal silks in the country and his level of work is unequalled.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • George is the consummate professional. He works tirelessly and brilliantly on every case he undertakes.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • George is an excellent, hard-working silk with a good tactical brain and a superb advocate.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Nicola Howard
    Nicola Howard

    Nicola Howard

    Nicola Howard KC is a well-organised, highly dependable silk who applies herself effectively and communicates well with both clients and judges. She is experienced in acting for the defence in a range of financial crime cases, including those relating to tax fraud and rate manipulation. Her client base includes company officers and directors, as well as professionals, and she is regularly instructed both for pre-charge advice and for representation at trial. She is noted for her expertise in cases with international elements.

    • She is calm, measured and reassuring for clients. She is so thorough and has that gravitas and respect which is properly earned.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Nicola is a dynamic and commercial barrister who regularly secures repeat clients due to her skills with them.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • She has a calm presence in court and is a very attractive advocate who faithfully represents her clients.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Nigel Sangster
    Nigel Sangster

    Nigel Sangster

    Nigel Sangster KC is an experienced defence silk who attracts praise for the calming influence he has on clients facing stressful criminal proceedings. He is known for his expertise in large financial crime cases and regularly defends in tax and investment fraud matters.

    • Nigel was fantastic to work with. He is a first class silk who charms the jury with his attractive advocacy.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Nigel’s particular strength lies in the charm that he is able to deploy during the trial. He gets to grip with the issues in the case quickly and then deploys his excellent advocacy skills.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Nigel is hard-working, approachable and beyond capable. He rolls his sleeves up and works incredibly hard to ensure he knows all the relevant facts and their application to legal arguments.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Simon Pentol
    Simon Pentol

    Simon Pentol

    Simon Pentol KC displays capability across the scope of financial crime and has recently handled a number of high-value tax and investment fraud cases. He wins respect from peers for his client care skills and has a breadth of experience that ranges from sports law to complex cybercrime. Pentol has noted experience in cases involving tax frauds and boiler room frauds.

    • Simon is capable of absorbing vast quantities of evidence in a short space of time and then deploying the material to devastating effect. His advocacy is brilliant and will really liven up a trial.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Ben Smitten
    Ben Smitten

    Ben Smitten

    Ben Smitten is an experienced criminal defence advocate who has advised executives, high-net worth individuals and other clients in various financial crime investigations.

    • Ben is a delight to work with. He is very personable and gets on really well with the client. He is very diligent and very well respected, commanding the court.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Ben is top-drawer. He puts in huge amounts of work to ensure the best outcome for his clients, leaving no stone unturned.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Ben is an outstanding barrister. He is impressive in every respect.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Dermot Keating
    Dermot Keating

    Dermot Keating

    Dermot Keating KC is an experienced financial crime practitioner with notable experience of handling major cases. He is valued for his skilled defence of clients in fraud cases and is particularly well versed in tax fraud matters.

    • He is extremely hard-working and has a very fluent, lovely courtroom manner.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Dermot brought reassuring calmness in a high-pressured situation. He demonstrated a real knack of understanding key issues.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • He knows how to find a clear and structured thread through a case that will appeal to a jury. Clients and juries love him.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Matthew Radstone
    Matthew Radstone

    Matthew Radstone

    Matthew Radstone has a strong reputation as a leading junior in financial crime. He has particular expertise in complex fraud, insider trading, money laundering, bribery and corruption as well as on internal investigations and corporate self-reporting.

    • Matthew is a very fluent, persuasive and brave advocate. He has got a very good strategic mind and takes the clever path through most minefields that he navigates.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Samantha Riggs
    Samantha Riggs

    Samantha Riggs

    Samantha Riggs attracts market acclaim for her skill in cases where environmental law and financial crime overlap. She has handled a number of high-value financial crime cases relating to land banking and carbon credits. Riggs also practises more broadly in matters including tax fraud and money laundering, and also has experience in related POCA (Proceeds of Crime Act) matters.

    • Samantha is bright and hard-working.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Sonal Dashani
    Sonal Dashani

    Sonal Dashani

    Sonal Dashani is regularly called upon to handle complex fraud and money laundering cases. She also fields expertise in confiscation proceedings and asset recovery matters, and acts both for the prosecution and the defence. Her broad practice also encompasses appellate work.

    • Sonal gives off a relaxed demeanour but she has never seized to surprise me, she knows every detail.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Sonal's clarity and technical excellence sets her apart from the crowd. The confidence in her natural ability and in being the most prepared advocate in the room is a simple but rare winning formula.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Sonal is fearless, yet charming in front of judges. Her cross-examinations are always amazingly effective and she would be my top pick on any financial crime case.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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Ranked Barristers at 25 Bedford Row (12)

London (Bar)

Members

Provided by 25 Bedford Row

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