Department profile
5 St Andrew's Hill

Financial Crime

UK Bar Guide 2026 : London (Bar)

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5 St Andrew's Hill

Rankings

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Financial Crime - London (Bar)

Band 4

What the Team is Known For

5 St Andrew's Hill is a set with a "strength in depth with a number of high quality senior counsel who specialise in financial crime." Acting in a variety of financial crime mandates, the team regularly takes instruction on cases relating to criminal investigations by the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Conduct Authority and other prosecuting agencies, as well as on high-value and complex fraud, money laundering, Deferred Prosecution Agreements and bribery and corruption charges. Recently, members of the chambers have defended a contracts manager accused of accepting bribes.

Dave Scothern is chambers director.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The clerking team is excellent.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

  • 5 St Andrew's Hill has brilliant clerks.

    Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Andrew Bird
    Andrew Bird

    Andrew Bird

    Andrew Bird KC is an experienced barrister who regularly acts for both the prosecution and the defence in financial crime cases. He offers expertise in matters relating to bribery, corruption and fraud, and is adept at handling private prosecutions.

    • Andrew Bird is a walking encyclopaedia.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Andrew is an incredibly user-friendly silk, incredibly responsive and very thoughtful.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Sarah Wood
    Sarah Wood

    Sarah Wood

    Sarah Wood currently serves as joint head of the business crime team at 5 St Andrew's Hill and is noted for her expertise in private prosecutions. Her broad financial crime practice also encompasses asset recovery and complex money laundering cases.

    • Sarah is absolutely fantastic. She is incredibly hard-working, no stone is left unturned and she has great client skills.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • David Stern
    David Stern

    David Stern

    David Stern is noted for his experience in fraud work and proceeds of crime cases arising out of fraud investigations. His areas of expertise include advising on rate rigging, corruption and investment fraud cases. He draws an impressive number of instructions from clients in the financial services industry.

    • He has a first class analytical brain and quickly focuses on the key issues, providing succinct advice in complex cases. He is the go-to counsel when both a sharp intellect and hard work are required.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Danielle Barden
    Danielle Barden

    Danielle Barden

    Danielle Barden has a strong practice in financial crime, appearing for both the prosecution and defence. She has particular expertise with cases relating to fraud, money laundering and human trafficking and her broad practice also encompasses general crime and extradition work.

    • Danielle's professional abilities make her stand out and her work ethic is exemplary. She is passionate about her cases and is tenacious yet calm in her approach to both drafting and advocacy.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Danielle is a supremely conscientious and diligent advocate with a fine eye for detail. She is relentless in her pursuit of the client's interests, She is fearless in court and approachable out of it.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • David McNeill
    David McNeill

    David McNeill

    David McNeill is a well-regarded junior experienced both in prosecuting and defending financial crime cases. He acts in a range of fraud and money laundering cases, and has added expertise in related confiscation matters. He is regularly instructed by HMRC, the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service.

    • David is thorough, knows the law and strong at presenting a case.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • David has an outstanding work ethic and is very bright.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Dominic Connolly
    Dominic Connolly

    Dominic Connolly

    Dominic Connolly is a robust and effective prosecutor of complex financial crime cases. A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Grade 4 specialist prosecutor for fraud and serious crime, he regularly takes instructions from the Specialist Fraud Division of the CPS. Connelly has particular expertise prosecuting cases involving large-scale organised crime.

    • Dominic is brilliant. He has a very nice manner in court and is very measured.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Edmund Burge
    Edmund Burge

    Edmund Burge

    Edmund Burge KC is a popular and highly experienced barrister who frequently leads for the prosecution. His high-value financial criminal cases include a number relating to MTIC (missing trader intra-community), VAT and diversion fraud. He also prosecutes money laundering matters and acts as a regular adviser to the Crown Prosecution Service on pre-charge investigations. Burge is rated for his ability to handle the more complex cases.

    • He is a very good lawyer, providing really good written submissions. His legal analysis is also excellent.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Ed is first class. He is hard-working and a really good advocate.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Ini Udom
    Ini Udom

    Ini Udom

    Ini Udom is a talented junior barrister who primarily acts for the prosecution in complex financial crime cases. She is regularly instructed by HMRC and the Crown Prosecution Service and is well versed in cases involving allegations of VAT tax fraud and money laundering.

    • Ini is very approachable for our clients and meticulous in her planning and advice in what are usually complex financial issues.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Ini is thoughtful, methodical, hard-working and an extremely engaging person to deal with.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • She is absolutely meticulous in her attention to detail.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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  • Mark Cotter
    Mark Cotter

    Mark Cotter

    Mark Cotter KC is a sought after and experienced barrister both for the prosecution and the defence in business and financial crime cases. His practice often sees him assisting and representing high net worth individuals or acting on matters with an international element. In addition to his financial crime work, Cotter is regularly involved in complex asset recovery and confiscation proceedings.

    • Mark is a fantastic advocate. He is very experienced, knowledgeable about the law and clear in his submissions to court.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Mark is highly experienced and knowledgeable, with a forensic eye for detail and an ability to focus in on the key issues in a case.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar

    • Mark has great intellect and a fantastic ability to understand the most complex issues and to distil them into manageable information, ready to be presented to the jury. He is a first rate silk.

      Financial Crime respondentUK Bar
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Ranked Barristers at 5 St Andrew's Hill (10)

London (Bar)

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