Crucible Law

Head of Chambers: Neil Hawes KC
Senior Clerk: James Hall

THE CHAMBERS At Crucible, professional excellence, client care and reliability of service remain central to all that it does. The set aims to fuse this with a modern, creative and agile approach that sets it apart in the market. Specialising in: Financial crime, serious crime, professional discipline and regulatory law.

Crucible was conceived, designed, structured and opened during the second half of 2020 against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic. It has learned from the challenges the pandemic has posed for businesses, both financially and organisationally.

WORK UNDERTAKEN 

Serious Crime: Barristers at Crucible prosecute and defend cases across the whole criminal spectrum. The cases recently undertaken by members of Crucible range from high profile multi-handed murder cases to more sensitive and complex matters often involving vulnerable defendants and witnesses. Members of Crucible routinely appear at the Central Criminal Court, Crown Courts across the country and at the Court of Appeal.

Members of Crucible advise on complex and lengthy investigations pre-charge for prosecuting authorities, individuals and companies; they maintain a high level of commitment and dedication throughout the proceedings and on to appeal. A number of members of Crucible also specialise in extradition work and are known for their legal acumen and expertise in this field.

Financial Crime: The set is frequently instructed at the outset during investigations, from the initial discovery of a potential liability through to trials and enforcement proceedings. Its barristers have been instructed to defend in some of the highest profile financial crime cases in recent years, including three of the most recent individuals prosecuted alongside Deferred Prosecution Agreements. The set is instructed by prosecutorial, regulatory and investigatory bodies in a wide variety of matters including bribery, tax fraud, pension fraud, money laundering and sanctions matters.

Crucible Chambers has acted in the very highest profile fraud cases brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), HMRC, FCA, the Pensions Regulator, and the CPS (among others). Its pedigree is illustrated by the cases we have appeared in, from Libor and NHS Price Fixing to Tabenula insider dealer and G4S. The set's depth of experience is such that it is often the very first point of contact that clients reach out for.

Professional Discipline & Regulatory: Members are highly regarded experts within their fields of practice, recommended in the Legal 500 rankings, and include Legal Assessors and Advisors to a number of Fitness to Practice panels. From its silks to its seasoned juniors the set acts in all stages of proceedings across the healthcare, financial, legal, transport and sporting professional regulators. The team is also able to call upon chambers' substantial expertise in financial crime.

All of Crucible's barristers have experience in serious criminal cases, which gives the set a solid foundation in advocacy, forensic legal analysis and an ability to act in a wide range of associated proceedings. Several of members of the team have been appointed to the Health and Safety Executive List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates and have experience of Criminal, First Tier Tribunal and High Court appearances on behalf of government regulators.

Crucible's barristers are frequently instructed to appear on behalf of bereaved families, interested persons and corporate entities at Coroners Inquests, including those engaging Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, requiring juries. The set has experience advising and representing individuals on appeals against Disclosure and Barring Service barring decisions, including appearances in the Upper Tribunal.