SILK PROFILE

Andrew Bird KC

UK Bar 2026

5 St Andrew's Hill

Ranked in 3 practice areas

Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions

London (Bar)

6 years ranked

POCA Work & Asset Forfeiture

All Circuits

16 years ranked

Financial Crime

London (Bar)

7 years ranked

About

Provided by 5 St Andrew's Hill

Practice Areas

Andrew read law at Cambridge and was called in 1987. A tenant at 5SAH since 1989. He took silk in 2021.

Recent notable cases include:

NUFC v HMRC (criminal and civil tax investigations).

NCA v Javadov (Account Forfeiture).

The Encrochat JR and the SFO investigations into Rolls-Royce and Petrofac.

Hill v IOPC (telecoms investigations).

R (ED & F Man) v HMRC (legality of search warrants).

DPP v Krasniqi (civil recovery)

He has acted (both Prosecution and Defence) in a number of private prosecutions, both at trial and on JR/Appeal, including D Ltd v A, Wollenberg, and De Mercur as well as defending trials and confiscations for fraud, bribery and money-laundering.

He is also skilled at advising at the pre-charge stage and in tax investigations, and has particular expertise where these cases involve restraint orders, search warrants, production orders and applications under s.59 CJPA.

He also maintains a practice in other serious crime, recently defending in two murders and prosecuting rape, stalking and sexual assault.

Career

Standing Counsel to RCPO (2005-2011).

SFO A Panel (2012-2017).

Treasury Civil A Panel (2012-2021).

Grade 4 CPS specialist prosecutor.

Professional Memberships

FLA, POCLA, PPA, CBA, SE Circuit.

Publications

Smith and Owen on Asset Recovery (OUP 2025); Montgomery and Ormerod on Fraud (OUP 2025).

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions - London (Bar)

Band 1

Individual Editorial

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.

View ranking table

POCA Work & Asset Forfeiture - All Circuits

Band 1

Individual Editorial

Andrew Bird KC is an exceptional practitioner in the fields of asset recovery and police powers, and is an expert on search warrants and production orders. He is experienced in civil recovery cases, including connected judicial reviews, and is highly sought after by government bodies. Bird additionally represents defendants in complex matters.

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Financial Crime - London (Bar)

Band 4

Individual Editorial

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Andrew Bird is a walking encyclopaedia.
Financial Crime: Private ProsecutionsUK Bar
Andrew is an incredibly user-friendly silk, incredibly responsive and very thoughtful.
Financial Crime: Private ProsecutionsUK Bar
Andrew Bird is great. He's really good on his feet and very strategic.
POCA Work & Asset ForfeitureUK Bar
Andrew Bird is a measured and realistic barrister, who is very well respected in his field. He's very good on his feet and he holds the attention of the court well.
POCA Work & Asset ForfeitureUK Bar