Ian Winter KC

Practice Areas

Ian Winter is a leading white-collar crime silk with an impressive track record of advising companies and individuals facing allegations of financial crime. Renowned for his formidable advocacy, legal analysis and strategic thinking, Ian is first choice for his clients and commands enormous respect from his peers for his tenacity and appetite for work.

With over 30 years in practice, Ian’s expertise is consistently sought after by both corporate entities and individuals involved in cases brought by the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority who require complex strategic advice from the onset. He also represents clients on matters of financial discipline, appearing at hearings in front of a variety of regulatory bodies.

Recent cases include the significant R (SFO) v G4S where the prosecution ultimately offered no evidence and Ian was instrumental in securing success for the defence, and R (SFO) v Cook, Mason (formerly R v GPT (& others)) which was named as a Top Case of 2023 by The Lawyer magazine. Previous experience includes representing Tom Kalaris, a former executive of Barclays, charged by the SFO following its investigation into the 2008 recapitalisation of the bank, and successfully representing John Scouler, the former commercial director of Tesco, charged with fraud and false accounting by the SFO.

Beyond his criminal practice, Ian’s versatility extends to the Commercial Court, where his prowess has garnered considerable attention. He is also well known in the realms of libel and defamation, where his jury advocacy comes to the fore.

Ian's legal reach extends beyond national borders, with notable engagements in Hong Kong, Singapore, Gibraltar, and the Isle of Man. In Hong Kong, Ian represented Thomas Chan in the biggest corruption trial involving the former Chief Secretary of the Special Administrative Region, and May Hao before the Court of Final Appeal. His global perspective and unwavering legal acumen position him as a true luminary in the legal arena; “a tremendous and fearless advocate”.