We have extensive experience in advising clients about the impact of financial sanctions on their businesses and private wealth, including advising about delisting applications in the UK and abroad.

Financial sanctions are restrictions put in place by the UN or individual countries to achieve specific foreign policy or national security objective. They can limit the provision of certain financial services or restrict access to financial markets, funds and financial resources. Sanctions are imposed to fulfil objectives such as:

• Coerce a regime, or individuals within a regime, into changing their behaviour (or aspects of it) by increasing the cost on them to such an extent that they decide to cease the offending behaviour
• Constrain a target by denying them access to key resources needed to continue their offending behaviour, including the financing of terrorism or nuclear proliferation
• Signal disapproval, stigmatising and potentially isolating a regime or individual, or as a way of sending broader political messages nationally or internationally
• Protect the value of assets that have been misappropriated from a country until these assets can be repatriated

In the UK, the Treasury’s, Office of Financial Sanction Implementation (OFSI) is responsible for overseeing and enforcing the sanction regime. Acting contrary to a sanction can have serious consequences for both the individual subject to the sanction and also anyone breaching its terms. Breaching a sanction can also provide evidence for related offences. For example, providing funds or services to a person listed on a sanctions list in relation to terrorism might result in a prosecution under terrorism legislation for wide-ranging funding terrorism offences, even in circumstances where a person had no idea the funding might be used for terrorist purposes. 

Their cases are always brilliantly prepared, and they will always be 100% behind the client, looking for the best results. They are kind and effective, a difficult combination to achieve.

Chambers and Partners

The sanctions regime is complex and often businesses become aware of a breach only after the event. It is crucial that in this event urgent advice is sought in order to minimise the risk of prosecution. 

We have extensive experience of advising on UK and EU sanctions and sanctions issued by the UN or United States.

Key Services

Fraud and White Collar Crime

Serious Fraud Office

Money Laundering

Bribery and Corruption

Cybercrime

Cash Seizures

Investigative Interview under Caution

Dawn Raids (Emergency Service)

Confiscation

Furlough Fraud

Companies Act Offences

Private Prosecution

Corporate Manslaughter

Financial Sanctions

Insider Dealing and Market Abuse

FCA Investigations

Bounce Back Loan Fraud