Brunskill is a law firm specialising in all forms of commercial fraud, business crime and white collar crime. We deal with some of the most complex and high value frauds that appear in the criminal courts.
We advise across the whole spectrum of white collar criminal cases. We act in relation to large multi million pound international frauds that span several jurisdictions but we also take on smaller matters such as mortgage fraud, false accounting, forgery and credit card fraud. We act for both commercial organisations and individuals.
A large proportion of our clients are business or professional people who have come under investigation because of issues that have arisen within their occupations. Theirs can be complex and demanding cases because they require specialised knowledge of the regulations and working practices that relate to their sector. The outcome of such cases will also affect a client’s career and hard earned reputation which means that each case needs to be handled skilfully, sensitively and discreetly.
Early Involvement
In all fraud cases, our approach is to seek early involvement in the investigation so that we have the greatest chance of finding a favourable settlement. We have a good track record of advancing effective defences during interviews under caution (particularly in very large SFO investigations) that lead to the investigators dropping their case and taking no further action. We view this form of successful early intervention as the best work that we can do for a client.
Going to Trial
If a fraud investigation does result in criminal charges then we use the court process to put the client in the strongest possible position. We assemble a defence team consisting of the profession’s leading counsel and, where appropriate, expert witnesses whose respected opinions bring credibility to a client’s instructions. Ultimately, a criminal trial is a battle for influence over how certain facts or issues are perceived. Time and again we have shown that a prosecution can be exposed when its interpretation of events is flawed or when it has caused blame to be unfairly attached to an individual .
While our greatest successes have been outright acquittals in the face of serious and strong allegations, some of our best work has also been to bring seemingly overwhelming prosecution cases under control so that they could be narrowed in scope. In those cases we have been able to offer limited admissions and have reduced the consequences of conviction, for example avoiding a custodial sentence or preventing professional disqualification. This is skillful work and is accomplished through a combination of negotiation, strategy and an intimate knowledge of the law.
