On 10 September 2008, The Legal 500 published the 2008 edition of its Clients’ Guide to the UK Legal Profession, one of the leading independent directories of UK legal services, which identifies the leading firms and lawyers in the UK.
This year, BCL Burton Copeland is the only firm in the London area to achieve the “crime double” by being top ranked in relation to both Crime and Fraud-Crime.
In addition, the firm is also top ranked in relation to Customs & Excise, becoming the only firm in the London area to be top ranked in relation to Crime, Fraud: Crime, and Customs & Excise.
Further, the firm is ranked as one of the leading firms for Health and Safety, in recognition of the firm’s highly regarded exclusively contentious health and safety practice, and Fraud: Commercial and Regulatory Investigations, reflecting the firm’s recognised expertise in relation to FSA investigations as well as its growing commercial litigation department.
Overall, the directory recommends BCL Burton Copeland as a leading firm in the following practice areas:
- Fraud: Crime
- Crime
- Customs & Excise
- Health and Safety
- Fraud: Commercial and Regulatory Investigations
The directory’s editorial for each practice area is set out below.
Fraud: Crime
In relation to Fraud: Crime, as in previous years, the firm is ranked at the top of the table of leading firms, with the directory stating:
The ‘exceptionally able’ lawyers at BCL Burton Copeland undertake increasingly complex and high-profile fraud work. ‘Every firm should have an Ian Burton‘, who successfully defended champion jockey Kieren Fallon against accusations of race fixing. The ‘tenacious’ and committed Harry Travers acted in the SFO investigation of Torex Retail. Newly promoted partnerGuy Bastable shows ‘tremendous potential’.
Crime
In relation to Crime, the firm is also ranked at the top of the table of leading firms. The directory states:
Praised for their ‘great client manner’, the lawyers at BCL Burton Copeland provide a full service for the firm’s strong private client base, which includes politicians, actors and athletes. Practice head Mark Haslam ‘inspires loyalty’, and represented Steve Wright in the alleged murder of five Ipswich prostitutes. The ‘fantastic’ Paul Morris, now a partner, secured the acquittal of Kes Ingoldsby in what became known as ‘the Henley murder’.
Customs & Excise
In relation to Customs & Excise, as in previous years, the firm is again ranked at the top of the table of leading firms, with the directory stating:
BCL Burton Copeland focuses on serious fraud matters, including customs and excise matters, and continues to act in MTIC cases. Widely recognised as a market leader, the team features Harry Travers, who is highly respected by peers.
Health and Safety
In relation to Health and Safety, and in recognition of its highly regarded exclusively contentious health and safety practice, the firm is ranked as one of the leading firms. The directory states:
BCL Burton Copeland’s team solely handles contentious health and safety matters, and recently successfully defended a senior prison officer on allegations of gross negligence manslaughter following a death in custody.
Fraud: Commercial and Regulatory Investigations
In relation to Fraud: Commercial and Regulatory Investigations, and in recognition of its expertise in relation to FSA investigations, the firm is ranked as one of the leading firms, with the directory stating:
BCL Burton Copeland is representing a trader in an FSA investigation into AIM share dealings. Robert Lawrie has joined the firm from Farrar’s Building.