BCL partners Ian Burton, Mark Haslam, Richard Sallybanks, and Harry Travers, have been featured as ‘Top Recommended” Criminal lawyers in the 2022 issue of The Spears 500 Criminal Lawyers Index.

The Spear’s 500 Criminal Lawyers Index is an invaluable resource to find the very best defence and prosecution solicitors and barristers who specialise in high value financial crime, fraud and regulatory wrongdoing.

Here are extracts from the listings of BCL partners:

Ian Burton: ‘Top Recommended”

“Ian Burton, the founder and senior partner at BCL, has often been described by industry insiders as the doyen of criminal law. His client list reads like a who’s who of the business, sports, entertainment and political world – not only here in the UK but also across the world.

Burton’s reputation as a masterful problem-solver is not limited to high-profile individuals. He also advises blue-chips and government bodies on ‘complex and sensitive’ issues, at home and abroad – from commercial fraud, international financial regulation (including money laundering), tax and company investigations and price-fixing to corruption, mutual legal assistance and extradition.”

Mark Haslam: ‘Top Recommended”

‘‘‘I’ve never really done anything other than criminal defence work,’ BCL partner Mark Haslam tells Spear’s. Having qualified in 1981, he joined the firm as a partner in 1998 and has been one of the firm’s key assets in the establishment of its renowned general crime department.

His remit is broad. ‘I represent people on everything from murder to parking tickets and back again,’ he says, when asked to describe his job.

‘We aim to be extremely discreet,’ he says of the firm’s practice. ‘We deal with a lot of high-profile clients, and discretion is one of the things that they are looking for, so it’s very high on our list of priorities.’ It’s the aim of the firm, Haslam says, to get cases dealt with as efficiently and cleanly as possible.”

Richard Sallybanks: ‘Top Recommended”

“A BCL partner for more than 20 years, Richard Sallybanks specialises in business and financial crime investigations, helping clients navigate a complex field. ‘We aim to take the stress and pressure off of our clients, and to help them navigate their way through the problem,’ he says. ‘The problems we deal with arise in the criminal and regulatory sphere, so for HNWs they will often be challenges surrounding sources of their wealth, establishing the legitimacy of their wealth and dealing with enquiries and investigations by law enforcement authorities.’ 

Few have a track record to match Sallybanks’ pedigree. His extensive portfolio includes numerous SFO, FCA, HMRC and CMA investigations and prosecutions.”

Harry Travers: ‘Top Recommended”

“Harry Travers has been a partner of BCL Solicitors for more than 25 years, specialising in business crime and regulation. Travers understands the emotional strain people can endure while under investigation. ‘Those facing allegations of white-collar crime are under enormous pressure,’ he says. ‘Given the possibility of losing their liberty, reputation and money, they rightly expect their lawyer to be totally dedicated.’

Travers’ focus is representing HNW individuals caught up in financial crime and international corruption and tax investigations. His success over the last 30-plus years comes from an acute understanding of the legal landscape surrounding commercial fraud, tax and corruption.”

The 2022 Spear’s Criminal Law was released on 20 July 2022. To access the full article, please visit the 2022 Spear’s Criminal Law Index webpage.