Steve is a partner in our Financial Services Disputes & Investigations Team.
Steve is one of the few people who has defended, prosecuted and worked within the industry at the highest levels. His unique experience and approach has enabled him to become one of only a very small number of genuine “go to” lawyers for MLROs and banks, given his background within the industry and 360-degree view on issues.
Steve draws on his 20 years’ experience as a defence lawyer, former senior prosecutor for the Financial Conduct Authority and his experience working as Head of Financial Crime Advisory for Barclays Wealth & Investments and Deputy MLRO for Nomura International to advise on a broad range of financial crime related issues including financial crime compliance, with a particular emphasis on AML systems and controls. He recently completed a secondment to Nationwide Building Society where he was the interim MLRO and Head of Economic Crime Advisory for a period of 6 months.
Steve is recognised as a leading expert in financial crime and a trusted advisor to a wide range of financial institutions and corporates. He is instructed at Board level and works closely with the banking litigation team on areas which touch financial crime. His depth of experience means that he is regularly appointed as a Skilled Person by the UK FCA to investigate and report on the adequacy of financial crime systems and controls at regulated firms with a particular focus on anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing. The Skilled Person appointment is a recognition of his experience in financial crime compliance. He regularly conducts audits and reviews of financial crime systems and controls for regulated firms ranging from major UK Clearing Banks through to Electronic Money Institutions and Payment Service Providers.
Steve is regularly invited to speak on financial crime issues and has built trusted relationships with ACAMS and UK Finance. He runs regular financial crime workshops for the Investment Association, and is a regular contributor to the press. In 2020 he co-authored a White Paper on the impact of Unexplained Wealth Orders on Banks with ACAMs.
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He draws on his unusual experience as a defense lawyer, former prosecutor for the Financial Conduct Authority and, most recently, as the Deputy MLRO for a major global financial institution, to:
- defend individuals and corporate clients in financial crime, fraud and regulatory investigations and prosecutions
- advise on financial crime compliance with a particular emphasis on anti-money laundering and anti-bribery systems and controls