Special Casework Unit for Fraud and Business Crime

Background on our Legal Services for Fraud and Business Crime

At Farleys we have a vibrant Criminal Law Department specialising in all types of criminal defence work, covering the whole spectrum and involving work in Police Stations, Magistrates Courts, Crown Courts and Courts of Appeal.  The Department is designed along cellular lines with distinct teams specialising in different areas. 

Our Special Casework Unit

The SCU was founded over 10 years ago to ensure that the more complex, specialist, and serious cases were dealt with by a team with the resources and expertise to ensure the highest level of representation of clients facing such cases. 

One of the fundamental principles of the SCU is to become involved in a case at the earliest possible stage, ideally prior to any formal interview by the Police, SOCA, HMRC, SFO, or any other Government Agency, and thereafter to provide sustained and energetic attention throughout the whole case. 

Fraud, Business Crime & Regulatory Matters 

Farleys SCU was one of the first successful applicants for the national Serious Fraud Panel when it was formed by the Legal Services Commission in 2000 / 2001.  Since then we have continued to successfully deal with a considerable number of serious fraud cases and as a result we have continued as members of what has been renamed the Specialist Fraud Panel.  Continuing membership is only afforded to those firms, which demonstrate a high level of quality.  In addition Paul Schofield was appointed as a Supervisor by the LSC in serious fraud work and still maintains that position. 

In January 2008, the Legal Services Commission sought to form a national panel of solicitors with the requisite experience and resources to conduct Very High Cost Cases. Having met the more stringent qualifying standards, we were invited to join their VHCC Panel.  We are therefore able to conduct the most complex, extensive, and serious cases in both fraud and serious crime. 

Our Expertise in Fraud, Business Crime & Regulatory Matters

• VAT fraud - carousel / MTIC
  
  
• Other HMRC Prosecutions eg: evasion of duty / tobacco smuggling / red diesel
  
  
• Money laundering
  
  
• Conspiracy to defraud
  
  
• Electoral fraud
  
  
• Confiscation proceedings
  
  
• Restraint proceedings
  
  
• Extradition (linked to serious fraud cases)
  
  
• Trading Standards cases
  
  
• Financial Services cases
  
  
• Corporate manslaughter
  
  
• Health & Safety cases
  
  
• Professional disciplinary proceedings
  
  
• Environmental cases
  
  
• DEFRA cases
  
  
• Medicines Act cases
  
  
• Directors Disqualification cases

Funding Your Defence

Farleys has held a contract with the Legal Services Commission for many years to provide expert assistance to clients who are to be interviewed by the Police, HMRC, etc whether in custody or not.  This service may be completely free of charge, irrespective of the financial means of the client. 

Legal Aid is also available for clients who are prosecuted and have to appear before the courts.  We will always advise you fully about this and make applications for Legal Aid. 

If however, the financial means of a client are such that Legal Aid is not available - and this currently applies only to cases in the Magistrates Courts - then private rates are applied.  These rates are extremely competitive, and are agreed in advance with an individual or business together with estimates for different areas of work, for the duration of a case.

Expert Witnesses

Farleys SCU has developed exceptional working relationships with experts from a variety of professions, particularly barristers, Queens Counsel, forensic accountants, VAT experts, forensic scientists, telephonic and IT experts.  It is essential that we instruct experts who work to the same high standards as the SCU, working consistently at an exceptional level to assist us in securing the desired result for our client. 

Geography

Although based in the North West of England, our reputation has developed a 'national profile' as we conduct work across the country. We also have considerable experience of undertaking cases with an international element and travelling abroad to obtain important defence evidence, in one case as far afield as Tokyo.  We are currently involved in substantial and high profile cases in London, Birmingham, Norwich, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Cumbria. 

We instruct Leading and Junior Counsel from Chambers in all the major cities, including London.  Our involvement in cases with an international element have resulted in links with prestigious law firms abroad. 

Technology 

The hardware and software infrastructure of the practice is 'cutting edge' and robust and has assisted us in dealing with cases generally and also at a distance in all areas of the country, and overseas, as our experience has grown.  We have the support of our own excellent IT department.  We have developed casework expertise with various forms of spreadsheets, search facilities, and access to 'Casemap' in order to collate and sift voluminous material and evidence, particularly within witness statements and exhibits. 

We have in-house video conference facilities to enable us to have conferences, when appropriate, with distant clients and key members of the defence team for example Queens Counsel in London, expert witnesses and so on. 

Serious Crime

Prior to joining the SCU, every lawyer acquires substantial experience in dealing with mainstream criminal defence work.  In our opinion this is an essential pre-requisite leading to the ability to specialise in serious and complex crime and deal with individuals and businesses represented by the SCU. 

As a result, the SCU deals with the following serious criminal cases:

• Murder
  
  
• All other forms of homicide
  
  
• Terrorism
  
  
• International people trafficking
  
  
• Drugs importations
  
  
• Extradition
  
  
• Very high level drugs conspiracies
  
  
• Kidnapping / blackmail
  
  
• Historic sexual abuse cases
  
  
• Cold cases

In Conclusion

Farleys SCU has gone from strength to strength over the years.  We firmly believe that our quality, commitment and results for our clients are second to none. 

As criminal lawyers we deal with evidence.  A simple demonstration of the evidence of our quality is that:

• We have in recent times been instructed by 5 senior solicitors in relation to cases involving serious allegations of money laundering, Trading Standards, and Legal Aid fraud.
  
  
• Other firms of solicitors repeatedly refer cases to us because of their confidence in our standard of work.
  
  
• We are privileged to receive instructions from the legal departments of various unions to represent their members who are in difficulties, for example, the National Association of Head Teachers, the National Union of Teachers, the Police Federation and UNISON. 
  

Contact a Farleys Solicitors Fraud and Business Crime expert now on 0845 050 1958 or by e-mail.