Areas of expertise
Asset recovery
Chester Abbey specialises in offensive and defensive cross-border litigation and crisis management strategies for ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs), Nation states and Fortune 500 companies. All team members have a proven track record of co-ordinating multi-jurisdictional offensive, counter-offensive and defensive strategies on behalf of international clients in anticipation, or as a result of, high-stakes civil and criminal proceedings and investigations aimed at asset forfeiture or confiscation. Our multidimensional approach combining both in-court and out-of-court strategies to high value disputes is the premier solution for resolving business disputes and sovereign-driven investigations, tracing and recovering misappropriated funds, defending against asset attacks, as well as acquiring and strategically deploying information to provide clients with a commercial advantage in their disputes and investigations.
Our approach to asset recovery is to integrate legal, corporate and geopolitical insights and implement an optimal strategy which prioritises speed and cost effectiveness above all other considerations. We have unique reach and expertise in some of the hardest jurisdictions to effect recovery including The People's Republic of China, Qatar, India, Libya, Russia and Syria. Despite often lacking officially recognised legal mechanisms to effect recovery in some of the countries listed, we have a unique repertoire of tried-and-tested bespoke litigation strategies that are able to achieve positive outcomes in situations that are routinely called “lost causes” by traditional law firms.
Our multi-disciplinary team have substantial experience advising on cross-border fraud investigations and strategies for obtaining effective and time-critical legal remedies to secure and recover assets, including freezing injunctions, disclosure orders and other ancillary relief for the identification and protection of assets. We also have considerable experience enforcing and executing against assets.
Fraud and asset recovery matters often require a range of specialised skills that our global platform can deliver. As a full service alternative business structure, we are able to call upon professionals from a wide range of related areas including regulatory, insurance, tax, data protection, cybersecurity, real estate, construction, shipping and transport, and insolvency. Our knowledge of local jurisdictions allows us to create a tailored international strategy, and ensures that we can provide a fast, coordinated and international legal response to complex fraud, whatever the demands.
Chester Abbey has strategically positioned our team across the world to solve our clients’ unique problems. Our global team not only includes lawyers but also intelligence operatives, former military strategists and behavioural scientists.
Private prosecutions
As state prosecution agencies increasingly lack the resources and will to investigate a multitude of serious crimes, especially white collar crimes, an emerging sector of private prosecutors are filling the void and are a legitimate and essential force for holding individuals and/or companies accountable for their criminal indiscretions.
Chester Abbey is positioned to both be a leader, and a pioneer in the effective deployment of private prosecutions. We deviate from the path of traditional law firms by utilising private prosecutions in various different ways which may serve as a component in an overall grand strategy designed to achieve a particular outcome or a standalone route to justice.
A private prosecution can be an efficient and focused means of achieving justice, particularly in cases involving fraud (which can take many years for public bodies to investigate) and, in the case of companies, of sending a powerful deterrent message.
Our highly experienced team of lawyers and investigators includes former prosecutors. They lead clients through the sometimes daunting process of mounting a case as well as the complexities of the criminal justice system.
We also assist individuals and companies in reporting crimes to the appropriate authority or agency. We can guide you through the process of gathering the evidence to support an allegation and then ensure that evidence is prepared and presented in a clear and concise manner giving an investigation the best possible chance of success. We liaise with the investigating or prosecuting authority on your behalf, making sure you are kept informed of the investigation’s progress.
Economic sanctions
Economic sanctions are often viewed as a political device packaged in a legal mechanism. Chester Abbey personnel have been navigating the global sanctions landscape for several years now and are proven to be subject matter experts in the field. Chester Abbey is able to advise Nationals and companies on delisting, listing and investigating and documenting sanction violations of competitors who engage in deceptive practices in order to gain a business advantage. We advise on UK, EU, U.S.A, Russia, China and all other types of sanction. Our network includes legal partners in every country that issues sanctions.
Chester Abbey’s global economic sanctions team leverages its experience from government, industry, and as outside counsel to provide comprehensive advice on every aspect of compliance with the ever-changing nature of international sanctions regimes on behalf of our multinational clients. With major changes announced recently with respect to sanctions on China and the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, Russia and even Venezuela. Our global sanctions team counsels clients on how to conduct business through these myriad complexities.
Economic sanctions can impact every aspect of business for even the most unsuspecting companies. Trade restrictions target transactions not only with countries that are subject to an embargo, but also with a growing number of terrorist organisations, drug traffickers, and other persons identified for any reason as a prohibited party. These restrictions can extend to unidentified entities that may be owned or controlled by designated persons.
Chester Abbey helps clients navigate the many novel issues, opportunities and restrictions arising from recent dramatic changes in sanctions policies, including with respect to China, Cuba, Libya, Russia and Myanmar/Burma.
Chester Abbey has extensive experience advising clients on compliance with economic embargoes imposed by various governments under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act and the Trading with the Enemy Act, including sanctions regulations administered by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.K HM Treasury. We also conduct internal investigations, prepare voluntary disclosures and represent companies in sanctions enforcement actions, including negotiations of reduced civil penalties for the violation of sanctions regulations.
Chester Abbey’s economic sanctions practice also handles a broad range of complex and sensitive matters for clients whose international business activities involve the movement of goods and services across borders, and whose trade and investment activities may be controlled for national security, foreign policy, anti-terrorism, or non-proliferation reasons.
Construction law
Chester Abbey has a very niche team of lawyers who focus on non-contentious construction law and advise on the drafting and negotiation of construction contracts. Chester Abbey draws on the experience of our lead construction lawyer to provide insight and visibility on business needs and provide practical advice in relation to legal and regulatory challenges
Areas of expertise:
Contract drafting and contract review
It is essential that a fit-for-purpose contract is ready at the outset as it lays the foundations for a smooth process and offers protection should another party raise an issue further along the process. Furthermore, as the contract is the foundation of a successful building project, our practitioners will review all contracts clients are required to sign and identify any problems, negotiating to resolve any potential issues before the client makes a commitment in writing. As contractual relationships can be complex within the construction industry, this is a crucially important part of the process.
Risk assessment
Building projects have numerous obligations to various stakeholders and regulatory bodies. These are set out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Many building projects also fall under the remit of the Construction (Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM).
Building projects involve complex contractual arrangements between large numbers of stakeholders. For this reason, issues during the process are often a fact of life. As well as advising on the standard construction related issues, the practitioners at Chester Abbey Solicitors can provide expert support with any business or trading issues that may be required.
It is imperative that agreements are made beforehand in regards to who is responsible for various aspects of a construction project and then formalising this in a contract. We can advise clients on the appropriate procurement routes for the project they are involved with, ensuring they undertake due diligence for parts of the project they are responsible for sourcing resources and materials for, and that they are not made liable for any areas they should not be responsible for.
Our transactional team advises on all stages of construction and engineering related projects, from initial procurement strategy to the drafting and negotiation of project documentation and strategic advice on risks following completion.
Our non-contentious construction team operates out of London and our solicitors are equally at home advising our international clients on standalone projects as they are supporting our commercial property, social housing and banking teams delivering their clients’ varied projects. We pride ourselves on our partner led approach. Although our service is carried out by a diverse team that allows us to provide comprehensive advice that is value for money, our clients always have regular contact with the lead partner who assumes full day-to-day responsibility for all work done.
We work with bespoke contracts as well as standard forms such as JCT, NEC3 and FIDIC, always ensuring that our advice is carefully tailored to our client’s specific objectives and approach to risk management. Our experience covers a range of sectors. We advise retailers on nationwide expansion programmes, contractors on high profile energy projects, house-builders and social housing providers on development and regeneration and banks and investors on their loans and purchases. Chester Abbey has a full service construction law team able to respond to any request.
Read a recent article by Jamie Swan, a senior solicitor with over 8 years’ experience in non-contentious construction and engineering law, head of Chester Abbey’s construction and engineering department
Multi-national companies face growing legal challenges around the world. Investigations by law enforcement and regulatory bodies into allegations of corporate mismanagement or fraud have increased dramatically in frequency, intensity and complexity in recent years. In today's global investigation landscape, it is very common to see large scale cross-border investigations involving multiple agencies and legal systems.
Fines against against corporations by various regulatory agencies are on the rise and enforcement activity is growing. Fines are routinely the preferred resolution by enforcement and law enforcement bodies to generate revenue in a resource stricken post pandemic world.
Regulatory or criminal enquiries, crises of various kinds, issues exposed by whistle-blowers and the unforeseen misconduct of employees can all open a company to unwelcome scrutiny. With demands for greater corporate accountability, companies must be prepared to deal with these challenges. We are just as capable defending whistleblower claims as issuing them; providing us with a full panoramic view of the enforcement landscape.
Our clients turn to us to help them manage the risk arising from such events. We use our experience of complex multi-jurisdictional investigations, prosecutions and regulatory proceedings, as well as parallel civil damages claims, to guide our clients to achieve strategic and commercially pragmatic results while minimising the risk of unsuccessful outcomes.
Our global team regularly handles a wide range of complex, high-stakes and multi-jurisdictional legal matters. We address the risks and complexities arising from investigations and enforcement actions. With our global reach, expertise and experience, we provide comprehensive and cost-effective representation and advice to clients facing exposure to civil and criminal liability, whether in a single jurisdiction or across many.
We can respond to challenges of any size, tailoring individual teams to the needs of our clients. We commit to providing services of the highest quality and integrity (including data management) and to do so efficiently and cost effectively.
We are one of a few international law firms with a dedicated global investigations team with proven ability to share expertise and resources across our global platform. Our local advisors in the US, the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa, have deep experience and resources in handling criminal, regulatory and internal investigations for multinational companies with operations and businesses spread across the globe.
We offer clients the benefit of seamless coordination among multiple jurisdictions and practice areas to address their needs. In the United Kingdom, our lawyers have extensive experience with oversight agencies and offices at all levels
Our team also works side-by-side with compliance specialists to assist multinational companies to conduct innovative pro-active compliance reviews, develop effective compliance programmes to control risk, train employees, create monitoring and auditing procedures, and devise strategies for remedial action. This innovative approach sets us apart from traditional investigation practices.
We can help you with crisis management and critical issues such as potential legal and regulatory exposure, disclosure and reporting obligations, and dealing with media and other reputational issues arising from investigations.