- Managing Director: John Williams
- Number of Directors: 3
- Employed fee-earners: 1
- Self-employed fee-earners: 4
- Total staff: 9
THE FIRM: Bankside Law is a well-established, highly regarded practice specialising in professional disciplinary and regulatory work, fraud (crime), fraud (commercial and regulatory investigations).Committed to providing clients with the highest quality representation across a range of litigation services, the firm has handled a number of long-running and extremely high-profile cases this year. Barrister, Jonathan Goldring joined Bankside Law in 2010 as a Director and Head of Advocacy creating one of the first practices of its kind to take advantage of the Clementi reforms allowing barristers to become Managers of Legal Disciplinary Practices.
PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK:
Professional Discipline & Regulatory: Bankside Law combines acting for regulators in prosecuting disciplinary proceedings (Solicitors & Architects) with acting in defence of other professionals (predominantly health professionals). John Williams was instructed to act as the independent solicitor in the Ali Dizaei case. The firm receives regular instructions from the MDU in defence of doctors facing GMC hearings, coroner’s inquests, internal disciplinary proceedings and criminal investigations/ prosecutions. Bill Wilson is increasingly instructed to represent dentists facing criminal fraud prosecutions. The firm continues to act for the UCA in regulatory matters and for individual chiropractors in disciplinary proceedings before the GCC. Jonathan Goldring recently secured the first ever judicial review victory against the GCC in the Administrative Court.
Fraud: Criminal: Bankside Law represents clients in high value and complex fraud cases, including SFO, FSA, HMRC and Fraud Prosecution Service investigations as well as money laundering cases, restraint orders, confiscation proceedings and cross-border fraud. Recent work includes several high profile corruption cases brought by the SFO such as Balfour Beatty, BAE; A £120 million banking fraud (Jonathan Goldring instructed as leading counsel); The largest insider dealing case so far brought by the FSA and a substantial ‘referral fee’ fraud involving health professionals, solicitors and insurance companies.
Fraud: Civil: The firm represents a number of companies and individuals in the field of VAT ‘carousel’ fraud involving sums usually in excess of £4 million. Jonathan Goldring has been invited as an expert to give a webinar on VAT fraud for LexisNexis. John Williams has also been involved in a Bank of England investigation and in advising other professionals on their legal and ethical obligations in relation to clients who are subject to investigation. Jonathan Goldring also acts for clients in civil cash forfeiture proceedings at first instance and on appeal.
Crime: Bankside Law handles a range of criminal cases from motoring to serious drug and sexual offences, crimes of violence, computer crime, terrorism, defence of corporate manslaughter and HSE prosecutions. Bankside law is VHCC accredited.
Areas of PracticeRegulatory: 60%
Crime: 40%