Condemnation and civil recovery

Civil and Asset Recovery

The Asset Forfeiture Group's reputation as a leader in its field was consolidated when in 2003 Mark Sutherland Williams and Paul O'Doherty became the first Counsel to be instructed by the Director of the Assets Recovery Agency to obtain an Interim Receivership Order. This success was repeated in 2006 when Mark Sutherland Williams and Rupert Jones became the first Counsel to be instructed to draft and obtain a Property Freezing Order under the new legislation, and in 2008 when Charlotte Hadfield obtained the first receivership order for SOCA.

We now act in all aspects of this area of the law, which is now overseen by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Condemnation and Bootlegging

Chambers has enjoyed for some time an enviable reputation in the field of condemnation law, which relates mainly to tobacco and alcohol importation for commercial purposes, but also extends to the use of red diesel and importations from countries under UN sanction. The law in this area has been fast moving in recent years, with various decisions, particularly on Human Rights points, having re-modelled the way in which these cases are approached. Chambers is able to offer a number of Counsel with substantial experience in this field including Mark Sutherland Williams, Kerry Musgrave, Charlotte Hadfield, Ambereen Chaudary, Peter Jennings and Rupert Jones.

Cash Seizures

Section 298 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has now been in force for a number of years. It gives the police and Customs widespread powers to seize and detain cash that may be related to or intended for criminal conduct. For several years Mark Sutherland Williams has enjoyed a considerable reputation in this area of the law and has conducted over 100 such cases under the corresponding provisions of the Drug Trafficking Act. He is now joined by Peter Jennings, Ambereen Chaudary, Kerry Musgrave, Charlotte Hadfield, Rupert Jones and Mathew Gullick in this field of work.