Louise Hodges

Louise specialises in all fraud and business crime litigation, including investigations and prosecutions by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (formerly the Financial Services Authority (FSA)), the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). She is a lead partner in the firm's Internal Investigations team.

"The 'standout' Louise Hodges is vice chair of the European Criminal Bar Association and a 'major player' in the legal market place. She is considered 'the go-to lawyer' for Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigations and has been involved in several high-profile inquiries in the past few years, including Baha-Mousa, Butler and Leveson inquiries."

The International Who's Who of Business Crime Defence Lawyers, 2013

Louise is particularly well known for representing individuals subject to financial regulatory and/or criminal investigations for market abuse or market misconduct including insider dealing and misleading the market. Her cases frequently have an international dimension, including involving the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and US Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as well as many European Regulators and prosecutors.  She is currently representing a number of individuals in relation to HMRC criminal investigations in to tax avoidance schemes. 

Louise is a main author and co-editor with Stephen Gentle of "Kingsley Napley: Serious Fraud, Investigation and Trial" which was published in April 2009.   She is chair of the Fraud Lawyers Association.

Louise also has public law experience including the Leveson Inquiry. She was the lead partner heading a team of lawyers representing a number of military witnesses in the Baha Mousa Public Inquiry. 

Louise has a particular interest in Europe and is currently the Vice Chair of the European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA).  She has given evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union and is regularly invited to attend various expert meetings in Europe. Recent projects include Qualetra (Quality in Legal Translation in criminal proceedings in Europe), the right to access to a lawyer, the European Public Prosecutions Office (EPPO), the European Investigation Order (EIO) and the European Arrest Warrant (EAW). 

Louise joined Kingsley Napley in 1997 as a trainee and qualified into the criminal and regulatory practice area in 1999.  She became a partner in 2005. She has previous non-criminal legal experience working in the field of International Capital Markets in Hong Kong which included a secondment to ING Barings.

Professional societies

• Fraud Lawyers Association (FLA)
• European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)
• London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA)
• Financial Services Lawyers Association (FSLA)

Professional Committees

• Chair, Fraud Lawyers Association (FLA)
• Vice Chair, European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)
• Member of Law Society European Criminal Law working group
• Member of the Editorial Board of the New Journal of European Criminal Law (NJECL)

Further information

• Listed in The Lawyer's 2012 Hot 100 Lawyers
• Listed in the 2013 edition of the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers
• Regularly invited to expert meetings by the European Commission, European Parliament and NGOs in relation to Criminal Justice in Europe
• Has given evidence to the House of Lords European Union Select Committee E

Publications

• Gentle & Hodges: 'Kingsley Napley: Serious Fraud Investigations & Trial' 4^th Ed Lexis Nexus Butterworths April 2009
• Contributor to policy papers and consultations on behalf of the Law Society, the ECBA, the LCCSA and Kingsley Napley. Topics include best practice in Antitrust proceedings, EU proposals on evidence gathering and advisability, e-Justice, European Arrest Warrant, Fraud and Regulatory Offences
• Joint author with Stephen Gentle of "Regulatory Offences" chapter in "Fraud: Law, Practice and Procedure" published by Lexis Nexis Butterworths, 2004
• Contributing Editor to the Journal of European Criminal Law (JECL)

Press highlights

• Big Libor developments soon, says SFO, Louise comments in the Financial Times following a speech made by David Green QC at the Fraud Lawyers Association (Louise is Chair), 26 March 2013
• FSA publicity machine ensures victory before its findings are challenged, Louise writes in the Daily Telegraph, 5 April 2012
• FSA raises hackles over Hannam  Louise comments in the Financial Times, 4 April 2012
• "The FSA warns City: your on your own" Louise Hodges comments in The Telegraph, 23 June 2011
• "Kingsley Napley drafted in to represent alleged UBS rogue trader", The Lawyer, 19 September 2011
• 'Bribery Act guidance takes 'common sense' approach', Louise Hodges commented in People Management Online, 30 March 2011
• 'Britain Releases Guidance on New Anti-Bribery Act Law', Louise Hodges commented in The New York Times International Herald Tribune, 30 March 2011