Mark Beardsworth

Mark is a serious fraud and criminal litigation specialist with expertise in prosecutions brought by the SFO, DTI, FSA, HMRC, DEFRA, FACT, the EA and Local Authorities.  He has experience dealing with cases which are complex, high profile and international in nature. Mark has a special interest in cases with ancillary civil and professional disciplinary proceedings and has a practical knowledge of representing a client's wider interests in these situations.

Mark frequently advises companies and their directors and gives advice in a practical and commercial manner. He often helps these clients to avoid compliance and criminal risk in a wide range of scenarios.

Mark frequently advises in relation to confiscation and restraint issues including cash seizures. He was the acting solicitor in the House of Lords case of Regina v Rezvi and Others (2001 2 All ER 609) which challenged confiscation proceedings as contrary to the Human Rights Act 2000.

Mark also advises clients in general criminal matters, both at the police station and in relation to interviews with other prosecuting authorities.  He also has significant experience of allegations of child injury, sexual offences and cases involving complex medical issues. 

Legal Directories:

He is included in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leader in his field. He is described as "very shrewd" and is noted for his ability to "always get the right result."

Legal 500 described him as an "outstanding" lawyer for both fraud and general crime.

Publications:

Mark is the author of the chapter on insider dealing in Fraud: Law Practice and Procedure (published by Butterworths in 2004.) He also wrote the chapter on confiscation in Kingsley Napley: Serious Fraud, Investigation and Trial (Butterworths, 2008) and he is the editor of The Real Legal Weapons: Interim Measures in Civil and Criminal Cases (Dike Verlag, 2009)

Presentations:

Mark speaks regularly in the UK and abroad on issues of Business Regulation and Criminal law including:

• Internal Investigations and Corporate Criminal Liability.
• Chairing seminar on the Regulation of Internet Gambling.

Professional Societies

• The Law Society
• London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA)
• AIJA (Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats) (AIJA) - Executive Committee member and Vice-President of the Commercial Fraud Commission
• Young Fraud Lawyers Association (YFLA)
• JUSTICE    
• British Association of Forensic Science

Further information

• Mark speaks and writes regularly both in the UK and abroad and has appeared as a guest on BBC "London Tonight" to comment on issues relating to criminal law.
• Has written, given media interviews and lectured internationally on various aspects of fraud and criminal litigation.  
• Acting solicitor in a leading House of Lords case on Confiscation proceedings: Regina v Rezvi and Others 2001 2 ALL ER 609