Stephen Gentle

Stephen specialises in assisting corporate and individual clients in complex fraud and financial regulatory matters, frequently with multi-jurisdictional aspects. He has expertise in corruption and bribery matters (generally with an overseas focus) and Financial Conduct Authority investigations and proceedings (with a particular emphasis on insider dealing, market misconduct matters and international regulatory issues). He is experienced in Office of Fair Trading cartel investigations and money laundering prevention, investigations and prosecutions (Stephen is a member of the Law Society Money Laundering Task Force). Stephen also advises in Environment Agency investigations.  His international criminal practice covers extradition proceedings, sanctions breaches and mutual legal assistance requests where he acts for individuals, corporations and governments.

Alongside his fraud practice, Stephen maintains a general crime practice and he is also one of four lawyers in the firm who represent members of the Chief Police Officers Staff Association facing internal disciplinary inquiries. In common with other members of the team, Stephen is frequently involved in advising members of government agencies in sensitive enquiries where independent expertise in criminal law is required.

"...'Top notch skills and expertise'... especially lauded for his fraud practice"

The International Who's who of Business Crime, 2013

Stephen also has expertise in the civil and criminal aspects of the recovery of the proceeds of crime both in its domestic and cross border aspects.
Stephen speaks regularly at conferences and seminars both in the UK and abroad. He is also a frequent contributor to various legal publications.
Stephen is listed in the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers and as a leading individual in both the Chambers and Legal 500 guides to the legal profession.

Before joining Kingsley Napley, he read history at Oxford and worked in the voluntary housing sector. He joined Kingsley Napley in 1993 and became a partner in 2001.

Professional societies

• London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA)
• European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)
• Amnesty International
• The Law Society
• Justice
• The American Bar Association (associate member) (ABA)

Selected publications

• The SFO guide to Serious Economic Crime: “The problem of creating corporate criminal liability in the boardroom” (October 2011)
• Bribery, the Corporate Offence: Criminal Law Review (January 2011)
• The High Cost of Politically Motivated Extradition Cases (The Lawyer, August 2010)
• Kingsley Napley: Serious Fraud. Investigation and Trial (2009)
• Contributor to “A Practitioner’s Guide to FSA Investigations and Enforcement” (2007)

Selected recent presentations (2012)

• The American Bar Association/WisteV conference on international internal investigations.
• The Jersey International Business School symposium on compliance and economic crime.
• Practical Law Company conference on corporate risk and accountability
• Sweet & Maxwell's Bribery Act Conference 2011
• BritishAmerican Business - The Bribery Act
• CLT Proceeds of Crime conference - overseas issues