Rebecca Niblock

Rebecca is a leading criminal lawyer, with a specialism in dealing with complex matters that cross jurisdictions. She is ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers & Partners UK 2021 in the field of Crime: Extradition and is recommended in Who’s Who: Business Crime Defence Lawyers.
 

Extradition

Rebecca has successfully defended many persons requested by other states, both inside and outside the EU in extradition proceedings at all levels. She frequently provides strategic advice where extradition proceedings are anticipated. She has a track record of defending persons subject to high profile, complex and politically motivated requests successfully and often works alongside colleagues in our International Protection team to assist clients, particularly in cases which people have been targeted in a corporate raid or for ulterior motives. She has an in-depth knowledge of human rights law and provides training on human rights to international audiences.

Extradition superstar and considered to be one of the best in the business."

Chambers and Partners, 2019

White collar crime

Rebecca has acted for clients in a wide range of investigations from serious fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption in relation to a number of agencies, including the SFO, NCA, HMRC and the FCA. She has significant experience representing both suspects and witnesses in such investigations.

Hugely respected by colleagues, due in large measure to her unerring ability to out-tactician her opponents."

Legal 500, 2019

INTERPOL

Rebecca has extensive experience of dealing with challenges to INTERPOL red notices. She advises persons who anticipate that a red notice may be issued, as well as those in respect of whom a notice has already been published, and has an excellent track record of the removal of such notices.

Mutual legal assistance

Rebecca provides advice and assistance to individuals and businesses who are the subject of requests for assistance from overseas jurisdictions, whether suspects or witnesses. She will frequently work in parallel with lawyers from overseas jurisdictions to obtain the best outcome, where such a request is made.

Criminal Defence and Police Investigations

Rebecca has many years of experience of representing individuals at police station interviews, in relation to offences ranging from sexual offences and offences involving violence or drugs to allegations of dishonesty.

Rebecca has co-written one of the leading practitioner texts on extradition law, now in its third edition.

Rebecca has Higher Rights of Audience (Criminal). She has a PhD in Art History from the University of Bristol.

Recent work

• Successfully defended a number of EAW cases, from countries such as Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, and Romania.
• Successful challenges to a number of requests from Ukraine.
• Secured a discharge in the two most recent extradition requests made by the Russian Federation.
• Represented a number of persons facing allegations of sexual offences.
• Advising senior members of international companies in relation to SFO and FCA investigations.
• Acting for Nepalese army officer facing trial for torture in criminal proceedings brought in the UK.

 

what clients and directories have said

"She has good knowledge of the law and can provide extremely good advice and real reassurance to clients." 

Chambers and Partners 2022

"She gets things moving in the right direction on a case and is strategically focused."

Chambers and Partners 2022

“Rebecca Niblock is energetic and intelligent.”

Legal 500 UK 2022

She has the ability to focus on strategic issues in complex cases with lots of facets as well as the ability to communicate with and coordinate people in order to move a case forward."

Chambers UK 2021

"A fantastic partner who has great strategic oversight on a case."

Chambers UK 2021

Rebecca Niblock is precise and meticulous."

Legal 500 UK 2021

Rebecca is an excellent solicitor and a real expert in her field. She is incredibly hardworking, extremely organised and able to drill down into the really important parts of a case."

Chambers UK 2020 - A client's guide to the UK Legal Profession

"One of the most prominent lawyers out there practising extradition law."

Chambers UK 2020 - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession

...is an excellent extradition practitioner, who always provides calm and measured advice."

Legal 500 UK 2020

Hugely respected by colleagues, due in large measure to her unerring ability to out-tactician her opponents."

Legal 500, 2019

She is tenacious, hard-working and tactically very astute."

Chambers and Partners 2019 

One of the most experienced extradition people," who is "academically very bright, and pragmatic in how she runs cases," and produces "top-tier work."

Chambers and Partners UK, 2018

She knows the law very well and is on top of this fast-moving area," and "she adds value that you wouldn't get from other counsel."

Chambers and Partners UK, 2017

Comes highly recommended for the "specialist knowledge" she brings to her expert extradition practice."

Chambers UK, 2017

She is one of the leading extradition lawyers practising in London. She is academically excellent and able to translate that into advice for her clients."

 Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2016 

Associate Rebecca Niblock is praised as "extremely knowledgeable, hard-working and thorough." 

Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession

Rebecca Niblock is highly regarded within the fields of general crime and extradition. Sources note that "she is an urbane and thoughtful lawyer with an impressive intellect."

Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession

"She stands out as being 'exceptionally bright' and 'fearless'."

Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession

 

Publications, Press HIghlights & Speaking Engagements

• Rebecca is a member of the Criminal Law Week Commentary Board and a regular contributor to Criminal Law Week. 
• ‘De-risking’ and financial exclusion - Co-written with Mary Young for the Law Society Gazette, September 2021
• Upheavals in extradition law - Co-written with Edward Grange, Partner at Corker Binning for Legal Action Group, September 2021
• International Insights in Criminal Law Podcast Series - Episode 4, Overseas Productions Orders - December 2020
• International Insights In Criminal Law Podcast Series - Episode 3, Extradition outside the EU - October 2020
• International Insights In Criminal Law Podcast Series - Episode 2, Mutual Legal Assistance - October 2020
• Should there be a right to banking? - Wrote for The Law Society Gazette, September 2020
• International Insights In Criminal Law Podcast Series - Episode 1, Interpol and Red Notices - August 2020
• Commented in Free Movement, March 2020 - Attorney General's rule of law record could hinder EU extradition deal
• Wrote for the Law Society Gazette, 6 November 2019 - Changes proposed by the Extradition (Provisional Arrest) Bill
• Quoted in The Telegraph, August 2019 - Goldman's Europe boss among 17 bankers charged in Malaysian 1MDB probe.
• Quoted extensively in April 2019 in the press, on radio and TV following the arrest of Julian Assange and the respective extradition requests from Sweden and the US .  Commentary and appearances include:
  • Main publications
    • AOL
    • BBC News
    • Bloomberg
    • Daily Mail
    • Financial Times
    • ITV News
    • The Independent
    • The Irish Times
    • The New York Times
    • The Straits Times
    • Wall Street Journal
    • Yahoo Finance
    • Various other national and regional newspapers

  • Radio

    • BBC Radio London, Friday 12/4
    • BBC Radio Scotland: Newsdrive, Friday 12/4
    • BBC World Service weekend, Saturday 13/4
    • BBC Radio London, Sunday 14/4

  • TV

    • BBC News Channel, Friday 12/4
    • Sky News, Saturday 13/4
• Quoted in Law360, March 2019 - Sanctions regulator forces banks to tighten up compliance
• Quoted in Law360, December 2018 - UK Judges Block Extradition Of Russian Tax Fraud Suspect
• Quoted The Times, December 2018 - Judges block extradition of Russian oligarch over torture concerns
• Quoted in EFE News Service, November 2018 - Russian bid to head Interpol fails, but concerns of abuse remain
• Quoted in Wall Street Journal, November 2018 - Russian Bid to Head Interpol Fails, but Concerns of Abuse Remain
• Quoted in Bloomberg, 6 April 2018 - Ex-HSBC Worker Extradition Risks Crashing Into Spanish Politics
• Quoted in the  press regarding Lauri Love extradition appeal case, February 2018 - including Law Society Gazette and Daily Mail.
• Spoke about Lauri Love extradition appeal case on BBC Radio 4 PM Programme, 5 February 2018
• Quoted in The Times, 10 November 2017, A battle between law and politics
• Quoted in The Brief, June 2017, Throwing out human rights law 'would hamper security services' 
• Rebecca is co-author of Extradition Law: A Practitioners Guide, published by LAG.  It is available to order online. Read the Law Society Gazette review here. 
• Rebecca contributed to the House of Lords Select Committee on Extradition.  The report has now been published, read it here.

• Public Service Europe 9 July 2013: Making political capital at the expense of the rule of law is a dangerous game, which the British government should avoid at all costs, argues Rebecca.

 

Professional societies and memberships

• Co-founder and former chair of the Defence Extradition Lawyers’ Forum.
• Rebecca sits on the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee.
• She is a committee member of the IBA War Crimes Committee and the European Criminal Bar Association.