"Multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional, high profile, long established practice, perhaps the most famous firm in the field."
Legal 500 UK 2021
Top-ranked in Chambers UK and Legal 500, Kingsley Napley are the leading criminal defence solicitors in the UK.
We are at the cutting edge of white collar and criminal defence cases, having been involved in many of the most significant cases over the past 50 years. Our experience in this field is second to none. Covering:
- Criminal Defence and Police Investigations
- White Collar and Financial Crime
- Corporate Crime
- Investigations
- Financial Conduct Authority Advice
- Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering
- International Crime and Extradition
- Corporate Manslaughter and Health & Safety
Our criminal lawyers are highly sophisticated, astute and supportive. We are particularly well known for our skill in providing strategic advice and for our ability to keep high profile cases out of the public eye.
WHAT CLIENTS AND DIRECTORIES HAVE SAID
Kingsley Napley has real strength and expertise at all levels of the crime group. The team is hard-working, focused on getting results and yet maintains the human touch."
Legal 500 UK 2020
Viewed by some as a 'market leader in this field' Kingsley Napley LLP is notable for its 'wealth of experience in all areas of criminal and regulatory work' while its extradition practice is 'extremely well respected'."
Legal 500 UK 2020
They have a practice which is head and shoulders above the others available in the market,"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2020
The ‘first-rate’ team at Kingsley Napley LLP is ‘efficient, strategic, committed and able to handle the most complex of criminal cases as well as more general crime cases’. It advises corporations and individuals on sexual offences, violent crimes, drug offences, firearms offences, extradition and high-profile matters with an international element."
Legal 500 UK 2019
They very much embrace the need to look at the whole situation; they look at the media exposure - for people in the public eye and for a particular type of high net worth individual, that's very important and I've seen them handle that side of things very well. They're one of those few firms that would give clients a genuine round-the-clock service, seven days a week"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
They have a very sophisticated high net worth practice and a real sensitivity to the kind of issues that high net worth individuals face"
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
They are determined to do the best for their clients at all times and leave absolutely no stone unturned. It is a brilliant defence firm."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2016
Stephen Parkinson’s department at Kingsley Napley LLP continues to ‘hold its own against the Magic Circle firms.’"
Legal 500, 2016
It is an excellent firm - the level of preparation for cases is just fantastic."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2016
Kingsley Napley is pre-eminent at what it does: high-end, complex criminal work for high-profile individuals."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession
One of the most highly regarded criminal defence firms, noted for its high-profile mandates from media organisations and sports professionals."
Chambers UK, A Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession
The KN team are one of the best known, oldest and highly regarded teams in this area of work. They get first rate work and deliver excellent results."
Legal 500 UK 2021
They are able to draw on expertise across the firm to provide a seamless service - if you are facing criminal allegations they can also handle the media, as well as any employment issues or regulatory proceedings that may arise."
Chambers UK 2020
Latest blogs & news
Environmental Law Quarterly Update - Q2 2022
This quarterly environmental law update provides a summary of a cross-section of news stories in the period April 2022 - June 2022.
Health and Safety Quarterly Update – Q2 2022
This quarterly update summarises a selection of news stories relating to health and safety investigations and prosecutions published in the period April – June 2022 as well as some of the key corporate manslaughter cases which have been brought in recent months.
Greenwashing: engaging with regulators on ESG concerns
As environmental, social and governance matters have moved further up the agendas of businesses and their stakeholders, regulators and prosecutors both in the UK and abroad have assessed their priorities and powers. Organisations need to consider best practice for engaging with regulators if they find themselves facing the sharp end of an investigation.
FCA Enforcement Half Year Update: H1 2022
This half-year update provides an overview of recent enforcement activity by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) in the period from January to June 2022.
International Criminal Law Quarterly Round-Up: Q2 2022
This quarterly international criminal law update provides a summary of the news stories in the period April – June 2022. The relevance of international criminal law continues to be highlighted by the war in Ukraine. As events have unfolded, we have covered relevant developments below along with a number of other international law news stories.
Disregarding Convictions – a step forward
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 ‘the Act’ has correctly attracted much criticism since it was first introduced as a Bill to the House of Commons in the March of 2021. There are numerous and alarming issues raised for civil liberties raised by this legislation which are beyond the scope of this post (see here for further commentary). Nonetheless, there is one aspect of the Act (which received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022) that can be welcomed: the expansion of the scheme for disregarding convictions or cautions received for historical consensual same-sex sexual activity.
Anti-Money Laundering: Shining a Spotlight on Compliance
Nicola Finnerty and Gemma Tombs discuss the legal framework that underpins the UK’s anti-money laundering regime and consider how businesses can effectively fine-tune their approach to AML compliance.
Julian Assange cleared for Extradition to the US - Rebecca Niblock comments
After the British Government's approved the request by the US to extradite Wikileak's founder Julian Assange, Rebecca Niblock's reaction was reported the international media.
Corporate Criminal Liability: The Law Commission’s ten options for reform
On 10th June, the Law Commission launched its “Options Paper” which presents a number of ways in which the law of corporate criminal liability could be reformed. The detailed paper, accompanied by a 14 page summary document, sets out potential options for reform in this area and rules out other possibilities as not viable.
UK Urged To Toughen Corporate Crime Laws With New Fines - Alun Milford responds
After The Law Commission recommended that the Government introduce new rules holding companies liable, and subject to fines, for crimes committed by senior executives, our Partner Alun Milford gave his reaction.
Outcome 22: is the use of this Outcome a ‘postcode lottery’ for children in the UK criminal justice system?
In this blog, we discuss what new police data reveals about the use of Outcome 22 three years after its introduction and the startling disparity of its use by different forces.
The metaverse: virtual offences, real world penalties?
Magda Zima was recently published in Solicitors Journal discussing The metaverse: virtual offences and real world penalties.
Criminal Law Week
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Criminal Law Week is proud to have launched its bi-annual seminar series. The inaugural event took place on 24 May 2022, hosted by Kingsley Napley LLP and chaired by Matt Hardcastle.
The FCA – Transformation to Assertive Supervision
There can be little doubt that the failure of London Capital & Finance Plc, and the subsequent report by Dame Elizabeth Gloster, have significantly changed the FCA’s approach to the supervision of regulated firms and protection of consumers in an increasingly complex financial environment.
Overseas Production Orders: Companies should prepare for new powers to gather electronic data
The Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act 2019 (COPOA) was enacted three years ago to give law enforcement agencies the power to directly obtain electronic data from service providers based outside the UK for the purpose of preventing, detecting and investigating serious crimes through the use of Overseas Production Orders (OPOs).
Acting to stop harm: the FCA and Appointed Representatives
On 13 May 2022, the FCA published a final refusing Alexander Jon Compliance Consulting Ltd.’s (“AJCC”) application for authorisation to provide regulatory hosting services. There is no specific definition of what a regulatory host is, but the FCA generally regards it as a commercial arrangement whereby an authorised Principal firm appoints and oversees a number of unconnected Appointed Representatives (“ARs”) which operate across a range of markets.
The rule of law in Ukraine during martial law: Review of changes to the criminal process
We are delighted to present, as a guest blog, the thoughts and views of Dr Valentyn Gvozdiy, managing partner of Golaw in Kyiv. Dr Gvozdiy outlines the significant changes to criminal procedure that have been heralded by the Russian invasion of his country and the subsequent adoption of martial law.
Cross-Border Criminal Law Conference 2022: Individual and Corporate Accountability for International Crimes
On Thursday 5 May, Kingsley Napley hosted the 4th annual Cross-Border Criminal Law Conference, which focused on individual and corporate accountability for international crimes.
Health and Safety Quarterly Update – Q1 2022
This quarterly update provides a summary of a selection number of news stories relating to health and safety investigations and prosecutions, published in the period January - March 2022.
National Security and Investment Act 2021 – an expansive approach to liability
Whilst it is anticipated that prosecutions under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (‘the Act’) will be exceptionally rare, the criminal sanctions set out in it are explicitly framed to create a “sufficiently robust deterrent to ensure compliance.” The provisions punish corporates and individual officers who connive or consent to commit an offence, as well as individual officers who are negligent (s.36). In addition, they are also extra-territorial (s.52), meaning that the scope of liability is particularly wide-ranging.