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A New Era of Football Regulation - The Independent Football Regulator
Natalie Cohen
For over 75 years, our lawyers have discreetly advised public figures in some of the highest profile cases of the last century. Our lawyers understand the pressures of being in the public eye and seek to shield our clients from the often intrusive media glare.
We offer legal representation and advice to clients and their advisors to enable them to manage their public, business and private lives. Our history of discretion and sensitivity inspires trust in our clients, providing confidence in the fact that we will care for every aspect of their lives and protect their rights and interests.
Our understanding of a client’s right to privacy, the reputational damage a difficult case can bring and the need to keep business running, make Kingsley Napley the lawyers of choice when looking for a trusted advisor. Our criminal defence lawyers are astute, supportive and highly sophisticated. We are recognised for our skill in providing strategic, practical criminal law advice. We understand the reputational damage a police investigation can bring and that being in the public eye brings unwanted media attention. Discretion is our watch word and we are skilled in crisis management, shielding our clients from the media glare.
From accompanying clients to police station interviews to managing every step of a criminal investigation, we guide clients through their options and give advice on the best course of action to take.
We recognise that to achieve the very best outcome for our clients we need to be proactive from the earliest moment of a police investigation. In many instances we can help to avoid an arrest taking place, with all the potentially onerous consequences that can flow from an arrest: restrictions on travel, oppressive bail conditions, and the likelihood that fingerprint and DNA samples will be taken that will remain on a national database for life.
There is a myth that those who attend the police station with a lawyer only do so because they are guilty. In fact, those who have the benefit of legal advice are more able to make the right decision about whether and how to answer questions. Those that have a lawyer are much less likely to be taken advantage of by the police. What happens at the police station can dictate how well you are able to defend the case later if it develops. It also means you have a better chance of bringing the investigation to a conclusion sooner rather than later.
Many people, when faced with police questioning, attend on their own, believing they can talk their way out of the situation and leave as quickly as possible. This is rarely the best long term strategy. Our aim is to help you to stop, think and give the best account of yourself.
By attending the police station with one of our specialist lawyers we will be able to obtain information about the investigation, the reasons why you are being interviewed, explain the process to you, advise on your options and ensure that you are treated fairly throughout the proceedings. Sometimes the best advice is to decline to answer questions, at least until further information is provided as to the case against you; or alternatively, it may be better to produce a written statement setting out your case in a clear and structured way. Even if you decide to answer questions, you will want to think carefully in advance about the issues with which you will have to deal.
What clients and directories have said
Highly collaborative and team based in everything they do. Friendly and down to earth while also being world class. Uniquely able to bring together the brightest and the best but without being pompous or superior in their attitude. Great listeners, hard workers and tactically the best in the business."
Legal 500 UK 2021
A dynamic team that shows good attention to detail."
Chambers UK 2021
Leading criminal team that demonstrates impressive strength in depth across a broad range of cases. Regularly acts on high-profile cases involving well-known public figures."
Chambers UK 2019, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
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 stand out because of their ability to stop a case before it gets started. Their commitment, preparation and tenacity set them apart. They are a strong firm."
Chambers UK 2018, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
They pick up some fantastic work, they have some fantastic clients and they have a skill of trying to get rid of matters before they go too far."
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2018
Their reputation as being the pre-eminent solicitors in this market is deserved. They are justifiably instructed in infamous, heavyweight cases and I can't imagine that anyone is ever dissatisfied with the service they receive."
Chambers UK, 2017
First-class firm in terms of client care, as well as its thorough and meticulous approach to case preparation, both at pre-charge stage and at trial."
Legal 500 UK, 2017
The crime team is first-rate. They are dedicated, hard-working and tireless in their preparation of cases."
Chambers UK 2017
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 Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession
Further information
If you have any questions, please contact a member of our criminal litigation team.
Reputation management can also be a key consideration when high profile individuals are faced with criminal allegations, as press interest is common, especially where the individual and/or the organisation are high profile. Our team of Reputation Management lawyers can quickly assess the situation and give strategic advice on courses of action to take in respect of privacy, defamation and data protection issues.
Kingsley Napley is ranked in Band 1 for General Crime by both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.
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
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 – A Client’s 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
The lawyers on the crime team are relentlessly good at what they do. They have a collaborative approach and are incredibly thorough and detailed in their work."
Chambers UK 2021
KN are exceptional in almost all categories! They are streaks ahead of everyone else and provide a very high level of service. If I were in trouble that’s where I would go. I like the fact they are genuinely committed to providing excellence even on less lucrative cases or on cases of less seriousness. They completely get how serious every case is for a client . They unfailing do the very best for their clients."
Legal 500 UK 2021
In dealing with the firm, every aspect was outstanding and of the highest quality."
Chambers UK 2021
The general crime department is the best I have ever worked with. They are unsurpassed in the way they work as a team on their cases - it's a very well-drilled, slick operation."
Chambers UK 2020 - A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession
Latest blogs & news
From Certificates to Belief Statements: The CPS and the Limits of Forum Bar Intervention
The CPS’s June 2025 guidance on the forum bar marks a decisive narrowing of the circumstances in which prosecutor’s belief statements may be issued. Such statements (by which a domestic prosecutor expresses the view that the UK is not the most appropriate jurisdiction for prosecution) have often featured in litigation under sections 19B and 83A of the Extradition Act 2003.
Focusing on Prosecuting Corporates: joint SFO – CPS Guidance released
On 18 August 2025, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published their Joint SFO-CPS Corporate Prosecution Guidance, intended for prosecutors who will make decisions about whether or not to prosecute a corporation.
Preparing for changes to non-disclosure agreements from 1 October 2025
In June the Ministry of Justice announced new legislation under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 which affects NDAs and confidentiality clauses.* Related guidance, published at the beginning of June, sets out the impact of this legislation on the enforceability of such agreements.
Why the Leveson Review Is Significant For UK Court System
The Leveson review has been billed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reform the court system, with 45 recommendations being presented to Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood.
OfS Condition E6: a first step towards a unified approach to harassment and sexual misconduct, but does it go far enough?
In July 2024 the Office for Students (OfS) published guidance on a new condition of registration dealing specifically with harassment and sexual misconduct. That condition, ‘E6’, comes into force on 1 August 2025. As such, universities and colleges have had a year to ensure they comply.
The Insolvency Service: Repackaging Old Strategies for New Successes with Major Partner
On 16 July 2025, the Insolvency Service released its new five-year strategy towards tackling economic crime facilitated by companies to be implemented between 2026-2031. Despite an enthusiastic introduction to its plans as ‘ambitious’ and ‘transformational’, the four strategic pillars laid out in the strategy brief – to target more cases involving corporate structures and serious criminality; exploit emerging technology; collaborate closely with public and private sector partners; and recruit, retain and invest in its workforce – echo the agency’s existing commitments, as well as the aims of recently released strategies by adjacent organisations like the FCA, NECC and CPS.
New Child Safety Duties Under the Online Safety Act: What Online Platforms Must Know
As of 25 July 2025, new child safety duties under the Online Safety Act have come into force, requiring online platforms to implement robust safety measures to prevent children from accessing illegal or harmful content. The consequences for non-compliance are significant, making it essential for online providers to understand their new obligations.
A System Under Strain: Why It's Time to Rethink the UK’s Approach to Extradition and International Cooperation
As global crime evolves and political landscapes shift, the UK’s legal frameworks for international cooperation and extradition are showing their age. In a new blog, Rebecca Niblock explores the Criminal Law Reform Now Network (CLRNN) Scoping Review (June 2025) which makes a compelling case: the time for reform is now.
Modernising Cartel Enforcement: CMA launches consultation on updated leniency guidance
On 29 April 2025, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published a consultation on proposed revisions to its leniency guidance for cartel cases. The changes are intended to reflect legislative changes, align with current enforcement practices, and enhance the clarity, accessibility, and effectiveness of the CMA’s leniency regime.
New UK crypto regime takes a step closer
HM Treasury has published a draft statutory instrument which, when brought into force, will introduce a new regulatory regime for cryptoassets in the UK.
Five things to know about criminal risk in M&A transactions
Criminal risk isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when considering the commercial drivers behind a merger or acquisition. But our recent roundtable discussion at our offices made clear that criminal liability—however peripheral it might seem—can have very real consequences for deal viability and post-completion exposure. Here are five key takeaways from a discussion that brought together legal and business perspectives on how economic crime intersects with transactional work.
A tizzy over fizzy: how the Coca-Cola Company, and others, became recent targets of corporate “greenwashing” allegations
Whilst historically, climate-related litigation has been focused on governments, a report published last year by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment showcased how, in recent years, climate litigation is being initiated more frequently against corporations for alleged Environment, Social and Governance (“ESG”) failings
Adolescence is brilliant TV but Jamie should have sacked his brief
The new Netflix drama Adolescence has propelled many themes to the forefront of our national conversations in the last week. With the corrosive effect of social media on our children being the most important, it is hardly surprising that the realism of the portrayal of the criminal justice system in the series has been somewhat overlooked.
Adolescence: The ordinary family’s worst nightmare
As we await the release of the Netflix series Adolescence this evening by award winning writer Jack Thorne, I am interested to see how the series will deal with very real, yet often publicly unheard problems of how our criminal justice system, in particular the police, manage children who are alleged to have committed serious offences.
Is the FCA’s name and shame policy now dead in the water?
On 6 February the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee published its response to the latest iteration of the FCA’s proposals to “name and shame” firms under investigation by the regulator.
The implementation of the Online Safety Act: understanding Ofcom’s new requirements
Following the enactment of the Online Safety Act (“OSA”) in October 2023, Ofcom has prepared a multi-stage plan for its implementation. Under this legislation, online service providers are subject to a number of new obligations, and Ofcom has a duty to ensure compliance with these requirements.
SFO Unexplained Wealth Orders – new focus for illicit finance?
On 17 January, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) secured its first Unexplained Wealth Order, in respect of a property believed to have been purchased with the proceeds of a £100 million fraud.
Sir Brian Leveson’s review of the courts
Whatever its cause, a backlog of over 73,000 Crown court cases is not acceptable. Delays for complainants, defendants and witnesses all impede justice. In the third quarter of 2024, the Crown court received over 31,683 new cases and disposed of 29,502. The passage of time will not solve the problem. Change is inevitable.
Increased Funding for INTERPOL’s CCF: Will it Solve the Delay Crisis?
A recent update on INTERPOL’s website is unlikely to raise eyebrows. The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) has acknowledged that it has been experiencing delays in meeting its deadlines due to an increased workload, both within the Commission and among other INTERPOL stakeholders. This will be all too familiar to those targeted by red notices and their representatives. Resourcing issues and delays have long plagued the CCF, despite operational rules requiring decisions on disclosure requests within four months and deletion requests within nine months.
The continued rise of sextortion and blackmail
In this article, Sandra Paul, a Partner at Kingsley Napley, looks at the rise of sextortion and blackmail, the legal landscape in regard to such offences and the need for the current protections to be reviewed and consolidated
