Lauren is a senior associate in the Business Crime & Regulation team specialising in advising on fraud and financial crime matters. She has an expertise in confiscation (PoCA) and asset recovery proceedings and has been widely recognised for her work in this area. Lauren is described in the independent legal directories as a “genuine POCA expert”.
Lauren’s work is both national and international, with many cases being of a cross-jurisdictional nature. She is regularly instructed in serious and complex investigations and proceedings, regularly acts in high value fraud cases involving directors and officers, and large-scale prosecutions against organised crime groups. Given Lauren’s unique experience, she is regularly instructed with the team to assist on:
- Fraud and Financial Crime
- Organised and Serious Crime
- Fraud and Financial Crime Compliance
- Internal corporate investigations
- Criminal Restraint and Confiscation
- Pre Charge Engagement and General Defence Work
Prior to joining JMW, Lauren was Partner and Head of Department at a previous firm and thereafter worked with a Top 100 Law Firm advising corporates on financial crime compliance programmes, policies and procedures in relation to money laundering, bribery and corruption, tax evasion, the Modern Slavery Act and advised on internal investigations.
Lauren was shortlisted for Crime Rising Star of the Year at the Northern Powerhouse Awards in 2023 and 2024, and Junior Lawyer of the Year at the Law Society Excellence Awards 2020 for her insight, flair, imagination and hard work in POCA and asset recovery.
Memberships
- Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association (committee member)
- Fraud Lawyers Association
Notable cases:
Fraud and Financial Crime Compliance
- International motor racing series: high level review of policies and procedures.
- Renewable energy producer: Preparation of Code of Conduct of Ethics, anti-corruption and bribery polices and human trafficking policy.
- Luxury Property Developer: Full compliance review.
- German motor vehicle manufacturer: Directors liabilities and duties guidance.
- Public benefit entity: Advice regarding breach of MLRs whilst carrying out a regulated activity.
Internal corporate investigations
- University: Internal investigation and advice in relation to allegations of fraud committed by a director.
- Telecommunications company: Internal investigation and advice to a corporate entity following discovery of bribery within its business.
- Capital investment company: Internal investigation and advice in relation to allegations of fraud and tax evasion committed by a director.
Criminal Restraint and Confiscation
- R v A & Others: Acting for one of the first individuals prosecuted on the Silk Road. Advising on cryptoassets in the context of PoCA.
- R v H & Others: Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs valued at £45 million
- R v D: Financial advisor guilty of fraud valued at £2.3 million. Advising on hidden assets, restrained property portfolio of 40 properties and assets restrained in the US.
- R v S & Others: Travelled to Spain to negotiate with Banco Sabadell and the Spanish authorities in relation to frozen property valued at £1.3 million.
- R v S: Trading standards prosecution. Director facing £1.4 million confiscation order with 10 bank accounts, large property portfolio and hidden assets. Reduced to £290k.