Ian is a Partner at Lewis Nedas Law and head of its Commercial & Litigation Dept, having previously been a Partner at two top-200 law firms. He qualified in 1988 and has over 25 years' experience dealing with all aspects of Business and Commercial Law, Civil Litigation, Employment, Insolvency and Restructuring, Regulatory Law and Professional Disciplinary; in particular defending those who face SRA disciplinary investigations and proceedings. He is well known for his Litigation Expertise including heavyweight contractual and commercial disputes, frauds, partnership disputes, professional negligence claims, debt collection claims and property issues and he has acted for many national and international companies and financial institutions. He is well used to obtaining urgent injunctions, especially freezing orders (both in the UK and in other jurisdictions) and he is an authorised supervising solicitor for search and seizure orders. Additionally, he has also lectured extensively to fellow lawyers, surveyors and other organisations on the subjects of Business Lease Renewals, Dilapidations and Remedies for Tenant Default. He is also a member of the Property Litigation Association. Ian has an increasing Regulatory practice and is a member of The Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers. His Commercial expertise includes acting for Companies in relation to obtaining new funding, the issue of new shares and shareholder agreements, business sales and purchases, joint venture and option agreements, as well as drafting Employment documentation and advising on Employment procedures and disputes.
Lewis Nedas Law Limited
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Director; head of serious crime and serious fraud departments. Former City analyst and broker. Specialises in the following areas: serious/corporate fraud; regulatory/professional disciplinary matters; tax/VAT tribunals investigations/prosecutions; asset confiscation and restraint; civil recovery; civil fraud; civil litigation; employment; serious crime. For a full list of recent cases see profile on the firms website. Miles has higher rights of audience and is a designated Serious Fraud Supervisor on VHCC matters as a member of the Peer Review Panel for the LAA.
Director – head of Crown Court advocacy department. Deals with all aspects of serious crime, serious fraud, money laundering and asset confiscation.
Jeremy is a Senior Associate Solicitor at the firm and deals with all aspects of commercial and residential property transactions, landlord and tenant matters, lease renewals and collective enfranchisement acting for both private individuals and companies. Having previously worked for nine years in a niche private client property practice in South London he has extensive knowledge and understanding of how property developers operate, and is aware of the commercial pressures placed on them. Jeremy frequently works with developers on matters involving the acquisition of land for residential development and subsequent plot sales. Jeremy also advises on landlord and tenant legislation with a particular emphasis on lease renewals for office, retail and industrial premises and the disposal of businesses. He also acts and provides advice for lenders and borrowers on high value refinancing and bridging, offering a responsive and approachable service. Recent matters include; Advising a well known property developer on its various lettings of high value commercial property in South London. Advising owners of high-value London leasehold properties on enfranchisement and lease extension rights. Acting on the refinancing of a development site to allow for the construction of residential units. Advising on sale and purchase transactions for high net worth clients to extremely short deadlines.
Partner responsible for the City office. Has defended many high-profile and complex prosecution brought by SFO; FSA; special casework CPS; SOCA; City of London fraud squad. Regularly ranked as leading individual, Chambers UK. VHCC supervisor. Recent and current cases: R v P and others – Ponzi fraud, value in excess of £100m, described as being the UK’s equivalent to the Madoff scheme; R v B and others a complex multi-handed money laundering/kidnap prosecution involving central plot to defraud the London clearing banks. Acted for lead defendant in Operation Pristina, a South Wales police investigation into an organised crime group: acting for one of the Directors of Kaupthing Bank in the high-profile failed SFO investigation following the collapse of the bank; R v K and another concerning a allegation of bribery and corruption of serving police officers investigating a substantial and high-profile fraud; R v B and others a major and high-profile land banking fraud; R v S, a contested confiscation hearing in which the defence successfully managed to convince the court that there were no “hidden” assets; R v M and S, in which the defendants received a suspended sentence for a major VAT missing trader fraud; R v J in which managed to secure pre-charge discontinuance for a director facing allegations of a fraudulent asset exchange scheme; Advising two city traders facing complex investigation for mis –selling and securing pre charge withdrawal; R v J in which Keith is acting for a director of a Legal Services Company facing allegation of theft of money and fraud; R v T in which secured a suspended sentence for a Deputy appointed by the Court of Protection facing prosecution for Fraud. In addition Keith is currently advising on a substantial fresh evidence appeal as well as a City trader facing investigation.
Consultant and head of firearms law department. Laura gives advice and representation to individuals, clubs and registered firearms dealers in relation to firearms licensing and also criminal offences involving firearms. Laura receives regular referrals from national shooting organisations such as the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, the Sportsman’s Association, the Gun Trade Association, the Country Land and Business Association, etc to advise and represent their members throughout England and Wales. Reported cases in which Laura has been involved include R v David Evans (Ct of Appeal) [2006] EWCA Crim 8 (re mandatory minimum sentence for prohibited firearms introduced shortly before that). Other cases which were unreported, but brought as test prosecutions and have informed police firearms licensing policy nationally, include R v JC Ltd 2010 (re selling of shotgun ammunition by mail order) and R v W 2010 (re definition of ‘rifle’ and types of firearms which can be held on a club firearms certificate).
Director. Conducts full range of criminal and regulatory matters with particular emphasis on serious fraud and serious criminal investigations and enquiries. Defends prosecutions brought by SFO,FCA,CPS Fraud Division and Special Casework and HMRC. Has particular expertise in matters of cybercrime and Insider dealing. Current instructions include acting for a number of individuals on both operation Weeting and Elvedeon. Representing two individuals facing trial for a multimillion pound conspiracy to defraud involving the fraudulent selling of land and diamonds and the laundering of the proceeds and a multi-handed case of the alledged smuggling into the UK of 6 men.
Partner specialising in all forms of criminal defence work, including gang-related violent crime, large-scale drugs cases, tobacco and cigarette importations, conspiracies to facilitate immigration, fraud, etc. She has defended in many cases investigated by SOCA, HM Revenue and Customs as well as prosecutions by the CPS Organised Crime Division. Recent cases include a people-smuggling ring, when she represented a Turkish client who was one of ten defendants; a conspiracy to supply cocaine, involving six Albanian defendants; and a £6m cigarette and wine duty evasion case. She has a large client base in the East End of London , as well as extensive links in the Albanian, Iranian and Afghani communities. Her current cases include an SFO prosecution in which her client is alleged to have been involved in a conspiracy to defraud the Allied Irish Bank of £65m; and an alleged conspiracy, R v JH and others, involving ten defendants accused of importing cannabis on a very substantial scale from continental Europe using haulage companies, of which her client is a director of one. Both cases are due to be tried later this year. She also represents a suspect in an East and West Midland-wide enquiry by HMRC into an alleged conspiracy to smuggle raw tobacco and machinery into the UK to be used in the production of counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco in the UK; charges expected in May/June. Penny recently successfully defended a serving soldier in the British Army in this country and has now been instructed in a court martial in Germany to be held in May/June involving an allegation of death by dangerous driving against a British army soldier based there.
Richard is a Senior Associate Solicitor at the Property Department of Lewis Nedas Law having previously worked at firms in Hertfordshire and Hampstead, Richard qualified in February 2009, and specialises in commercial property and residential conveyancing transactions. He also has expertise in Insolvency Law having worked for a top accountancy practice, for 18 months post qualification, on corporate insolvencies and litigation relating to a trading company in Administration. His commercial property work has recently included acting for tenants on acquiring leases in the Covent Garden area, dealings with the Grosvenor Estate, bridging finance on multi-million pound projects and the sale of an Embassy building in Mayfair. His recent residential property work includes; purchases of high value residential properties in the North and Central London postcodes eg the sale of a prestigious penthouse property in North London, the purchase of high value new-build property in Fulham Riverside as well as regular transactional dealings with flats, maisonettes and houses around the London area. His work also incorporates property litigation matters including business lease renewals and lease extension work at the First Tier Tribunal & at the Central London County Court. He also has expertise in Option Work with recent work relating to the potential conversion of residential land in Mill Hill and Hertfordshire, as well as the multi-million pound re-development of commercial land in the old-town Stevenage area.
Consultant. Specialises in serious organised crime, serious fraud, professional regulatory matters, money laundering, asset confiscation and forfeiture, cyber/internet crime, civil fraud, civil recovery, AML anti-bribery compliance, tax/VAT tribunals, fraud investigations, bribery and corruption, and extradition. An acknowledged expert on RIPA, the use of informants and disclosure. Regularly assists TV and radio channels with documentary programmes on various criminal justice issues. Has an enviable high acquittal rate and overall success rate. A particular reputation for exposing corruption at Customs and Excise. Please see personal profile on firm website for list of cases. Defends prosecutions by: SFO/FCA, City of London fraud. Has developed a niche practice defending women defendants facing serious fraud/crime allegations. Ranked Chambers UK Crime and Fraud; SuperLawyers UK Fraud, Crime & Tax. Listed as one of leading women in practice, Chambers UK.
Partner specialising in serious crime. Significant recent cases include R v Nicky Jacobs which concerned the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during the Broadwater Farm Riots in October 1985. In April 2014, Jacobs was acquitted after a trial in which the Crown primarily relied on the tainted evidence of three eye witnesses two of whom had confessed to their role in the murder but had been granted immunity from prosecution. This was the first and only prosecution for PC Blakelock’s murder since the freeing of the Tottenham 3 by the Court of Appeal in 1991. In another recent case a police witness liaison officer was successfully defended where she herself was accused of intimidation of a witness. A particular area of expertise is historic sex offences and child and extreme pornography cases. Higher rights advocate since 2006.