About
The set: Founded in 1966 5KBW is recognised nationally as a leading criminal chambers and continues to excel. Led by Sarah Forshaw KC, a former leader of the South Eastern Circuit and Mark Heywood KC, former First Senior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court, and with 55 barristers including 10 King’s Counsel, 5KBW is able to provide high quality advocacy and advisory services to all its clients at all levels nationally. Members have an unwavering commitment to provide advice and representation of the highest quality that is frequently commended by the judiciary, solicitors and clients.
5KBW has a professional and friendly clerking and administration team led by Lee Hughes-Gage who joined chambers as senior clerk in 2005.
Work undertaken
Serious organised crime: Chambers has a formidable reputation in the prosecution and defence of allegations of serious and organised crime, with practitioners providing advice and representation of the very highest quality in the most serious high-profile criminal trials of this nature throughout the UK.
Sexual offences: Chambers enjoys an unparalleled reputation when it comes to the prosecution and defence of sexually motivated crime. Chambers has many advocates who are regularly instructed to provide cogent and expeditious advice at the very earliest stage and then successfully see the case through to completion. Cases include those involving historic offending, child cruelty, internet offending, child abduction, stranger rape and serial rape.
Homicide and corporate manslaughter: Members regularly appear for both the prosecution and defence in the most serious and high-profile homicide cases including, serial killers, matters of terrorism, gangland executions, multi-defendant murders, baby shaking murders, gross negligence manslaughter and corporate manslaughter. That wealth of experience has earned chambers a first-class reputation amongst its peers and in the legal directories, with many members recognised as being leaders in this field.
Fraud and financial crime: Chambers’ practitioners are routinely instructed in significant cases involving matters of financial offending – including fraud, bribery, money laundering and other financial offences. Members act for both the prosecution and defence, including cases involving the S.F.O & F.C.A. Representing individuals, (including directors) as well as companies who are accused of financial offences. Often, members are instructed prior to charge, and are instructed to advise during the investigation stage. From Tax/VAT/MTIC frauds to bribery, mortgage frauds to insider trading and corruption, Chambers offers experience and expertise to all those who are under investigation in relation to financial offences.
Family law: Chambers undertake complex care proceedings on behalf of parents and guardians, dealing with all forms of sexual abuse allegations, non-accidental injury, serious neglect, forced marriages and child trafficking. Representing parents, grandparents, siblings and children’s guardians in private law family proceedings and offering a service in dealing with issues of child abduction, medical treatment (children and patients) and cases of wardship/within the inherent jurisdiction.
Confiscation, civil recovery and asset forfeiture: Chambers has a long established tradition of expertise within the areas of asset recovery, civil fraud and confiscation and the dedicated team of barristers are able to navigate their way through this technical and ever evolving world from advice to representation at all levels. Frequently appearing in matters of Restraint, providing advice and assistance at every stage, Civil Recovery Orders and Cash Forfeiture Orders. Barristers are repeatedly instructed in post-conviction confiscation matters where benefit figures and the value of realisable assets are in contention.
Regulatory and professional disciplinary: Chambers undertakes a wide range of regulatory and professional discipline cases. Members provide expert advice and representation to many professions and at all levels, from healthcare, education and finance sectors, to assisting police officers. Dealing skillfully and effectively with all stages of disciplinary proceedings of any type, from employers’ internal disciplinary procedures to proceedings before regulators.
Terrorism: Members of chambers are frequently instructed for their expertise both to prosecute (including the provision of pre-charge advice) and defend in the most serious and sensitive terrorist cases. Members are also instructed in relation to all terrorism law related applications, from control orders to orders relating to assets. As such, chambers offers counsel who are experienced and recognised for their ability to deal with the political, religious and cultural issues raised by terror related cases coupled with unquestionable ability to provide expert trial representation at both silk and junior level.