England - London • Crime, fraud and licensing
Bark&co
Bark&co’s general crime practice covers the full gamut of crime work, including murder and manslaughter cases, money laundering, sexual offences, drug offences, as well as extensive experience on organised crime groups. The team is led by the ‘remarkable’ founder Giles Bark-Jones, who also possesses significant experience in cases of criminal fraud, alongside advice on offences under anti-terrorism legislation. Senior solicitor Ria Kudrati is recommended for her representation of vulnerable children and adults, while fellow solicitor Karamjit Singh specialises in murder cases. Associate Vanessa Wiggins is a key contact for cases involving violent crime and drugs, while solicitor advocate Dharsh Lokaswaran’s recent work includes cases of modern slavery.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Every single member of the team at Barks is outstanding. I am regularly instructed by them and the preparation and client care are top-notch.’
- ‘A team of highly competent and successful lawyers. Giles Bark-Jones is remarkable across his departments and cases.’
- ‘Bark & Co. provide an absolutely gold star service to all of its clients. They combine experience, expertise and passion to bring about successful results.’
- ‘The strength of Bark & Co very much rests in its people. The firm has a real strength in depth amongst its lawyers, and a fantastic reputation for going the extra mile for its clients.’
- ‘The Bark & Co team will ensure that you are well-placed to win any piece of litigation. They go into battle ready and willing to fight. Competitive and tenacious!’
- ‘Every fee earner I have worked with has shown exceptional commitment to the case on which they were working. They have extensive knowledge and understanding of the case and present extraordinarily well to the client.’
- ‘Dharsh Lokaswaran is also excellent. She is capable, organised and very smart.’
- ‘Bark & Co is, quite simply, an excellent general crime firm - able to turn their hand to the whole spectrum of criminal allegations. They conduct legal aid and privately paid criminal cases. Experienced, professional, industrious - they won't miss a trick.’
Work highlights
- Secured the acquittal of a client on one of two conspiracies to murder following a ten-week trial at the Central Criminal Court.
- Acted in a high-value theft case concerning an alleged conspiracy involving the acquisition of stolen car parts for international exportation on an industrial scale, securing a unanimous acquittal of the client after a nine-week trial.
- Acted for a high-profile individual under investigation for alleged historic sexual offences.
Lawyers
Rising stars
Leading individuals
Bark&co
Giles Bark-Jones has defended clients in many of the largest white-collar crime and fraud cases of recent times. His impressive track record and wide experience includes representing individuals in prosecutions and investigations brought by the SFO, the FCA, HMRC and other bodies. Giles’s track record includes the SFO investigation into Rolls-Royce, acting for a number of key individuals; R v Asil Nadir (an SFO prosecution involving allegations of theft from Polly Peck International); the Adoboli case (involving a US$2.3bn trading loss fraud at UBS); and R v F & ors, described by prosecution counsel as the ‘biggest case ever’ involving carbon trading fraud. Other recent highlights include acting for three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker in relation to criminal charges brought by the Insolvency Service following his bankruptcy, and acting for the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus in connection with the Polly Peck/Asil Nadir case. On the tax side, Giles has a similarly impressive record including an appeal against a £60m+ conviction for alcohol tax evasion; a complex matter involving payroll companies that allegedly failed to pay tax on behalf of the companies for which they acted; and a £100m multijurisdictional matter described by KPMG and the Daily Telegraph as “one of the biggest direct tax frauds in UK history”. He also assisted a number of clients in National Crime Agency and SKAT investigations into a £1.5bn fraud against the tax authorities in a number of countries, and has defended in large-scale money laundering SFO investigations. Giles is an expert in serious general crime as well as criminal fraud, and his practice includes high-profile murder/manslaughter cases, sexual offences cases, and cases involving offences under anti-terrorism legislation.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Giles Bark-Jones