The investigations and white-collar defence team at Paul Hastings LLP maintains a strong offering with notable strength in cross-border matters. Leveraging the firm’s network of international offices, the team routinely handles investigations both in the UK and overseas. Described by clients as a ‘visionary thinker and strategist’, Jonathan Pickworth oversees the practice; Pickworth acts for both individuals and corporations in bet-the-company investigations and proceedings, handling tax evasion, fraud, corruption, and money laundering matters. The ‘tenacious’ Joanna Dimmock stands out for her extensive expertise in international corruption, cartel, sanctions, and extradition issues. Dimmock and Pickworth are ably assisted by Tom Hickey on cartel, bribery, and fraud cases before the SFO and DOJ. Stuart Alford KC joined the practice from Latham & Watkins in February 2024, while Rebecca Copcutt left the team in 2023.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Jo Dimmock is tenacious, charming and thinks outside the box. A fighter and a winner.'

  • ‘This is a world class team with a brilliant leader at its head. They provide an outstanding service and achieve wonderful results.’

  • ‘Jonathan Pickworth is one of the best lawyers of his generation. A visionary thinker and strategist, he has a rare ability to analyse a case in an entirely novel way. An inspirational leader, he brings all his abilities to bear on the client’s case and has achieved extraordinary success.’

  • ‘Jonathan Pickworth and Jo Dimmock have a great reputation and Jo has successfully acted in many of the recent high profile SFO prosecutions.’

  • ‘Jo Dimmock has a real depth of experience in acting in SFO cases and has had some great successes.’

  • ‘Paul Hastings' fraud team are among the top lawyers in the sector for HNW and corporate clients with individuals who need protection in criminal fraud investigations.’

  • ‘Jo Dimmock's reputation in heavyweight fraud investigations was well established in advance of her joining the department. Her increased prominence in the sector seems inevitable.'

  • 'Jonathan Pickworth is savvy, hands-on, easy to work with, but fundamentally he is utterly focused on the result. There isn't a lot he doesn't know about how cases are won.’

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Jonathan Pickworth

Other key lawyers

Joanna Dimmock, Stuart Alford KC, Tom Hickey