Hickman & Rose

Ross Dixon

Ross Dixon is a highly experienced criminal litigator working across the full range of business crime. Committed, personable and skilled, Ross takes a strategic approach to all his cases. He has achieved significant success in some of the UK’s most high profile White Collar crime matters. He advises both companies and individuals and is often instructed by founders, directors or senior executives who are under investigation. He has acted in some of the UK’s most serious and complex fraud, false accounting and bribery and corruption case. He has had great success defending cases prosecuted by the SFO. His financial crime practice includes defending regulatory investigations by professional bodies such as the SRA, the FCA and the FRC. Ross has expertise in Money Laundering matters and the Proceeds of Crime Act including Account Freezing and Forfeiture Orders. He has great experience of cases that involve parallel investigations in the UK and overseas, including the US, Europe, South East Asia and the Middle East and often works closely with lawyers based in other jurisdictions. His experience includes advice and representation for those facing requests for mutual legal assistance or extradition. Alongside his business crime practice Ross has many years experience representing professionals, businesspeople and their families caught up in general and serious crime cases, whether in police investigations or before the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts.

Ben Rose

Ben Rose is one of the most respected defence lawyers in the country. For over 30 years he has successfully represented individuals and corporations in the most serious financial, regulatory and general criminal matters. He has established himself a ‘go to’ solicitor for high profile individuals seeking discreet resolution of sensitive legal problems and is an expert on regulatory and civil matters as they impact financial wrongdoing. A specialist in both financial and general criminal law, Ben offers a complete defence service. He has acted for some of the world’s largest companies in corporate criminal matters; and has represented company CEOs, directors and general counsel in some of the most significant White Collar criminal and regulatory cases worldwide. He has also carved a formidable reputation acting for HNW and well-known individuals such politicians, celebrities, entrepreneurs and their families with those sensitive legal concerns which often constitute the biggest crises of their lives. As well as criminal legal matters, Ben provides expert advice in relation to money laundering and proceeds of crime issues such as Unexplained Wealth Orders and Account Freezing Orders. He is often involved in cross-jurisdictional matters and is expert in setting overall legal strategy and coordinating teams of lawyers working across the globe. Ben’s wealth of experience enables him to formulate strategies which are most likely to secure the best outcome. He has achieved great success for his clients during the investigation and before charge and has been ensured that even the most sensational cases remain out of the public domain. Calm, organised and sympathetic, Ben forges powerful working relationships with his clients. He takes care to ensure that he concisely communicates what can often be complex legal strategies in way that that is clearly comprehensible to his clients, who are often extremely time-pressured people.

Steffan Baker

Steffan Baker is an experienced lawyer who acts on behalf of individuals and corporates across a broad range of fraud, white-collar crime and regulatory matters.Steffan has advised clients on investigations and prosecutions by a wide range of bodies, including the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), National Crime Agency (NCA), HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). His cases frequently involve serious allegations such as fraud, insider dealing, money laundering, false accounting, bribery and corruption, and anti-competitive behaviour.He was part of the team that successfully defended a former Managing Director of Tesco UK, who was acquitted at trial of allegations of fraud and false accounting arising from an alleged £250million overstatement of profit.He has also represented individuals in connection with the SFO’s investigations into Unaoil, Serco, Libor and Euribor manipulation.Many of Steffan’s cases have an international element and involving parallel investigations in the UK and overseas, including the US and Europe. He has advised on cross-border investigations and extradition proceedings. He often works alongside lawyers based in other jurisdictions.

Andrew Katzen

Partner and head of department

Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay

Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay is a partner and barrister who specialises in serious and complex financial crime. He plays a key role in Hickman & Rose’s business crime team, preparing some of the firm’s most complex criminal and regulatory cases. He often represents businesspeople – usually directors or senior executives – who require legal representation when the companies they work for are under investigation. A talented litigator with a forensic mind, Chris has established a formidable reputation for identifying and exploiting weaknesses in the opposition’s case. As a barrister, he is also able to conduct advocacy on behalf of his clients in all courts in England & Wales. Chris has developed particular expertise defending individuals accused of complex allegations of accounting fraud. His high profile cases include: The successful defence, prior to trial, of the former Managing Director of G4S Care and Justice Services in criminal proceedings brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), concerning an alleged fraud against the government over a ten-year period. The case involved the analysis of highly complex financial modelling documents and accounting records. The successful acquittal of the former Managing Director of Tesco UK on criminal charges brought by the SFO relating to an alleged £250 million accelerated revenue recognition accounting fraud. The ongoing defence of the former VP Finance of Autonomy Corporation PLC before the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) in connection with allegations made by Hewlett-Packard of a $5 billion accounting fraud. Chris has also advised individuals in connection with the SFO investigations into ENRC, Rolls Royce, Airbus, Greenergy, BAT, the Price Stone Group, and Libor and Euribor manipulation. He also has experience of investigations and proceedings brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Financial Reporting Council, HMRC and the Crown Prosecution Service. Chris has pioneered the use of technology to help fight cases, and regularly provides advice as to how it can be effectively deployed across all of the firm’s practice areas.

Emily Sheils

Emily Sheils specialises in business and economic crime. She works on complex and often multi-jurisdictional cases involving fraud, bribery and corruption, money laundering and regulatory offences. She has extensive experience of advising individuals embroiled in Serious Fraud Office investigations and proceedings, including Serco, ENRC, Amec Foster Wheeler, Chemring and Petfrofac. She also has experience of acting in investigations and proceedings brought by the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Reporting Council, HMRC and the National Crime Agency. Emily regularly advises on interviews under caution, Section 2 interviews, document requests and matters pertaining to Legal Professional Privilege. Her recent caseload has also included international investigations in jurisdictions such as Italy, Germany, USA and Portugal. Emily has also represented a number of individuals in police investigations into alleged serious criminal offences, such as historical allegations of sexual abuse. She has particular experience of working with US lawyers to provide assistance to individuals with criminal convictions who are looking to travel abroad.