Jonathan Pickworth
Biography
Overview
Jonathan heads the London White Collar Crime team and has over 30 years of experience representing corporates and individuals in investigations by UK and international agencies. He also advises firms on internal investigations, due diligence, compliance and risk in relation to criminal and regulatory matters. Clients benefit from his experience in dealing with law enforcement and regulators, his strategic thinking and his pragmatism.
Jonathan's practice focuses on allegations relating to money laundering, corruption, market misconduct, fraud, tax evasion and insider trading. He frequently interacts with the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, the Financial Conduct Authority, the police and other agencies.
Jonathan has represented corporate and individual clients under investigation in some of the most significant cases of the last three decades. These have involved investigations into money laundering, bribery and corruption, tax, accounting fraud, bench mark manipulation (e.g. foreign exchange and LIBOR), criminal cartels and insider dealing.
Jonathan is ranked Band One in Chambers UK 2020, Financial Crime: Corporates, and is listed as a Leading Individual for both Fraud: White Collar Crime and Regulatory Investigations & Corporate Crime in Legal 500 UK 2020. He is also recognised as a 2019 Who's Who Legal: Thought Leader, for Crime Corporates, Crime Individuals and Investigations.
He is also a regular speaker and commentator in the media on financial crime matters. He is a contributing editor of Global Legal Insights - Bribery & Corruption, a book covering bribery and corruption law in 27 jurisdictions. Jonathan is a founding member of the City of London Law Society's Corporate Crime Committee.
Experience
Advising a financial institution regarding a multi-jurisdictional internal investigation in relation to failures in systems and controls regarding money laundering.
Advising a major global corporate regarding an internal investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption in relation to an infrastructure project.
Advising a company in the mining sector regarding an internal investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption.
Advising an insurance provider in relation to potential breaches of financial sanctions and a related review of sanctions policies and procedures.
Representing a senior bank trader in connection with a worldwide investigation into the manipulation of foreign exchange benchmarks by the Department of Justice and other agencies.
Representing a major global engineering, construction and services company in a worldwide corruption investigation into the bribery of government officials in Nigeria
Advising a global logistics company in an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into allegations of bribery of foreign government officials.
Acting for a senior executive in the oil industry in relation to a Serious Fraud Office investigation.
Advising an individual in relation to a high profile criminal investigation by HM Revenue & Customs.
Representing an individual in relation to an overseas bribery investigation by the Serious Fraud Office.
Sources describe him as "sophisticated, thoughtful and very client-friendly." Financial Crime: Corporates — London, Chambers UK 2017
Chambers UK 2015 notes that he is regularly called upon by global companies to advise on corruption and SFO investigations with clients reporting that "he listens properly and he knows his stuff. He is very good on the technical side and has a good level of pragmatism".
Chambers UK ranked Jonathan as a key individual with "a noted presence in the world of corporate crime" (2013) and praised him for his "extremely strong grasp of detail" (2014).
Chambers UK 2012 noted that he is "vastly experienced in SFO and HMRC investigations, and he regularly handles multi jurisdictional matters" and highlighted clients' appreciation for his advice on the Bribery Act 2010 and the Fraud Act 2006.
He was recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2011 for his expertise in the areas of Fraud: Corporate Crime, Fraud: White Collar Crime and Commercial Litigation, and in Chambers UK 2011 he was "widely praised for his tremendous regulatory practice. Sources praise his quick, sharp mind and his tact and charm."
He was described as "outstanding" in The Legal 500 UK 2010. Jonathan was also ranked in the 2012 and 2013 editions of The International Who's Who of Business Crime Defence Lawyers.
