Rebecca’s practice is cross-border and cross-discipline. She has extensive experience in all areas of Business & Financial Crime, Cyber Crime, Fraud, Bribery & Corruption, Tax & Insolvency, Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime, Confiscation, Financial Service Regulation, Professional Discipline, Health Care Regulation, Environmental Regulation, Health & Safety and Sports & Global Investigations.
Rebecca is ranked as a leading silk for Financial Crime and Business and Regulatory Crime (including (global) International Investigations. She is listed in the “Business Crime Defence” category of the Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2024 Directory.
She advises and acts on behalf of corporates, in-house and City solicitors in areas such as compliance, Insolvency, corporate governance, Civil Recovery, business investigations, dispute resolution, fraud, Restraint, Freezing Orders, Norwich Pharmacal Orders, Deferred Prosecution Agreements, and Private Prosecutions.
Rebecca regularly acts for and/or advises High Net Worth individuals both in their personal capacity and on behalf of their associated companies.
Rebecca has an international element to her practice. She is currently instructed by a family trust in a commercial dispute in Jersey and has recently acted for the Attorney General of Bermuda.
She was until her appointment as KC, Standing Counsel to the Department for Business and the Insolvency Service and advised on their most complicated issues of policy and their prosecutions. She has vast experience of matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy, as well as Director’s Disqualification and matters under the Companies Act. She regularly advises and acts for individuals and companies in such matters.
She is instructed in regulatory and quasi-criminal matters on cases involving breaches of Regulatory & Professional Discipline and on behalf of and against regulatory bodies. This includes the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency, the Financial Conduct Authority, the General Medical Council, and the General Optical Council
She advises on and acts in Extradition cases. This includes cases involving the USA, the Russian Federation and Bermuda. This involves both the use and understanding of matters relating to International Criminal Law and Civil Liberties and Human Rights.
She has been instructed by various government departments, including in cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). Rebecca was instructed by the Government, in the Kamoka litigation, concerning allegations of rendition and ill treatment sustained in Libya, brought against the British Government. She has experience of advising in Inquests & Inquiries.
Rebecca has experience of advising on Judicial Review arising from both civil and criminal matters.
She is described in the directories as “the Queen of Disclosure”. In July 2022 she co-authored with Brian Altman KC the SFO’s independent review into the collapse of the R V Woods and Marshall trial (SERCO), The Altman Review. She has vast experience with regards to Legal Professional Privilege (LPP) and regularly advises on such matters.
Rebecca is a member Red Lion Chambers in London.
Rebecca accepts instructions on a Direct Access basis.
Rebecca practices in the following areas:
Rebecca has experience of advising companies in respect of ‘cybercrime’ offences, offences under the Misuse of Computers Act and industrial espionage. This includes the Private Prosecution on behalf of an Insurance Company, of a former employee who ‘hacked’ back into their systems to steal confidential data, client lists, for use by his new employer.
Rebecca has experience of advising and acting in cases involving infringements of Trademark. This includes advising and acting for JUUL the American Global E-Cigarette brand in a series of Private Prosecutions.
Rebecca is a ranked Silk for Financial Crime and Business and Regulatory Crime (including global investigations).. Rebecca is described as excellent….very sagacious, commercial and very proactive, and is very good at formulating a successful strategy.
Rebecca was recognised in Who’s Who Legal 2024 for Criminal Fraud
She specialises in all areas of commercial and financial crime and regulation. She has extensive experience of Bribery & Corruption cases, serious and complex Fraud cases. Rebecca is often instruted to act pre-charge or at the early stage of proceedings. She currently holds a number of pre-charge instructions on which she is advising.
She advises and acts on behalf of corporates, high net worth individuals, in- house and City solicitors in areas such as compliance, Insolvency, corporate governance, business investigations, dispute resolution, fraud, restraint, Freezing Orders, Norwich Pharmacal Orders, Deferred Prosecution Agreements, and private prosecutions.
Rebecca has been and is instructed (defending and prosecuting), in the largest Private Prosecution before the courts and is recognised as a leader in that field. She has been ‘spotlighted’ as such in Chambers UK.
She has been instructed in various cases which resulted in Deferred Prosecutions Agreements (DPA), including that against Rolls Royce PLC.
She was until her appointment as King’s Counsel, Standing Counsel to the Department for Business and the Insolvency Service and consequently advised those departments on their most complicated issues of policy and their prosecutions. She has a vast experience of matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy, as well as Director’s Disqualification and matters under the Companies Act. She regularly advises and acts for individuals and companies in such matters.
She is a member of the LexisNexis Corporate Crime Consulting Editorial Board
Rebecca has been instructed for the last 25 years in a very large number of drug trafficking and money laundering cases, involving various national and international law enforcement agencies. This has included prosecuting the then largest on-land seizure of cocaine. The drugs had a street value of in excess of £65m.
She has considerable experience of working with policy, training and various specialist teams, including those responsible for the gathering and handling of intelligence and witness protection. She also has extensive experience of Part 1 RIPA material and the use of undercover officers and informant involvement both in this jurisdiction and abroad. She is alert to the competing issues in relation to KE witnesses and is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of public interest immunity (PII).
Rebecca has significant experience of cases involving bribery and corruption, particularly with an international dimension. She was instructed in the SFO’s investigations into Rolls Royce PLC as well as ENRC. These attracted extensive media and public interest both nationally and internationally.
She is currently instructed on behalf of the CEO of a multinational company which is under investigation for allegations of bribery. She has experience of advising corporate clients upon self-reporting and corruption responsibilities
Rebecca has been and is instructed (defending and prosecuting), in the largest Private Prosecution before the courts and is recognised by the legal directories as a leader in that field. She has been ‘spotlighted’ as such in Chambers UK.
Rebecca often advises Corporates, Individuals and bodies (including charities, Insolvency Practitioners and Trustees in Bankruptcy) at the initial stages of the discovery of the “wrongdoing” with regards to the various options available to them before both the civil and criminal courts.
This often includes:
Rebecca has significant experience of cases involving Misconduct in a Public Office. She was instructed in two of the largest examples to have appeared before the courts.
Operation Elveden (2014–2016) – Instructed in the various cases that formed part of the investigation into allegations involving the unlawful provision of information by public officials to journalists, including various senior members of The Sun.
Operation Weeting & Sacha (2013–2016) – The “Phone Hacking” case at The News of the World and the investigation into allegations of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in a public office.
Rebecca advises and acts on behalf of corporates, high net worth individuals, in-house and City solicitors in areas such as compliance, Insolvency, corporate governance, business investigations, dispute resolution, fraud, restraint, Freezing Orders, Norwich Pharmacal Orders, Deferred Prosecution Agreements, and private prosecutions.
She was until her appointment as KC, Standing Counsel to the Department for Business and the Insolvency Service and advised those departments on their most complicated issues including their policy and their prosecutions. She has a vast experience of matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy, as well as Director’s Disqualification and matters under the Companies Act. She regularly advises and acts for individuals and companies in such matters.
Rebecca is listed in the “Business Crime Defence” category of the Who’s Who Legal UK Bar 2024 Directory.
Rebecca is currently instructed in the prosecution of Steel Magnate Sanjeev Gupta who has been charged over his alleged failure to file accounts in the UK for more than 70 companies. This is the largest Companies House case to appear before the criminal courts.
The charges relate to 76 companies including Liberty Commodities, the trading firm founded by Gupta in the 1990s, and a number of businesses comprising his Liberty Steel group of metals plants.
She has been instructed by Companies House.
Read news stories here:
https://www.cityam.com/sanjeev-gupta-steel-tycoon-faces-criminal-charges-over-accounts-for-76-firms/
She was until her appointment as KC, Standing Counsel to the Department for Business and the Insolvency Service and advised those departments on their most complicated issues including policy and their prosecutions. She has a vast experience of matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy, as well as Director’s Disqualification and matters under the Companies Act. She regularly advises and acts for individuals and companies in such matters.
She is currently acting for the Liquidators for Arena TV.
She successfully prosecuted the tennis player Boris Becker for offences under the Insolvency Act.
Rebecca is ranked as a leading Silk for Financial Crime and Business and Regulatory Crime (including global investigations).
She has experience in cases conducted by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and other Financial Service Regulators.
She advises and acts on behalf of corporates, high net worth individuals, in-house and City solicitors in areas such as compliance, Insolvency, corporate governance, business investigations, dispute resolution, fraud, restraint, Freezing Orders, Norwich Pharmacal Orders, and private prosecutions.
She was until her appointment as KC, Standing Counsel to the Department for Business and the Insolvency Service and advised those departments on their most complicated issues including their policy and their prosecutions. She has a vast experience of matters relating to Insolvency and Bankruptcy, as well as Director’s Disqualification and matters under the Companies Act. She regularly advises and acts for individuals and companies in such matters.
She is currently instructed on behalf of the CEO of a multinational company which is under investigation by its regulators. She has experience of advising corporate clients upon self-reporting to regulators and corruption responsibilities.
Rebecca is frequently instructed in regulatory and quasi-criminal matters on cases involving breaches of Regulatory & Professional Discipline and on behalf of and against regulatory bodies. This includes General Medical Council, and the General Optical Council.
Rebecca is currently instructed by the Criminal Bar Council (CBA) to advise generally regarding possible claims against barristers who took part in the industrial action and specifically in regards to one member of the criminal bar.
Rebecca has extensive experience of acting in cases brought by the Health & Safety Executive. This includes cases where serious life changing injuries or fatalities have occurred. She has particular experience in cases involving asbestos.
Rebecca has has extensive experience of acting in and advising on (defence and prosecution) matters relating to:
Rebecca has been instructed in the Environment Agency’s largest and most high-profile water pollution cases. This includes a series of prosecutions of Anglian Water including the following:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-63292418
She recently acted for DEFRA in a prosecution on behalf of the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Rebecca recently acted for a landowner in the largest Tree Preservation Order (TPO) prosecution.
Rebecca successfully prosecuted the first case under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations
Rebecca is ranked as a leading silk for (global) International Investigations.
Rebecca often advises Corporates, Individuals and bodies (including charities, Insolvency Practitioners and Trustees in Bankruptcy) at the initial stages of the discovery of the “wrongdoing” with regards to the various options available to them before both the civil and criminal courts.
This often includes:
Rebecca regularly acts for and/or advises High Net Worth individuals both in their personal capacity and on behalf of their associated companies.
Rebecca is described in Legal 500 (2025) as “excellent….very sagacious, commercial and very proactive, and is very good at formulating a successful strategy.
Rebecca is regularly instructed in Extradition cases. This includes cases involving the USA, the Russian Federation and Bermuda. These cases often include matters and issues relating to International Criminal Law and Civil and Human Rights issues.
Featured cases
Rebecca has been instructed by various government departments, including in cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). Rebecca was instructed by the Government, in the Kamoka litigation, concerning allegations of rendition and ill treatment sustained in Libya, brought against the British Government.
Rebecca was instructed by one of the core participants in the Azelle Rodney Public Inquiry and advised another in the Public Inquiry into the shooting of Mark Duggen.
She regularly advises in Judicial Reviews arising from criminal proceedings.
Uncategorised
No5 Barristers’ Chambers are delighted to announce that Sally Howes KC (formerly of 2 Kings Bench Walk) and Holly-Louise Kilbey (Cornwall Street) have joined No5…
"Rebecca is a highly respected specialist fraud practitioner with a strong reputation for excellence."
"Rebecca is a master strategist."
"Rebecca is fiercely bright, incredibly adaptable and unflappable."
"Rebecca is incredibly bright, adaptable and unflappable."
"Rebecca is approachable, knowledgeable and proactive. She is always well-prepared."
"Very pragmatic, safe, capable approach."
"The disclosure queen for private prosecution work. She knows everything about disclosure and the Court of Appeal praised her in their judgement."
"A confident and assertive advocate, she understands the intricacies of the legislation, identifies the key elements of the evidence and doesn't get mired in attempts to divert attention elsewhere."
"Rebecca brings exceptional oral advocacy and has a very deft touch with judges in court."
"A great advocate and disclosure expert."
"She is an outstanding advocate – very nice and very bright. She’s incredibly knowledgeable."
"A fantastic team player who works exceptionally hard."
"A pleasure to work with, always available and approachable."
"Fearless in court, and unafraid of making difficult decisions."
"Incredibly imaginative and creative in her approach, and also completely fearless."
"She’s a good advocate, who is hot on the law and really efficient."
Uncategorised
No5 Barristers’ Chambers are delighted to announce that Sally Howes KC (formerly of 2 Kings Bench Walk) and Holly-Louise Kilbey (Cornwall Street) have joined No5…
