header-logo header-logo

The fraud litigation spiral

05 February 2009 / Simon Taylor , Andrew Mitchell KC
Issue: 7355 / Categories: Features , Commercial
printer mail-detail

An economy in decline means increased fraud detection say Andrew Mitchell QC & Simon Taylor

In our current dire economic circumstances, the usual diet of commercial lawyers—high levels of transactional work, property deals, mergers and acquisitions—are seeing a downturn in the level and quality of the work undertaken. Equally, because of the strained finances of clients, fee levels tend to be lower than at other times.

There is, however, one area of the law where practitioners tend to experience work levels that are counter-cyclical. In fraud and asset recovery litigation, the experience is that work levels rise during periods of economic downturn. The reasons for this are largely self-explanatory: as business or individuals “go to the wall” or approach that point, attention necessarily is focussed on the reason for the failure. Creditors, and others having an interest in a business or an individual, will wish to know the reasons why it is that they cannot or may not be able to recover their money.

This interest is all the more

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carey Olsen—Kim Paiva

Carey Olsen—Kim Paiva

Group partner joins Guernsey banking and finance practice

Morgan Lewis—Kat Gibson

Morgan Lewis—Kat Gibson

London labour and employment team announces partner hire

Foot Anstey McKees—Chris Milligan & Michael Kelly

Foot Anstey McKees—Chris Milligan & Michael Kelly

Double partner appointment marks Belfast expansion

NEWS
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has not done enough to protect the future sustainability of the legal aid market, MPs have warned
Writing in NLJ this week, NLJ columnist Dominic Regan surveys a landscape marked by leapfrog appeals, costs skirmishes and notable retirements. With an appeal in Mazur due to be heard next month, Regan notes that uncertainties remain over who will intervene, and hopes for the involvement of the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls in deciding the all-important outcome
After the Southport murders and the misinformation that followed, contempt of court law has come under intense scrutiny. In this week's NLJ, Lawrence McNamara and Lauren Schaefer of the Law Commission unpack proposals aimed at restoring clarity without sacrificing fair trial rights
The latest Home Office figures confirm that stop and search remains both controversial and diminished. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort University analyses data showing historically low use of s 1 PACE powers, with drugs searches dominating what remains
Boris Johnson’s 2019 attempt to shut down Parliament remains a constitutional cautionary tale. The move, framed as a routine exercise of the royal prerogative, was in truth an extraordinary effort to sideline Parliament at the height of the Brexit crisis. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC dissects how prorogation was wrongly assumed to be beyond judicial scrutiny, only for the Supreme Court to intervene unanimously
back-to-top-scroll