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Charles Thomson

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Charles is a partner in the Baker McKenzie Dispute Resolution team based in London. Charles has substantial experience of managing a broad range of high-value, multijurisdictional commercial disputes and investigations, particularly those involving fraud and white-collar crime, contentious trusts and complex banking and finance disputes. He leads the Business Crime Unit, and he is particularly well known for his experience of advising on criminal law issues, and the interaction between criminal and civil law processes. Chambers cite clients in describing Charles as "extremely knowledgeable, user-friendly and always willing to go the extra mile," while Legal 500 similarly remark that he is "a great strategic thinker and a thorough pleasure to work with." Charles is also listed as a Rising Star in Litigation by Legal Week and is also listed in Global Investigations Review as a leading expert in conducting investigations.
In UK

United Kingdom: Economic Crime Update: Introduction to the Failure to Prevent Fraud Offence and Corporate Criminal Liability Reforms

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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The Act is a landmark development in the UK Government’s long-standing efforts to enhance the UK’s economic crime enforcement framework, and the Act introduces a number of important measures designed to improve corporate transparency and tackle economic crime in the UK
and abroad.

In Sanctions

Europe: UK FCA Annual Report 2022/23 underlines ongoing focus on sanctions compliance

by , , , , , and 9 Mins Read

In brief The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) plays a key role in monitoring how UK-regulated financial institutions guard against financial crime risks, and how effectively they implement financial crime policies and procedures. In recent months, as the UK and other governments have placed increasing focus on preventing the circumvention…

In White Collar Crime

United Kingdom: Introduction of corporate failure to prevent fraud offence

by , , , , , , and 5 Mins Read

On 11 April 2023, the UK government announced in a Factsheet the introduction of a new criminal offence of failure to prevent fraud for organisations profiting from fraud committed by their employees or agents acting on their behalf. Violations can result in unlimited fines for organisations involved. Introduced as an amendment to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill 2022, the new offence will come into force on the day the Act is passed.

In Tax

United Kingdom: Tax agency opens nine new investigations for failure to prevent tax evasion and announces further 26 investigation opportunities under review

by , , , , , , , , and 4 Mins Read

On 26 January 2023 HM Revenue & Customs announced that, as of 1 January 2023, it has nine live Corporate Criminal Offenses investigations for the failure to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion, with a further 26 investigation opportunities under review. These live and potential investigations cover 11 different business sectors including software providers, labor provision, transport, accountancy and legal services.

In Anti-Corruption

United Kingdom: Serious Fraud Office obtains record GBP 281 million corporate penalty following UK conviction in relation to bribery in Africa

by , and 5 Mins Read

In June 2022, Glencore, one of the world’s largest commodity traders, pleaded guilty to paying bribes to officials in three West African countries and for failing to prevent agents and employees from doing so in two other African countries. On 3 November 2022, Glencore was sentenced and ordered to pay a record amount of GBP 281 million (consisting of a GBP 182.9 million fine, a GBP 93.5 million confiscation order and GBP 4.5 million in respect of the Serious Fraud Office’s costs).