Sian Darlington

Expertise

Siân qualified in 2003  as a Business Crime and Regulatory Solicitor. She acts for individuals and corporates facing allegations of wrongdoing by law enforcement agencies and regulators including the Police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Office of Fair Trading (OFT) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Trading Standards (TS). She has acted for clients facing a wide range of allegations including tax evasion, money laundering,  corporate fraud, market abuse and fraudulent trading, as well as more minor offences including driving offences and regulatory breaches. Siân also acts for individuals and corporates facing professional disciplinary proceedings by their Regulators and has particular expertise in relation to investigations and proceedings brought by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.

Siân assists clients at every stage of the process, from dealing with investigations, representing them at interview, preparing for trial or final hearing and at the enforcement stage in relation to restraint and confiscation proceedings.

In addition to her criminal defence work, Siân regularly advises corporates of all sizes in a variety of ways. Firstly, she provides advice in relation to their regulatory obligations, ensuring that they have robust policies and procedures in place relating to matters including the prevention of tax evasion, anti-bribery and corruption and health and safety. She has particular expertise in relation to the anti-money laundering regime and regularly provides advice and assistance to clients in relation to steps needed to comply with that regime, including becoming registered with the relevant Regulator.  Secondly, Siân advises companies who have been served with enforcement notices by their Regulator.  Finally, Siân assists companies in undertaking internal investigations into suspected wrongdoing.

Siân is a Proceeds of Crime Act specialist and advises those impacted by financial investigations and proceedings including disclosure orders, asset forfeiture orders, freezing orders and unexplained wealth orders.

Siân fights hard to ensure the best possible outcome for her clients whilst providing them with the support they need at what can be an incredibly stressful time. She is recognised for her robust attitude, highly developed research and analytical skills and exceptional attention to detail.

Sian Advises

• Individuals
• Corporates

Experience Highlights

Siân has worked on several notable cases including:

• Operation Venison — a £100 million MTIC fraud Prosecution which collapsed following a successful abuse of process argument.
• R v H and W — SFO Prosecution against two senior Solicitors at a leading international law firm. The charges of perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice arose from their work on a commercial litigation case. All charges were dismissed following a successful application.
• Several large-scale high-value HMRC MTIC Prosecutions including Operations Devout, Euripus and Inertia.
• Operation Holbein — SFO investigation into alleged criminal cartel activity in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Operation Steamroller — US$100 million boiler-room fraud.
• R v G & others — flagship FSA Prosecution of four former directors of iSOFT for conspiring to make misleading statements to the market. Trial ultimately collapsed and the client was acquitted.
• R v C and others — high-profile banking corruption prosecution connected to the HBOS impaired assets division.
• R v B and others — large scale carbon credit fraud.
• R v DB and others — false representation conspiracy prosecuted by the SFO
• R v D and others — allegations of a multi-million-pound fraud involving the use of high yield investment schemes

Career History

Previous Law Firms

• Stephensons Solicitors
• Irwin Mitchell
• Brunskill Solicitors
• Pannone LLP

Education

• Manchester Metropolitan University (PGDip)
• King’s College London (LLB, LLM)