In recent days, global law firm WilmerHale announced that Stephen Pollard, a leading practitioner in the areas of white-collar crime and regulatory financial services, joined the London office.
Pollard will join as a partner in the Investigations and Criminal Litigation Practice. He joins from law firm Kingsley Napley LLP, also based in London.
Pollard is widely known as one of the leading lawyers in the United Kingdom for his work in cases regarding allegations of insider trading, market manipulation and market abuse. He has established an extensive practice during the last 22 years, especially in cases involving regulatory or criminal investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
Among other notable, high-level representations, Pollard represented former Barings trader Nick Leeson; a defendant in the FSA’s first criminal prosecution for market manipulation; and a partner of a leading hedge fund facing allegations of market abuse. He has specialized expertise in the defense of financial services fraud, internal investigations, multijurisdictional white-collar crime allegations, corruption allegations and competition/cartel allegations.
Pollard is one of only four Chambers UK “Star Individuals” for white-collar crime fraud work. Chambers UK has described him as “legendary” and also notes he “has the perfect combination of commercial litigation skills and a criminal law background, and always fights his clients’ corner well.” Chambers UK also lists him as a leading practitioner for financial services work and recommends his cartel defense practice. He is also listed as a leader in his field in the 2011 edition of the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers.
WilmerHale Co-Managing Partner William J. Perlstein was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “Mr. Pollard is an important strategic addition to our global white-collar criminal defense, investigations and securities practices. White-collar defense is a field that is becoming increasingly international, especially considering the proactive and aggressive approach of the FSA, and our group will benefit greatly from his UK expertise.”
White-collar defense, securities enforcement, financial institutions and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act expertise is a hallmark of WilmerHale in the United States and, ever more so in the UK and global markets. Pollard’s arrival will strengthen the firm’s growing representation of multinational companies, corporate executives and high-ranking public officials that retain the firm to counsel them in internal corporate investigations; government investigations; criminal litigation; and related civil and administrative proceedings. The firm defends clients internationally against allegations of insider trading; health care, securities, accounting and government contracts fraud; violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Anti-kickback Statute and False Claims Act; criminal environmental violations; criminal antitrust violations; money laundering; and violations of other statutes.
Pollard was quoted as saying: “I am excited to join WilmerHale. The firm has an excellent reputation in the white-collar and financial services regulation space and provides a great platform for me to continue to grow my practice.”
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP has twelve offices across the USA, Europe and Asia, and employs over 1,100 attorneys worldwide