Frances joined Russell-Cooke in May 2022 to bolster the financial crime offering at the firm.

Frances was called to the bar in 2008 and subsequently cross qualified as a solicitor in 2011, devoting over a decade of her career to a white collar crime boutique firm in the City. She was appointed as the head of the firm’s London offices and practised predominantly in the areas of financial crime and serious crime. Frances co-founded the financial crime department for an international City firm in September 2019, which had a highly regarded litigation practice before joining Russell-Cooke as a partner. 

Frances represents individuals, limited companies and PLCs from the investigatory stage to court proceedings, as well as matters relating to account freezing orders, unexplained wealth orders and suspicious activity reports. This includes ultra-high-net-worth individuals, senior management of high turnover multi-national corporations and world-leading global conglomerates in a variety of sectors (financial services, mining, property, fine art). Frances also defends investigations/prosecutions brought by UK-based law enforcement agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HM Revenue & Customs, (HMRC), National Crime Agency (NCA), and local constabularies, as well as investigations/prosecutions brought by cross-border law enforcement agencies, and prosecutions brought privately.

Frances also regularly advises clients on non-contentious regulatory matters in the financial crime sphere.

• Instructed by an ultra-high net worth individual involved in the senior management of a leading distributer and wholesaler in the UAE, alleged to have contravened US sanctions imposed against a country in the Middle East, and prohibitions on currency circulation globally, to Appeal a large cash forfeiture order following a successful Application by HMRC.

• Instructed by an ultra-high net worth individual after an Account Freezing Order was granted against a personal bank account used to finance a large scale, multi-million pound restoration project.

• Instructed by a FinTech company to provide financial regulatory advice in respect of a Default Judgment granted in the sum of circa $13 million following a claim made by a South East Asian cryptocurrency and blockchain technology business.

• Advising an ultra-high net worth individual involved in global energy and project development, to provide a report with regard a potential Politically Exposed Person classification in conjunction with high value real estate transactions across a global property portfolio.

• Instructed by an ultra-high net worth Chief Executive Officer of a global mining corporation accused of defrauding an international tax authority in excess of multi-millions of dollars.

• Instructed by an ultra-high net worth auto dealership mogul based in the US in respect of a fine art purchase resulting in the misappropriation of almost $3 million

• Instructed on a regulatory matter regarding the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, relating to a multi-billion dollar fraud committed by the chief executive officer of a private equity fund

• Police investigation: account freezing order(s) granted against the founder of Fintech companies. Lodging an application for leave to judicially review the account freezing orders(s) on a nuanced point that could have been precedent making, and further legal challenge regarding a regulatory matter connected with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 / Application to Set Aside the Account Freezing Order(s)

• Police investigation (linked to the above): representing a Fintech founder and foreign national residing in the United Kingdom who was subjected to a dawn raid and arrested for committing suspected money laundering offences in multiple jurisdictions including the Caribbean

• Instructed by an ultra-high-net-worth chief investment officer of a financial services company in the City regarding a regulatory matter connected with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and relating to high profile international political figures

• Police investigation: instructed by a finance director to provide representation following a cross-border dispute between an entity based in the UK and its international parent company resulting in allegations of fraud

• Instructed by a director of a hotel and resorts group involved in brokering overseas property development deals in Asia, being investigated under section 447 of the Companies Act 1985 by a City law firm on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

• Instructed in a further section 447 Companies Act investigation, relating to a consortium of companies acting as agent and brokering the purchase of hotels in the UK with international links to Asia

• Instructed on behalf of the former chief executive officer of an overseas superyacht business investigated for financial crime offences committed in Europe

• Instructed by a professional working in financial services who was resident in Central America and is the subject of a worldwide freezing order and a police investigation relating to fraud in excess of £1 million from a North American-based entertainment company

• Solicitor England and Wales
• Member of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn
• Member of the Fraud Lawyers' Association (FLA)
• Members of the Proceeds of Crime Lawyers' Association (POCLA)
• Member of the Female Fraud Forum (FFF)
• Member of Women in Criminal Law (WICL)