WilmerHale is pleased to announce that Stephen Pollard, a leading practitioner in the areas of white-collar crime and regulatory financial services, will join the London office as partner in the Investigations and Criminal Litigation Practice. Mr. Pollard joins from London-based law firm Kingsley Napley LLP.
Mr. Pollard is widely recognised as one of the leading lawyers in the United Kingdom for his work in cases involving allegations of insider trading, market manipulation and market abuse. He has developed an extensive practice over the past 22 years, particularly in cases involving regulatory or criminal investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Among other high-level representations, Mr. 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 particular expertise in the defense of financial services fraud, internal investigations, multijurisdictional white-collar crime allegations, corruption allegations and competition/cartel allegations.
Mr. Pollard is one of only four Chambers UK “Star Individuals” for white-collar crime fraud work. Chambers UK has described him as “legendary” and notes that 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.
“Mr. Pollard is an important strategic addition to our global white-collar criminal defense, investigations and securities practices,” said WilmerHale Co-Managing Partner William J. Perlstein. “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, increasingly, in the UK and global markets. Mr. Pollard's arrival will bolster 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.
"I am excited to join WilmerHale,” said Mr. Pollard. “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."
“Mr. Pollard is a key addition to the firm’s UK and international white-collar crime and internal investigations practices,” said Steven Finizio, partner in the firm's Litigation/Controversy and Securities Departments and co-partner-in-charge of the London office. “He has a longstanding reputation as a premier FSA defense attorney with a commitment to the highest standard of work.”
Mr. Pollard studied law at Pembroke College, Oxford, graduating with an LLB in jurisprudence in 1980. He did his articles with Payne Hicks Beach, including an eight-month secondment to the European Commission of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. He is fluent in French and German.