Partner
Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay is a partner and barrister who specialises in serious financial crime.
He plays a key role in Hickman & Rose’s business crime team, combining legal research with preparation of the firm’s most complex criminal and regulatory cases. He often represents businesspeople – usually directors or senior executives – who require legal representation when the companies they work for are under investigation.
A talented litigator with a forensic mind, Chris has established a formidable reputation for identifying and exploiting weaknesses in the opposition’s case. As a barrister, he is able to conduct advocacy on behalf of his clients in all courts in England & Wales.
Chris has pioneered the use of technology to help fight cases, and regularly provides advice as to how it can be effectively deployed across all of the firm’s practice areas.
Chris has developed particular expertise defending individuals accused of complex allegations of accounting fraud. His high profile cases include:
Chris has also advised individuals in connection with the SFO investigations into ENRC, Rolls Royce, Airbus, Greenergy, BAT, the Price Stone Group, and Libor and Euribor manipulation. He also has experience of investigations and proceedings brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Financial Reporting Council, HMRC and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Called to the Bar in 2012, Chris completed his pupillage at leading criminal chambers, QEB Hollis Whiteman. During his pupillage Chris was seconded to HMRC where he assisted with trial preparation in relation to two Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) VAT fraud cases in the tax tribunal.
Prior to pupillage Chris worked on the successful defence of singer and X-factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos against drug supply allegations following an undercover sting by Sun journalist Mazher Mahmood (the ‘Fake Sheikh’). The trial was stayed as an abuse of process and Mazher Mahmood was subsequently prosecuted and convicted for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Chris is a financial crime specialist who works on Hickman & Rose’s most significant corporate and white-collar criminal defence cases. He had a significant role in the team that achieved the acquittal of the former managing director of Tesco UK, on charges of fraud and false accounting brought by the SFO. The prosecution collapsed following a successful submission that there was no case for the defendants to answer.
Chris has also played an important part in the team advising individuals in connection with the SFO’s investigations into ENRC, G4S, Rolls Royce, Airbus, Greenergy, BAT, the Price Stone Group, and Libor and Euribor manipulation.
Chris is particularly interested in the way in which ordinary business practices are often later rewoven by a prosecutor as dishonest criminal behaviour. Chris has developed considerable expertise in unpicking a prosecution case, and helping his clients put supposedly incriminating evidence in its proper context.
He also has experience of cases that involve parallel investigations in the UK and overseas, including the US, Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia and often works closely alongside lawyers based in other jurisdictions.
Chris is a committee member and treasurer of the Young Fraud Lawyers Association.
Chris is an expert on the law governing the proceeds of crime, money laundering and the seizure and confiscation of assets, especially as it relates to complex financial investigations. Chris regularly advises individuals, corporates and other law firms.
Chris has represented a number of individuals and corporates in connection with freezing and forfeiture proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. He recently secured the return of almost £800,000 for a client (95% of the amount frozen), and is currently representing a corporate in connection with in excess of €30m of frozen assets.
Chris is experienced in matters before professional regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and regularly provides legal advice to clients facing parallel criminal and regulatory investigations.
Chris’s high profile cases include the ongoing defence of the former VP Finance of Autonomy Corporation PLC before the FRC in connection with allegations made by Hewlett-Packard of a $5 billion accounting fraud, and proceedings brought by the FCA in connection with alleged libor manipulation.
Chris also regularly advises individuals facing internal investigations by their employers, where they are at risk of being reported to the FCA or to other law enforcement.
Chris is presently defending a pharmaceutical company charged with a health & safety offence following the deaths of three children alleged to have received a contaminated product.
The case involves a significant volume of complex scientific evidence and follows a four year joint investigation by the Medicines Regulator (MHRA), Public Health England (PHE) and the Metropolitan Police.
30 Sep 2021
Hickman & Rose is pleased to have been recognised by the Legal 500 directory as one of the country’s leading law firms, with new top-ranking accolades for many of the firm’s partners.
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16 Jun 2021
Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay has won an important argument before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal concerning the correct forum for determining the validity of a notice made under Section 49 of…
17 Feb 2021
As the Supreme Court hands down its judgment in KBR v SFO, barrister Christopher Houssemayne du Boulay assesses in a blog the impact of this ruling on the limits of the SFO’s Section 2 powers.
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