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Chambers 2025 results announced

Posted on by Britt Thompson
Blaser Mills is thrilled to share its results in the 2025 Chambers UK Legal Directory rankings. Chambers UK is a highly respected legal directory that conducts in-depth research and analysis to identify and rank top lawyers and law firms across the United Kingdom.

New rankings

Naim Qureshi, Senior Associate, Family & Divorce
Naim Qureshi has a great deal of expertise advising on financial remedy proceedings post-divorce. He has experience advising high net worth clients, including on matters involving overseas assets.

‘I have no doubt that Naim’s supportive and collaborative approach led to my achieving a good outcome.’
‘Naim Qureshi has a very calming presence in cases. He is unflappable and very personable with clients.’
‘Naim is tenacious when he needs to be, and his client-handling skills are very good.’

Corporate M&A
Blaser Mills is well known for its high-calibre corporate offering, which routinely sees it acting on domestic and cross-border transactions. The firm’s broad industry focus includes deals in the sports, technology and insurance spaces, among others.

‘Blaser Mills Law’s attention to business matters and focus on clients’ needs are two key strengths. The team always understood complex deal structures and we felt supported throughout the process.’
‘The firm has great experience and knowledge when assisting with transactions. They provide a very efficient service and great, simple explanations, along with very quick responses.’
‘Blaser Mills Law possess deep knowledge and experience, which enables them to provide us with comprehensive and insightful legal counsel. This expertise is not only broad but also nuanced.’

Litigation
Blaser Mills Law offers considerable expertise in litigation throughout a variety of sectors including biomedicine, retail and transportation. The department is often chosen by clients for disputes with cross-border aspects and have worked on data protection, insolvency, product liability and breach of contract disputes.

‘Blaser Mills Law is always able to assist and always on-hand.’
‘The team has a remarkable breadth and depth of knowledge, provides excellent customer service and very fast responses.’
‘Blaser Mills is always very prompt with advice and coming back on matters – they’re good at maintaining momentum within a project.’

Maintained rankings

Edward Lee, Partner & Head, Corporate
Edward Lee is head of Blaser Mills Law’s corporate and commercial department. He offers extensive experience in M&A transactions and often handles cross-border mandates, including tech sector matters.

‘Edward has outstanding experience and knowledge.’
‘Edward is experienced and knowledgeable. I felt well informed and guided by him.’
‘Edward is a very capable individual and well suited to managing a multi-jurisdictional transaction. His negotiation style is calm and effective. You feel you are in a safe pair of hands.’

Noel Deans, Partner & Head, Employment
Noel Deans is head of the employment team at Blaser Mills. He is notable for his work on contentious employment matters, and he advises both individual claimants and employers.

‘Noel’s experience and advice is amazing.’
‘Noel is impressive in all aspects and provides clear advice based on the facts he has at hand.’
‘He is strategic, focused, clear and dedicated.’

Lucinda Holliday, Partner & Head, Family & Divorce
Lucinda Holliday leads the family and divorce team at Blaser Mills. She assists clients with both the financial and child care aspects of divorce and separation, including high net worth cases.

‘Lucinda Holliday is absolutely brilliant. She is responsive and empathetic, knowledgeable and tactically astute. Her advice is excellent and always geared towards the client’s goals.’
‘Lucinda is thoroughly professional, a wonderful communicator and very responsive to her clients’ needs.’
‘Lucinda completely understood my situation, offered the right solutions and guided me through an incredibly tough process.’

Ben Langley, Consultant, Crime
Ben Langley is a consultant at Blaser Mills Law in High Wycombe. He acts for clients in motoring offences, including driving without insurance, speeding and drink driving offences. He also has experience representing professionals under investigation for criminal acts.

“Ben is on top of the brief, clear with instructions and very client-friendly.”

Real Estate
Blaser Mills has a strong commercial property team offering advice on a range of matters, including the acquisition and disposal of development property, commercial lease matters and securitisation transactions. It advises a broad client base, ranging from small family-owned businesses to large house builders and property development companies.

‘Blaser Mills Law has an excellent team with a broad range of expertise and experience.’
‘The team’s ability to handle complex and sophisticated matters is very strong.’

Family & Divorce
Blaser Mills advises high net worth individuals on intricate financial remedy matters from its offices in High Wycombe, Marlow and Amersham. The firm is experienced in acting in cases where assets in dispute include portfolios of properties and pensions, as well as those involving trusts. The team offers further expertise in drafting prenuptial agreements. It also assists with private children law matters and non-molestation proceedings.

‘Blaser Mills had great experience in the way to approach the situation, which at times was difficult. They were sympathetic and understanding.’
‘Blaser Mills were very efficient, prompt with communication and professional at all times.’

Congratulations to all of those involved!

For more detailed information about the rankings and to explore the full directory, please visit the Chambers UK website. Congratulations to all those recognised in the 2024 Chambers UK legal directory and thank you to our clients for their feedback and time.

Blaser Mills Law, UK 2024 | Chambers Profiles

White collar crime and financial crime investigations

Whether the victim or the accused, we provide professionals, managers, executives and individuals with a set of clear steps to resolve investigations as quickly and effectively as possible.

Our experience and legal expertise mean we can explore every available avenue to avoid going to court. If that is unavoidable, however, we will leverage the skills and experience of our entire firm to protect your business, assets and reputation.

We can support you at every stage of the process, from investigation to resolution.

For any financial crime or general criminal matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk. Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Removing the uncertainty

White collar crime is a broad category of actions, encompassing money laundering, false accounting, fraud and bribery, among others. These kinds of corporate crimes can not only impact a company’s ability to operate, but also its reputation. Whether you are accused of a crime or involved in a regulatory or criminal investigation, you and your business need clarity and straightforward legal advice from a team of commercially minded legal experts. We can advise on all aspects of criminal and regulatory investigations relating to white collar crime, and for all agencies and prosecuting authorities.

We have guided companies of all sizes through the investigation process, helping to reduce the stress and disruption that such processes can bring. We understand your industry, the regulatory landscape you operate in, and, above all, we are experts in the investigation process. By providing you with a single, dedicated point of contact, we can embed ourselves in your organisation and act as an extension of your team. This allows us to be responsive to any developments and it ensures that you always know exactly what actions are being taken and what the next steps are.

Investigations relating to white collar crime are not usually simple or fast, but having a clear framework makes your life a lot easier.

Taking a proactive approach

Our white collar and financial crime team has been instructed in some of the biggest operations in the UK. This includes Operation MFB, one of the largest VAT fraud cases of recent times. This is due to our reputation as expert partners for businesses across a wide range of industries, as well as our excellent links with leading barristers from corporate-criminal sets. Because of our dedication, hard work and track record of success, we are ranked as a leading firm for crime, fraud and licensing in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500.

In short, we get results for our clients because we take a proactive and involved approach. We don’t think that sitting back and waiting for you to get in touch will always work best, and sometimes it is more effective if we take the lead and allow you to use your time and resources more effectively.

Identifying white collar crime

White collar crime is a term used to describe a wide variety of activities. The common thread between these different crimes is a financial motivation and the fact that they are committed by professionals.

Fraud involves deceiving individuals or businesses for monetary gain, and we commonly assist in securities fraud or insider trading cases. Embezzlement is a situation where money is removed improperly from a business, while money laundering involves trying to make illegally obtained assets appear legal by passing them through several legitimate transactions. Finally, tax evasion is a common white collar crime that centres on attempts to avoid paying the right amount of tax. 

Understanding the investigation process

White collar and financial crime investigations can often involve multiple jurisdictions. We have a track record of success in even the most complex and large-scale cases. It is this understanding of the process that our clients value, as well as our experience with every major agency. We can clearly lay out the process, what is expected of you and what the range of possible outcomes could be. We are commercially focused legal experts who understand that the law doesn’t exist independently of your commercial landscape. Discouraging prosecution and minimising the damage to your reputation or operations is always our number one priority.

Contact us

For any financial crime or general criminal matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk. Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Private prosecutions

If you or your business have been the victim of a crime, you can pursue a private prosecution to bring the offending party to justice and deny them of the proceeds of their actions.

We can help you decide on the best course of action to bring about your desired outcome. The Blaser Mills Law business crime lawyers will manage the process for you, making sure you have sufficient evidence and can meet all your legal obligations.

For any criminal defence matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Guiding you through the process

It is important to understand that a private prosecution is a last resort, and you should have tried all other methods of resolving the issue beforehand. The first part of the process is assessing whether the evidence passes the CPS code of conduct. To pass, you must have enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and a case that is in the public interest to bring to court. If the Magistrates’ Court agrees, it will issue a summons to the defendant, and then it is time to prepare for the hearing.

A private prosecution can help you achieve compensation for fraud and other kinds of financial crime, in a faster and more focused way than with public prosecutions. But the process involves a lot of legal complexity and calls for specialist skills and experience. The team at Blaser Mills Law can support you at every stage of the process, from investigation to resolution. Our multi-disciplinary approach means we create tailored teams that utilise the expertise of every part of our firm, while controlling costs.

Helping you settle the matter

Blaser Mills Law is ranked as a leading firm in Chambers UK and the Legal 500. Our reputation is built on the successful results we achieve for our clients. We understand that every client is unique and every circumstance is different, so that’s how we operate too. We approach each case with fresh eyes and innovative thinking to anticipate issues, create opportunities and maximise your chances of success. We are not just experts in the law, we are experts in getting the right results for our clients.

What are private prosecutions?

Private prosecutions allow businesses and individuals to engage in their own privately funded and personally directed prosecution against another party. If the police or Crown Prosecution Service have failed to investigate the crime committed, or the state prosecution has not achieved the result you feel is right, private prosecutions operate as a last resort. We also frequently deal with cases where delays and inefficiencies in public prosecutions services make private prosecutions necessary.

Giving you the best chance of success

There are many potential benefits to private prosecutions, especially when it comes to time. Resolving the matter faster is a more cost-effective solution for your business that doesn’t involve large amounts of disruption. You also get the freedom to pick investigators, barristers and experts, which allows for a more tailored, focused approach to the process. We can make sure that you have exactly the right team in place to give you the best chance of success. Another potential benefit is the cost, which tends to be lower for private prosecutions. We can also help you claim back the costs at the end of the case, no matter the outcome.

Contact us

For any criminal defence matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Motoring

We can help you from the moment you are charged, summonsed or being investigated for a motoring offence. Getting expert legal advice and insight should be your top priority, and our team has guided lots of people like you through the process and resolved the matter successfully.

From cases involving speeding up to death by dangerous driving, we know the law, the process and exactly what you need to do to achieve the most favourable outcome.

It is essential that you follow the correct procedure and contact us as soon as you are aware of any road traffic related allegation. Our solicitors will give you the clarity you need to understand your options and guide you over the hurdles you’ll need to pass.

For any road traffic matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Getting you from A to B

There are a wide variety of acts that can be classified as a motoring offence, and our team has dealt with them all. We have successfully helped people avoid fines, disqualifications and harsher punishments, so you can be certain you have the right team in place. From fighting tickets to overturning drunk driving charges or proving that you weren’t to blame for an accident, we can use our expertise and experience to give you the best chance of success.

Being charged or summonsed can be a stressful and disruptive experience, especially when you face the prospect of losing your license or a heavy fine. We can’t make the process entirely stress-free, but we will help take the complexity out of it. Our reputation and success are built on the fact that we are straight-talking and honest partners for our clients. No matter the complexity of the case, you can always expect clear advice and expert insight from us.

Removing the confusion

You don’t just benefit from our knowledge, either. Years of successful results have allowed us to build great relationships with medical practitioners and other experts that match our ambition and dedication. If needed, we can call on them to help us establish an airtight defence against the motoring offence you are charged with.

We also have extensive experience when it comes to helping people avoid disqualification by demonstrating circumstances of exceptional hardship. For many people, their car is an essential part of their life and losing it can affect the ability to work and spend time with family and friends. Every one of our clients is an individual or company with their own story, and we always start by listening and understanding what has brought you through our door.

Our team of specialist motoring lawyers have a track record of success, which include cases of:

  • Driving while disqualified
  • Driving without a valid licence and/or insurance policy
  • Driving with excess alcohol
  • Drunk in charge
  • Failure to provide specimens for analysis
  • Careless driving
  • Dangerous driving
  • Speeding
  • ‘Totting-up’ disqualifications
  • Fatal collisions

We have an impressively high win rate in contested cases, and we consistently keep our clients on the road. We always listen to our client’s individual circumstances and we offer a range of competitive fixed fees to our clients.

Contact us

For any road traffic matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Criminal defence

Facing a police investigation or criminal charges can be incredibly challenging and unsettling. It’s natural to feel concerned about your reputation and uncertain about what steps to take forward.

Having a dedicated team of criminal defence lawyers in your corner offers reassurance and expert representation throughout every stage of your case, whether it’s in the Magistrates’ Court or, in more serious situations, the Crown Court.

For any criminal defence matters, call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

About us

At Blaser Mills, we understand the personal and often daunting nature of facing criminal charges. Our team brings extensive experience and a strong reputation in handling a wide range of cases, from motoring offences and private prosecution to complex cybercrime and white-collar crime.

We collaborate closely with leading barristers from highly-rated criminal sets, ensuring that only those who align with our team’s proven track record represent our clients. Our expertise spans:

  • Defending Motoring offences
  • Providing advice on private prosecution
  • White collar crime and financial crime investigations

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our recognition as leading criminal defence solicitors Legal 500 and Chambers UK legal directories.

How we will support you

If you’ve been arrested or you’re under police investigation, our criminal defence solicitors are here to guide you through with calmness and focus.  We understand how overwhelming this situation can be, and we will ensure you feel heard and supported every step of the way.

The law can be complicated but we will provide clarity in our explanations and provide an honest assessment of your situation. Whether it’s preparing you for police interviews or representing you in court, we work closely with you throughout.

We recognise that facing the criminal justice system is stressful not only for you, but also your loved ones. Our team is sensitive to these broader implications and is dedicated to managing  the process on your behalf. 

You can rely on us to be there for you, ready to talk whenever you need us.

Contact us

Call us today for urgent advice from expert criminal defence lawyers. Call Ben Langley on 01494 411183 or email crime@blasermills.co.uk.  Alternatively, fill in our contact form.

Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act: The latest changes

Posted on by fluroltd

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) came into law in  October 2023, commencing what is set to be one of the biggest shake-ups of UK company law in recent times.

While the majority of ECCTA is yet to come into force – with the roll out of the most significant changes subject to further legislation and the development of new government systems – some important reforms have already been introduced, most recently on 4 March 2024. We look at the key developments below.

What are the aims of ECCTA?

ECCTA introduces a raft of measures with the combined aims of tackling crime, preventing fraud and boosting enterprise. With regards to UK companies, it seeks to achieve those aims by:

  • Expanding the role and powers of Companies House;
  • Improving the accuracy of information on the Companies House register;
  • Enhancing the transparency of UK corporate entities; and
  • Preventing the abuse of personal information.

What are the key changes from  4 March 2024?

On 4 March 2024, the government published a set of regulations implementing ECCTA, known as “Regulation 2”. The regulations introduce five key changes which companies should be aware of

1. Enhanced powers for Companies House

Reflecting ECCTA’s goal of transforming its role from a “passive administrator” of company information to an “active gatekeeper”, Regulation 2 grants the following new powers to Companies House:

  • To query and or reject company filings (and to request supporting evidence, where appropriate);
  • To amend or remove inaccurate information from the register; and
  • To share data with other government departments and law enforcement agencies.

These reforms are underpinned by changes that strengthen the “false statement offences” under the Companies Act 2006, which are designed to prevent the delivery of misleading, false or deceptive information to Companies House.

The combined effect is that all company officers (i.e. directors and company secretaries) will need to take even greater care when making filings at Companies House.

2. Stronger checks on company names

Broadly, Regulation 2 enables Companies House to perform stricter checks on Company names to ensure that they do not facilitate the commission offences involving dishonesty or deception.

Specifically, names which may now be prohibited include those suggestive of a connection with a foreign government or inter-state organisation (for example, the UN), names that provide a misleading indication of a company’s activities, and names containing computer code.

3. Statements of lawful purpose

From 4 March 2024, all subscribers (i.e. the initial shareholders or members of a limited company) will, at incorporation, need to confirm that they wish to form the company for “lawful purposes”. All companies will also be required to confirm every year, as part of its annual confirmation statement, that its intended future activities will be lawful.

4. New rules for registered office addresses

All registered office addresses appearing on the Companies House register, whether for new or existing companies, must now be “appropriate addresses”. An address will an appropriate one if a document addressed to the company and delivered to the address would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company and the delivery of documents is capable of being recorded. The practical effect of this change is that PO Box addresses will no longer be valid.

Failure to comply will result in significant consequences. Where the company Registrar believes a registered office address is not appropriate, they now have the power to change it to a “default address” held at Companies House. Unless a compliant address is provided within 28 days, the company will be at risk of being struck off.

5. A new requirement for a registered email address

All companies are also now required to provide a “registered email address” through which they can be contacted by Companies House. The address will not be available for public inspection.

As with the new rules for registered office addresses, the registered email address must be “appropriate”, meaning that an email sent to that address would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company. From 5 March 2024, all companies will be asked to provide a registered email address when filing their confirmation statement.

Further change ahead

As ECCTA is rolled out over the coming months, we will continue to provide commentary on the key changes and what they mean for you – including coverage of what are likely to be the most thorny reforms surrounding identify verification, statutory registers and corporate directors.

Should you require specific and or tailored advice in order to stay ahead of the curve, please contact enquiries@blasermills.co.uk to speak to one of our lawyers.

This article is not intended to constitute legal advice and you should not take, or refrain from taking, any action based on the information which it contains. Always seek the services of a professional legal adviser.

Ben Langley

Ben is a specialist road traffic, regulatory and crime consultant.  He has many years of experience specialising in general crime and motoring law. Prior to being a consultant Ben was a solicitor at Blaser Mills Law for five years where he was given the responsibility of running the road traffic department.

Ben is able to provide clients with 24-hour police station advice and assistance in relation to all criminal offences. He also represents and defends individuals who appear before the Magistrates and Youth Courts charged with the full spectrum of criminal offences.

Ben is a specialist road traffic solicitor and he has represented numerous individuals and companies nationwide before the Magistrates Court and Crown Court in relation to a whole range of road traffic offences. His years of experience and expertise in this area has resulted in defendants avoiding periods of disqualification from driving, criminal convictions and imprisonment.

He is known for his meticulous preparation which leads to an enviable record of successfully defending charges and achieving his client’s goals. He is very friendly and approachable and takes pride in resolving his client’s problems.

He has successfully defended charges such as speeding, driving without due care and attention (careless driving), driving with excess alcohol/drugs and failing to furnish information as to the identity of the driver or failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Drunk in charge of a motor vehicle, driving whilst disqualified, driving not in accordance with a licence or without insurance, using a mobile phone whilst driving and dangerous driving are also a handful of other offences which Ben has significant experience and knowledge in defending.

Ben has represented many individuals at ‘Totting-up’ disqualification hearings and can boast an extremely high success rate ensuring that drivers retain their driving licences even though the number of penalty points on their licence is 12 or more.

Ben also appears regularly before the Motorsport Disciplinary tribunal as he specialises in representing drivers of motorsport teams who face numerous allegations that can vary from administrative errors all the way up to the standard of driving on the track being questioned. Whether the accusation is accepted or not, there is certainly merit in discussing this with Ben as his knowledge of the rules and the process is invaluable.

Ben has also featured on the radio to discuss the road traffic laws and to provide some of his expert insight into this area of law.

Ben’s quality has been rewarded by being recognised as a recommended lawyer by the Legal 500 for the past four straight years. He constantly receives glowing reviews from his clients for the excellent results he achieves.

Should you require advice or representation on any aspect, Ben accepts instructions from clients on a private basis and will be happy to discuss your individual circumstances.