Jonathan Pickworth advises clients on regulatory and internal investigations, compliance and risk, with particular reference to corruption, fraud and tax matters. He has considerable expertise in relation to the handling of investigations by Government agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office and HM Revenue & Customs. He also advises and is a regular speaker on compliance with the Bribery Act 2010, the Fraud Act 2006 and similar matters.
Mr. Pickworth’s work has a strong international focus and he has acted in several of the largest high-profile criminal and regulatory investigations in Europe, including Europe's largest ever tax investigation. He recently represented a major global engineering construction and services company in negotiating a civil settlement of a very significant overseas corruption investigation by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.
Mr. Pickworth is recognized as a leading lawyer on civil fraud in the legal directories Legal 500 and Chambers. In the 2013 edition, Chambers UK ranked Mr. Pickworth as a key individual with “a noted presence in the world of corporate crime.” Chambers UK 2012 describes him as being “vastly experienced in SFO and HMRC investigations, and he regularly handles multi-jurisdictional matters” and highlights clients’ appreciation for his advice on the Bribery Act 2010 and the Fraud Act 2006. He is recommended in Legal 500 UK 2011 for his expertise in the areas of Fraud: Corporate Crime, Fraud: White Collar Crime and Commercial Litigation, and in Chambers UK 2011 he is “widely praised for his tremendous regulatory practice. Sources praise his quick, sharp mind and his tact and charm.” He is described as “outstanding” in Legal 500 UK 2010. Mr. Pickworth is also ranked in The International Who’s Who of Business Crime Defense Lawyers 2012.
Significant Representations
Due to the confidential nature of Mr. Pickworth’s work, we are unable to list details of his major investigations. However, as an indication of the scope of his experience, his significant representations include:
- representing a major global engineering, construction and services company in a worldwide corruption investigation into the bribery of government officials in Nigeria
- acting for a defence contractor in relation to an investigation of alleged bribery of foreign government officials
- conducting an internal investigation for a global healthcare company, including assessment of local issues across Europe, Asia, the US and the Middle East, with particular focus on allegations of corruption, bribery and antitrust
- representing a large multi-national logistics company in the investigation and defence of HM Revenue & Customs’ largest ever tax fraud
- representing a major global medical devices company on corruption and sanctions-busting allegations arising out of the UN Iraq Oil for Food Programme
- advising multinationals on compliance programmes and internal policy and risk procedure, including compliance with the UK's Bribery Act
- advising a multinational company on potential bribery and corruption offences in connection with the use and recording of facilitation payments by an overseas subsidiary
Education
The College of Law, Chester
Emmanuel College, Cambridge, M.A.
Nottingham Trent University, LL.M.
Court Admissions
Solicitor, Senior Courts of England and Wales
Bar Admissions/Qualifications
England and Wales