Matthew Banham is an established practitioner who specializes in financial crime and regulatory enforcement investigations. His rare combination of experience gained from working in-house in the financial service industry, as well as working for the FCA and the SFO ensures clients receive sound strategic advice when navigating the multi-agency landscape.

Mr. Banham advises firms and individuals on complex global investigations and advises on money laundering regulations and anti-corruption compliance. He focuses his practice on multi-agency and cross-border investigations with an emphasis on international investigations. He provides advice and representation to city professionals and firms with a focus on asset managers and banks. He has extensive experience of external and internal investigations across various asset classes involving regulators in both the United States and United Kingdom. Mr. Banham is also part of Dechert’s global, multidisciplinary Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) team. He provides regular analysis on incoming and evolving ESG regulation, emerging enforcement actions and related litigation risk.

Mr. Banham is ranked as a "Next Generation Partner" by The Legal 500 UK for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime (2022-2023) and has been recommended for his work representing individuals, with clients commenting that he "constantly displayed ingenuity and creativity when designing investigation strategies. He also had an uncanny eye for detail whilst not losing sight of the big picture and overall investigation strategy". Previous editions have noted his "very good legal analysis skills" (2020) and he is regarded as a "very helpful, no-fuzz, experienced, and result-oriented partner" (2021). Who’s Who Legal has listed Mr. Banham as a Future Leader for Investigations (2020-2023), with clients stating he "has a very good reputation across the industry", "has a very strong relationship with regulators" and "his in-depth knowledge stands out in the market".

In November 2019, Matthew Banham was "Highly Commended" by Legal Week in the "White Collar Crime Team of the Year" category for its successful defense of a British executive charged by the UK's Serious Fraud Office in a lengthy cross-border corruption investigation into a multinational conglomerate.

Prior to joining Dechert, Mr. Banham served as the senior vice president of Barclays Bank's litigation investigations and enforcement division where he advised and managed external investigations and regulatory risks for the investment bank. When at the Serious Fraud Office he was a Case Controller and he worked and led on the UK's most complex and landmark cases including; Rolls Royce, LIBOR, and Foreign Exchange benchmarks. Mr. Banham's previous experience also includes working as counsel at the FCA where he routinely advised and managed investigations and prosecutions into allegations of insider trading, other financial crime offences.

Mr. Banham was called to the Bar in 1999.

  • White Collar Crime and Compliance 
    • Advising and coordinating the global strategy and investigation on behalf of the investment arm of a government into complex and sophisticated corruption and financial crime in multiple jurisdictions.
    • Advising and coordinating the defence strategy for a state owned company and its directors facing overseas criminal charges.
    •  Successfully advising and representing senior directors in multiple SFO and multi-agency investigations and prosecutions.
    •  Conducting internal investigations for firms to manage employee and revenue risks. 
    • Advising financial services firms on money laundering regulations compliance.
    • Providing anti-bribery and corruption training and advice to multi-jurisdictional firms. 

    Financial Services 

    • Advising an overseas Regulator in an investigation into complex financial crime.
    • Successfully representing and advising C-suite directors in FCA and U.S cross-border investigations into different asset classes within the broker market.
    • Representing high frequency trading firm and its directors in an overseas prosecution of events leading to a “flash crash”.
    • Advising regulated firms on their regulatory notification and anti-money laundering obligations.
    • Advising and supporting FCA regulated firm in relation to regulatory concerns raised by the Supervision team of the FCA.
    • Representing a Middle Eastern private equity firm in an internal investigation including conducting a criminal and regulatory risk analysis and advising on press strategy and remedial action in the UAE.
    • Representing an energy investment and development firm in relation to an investigation by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) into possible breaches of UAE laws and DFSA regulations.
    • Advising a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund on securities reporting and compliance and conduct matters relating to management of its investments.
    • Advising a Middle Eastern bank on its conduct of an internal investigation in relation to misconduct and abuse of controls by senior employee.
    • Launch of Guide to Sound Practices for Customer Due Diligence, AIMA Webinar, London (September 7, 2022)
    • ESG Event Series - Part Three - Implementing change through an ESG lens: lessons learned, Dechert LLP, London (May 19, 2022)
    • ESG Event Series - Part Two - What gets measured and reported - ESG reporting and supply chain due diligence, Dechert Webinar, London (April 26, 2022)
    • ESG Event Series - Part One - The strategic and transformational nature of ESG, Dechert Webinar, London (March 16, 2022)
    • ABC Global Outlook - Recent Trends and Developments, ABC Minds International Conference, London (November 9-10, 2021)
    • Changes in Corporate Governance and Shareholder Expectations: Key Perspectives on ESG, Anti-Corruption, Ratings Agencies and the Impact on Investment Decision-Making, C5 Anti-Corruption Conference, London (November 2-3, 2021)
    • Crypto is Here to Stay – Navigating Opportunities and Legal Risks in the United Kingdom - Dechert Webinar, London (June 23, 2021)
    • Financial Services & ESG: Shaping the Future - Dispute Resolution Forum, Virtual (June 16, 2021)
    • Dechert: Too Early To Tell If Market Manipulation Is Up – Bloomberg Daybreak Europe, London (May 15, 2020)
    • Recent litigation developments in the ever-growing fields of corruption and bribery – 10th World Litigation Forum, Dubai (January 27-28, 2020)
    • Navigating the cooperation demands of the SFO and DOJ in cross-border internal investigations – Lexology Webinar, London (January 9, 2020)
    • Impact of recent U.S. sanctions on Russian oligarchs and top government officials, how to detect corruption and money laundering techniques used by PEPS,  and U.S. and UK investigations on financial institutions – Academy & Finance's Russian PEPS and Oligarchs Seminar, Zurich and Geneva (June 19-20, 2018)
    • SMCR Question Time – London (January 23, 2018)
    • Privilege – Legal Business Commercial Litigation Summit 2017, London (July 3, 2017)
    • The interplay between sentencing, confiscation and forfeiture; including discussion of DPAs – 33 Chancery Lane Business Crime Conference, London (October 20, 2016)
    • Honourable Society of the Inner Temple