Simon Airey - McDermott Will & Emery

Overview


Simon Airey focuses his practice on global, cross-border and internal investigations, financial and regulatory crime, bribery and corruption, money laundering, tax and fraud inquiries, data breaches, dawn raids, asset tracing, international enforcement and corporate compliance issues. Simon serves as co-head of McDermott’s global investigations and compliance practice.

He has conducted a wide range of investigations and corporate defence assignments in different sectors, including construction, defence, financial services, gambling, oil and gas, logistics, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Simon represents both companies and individuals in criminal and regulatory proceedings and in associated litigation.

Simon advises a large number of multinational groups on their global compliance programs and assists clients with corporate risk assessments and pre- and post- M&A due diligence. He conducts tailored training for boards and senior management and has lectured around the world on a range of topics including the UK Bribery Act and the UK Criminal Finances Act. He advises a number of organisations on the corporate criminal offence of failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion and served on the UK Law Society committee which devised related guidance for the legal profession.

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Results


  • HMRC -v- Micro Fusion, Court of Appeal [2009] EWHC 1082 (Ch)*
  • HMRC -v- Halcyon Films LLP, Court of Appeal [2010] EWCA Civ 261*
  • Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi -v- Elias Kifle & The Ethiopian Review [2013] EWHC 293 (QB)*
  • R (on the application of Soma Oil & Gas Ltd) -v- Director of Serious Fraud Office (CO / 4022 / 2016)*

*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott

Recognitions


  • The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, Criminal Practice, 2023-2025
  • The Legal 500 UK,  Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime, Leading Individual, 2021-2024
  • Chambers UK, Financial Crime: Corporates, 2022-2024
  • The Legal 500 UK, Gaming and Betting, 2022-2023
  • Global Investigations Review’s GIR 100, Recommended, 2023
  • Who’s Who Legal, ‘Global Leader’ – Investigations, ‘Thought Leader’ – (1) Investigations, (2) Business Crime Defence and (3) Asset Recovery, 2021
  • Acritas, ‘Star Lawyer’ 2017

Credentials


Education
University of Sheffield, Bachelor of Laws, LLB (Hons)

Admissions
Bar of England & Wales