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.
In addition to leading various major tax, fraud and bribery investigations, Simon has recently defended multi-party litigation in relation to a significant data breach in the UK, dealt with an FCA investigation relating to a global payment services provider and represented a high-profile individual in relation to a multi-million pound D&O insurance dispute in the context of a US DoJ prosecution. He has also advised a foreign government in relation to various tax and transparency issues and represented over 50 financial institutions served with data production orders by HM Revenue & Customs in the UK.
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
- Legal 500 UK, Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime, Leading Individual, 2021-2025
- Chambers UK, Corporate Crime & Investigations , 2022-2025
- 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
