Global Investigations
Lawyers
Investigations, Inquiries, Compliance.
Handled. With Care.
If you're facing an investigation, enforcement action, public inquiry, or complex regulatory or compliance matter, it is imperative to know that your legal advisers are not only highly experienced, but are also deeply invested and personally available to you at every step.
Our Global Investigations group is a multi-disciplinary team which covers financial crime, corporate crime/sanctions regulatory compliance and a wide range of investigation, enforcement and prosecution issues. We advise on risk management and the resolution of crisis events, as well as offering bespoke training for your board and legal teams.
Over the last three years, over 300 major organisations – including over 25 FTSE 350 businesses – have relied on us to support them with investigations and related advisory and compliance matters across the UK and around the globe including in Ireland, Germany, France, the Middle East, and Asia.
Appoint the legal investigations team who make client care their #1 priority.
With complex laws to navigate, businesses and reputations to manage, and senior stakeholders to guide, we are there 24/7 to help clients navigate the twists and turns of any investigation or inquiry as you achieve the best possible outcome.
Our dedicated team of over 45 international investigations and compliance specialists represent clients throughout some of the most challenging periods that they will confront. We guide risk and compliance teams, in-house counsel and boards of directors as they steer a route through the intricate legal and regulatory landscape surrounding businesses today. We also help individuals through serious challenges, such as sensitive corporate crime and professional conduct matters.
We help our clients to avoid criminal law risks, improve their internal systems, conduct internal investigations, bring private prosecutions, liaise with law enforcement agencies and regulators, and deal with regulatory interventions and prosecutions. We advocate for them during public inquiries, hearings and inquests. We help them build and enhance their businesses in a compliance-focussed way.
Consistently ranked in Global Investigations Review's (GIR) Top 100 firms, as well as all major legal directories, we employ top calibre people and take on market-leading mandates. Above all, we put your best interests at the heart of what we do.
More detail on our key areas of strength
- Internal & External Investigations
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Helping businesses to protect themselves and their employees when problems emerge and preventing any allegation from becoming a crisis. Working with you to conduct robust internal investigations into a range of potential misconduct. Guiding you through every stage of a whistleblow; a supervisory, regulatory or criminal investigation and/or enforcement action across a host of offences and infractions.
- Internal Investigations >
- Economic Crime >
- Deferred Prosecution Agreements >
- Civil Fraud, Asset Tracing and Recovery >
- Conduct & Culture >
- Enforcement Defence and Liaison >
- Financial Services Investigations and Enforcement >
- International Sanctions and Export Control >
- Investigations Misconduct >
- Private Prosecutions >
- Professional Disciplinary Investigations >
- Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory
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Advising financial institutions across the full range of contentious regulatory issues including: market abuse, non-financial misconduct, AML systems and controls, complaints handling and more.
- Compliance & Advisory
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Supporting your business across the compliance risk landscape: from avoiding economic and financial crime taking place in your business to managing financial services, environmental and other regulatory risk, quality assuring your compliance framework and ensuring the safety and security of your employees, customers, buildings and products.
- Health, Safety & Environment
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From proactive advice through to crisis management in the aftermath of the most serious incidents, we guide our corporate and governmental clients and senior individuals through the regulatory landscape within a wide range of contexts. Our team boasts experts in health & safety; food safety and hygiene; building, fire, product, food and venue safety and security; ESG and environmental risk and liability.
- Health & Safety >
- Environment >
- Building Safety Act >
- Conduct & Culture >
- Corporate Governance, Financial Crime and Regulatory Compliance >
- Enforcement Defence and Liaison >
- ESG Risk, Reputation, Compliance and Disputes >
- Investigations Misconduct >
- Product Litigation, Safety and Recall >
- Public Inquiries >
- Private Prosecutions
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Helping our clients to navigate the whole private prosecution process from advice and investigation through to criminal and/or civil proceedings, and any asset tracing, confiscation and enforcement.
- Public Inquiries
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Advising and representing individuals and organisations involved in public inquiries, whether as witnesses or core participants; providing support on the broad issues arising from a public inquiry including: reputation management, funding to support participation, insurance, governance, witness evidence, factual analysis, warning letters and final reports through to associated litigation, both civil and criminal in nature.
A few fast facts
45+
TOP
FIRM
1st
Specialists
100 in GIR
TO WATCH
DPA negotiated with the CPS
45+ Global Investigations specialists around our International network
8 years ranked in Global Investigations Review's top 100 guide as a leading corporate investigation firm
Recognised by Legal 500 Germany 2024 as a "Firm to Watch" for internal investigations and compliance
In a UK-first, we advised Entain on its negotiation of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Crown Prosecution Service. Read the full case study here >
25+
300+
FTSE Clients
Organisations
25+ FTSE clients advised in the last 2 years
300+ organisations supported in the last 3 years
45+
TOP
Specialists
100 in GIR
45+ Global Investigations specialists around our International network
8 years ranked in Global Investigations Review's top 100 guide as a leading corporate investigation firm
FIRM
1st
TO WATCH
DPA negotiated with the CPS
Recognised by Legal 500 Germany 2024 as a "Firm to Watch" for internal investigations and compliance
In a UK-first, we advised Entain on its negotiation of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the Crown Prosecution Service. Read the full case study here >
25+
300+
FTSE Clients
Organisations
25+ FTSE clients advised in the last 2 years
300+ organisations supported in the last 3 years
Where we've helped our clients
An ability and desire to develop a deep understanding of the highly regulated industry in which we operate and to translate that understanding into nuanced legal advice and counsel. An ability to see round corners.
Legal 500, 2025
The level of client service provided by Addleshaw Goddard is extraordinary.
Chambers & Partners 2025
Addleshaw Goddard’s team is stand-out in this area; the team has unrivalled expertise in regulatory investigations and corporate crime.
Legal 500, 2024
Strength from top to bottom. Highly experienced team. Good strategic thinkers. Exceptionally experienced in complex cases.
Legal 500, 2024
The team brings an unparalleled focus, energy and understanding to each client’s problems. It is seasoned by a perfect commercial awareness, it always identifies, pursues and obtains the best possible outcome for those it represents.
Legal 500, 2024
News, insights & events
Featured Insight
The establishment of a new whistleblowing authority in Spain
Featured Insight
Understanding the New Corporate Criminal Standards – A Toolkit
Featured Insight
UK Employers' guide: Assessing risks of sexual harassment at your office party
Featured Insight
CP24/2 Part 2 - The FCA’s revised proposals for publicity over enforcement investigations
Featured Insight
Financial Regulation - In the know: Financial Crime - October 2024
Featured Insight
The FRC's 2023/2024 enforcement report shows a continued focus on penalties and ramping up to ARGA
Featured Insight
EHRC publishes updated technical guidance ahead of the new duty to prevent sexual harassment coming into force on 26 October
Featured Insight
FCA enforcement action: asset manager receives a public censure, but no UK fine
Featured Insight
Financial Regulation - In the know: Financial Crime - August 2024
Featured Insight
Harnessing Generative AI: A Practical Legal Guide
Featured Insight
Financial Regulation - In the know: Financial Crime
Featured Insight
A new approach to publicity over FCA investigations
News
Addleshaw Goddard advises Entain plc on Deferred Prosecution Agreement
Featured Insight
New UK proposals on D&I and non-financial misconduct in the financial sector
Featured Insight
Corporate criminal liability through senior managers
Key contacts
London, UK
London
London, UK
Germany
Germany
Paris, France
France
Madrid, Spain