Band 2
Band 2
About
Provided by Sarah Wood
Practice Areas
Financial Crime, Money Laundering, Asset Forfeiture, Confiscation, Financial Remedies (family); Private prosecutions
Career
Sarah particularly specialises in criminal and family matters involving high-value assets and complex financial arrangements. She is one of a handful of barristers with extensive experience of cases where there are contemporaneous family financial remedy proceedings and criminal POCA claims. She has the knowledge and understanding to advise and represent clients in both sets of proceedings and provides practical realistic advice. Sarah frequently appears in both the High Court and the Family Court in this area of work and is regularly instructed to act on behalf of either a party or the CPS as the intervener in the proceedings because of her detailed knowledge of all related aspects of confiscation work.
Sarah also specialises in the civil aspects of POCA work, including Account Freezing and Forfeiture applications, Cash Forfeiture and UWOs. Regularly instructed by the NCA and HMRC in respect of these applications, she also has extensive experience of representing individuals facing applications of this nature.
Sarah is joint Head of the Business Crime & Financial Regulation Practice Group within 5 St Andrew’s Hill and is regularly instructed to prosecute and defend complex private prosecutions.
She is known for her attention to detail, work ethic and ability to find a practical solution to a problem.
Professional Memberships
FLA, POCLA, FLBA.
Publications
Financial remedies v confiscation proceedings: what takes priority? [2019] FAM LAW 941
What happens when assets are tainted: financial remedies v confiscation proceedings revisited [2021 FAM LAW 1064
Chambers Review
UK Bar
Sarah Wood currently serves as joint head of the business crime team at 5 St Andrew's Hill and is noted for her expertise in private prosecutions. Her broad financial crime practice also encompasses asset recovery and complex money laundering cases.
Sarah Wood garners convincing market feedback due to her presence in notable POCA cases. In line with her expertise in family financial disputes, she displays particular knowledge when it comes to contemporaneous confiscation and family ancillary relief proceedings. Wood is instructed in confiscation proceedings both by prosecuting authorities and by individual defendants.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Sarah very quickly understands the issues and clients love and trust her. She is a really superb lawyer."
"Sarah brings a nice light touch and a good balanced view. She is good on the detail."
"Sarah Wood is great and has made the family and crime crossover her own."
"Sarah is well regarded by judges, who take on board what she says. Her submissions are focused and time-saving."
"Sarah very quickly understands the issues and clients love and trust her. She is a really superb lawyer."
"Sarah brings a nice light touch and a good balanced view. She is good on the detail."
"Sarah Wood is great and has made the family and crime crossover her own."
"Sarah is well regarded by judges, who take on board what she says. Her submissions are focused and time-saving."
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