Hannah Laming

Partner

About Hannah

Hannah Laming is the firm’s European head of Government Investigations & White Collar. She manages high-profile, complex investigations and litigation often involving the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or other UK and global enforcement agencies.

She acts for corporates and individuals and her expertise includes fraud, corruption, money laundering, internal investigations, government investigations, cross-border issues, private prosecutions, contentious regulatory matters and compliance. Hannah is recognised as a leading individual across her practice areas by Legal 500 and is ranked as band 1 for private prosecutions by Chambers. Referees describe her as “outstandingly detailed and forensic”, “utterly committed” and as having “great strategic instincts”.

Hannah has over 20 years’ experience as a lawyer. She practised civil and family law at the independent bar and was a prosecutor for the SFO and FCA before entering private practice in 2010. Her multidisciplinary background enables her to offer clients strategic insight across a broad range of issues and to guide them through the complexities of large-scale investigations.

Hannah supports clients through all aspects of investigations and proceedings, including search and seizure, compliance with compulsory notices, extensive document collation and review exercises, attending interviews, communicating and negotiating with enforcement agencies and managing litigation. She has excellent project management skills and regularly coordinates investigations involving multiple jurisdictions, agencies or issues. She helps clients analyse the factual and legal framework, prioritise and coordinate their response, and deal with any remediation necessary.

Hannah is the co-chair of the International Bar Association’s Business Crime Committee and she was the founder of the Private Prosecutors’ Association. She has previously received the Employed Bar Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Barrister in a Corporate Organisation or Solicitors’ Firm and has been named as one of the world’s leading female investigative lawyers by Global Investigations Review. Hannah regularly writes and speaks on topics within her expertise.

Experience

  • Acting for Post Office Ltd in over 100 criminal appeals to the Court of Appeal and Crown Court against convictions following historical private prosecutions connected to the Horizon IT system, and related investigations by the Metropolitan police and SRA.
  • Assisting Post Office Ltd in various other matters, including preparation for the Horizon IT public inquiry and compliance.
  • Conducting an internal investigation into whistleblower allegations of bribery and money laundering for a financial institution.
  • Defending a senior executive in an SFO investigation into bribery and money laundering.
  • Conducting an internal investigation into overseas corruption for a corporate in the minerals and extractive industry and advising on their remediation programme.
  • Bringing a successful private prosecution for a corporate in relation to an employee fraud.
  • Advising a money services business subject to proceedings by the police, HM Revenue & Customs and the FCA for alleged money laundering breaches.
  • Defending a number of directors of the subsidiary of a PLC in connection with Greek criminal tax proceedings.
  • Acting for various individuals in connection with insider dealing and market abuse cases subject to investigation by the FCA.

Credentials

Education
  • City University London, C.P.E., 2000
  • University of Leeds, B.Sc., 1998
Admissions
  • England and Wales, 2001

Recognitions

  • Recognised as a Leading Partner by Legal 500 2027 for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime

  • Recognised as a Leading Partner by Legal 500 2027 for Crime & Fraud – Private Prosecutions

  • Recognised Practitioner in Chambers 2027 for Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals – UK

  • Recognised in the Hall of Fame by Legal 500 2027 for Crime & Fraud: White Collar Individuals

  • Recognised Practitioner in Chambers 2027 for Corporate Crime & Investigations

  • Recognised Practitioner in Chambers 2027 for Financial Crime: Individuals

  • Named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Investigations Lawyers guide

  • Recognised by Spear’s Legal Indices 2026 as a Recommended Criminal Lawyer

  • Recognised Practitioner in Chambers 2026 for Financial Crime: Private Prosecutions – UK

Expertise

Services
Government Investigations & White Collar Financial Services

Client Testimonials

Legal 500 and Chambers UK testimonials include:

  • “Her commercial awareness and strategic vision stand out, ensuring that client needs are met with both precision and foresight. Her contributions significantly enhance the overall service experience.”

  • “Hannah is a clever, feisty and fearless lawyer whose super-talent is thinking so far outside the box that she routinely achieves the unthinkable.”

  • “Hannah is absolutely brilliant. She is really on the pulse of the market and demonstrates excellent judgement. If I ever found myself in trouble, I would go to her.”

  • “Hannah Laming is one of the most cerebral, lateral thinking lawyers I know. She's really good at explaining extremely complex concepts to clients.”

  • “Hannah is a great lawyer. She is excellent to work with, well known in the market and very strong in white-collar crime and financial services work.”

  • "Hannah Laming is highly skilled at advising corporations subject to regulatory and criminal investigations and prosecutions, and steering them out of that difficulty with clever and astute strategic and legal advice."

  • “Hannah has demonstrated an exceptional level of service, showing strong client engagement and responsiveness. Her sophistication is evident, reflecting a deep understanding of issues.”

  • “Hannah has been around a long time; she has an excellent reputation and is experienced.”

  • “Hannah is a very thorough, conscientious lawyer.”

  • “She is best in the class.”