Emma Brooks
Partner

Emma specialises in white collar crime, regulatory investigations and serious general and complex crime. ‘She is frequently instructed by high-net-worth individuals, advising across the full spectrum of financial crime and complex business crime allegations.’ Legal 500 2026

Emma has particular expertise in representing individuals subject to investigations and prosecutions by the SFO, HMRC and NCA in cases involving allegations of complex and serious fraud, money laundering and bribery and corruption.

Emma also represents professionals and high-profile individuals in serious and general crime matters. She regularly advises clients in police interview and has a wealth of experience and great success in making representations to the CPS, and other prosecuting authorities, that no further action should be taken against her clients. Emma regularly represents solicitors facing criminal and regulatory issues.

The Directories Say

• The Legal 500 Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) states: ‘Emma Brooks is a complete star. Her unusual blend of great intelligence, deep experience and utter tenacity has made her one of the very few stand-out forces in the white-collar arena. No one fights harder for their clients than Emma, and she always delivers.'
• Chambers & Partners, High-Net-Worth Guide, Financial Crime: Advice to Individuals states: ‘Emma is realistic, approachable, clever, and hard-working. She puts clients at their ease without soft-soaping them. She is laser-focused on winning without losing perspective or realism.’ 

Notable Experience

• Represents former CEO of a FTSE 100 company being investigated for bribery, fraud and money laundering offences.
• Represents a solicitor suspect in the Metropolitan police investigation into the Post Office Horizon scandal.
• Successful defended the former Director General of the IOPC in relation to historical sexual assault allegations at a 4-week trial at the Old Bailey where he was unanimously acquitted of all charges.
• Successfully resisted an FBI/DOJ request via Mutual Legal Assistance - securing the discharge of a witness summons requiring her client to provide evidence for trial in the US. 
• Acted for the former Chairman of Alstom who was prosecuted by the SFO for bribery offences. Her client was acquitted of all charges following a four-month trial.
• Acted for the directors of London-based oil and gas company, Soma Oil & Gas, in relation to the SFO's investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption in respect of oil contracts in Somalia. The investigation was concluded with no charges being brought against any of the directors.
• Acted for a defendant prosecuted by the SFO in connection with LIBOR fixing.

Background

Emma qualified as a solicitor in 2001. She worked at leading criminal defence and fraud firms, before joining Byrne & Partners LLP in 2014, where she was made partner in 2017. She is a committee member of the Law Society's Criminal Law Committee and a member of the European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA), Women's White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA) and the Fraud Lawyers' Association.

Contact Emma