Sara Teasdale
Managing Partner

An experienced Managing Partner, Sara acts for high-profile, senior individuals who find themselves the subject of internal investigations, criminal fraud or regulatory investigations and prosecutions.

Typically, Sara's cases involve cross-jurisdictional issues with her clients frequently being investigated by both domestic prosecutors/regulators and their overseas counterparts.

Confidently managing large, complex cases, Sara has represented international clients being investigated/prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO); Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW); Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA); Crown Prosecution Service (CPS); Information Commissioners Office (ICO); US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The Directories Say

Chambers and Partners

• Sara is ranked in two 2027 Chambers and Partners Directories in the category of Financial Crime – Individuals and High Net Worth Individuals and is described as ‘incredibly smart, a formidable managing partner and highly tenacious. She fights hard for her clients. She is definitely the lawyer you want on your side, not opposite you’ and as ‘an absolute force of nature. She's a fantastic lawyer and clients love her.'

Legal 500

• Sara is ranked as a leading individual in the 2027 Legal 500 Fraud: White Collar Crime (Advice to Individuals) where she is described as ’exceptional in every respect. Professionally, she is sharp, strategic, and incredibly knowledgeable; her expertise in fraud and white-collar crime is clear from the outset. What really sets her apart, though, is the way she combines that professionalism with genuine care and humanity. Her calm confidence was incredibly reassuring during a difficult time, and I always felt that I was in the best possible hands.'

Lexology Index

• Sara is also recommended in Lexology Index – Business Crime defence and is described as '[holding] a distinguished reputation in investigations, bringing a nuanced understanding of legal and procedural intricacies and supporting clients through multifaceted inquiries and enforcement actions.'.
  
  
• Sara also appeared on The Lawyer Hot 100 list for 2020 where she was described as 'a well-established star in the world of fraud and financial services'.
  
   

Notable Experience

• Acted in the investigation into the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which involved wide-scale corruption amongst international property developers and government officials - during which Sara was admitted to the TCI bar.
• Acted in the BAE Systems SFO corruption enquiry.
• Acted for a suspect arising out of the corporate prosecution of the Sweett Group plc.
• Acted for a corporate in the largest SFO investigation into alleged criminal cartel activity in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Acted in a number of high-profile FSA/FCA cases, including for the former Finance Director of the main trading arm of Cattles PLC. The case, which involved the collapse of a sub-prime lending institution, was at the time one of the biggest regulatory market abuse cases conducted by the FCA's Enforcement Division. Sara also acted in the parallel Financial Reporting Council (FRC) regulatory/disciplinary proceedings.
• Acted for a number of individuals in LIBOR investigations being brought by SFO, FCA, DOJ and CFTC.
• Acted for an individual in the SFO/DOJ Unaoil/KBR investigation.

• Acts for a suspect initially in relation to the Public Inquiry and now in relation to the criminal investigation into the Grenfell Tower tragedy. 

Background

Sara trained at Pannone in Manchester, qualifying in 2000. In 2006, she joined the London-based specialist life sciences firm Roiter Zucker to build up their fraud and regulatory practice and took partnership there in 2008. In 2010, Sara was approached to set up the London office of Pannone, where she stayed until joining Byrne and Partners in 2014. Sara became the Managing Partner of Byrne and Partners in 2018. Sara is an active member of the Fraud Lawyers Association and has been the Treasurer since 2017 and is a part of the London Chapter Leadership Team of the WWCDA (Women's White Collar Defense Association).  

Contact Sara