Duncan is a Partner at our London office specialising in investigations and white collar crime.
He is regularly instructed to represent companies, boards and individuals on cross-border investigations involving issues in foreign jurisdictions and has advised on many of the major multinational cases of the last 15 years.
He has market-leading experience in Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa and has also handled major matters involving Russia, China, India, South Africa, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Greece, Romania, the Czech Republic, Canada and Japan.
A fluent Portuguese speaker, Duncan spent two years in Brazil advising clients in investigations stemming from Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash), including the negotiation of novel leniency agreements with Brazilian prosecuting authorities and regulatory agencies. His combination of fifteen years cross-border investigations experience, on-the-ground experience in Brazil and fluency in Portuguese is unique in the London market.
Duncan represents individual clients subject to internal, regulatory and criminal investigation. He advises on all sensitivities and risks arising from such matters including legal, reputational and privacy issues and is attuned to the need to maintain relationships with government and regulatory authorities. He has acted for numerous clients in relation to public enquiries and Parliamentary Select Committee appearances.
Duncan also advises on financial sanctions and trade embargoes. He provides counsel to clients on the application of UK sanctions across a range of sectors and assists clients to comply with reporting obligations to the UK authorities, as well as handling investigations into potential sanctions breaches.
He provides expert support to General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officers and boards in relation to broader compliance issues. He leads major integrity initiatives, for example, conducting a global compliance integration for a multinational manufacturing conglomerate following a USD 5.1 billion acquisition. He regularly handles pre-acquisition anti-corruption due diligence in relation to investments into foreign jurisdictions.
Duncan advises clients on issues relating to broader governance and risk issues including non-financial misconduct, environmental breaches and in other areas where the regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving.
Duncan is ranked in the Chambers UK 2027 Guide for both Financial Crime: Individuals and Corporate Crime & Investigations, recognising his experience in handling international investigations and regulatory proceedings for both corporates and individuals. Duncan is described as “a go-to for complex, multi-jurisdictional investigations”, with a commentator noting that he is “an expert on Latin American matters and is a very astute tactician.” He is also commended for his “‘go above and beyond’ attitude to managing multi-jurisdictional cases” and “exceptional talent for problem‑solving.”
Duncan is recommended in The Legal 500 UK 2027 Guide for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime. In The Legal 500, he is praised for being an “extremely clever lawyer, focused and strategic with excellent commercial acumen.” He is known in the market for having “unparalleled experience in managing simultaneous enforcement actions by multiple international regulators and achieving successful outcomes for his clients.” In previous Guides, he is further described as an “astute tactician”, and “a star.” He was listed in Global Investigations Review’s “40 under 40” in 2024.
He regularly delivers presentations on bribery, corruption, governance and effective compliance strategies, and lectures and publishes on these topics in the UK and Brazil. He co-authors the Brazil chapter of the American Bar Association International Guide to Corporate Internal Investigations.
Prior to joining Signature, Duncan was a Partner in the White Collar Defense and Investigations team at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in London.
Governmental / Regulatory Corporate Investigations
- Led global investigation linked to the Luanda Leaks Investigation. Representing multinational consulting client in interactions with UK, U.S., Portuguese and Angolan authorities. Resulted in favourable declination in August 2024.
- First external lawyer on the ground at the commencement of a major, multijurisdictional investigation into the pharmaceutical sector. Successful negotiation of corporate resolution and dialogue with investigating authorities in the UK, U.S., Switzerland and Greece.
- Representing numerous infrastructure-sector clients in investigations stemming from Lavo Jato including the negotiation of novel corporate leniency agreements with Brazilian prosecuting authorities and regulatory agencies (MPF, CADE, CGU, TCU).
- Representing concessionaire in investigation initiated by a multilateral development bank into a significant Brazilian infrastructure project.
- Advising a leading technology company on a multi-faceted investigation involving criminal proceedings in the Czech Republic.
Internal Investigations
- Internal investigation for multinational client in the pharmaceutical sector responding to multiple whistleblowing allegations involving Germany, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia.
- Multiple representations relating to infrastructure projects in Brazil, South America and Africa including interviews, site visits and remedial actions.
- Workplace misconduct investigation for multinational, automotive-sector client involving the UK, Switzerland and Romania.
- Investigation and subsequent demerger of a technology joint venture located in Tatarstan, Russia.
- Investigation for a multinational technology company into embezzlement and corruption in Romania and Austria.
Monitorships
- Representing DOJ-appointed independent monitor of a Brazil-headquartered international conglomerate operating in engineering, infrastructure and petrochemicals sectors.
Sanctions / Export Controls
- Advising multinational financial institutions, fund managers and lenders on sanctions compliance and the exclusion of designated persons/ entities from fund structures.
- Advising and assisting clients with the application of UK Russian sanctions to transactions in the oil and gas sector.
- Representing a natural resources company on potential sanctions breaches in the shipping sector.
- Advising a multi-billion dollar asset management firm on the application of UK Russian sanctions to individual investors.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Due Diligence
- During a nine-month, full-time client secondment, led the global compliance integration of newly acquired company purchased for US USD 5.1 billion by a NASDAQ-listed conglomerate.
- Advising on anti-corruption risks relating to an investment into a Brazilian multinational’s mining operation in Mozambique.
- Anti-corruption due diligence on a USD 500 million international investment into the Brazilian mining sector.
Individual Representations
- Representing a senior executive in SFO and DOJ investigation into alleged bribery in the Ecuadorian state insurance market. The investigation was dropped against client pre-charge.
- Representing a senior executive in SFO and DOJ investigations and civil claims relating to the “Tuna Bonds” case involving multi-billion dollar infrastructure investments in Mozambique.
- Representing individuals under potential criminal investigation by HMRC. The criminal tax investigation was dropped.
- Representing individual clients in proceedings and interviews with the UK Financial Conduct Authority, the UK Serious Fraud Office, the London Metals Exchange, the U.S. Department of Justice, SEC, CFTC.
- Representing General Counsel in numerous investigations including into high-profile accounting irregularities at a major retailer.
- Representing numerous senior executives and traders during the investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings relating to LIBOR, EURIBOR, the FX market, the gold/ silver fix and the aluminium market.
- Preparing senior executives for appearances before UK Parliamentary Select Committees.
- Representing a senior executive during the investigation and criminal proceedings relating to phone hacking at the News of the World newspaper.
- Advising on a private criminal prosecution brought against a Lebanese financial institution.
- Representing clients in relation to the negotiation of individual leniency agreements with the Brazilian Ministério Público Federal (MPF).