Signature launches white collar crime and investigations practice with new partner team hire

Mark Beardsworth

Mark Beardsworth has a 25-year track record of successful representations of individuals and corporates in many major Serious Fraud Office investigations, including IKEA, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, LIBOR/EURIBOR, Forex, Independent Insurance, G4S Serco, Sweett Group, Barclays Qatar and Tysers Integro.

He has also advised clients in relation to major prosecutions brought by the Financial Conduct Authority, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Financial Reporting Council.

Mark has significant experience in conducting corporate internal investigations for clients operating across a range of industries including financial services, education, energy and infrastructure and sports and retail. He advises corporates on governance, compliance, management systems and controls, as well as on implementing policies. Mark also advises in relation to risk and governance during key corporate events including M&A and distressed situations.

Much of his work involves clients facing scrutiny internationally and in complex “parallel proceedings” involving civil and regulatory litigation.

Prior to joining Signature, Mark was a partner and Head of European Investigations at US law firm Goodwin Proctor. Before that Mark was a partner at Cadwalader, where he led its white collar crime team, which included Duncan Grieve.

Duncan Grieve

Duncan Grieve has deep experience in leading cross-border investigations involving issues in foreign jurisdictions, acting for corporates, boards and individual clients, and has advised on many of the major multinational cases of the last 15 years.

He has 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 advises clients on issues relating to ESG compliance, including non-financial misconduct, environmental concerns and in other areas where the regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving.

Prior to joining Signature, Duncan was a Partner in the White Collar Defense and Investigations team at Cadwalader in London.

Signature Litigation founding partner, Graham Huntley, commented, “Mark and Duncan are both formidable operators and we are pleased to welcome them to our firm to launch our white collar crime and investigations practice, which will see the firm continue to work productively with the specialist bar. Our platform as a disputes-only law firm provides fresh opportunities for Mark and Duncan to extend their reach collectively in London and internationally.”

Mark Beardsworth said, “I am delighted to be joining Signature in London and to work alongside Duncan to add weight to the firm’s global expertise with the launch of our practice. Our combined focusses of defending national and global corruption investigations, as well as advice to corporates with the investigations and governance component of our work, will add increased depth to Signature’s already robust offering of multi-jurisdictional, complex commercial disputes.”

Duncan Grieve commented, “Signature has significant market profile as one of the leading commercial disputes boutiques. I am excited to be working with Mark again and to contributing to Signature’s disputes-only platform through the launch of our new practice group, and to now provide our global client base an end to end service that covers commercial litigation, international arbitration and white collar crime and investigations.”