Syed Ahmed

As a versatile barrister, Syed is adept at providing advice and representation to a variety of clientele, including businesses and HNW/high profile individuals. Clients regard Syed as calm, clear thinking and approachable with an excellent reputation for dealing with cases of considerable complexity, for the ability to assess the merits of a case and grasp extremely challenging issues promptly. He provides meticulous attention to detail with scrupulous analysis of documentation and evidence.

Syed is skilled at drafting legal documents including defence case statements, skeleton arguments in relation to excluding evidence and abuse of process, sentencing notes, grounds of appeal against sentence and conviction. His specialist knowledge in corporate law and financial crime allow him to provide clients with a unique perspective across a diverse range of areas and disciplines.

Syed is frequently instructed by businesses to advise on anti-money laundering compliance, and HMRC investigations.

Financial Crime/Fraud, MTIC, POCA and Money Laundering 

• Syed has experience across a wide spectrum of matters relating to financial crime, including money laundering, complex fraud including mortgage fraud, tax and VAT evasion (MTIC), bribery, corruption, forfeiture, confiscation as well as search and seizure.
• He provides individuals and corporations with specialist advice on anti-money laundering frameworks, mechanisms, and the necessary requirements in relation to compliance.
• Syed has extensive experience of disputes affecting financial services professionals and consumers, particularly claims for breach of duty by IFAs. He advises upon the relationships of intermediaries with the FCA, and has particular experience in providing advisory and drafting services in respect of regulation and licencing of consumer credit businesses and anti-money laundering provisions. He is instructed to advise on issues of disclosure and privilege which arise during regulatory investigations into banks, as well as on restraint orders and receivership.

Regulatory

• Syed acts both for and against regulatory bodies. He offers advocacy on all financial services regulatory and disciplinary matters including before the Regulatory Decisions Committee of the FCA and the Upper Tribunal (Tax & Chancery Chamber). He advises on matters such as the approved persons regime, the scope of the Conduct of Business sourcebook, responsibilities in relation to appointed representatives, pensions regulations, and the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Immigration

• Syed appears before the Immigration Tribunals, as well as the High Court in Judicial Review proceedings.
• Additionally, he represents high net-worth clients and businesses in immigration matters relating to Entrepreneur visas and Investor visas. He advises businesses and HR departments across the UK in obtaining sponsorship licences, ensuring they comply with Home Office guidelines and due diligence procedures when recruiting foreign skilled workers.

Commercial:

• Syed has been instructed on matters in the High Court (Chancery Division and Commercial Court) as well as on commercial matters outside of court. He represents clients ranging from multi-national companies to sole traders and understands the approach required in such litigation and the importance of leveraging a strong position for his clients. Syed advises on debt claims; insolvency; consumer credit; personal guarantees; trust disputes as well as probate matters.
• Syed has experience in complex multi-jurisdictional disputes, civil fraud claims, and general contractual disputes across a range of sectors. In addition to his commercial disputes practice, Syed has a wealth of transactional experience in banking and capital markets which provides him with unique expertise in dealing with technical evidence relating to financial disputes.

He has experience in a wide range of commercial litigation including:

• Shareholder disputes
• Commercial fraud
• Applications for freezing orders
• Claims for injunctive relief
• Associated employment law matters