Sir David Green QC, a former director of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, has joined New York-based litigation and investigations boutique Cohen & Gresser (C&G) after departing Slaughter and May last October.

Green will be based at C&G’s London office as a partner in the white collar defence and regulation practice group following three and a half years as a senior consultant at Slaughters, prior to which he spent six years as director of the SFO. Earlier he was director of the Central Fraud Group at the Crown Prosecution Service and also practised as a barrister for 25 years.

“Few lawyers have the experience and expertise that Sir David has accumulated during his career,” said Lawrence Gresser, C&G global managing partner, adding: “I am confident that his strategic guidance and first-hand knowledge from working with the world’s leading regulatory and enforcement agencies will be an excellent asset for our clients”

At C&G Green will work alongside partners John Gibson, who was a senior prosecutor at the SFO during Green’s tenure as director, and Richard Kovalevsky QC, who joined the firm in 2020 from litigation specialist Stewarts and heads its criminal defence practice in London.

The firm said Green’s hire continues the expansion of its capabilities through the addition of highly-regarded lawyers, adding that he will ‘work closely with the firm’s international offices to serve the needs of both corporates and individuals facing complex domestic and multijurisdictional investigations.’ 

Green is known for securing the UK’s first Deferred Prosecution Agreements and the first convictions under the UK Bribery Act, with C&G saying his experience in these areas would enable him to guide clients through strategic options, settlement processes, non-prosecution resolutions and global solutions.

“Cohen & Gresser brings a fresh approach to international investigations,” said Green. “They are a highly-specialised and close-knit team of former prosecutors and lawyers that can advise clients across jurisdictions and I look forward to partnering with the firm’s lawyers and working with clients on key investigations and enforcement matters.”

C&G specialises in high stakes litigation, investigations and transactional work. The firm opened its London office in 2018 as its third international outpost after Paris and Seoul and added Jeffrey Bronheim, formerly the general counsel at London’s Cheyne Capital Management, to lead it. The office currently has 17 lawyers including seven partners.

Bronheim said Green “brings unique senior insight and expertise in UK and international investigations and prosecutions, adding that “his experience in both private practice and government at the highest levels will provide invaluable support and insight to our clients".

Demand for white collar crime experts is increasing and Green is one of a number of prominent lawyers to have subsequently secured jobs at top law firms after leaving public office. 

Elizabeth Denham’s rapid transition from the role of UK information commissioner to a consultancy at Baker McKenzie raised eyebrows last December, with campaigners urging the UK government to review rules governing what regulators can do when they leave office. Bakers at the time acknowledged that the move raised ‘valid’ and ‘understandable’ questions but said it had respected ‘her previous regulatory role and responsibilities’ when planning her appointment.

Upon hiring Green back in 2018 Slaughters said he wouldn’t work on matters with which he was involved while at the SFO. The firm advised Rolls Royce over its £497m DPA with the SFO in 2017 and also acted for Olympus when it was charged by the SFO back in 2013.