White & Case has hired a partner from Macfarlanes to lead its London white collar crime team. 

Neill Blundell has joined the top 10 US firm after five years at Macfarlanes, where he led the corporate crime and investigations practice. 

Blundell advises corporations and individuals on matters including compliance, pre-investigations, investigations and prosecutions conducted by UK agencies such as the Financial Conduct Authority and Serious Fraud Office. He also works on multi-jurisdictional investigations involving agencies such as the European Anti-Fraud Office, the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“We are seeing an increase in scrutiny and investigations by regulators and enforcement agencies around the world,” said Joel Cohen, global head of White & Case’s white collar practice. 

“In response we are growing our practice globally to ensure we can deliver first-rate advice to clients on all their complex white collar matters, from bribery and corruption to fraud and money laundering issues, amongst others. Neill is a market leading lawyer with a wide swath of experience and his addition supports our strategic growth.”

Cohen joined White & Case in New York earlier this year from Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, following which the firm said it had been looking to add to its white collar practice at a senior level as part of the strategic growth of its disputes capabilities globally. 

“Neill’s arrival is an important part of that strategy,” said White & Case vice chair, Oliver Brettle. “In addition, the growth of our white collar and broader disputes practices provides opportunities to increase international cooperation across industry groups, such as financial services, technology and energy, and practice groups, particularly commercial litigation, data, privacy and cybersecurity and tax.”

At his new firm Blundell will work closely with London-based white collar partners Anneka Randhawa and Jonah Anderson as part of a well-regarded team noted for its internal investigations and compliance work and ability to draw on the firm’s substantial US offering. Following his arrival, White & Case’s London white collar team will house 13 lawyers, according to the firm’s website. 

A Macfarlanes spokesperson said of his departure: “We would like to thank Neill for his contribution to our litigation and dispute resolution practice and wish him all the best for the future.”

Goodwin Procter appointed its first dedicated white-collar partner in London in October when it hired Mark Beardsworth from Cadwalader to head its European investigations and enforcement practice. 

And last year Dechert also strengthened its white collar offering in London with the hire of partner Judith Seddon, one of the UK’s top financial crime lawyers, from Ropes & Gray.