Gary Bloxsome

Gary enjoys an outstanding reputation as one of the UK’s leading individual criminal defence and regulatory solicitors. Gary’s reputation and specialist legal portfolio are such that he receives instructions from leading companies and ultra-high net worth individuals in international jurisdictions as well as in the UK. In addition, Gary is frequently referred to serious and complex defence investigations and cases by the UK and international law firms, financial institutions and barristers’ chambers. This breadth of work provides for a thriving general private criminal defence practice.

Gary’s reputation ensures that the country’s leading defence QCs, barristers and other leading experts are on hand to act on behalf of his clients and play an essential role within the defence team. Gary has appeared on both TV and Radio commenting upon the law and his cases and continues to be available to comment to the media as an expert criminal defense lawyer.

A uniquely experienced solicitor, Gary’s expertise means that he and his team are routinely instructed in the following cases:

• All serious fraud work including SFO investigations, cartel offences, company investigations, MTIC, diversion and PONZI frauds, boiler room frauds investment frauds, money laundering business trading frauds, tax fraud, short and long term frauds, insider dealing, market abuse, bribery and corruption (including cross border corruption investigations) and all POCA related matters
• Business regulatory law, breaches of health and safety and health and safety acts, corporate manslaughter, food safety, trading standards, consumer protection and environmental health
• Investigations by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), now known as the Service Police Legacy Investigations
• Allegations of war crimes
• Electoral matters
• Investigations brought by the Competition and Markets Authority (formerly OFT)
• European Arrest Warrants (EAW) and Interpol Red Notices
• Disqualification of directors, judicial review and case stated
• Professional Disciplinary, SRA, BSB and sports regulatory law
• General criminal defence work

Check the contact details on the right or use our contact form.

For media enquiries please contact Gary via media@blackfords.com

• What the directories say

  Leading lawyer & Hall of Fame – Legal 500, 2023. Recommended in the fields of Crime, Fraud & White Collar Crime, Health & Safety and Professional Discipline

  Leading Lawyer – Chambers and Partners 2022. Recommended in the fields of Crime, Financial Crime and POCA & Asset Forfeiture

  • “Ferocious.” (Legal 500, 2023)
  • “As close to royalty as the legal profession can offer. He has a direct and confident manner which is respected by clients and opponents alike.’ (Legal 500, 2023)
  • “Best pre-charge lawyer out there.” (Legal 500, 2023)
  • “A bulldog in a suit. Fiercely represents his clients in a no-nonsense way and is robust with prosecutors. If there is a chance of getting a case dropped, he will find it.” (Legal 500, 2022)
  • “A no-nonsense lawyer, who relates to clients from all walks of life.” (Legal 500, 2022)
  • “A class act. Highly experienced, he exercises exceptional judgment and is able to read between the lines in a case. He is highly trusted by his clients. He is a pleasure to work with, easy going but always ensuring that he gets full effort, commitment and performance from those he works with, he brings out the best of those he works with. He is bright, trustworthy and discreet.” (Legal 500, 2022)
  • “Gary is brilliant at instilling confidence in clients and he’s incredibly strategic.” (Chambers & Partners 2022)
  • “Gary is great with clients and good tactically.” (Chambers & Partners 2022)
  • “An excellent tactician with great experience” (Chambers & Partners 2021)
  • “He is able to cut through the fat of a case and get straight to the meat of the matter.” “He is no-nonsense, very efficient and good to work with.” “He has outstanding tactical judgement.” (Chambers & Partners 2021)
  • “Is a class act. He won’t be intimidated or riled by any opponent. Whilst a fighter, he is also pragmatic, down to earth and easy to work with – a real team player. He is bright, trustworthy, discreet” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “Exceptional litigator” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “Gary Bloxsome is vastly experienced and with a very loyal following” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “Gary Bloxsome has developed a brilliant practice for the rich and famous and is fantastic looking after reputation in highly sensitive cases” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “I cannot speak highly enough of him; he is a brilliant tactician, hugely committed and can speak to anyone; he is little short of a legend” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “The boss, the governor. Superb. One of the pre-eminent ‘pre charge’ lawyers – the person to get if you want to avoid being charged in the first place.” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “A fierce and dedicated solicitor. An asset to any team.” (Legal 500, 2021)
  • “A joy to work with – he exudes confidence and inspires all around him, giving the client a really positive outlook without being unrealistic” (Chambers & Partners 2020)
  • “Absolutely superb with clients” (Chambers & Partners 2020)
  • “Outstanding tactician” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “A Senior Partner with a remarkable intellect and razor sharp judgement; clients love him” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “A wise head with great judgement” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “Charismatic with great judgement and a loyal following” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “Highly intelligent” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “One of the best criminal lawyers I know” (Legal 500 2020)
  • “Hard working and very tenacious” (Chambers & Partners 2019)
  • “Lovely rapport with clients” (Chambers & Partners 2019)
  • “Extremely able with a great knowledge of the law” (Chambers & Partners 2019)
  • “Charismatic rainmaker” (Legal 500 2019)
  • Great tactical awareness” (Legal 500 2019)
  • “A brilliant lawyer, master tactician and as cool as a cucumber” (Legal 500 2019)
  • “Very tough criminal litigator, excellent in the police station and in persuading the police not to proceed” (Legal 500 2019)
  • “Has enormous experience and is tactically very astute” (Chambers & Partners 2018)
  • “Is a fiercely intelligent and hard working solicitor” (Chambers and Partners 2018)
  • “Strategic thinker” with a “big client base” (Chambers and Partners 2018)
  • “He is always there to make sure things are running smoothly. He has a real grasp of all the cases being dealt with by his firm and is always present if there is an issue” (Chambers and Partners 2018)
  • “A wise counsellor who leads with real distinction” (Legal 500 2017)
  • “A great tactician who is diligent to the nth degree” (Legal 500 2017)
  • He comes highly recommended as a “very thorough and committed solicitor” (Chambers and Partners 2017)
  • “Great rapport with clients” (Chambers and Partners 2017)
  • “A good, smart lawyer who is fiery and heavy hitting” (Chambers and Partners 2017)
  • “He has the confidence of his clients and is totally unflappable” (Chambers and Partners 2017)
  • “Committed and determined” (Legal 500 2016)
  • “Exceptional client care skills” (Legal 500 2016)
  • “First class criminal solicitor” (Legal 500 2016)
  • “Extremely disciplined, determined and focused with excellent client care.” (Chambers and Partners, 2016)
  • “Offers the sort of reassuringly calm but forceful and no-nonsense advice that can only come with years of experience.” (Chambers and Partners, 2016)
  • “Extremely experienced” serious crime specialist. (Chambers and Partners, 2016)
  • “Diligent, committed and an excellent client handler.” (The Legal 500, 2015)
  • “Experienced, dedicated and thorough.” (The Legal 500, 2015)
  • “Leading light in the field of criminal defence.” (Chambers and Partners, 2015)
  • “Particular expertise in fraud cases.” (Chambers and Partners, 2015)
  • “Determined and charismatic.” (Legal 500, 2014)
  • “Uniquely strong following amongst his clients.” (Legal 500, 2014)
  • “Widely respected for his hands-on approach to case management, and highlighted for his ‘strong following with clients’. He is also recognised for the care and attention he gives to clients, and for the thoroughness with which he pursues their cause.” (Chambers and Partners 2013)
  • “Real instinct to use the right tactics.” (Legal 500, 2012)
  • “Very experienced.” (Legal 500, 2012)
  • “Superb service.” (Chambers & Partners 2012)
  • “Hands on knowledge and involvement in cases are first rate.” (Legal 500, 2011)
  • “Stands out not just in this firm but amongst solicitors generally.” (Legal 500, 2010)

• Notable recent cases

  • S v The United Kingdom –  European Court of Human Rights.
  • R v W – Operation Slick – Largest investigation involving a joint operation between the FSA and City of London Economic crime unit and the UK’s largest worldwide restraint cases.
  • R v B – Operation Cent – Anti-corruption unit worldwide investigation regarding bomb detection units.
  • R v W – SIPT bribery and corruption investigation in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
  • R v K – Highly publicised Conspiracy to defraud and Murder.
  • R v H – Conspiracy to defraud.
  • R v D – Conspiracy to Murder.
  • R v S – Fraud over 20-year period.
  • R v P – Cardiff Three police corruption case.
  • R v L – OFT Cartel investigation.
  • R v K – High court extradition to the US for terrorist related offences.
  • R v A – Largest Mortgage fraud ever investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
  • R v L – Largest importation of cocaine to the UK.
  • R v S – UN Oil for Food Investigations – Successfully avoided client being charged after the 10-year enquiry by the SFO into dealings with the Iraqi regime and the alleged bribery and corruption by UK based individuals.
  • R v M – Most wanted female in UK for her involvement in the most complex fraud case.
  • R v H – Operation Tabalua – Large scale Insider Dealing case.
  • R v J – Operation Eaglewood – Money Laundering case in excess of £100m.
  • R v S – Operation Aquamarine – Large scale mortgage fraud.
  • R v J – Operation Torrens – Multi Jurisdiction Fraud.
  • R v R & Others – Operation Tangelo 2 – Extremely large HMRC duty diversion case involving 17 defendants. Abuse of Process argument on behalf of client led to the Prosecution offering no evidence towards all defendants after systematic and fundamental flaws in HMRC’s ability to discharge its statutory disclosure obligations were exposed.
  • R v S – Operation Digit E – Client acquitted in massive payroll fraud within the textile industry – secured the only acquittal in case.
  • R v T – Operation Eleveden.
  • R v SJ – Operation JJB-3 – large scale SFO matter against JJB sport Operation Mecklenberger matter – large scale money laundering conspiracy.
  • R v K – High profile extradition matter where the USA sought to extradite the client. Gary Bloxsome instructing expert team to seek leave for matter to be heard in the Supreme Court in relation to double jeopardy. Client originally charged with conspiracy to defraud.
  • Currently instructed to defend in a number of separate high profile SFO investigations and cases.
  • Currently instructed to defend client being investigated in relation to a 13-year old tax fraud.
  • Currently advising a high profile political figure in respect of a criminal investigation.
  • Currently instructed by high net worth clients allegedly in breach of the Town and Country Planning Act in respect of their London property portfolio and liaising with their civil legal team.
  • Currently instructed by a Dubai businessman in relation to a suspected large scale fraud operation and liaising and advising his Dubai legal team.
  • Currently instructed by a very high net worth US citizen in relation to an investigation and liaising with and working in partnership with his US legal team.
  • Currently instructed in War Crimes investigations.

• Memberships & associations

  • Member of The Extradition Lawyers Association.
  • Member of the Complex Crime Unit (Legal Services Commission).
  • Supervisor and contract manager on the VHCC Panel.
  • Member of the LCCSA.
  • Member of the SAHCA.
  • Member of POCLA.
  • Member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.
  • Registered lawyer under the FA Football Agents Regulations.