Michael Goodwin KC
Call: 1996 | Silk: 2019
Personal profile
Michael Goodwin KC is highly regarded as an expert in Business Crime & Fraud, and Serious & Organised Crime cases. He is ranked as a leading King’s Counsel in Financial Crime, General Crime and Business & Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations).
The Legal 500 describes Michael as clever, organised, calm and a class act in the courtroom, and as being a serious heavy-hitter in criminal fraud. He combines a powerful intellect with a measured and effective advocacy style.
According to Chambers UK Michael has amazing flair in court and outstanding knowledge. He is a great court advocate who charms juries and judges. He is also very technically skilled and a well-respected barrister with notable expertise in prosecuting and defending high-value financial crime cases.
Michael has extensive experience defending and prosecuting in high profile and complex criminal litigation. Michael represents individual, corporate and professional clients. He provides strategic advice during the investigative stages of a case, and court representation throughout the life of a case. He conducts cases fearlessly and with tactical precision. He is a meticulous and extremely persuasive advocate.
Michael also has particular expertise of Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary proceedings, and represents professional clients in concurrent criminal and non-criminal proceedings if required.
Recommendations
― Legal 500 (2025)Michael is a consummate advocate. He is careful, measured and precise. He is a details barrister who leaves no stone unturned.
― Legal 500 (2025)Michael is very thorough and incredibly analytical. He is a powerful advocate and highly respected by his peers.
― Chambers UK (2025)Even on paper-heavy cases, he gets to the salient points very quickly.
― Chambers UK (2025)He is thorough and organised and his advocacy and drafting are extremely persuasive.
― Chambers UK (2025)His attention to detail is amazing. Even on paper-heavy cases, he gets to the salient points very quickly. His submissions in court are very astute and he commands the courtroom.
― Chambers UK (2025)Michael is one of the brightest King's Counsel out there. He is thorough and organised and his advocacy and drafting are extremely persuasive.
― Chambers UK (2025)Michael is exceptional in his cross-examination of the witnesses. He deals with complicated arguments with ease and is very detail focused.
― Chambers UK (2025)Michael is thorough, clear-sighted and very experienced.
― Legal 500 (2024)Michael is a first-class practitioner. He has a tremendous ability to foster good relations with judges, juries, and other members of the Bar. He is extremely likeable, hardworking, courteous and honest. He has a phenomenal intellect and great powers of cross-examination.
― Chambers UK (2023)He is a forensically astute advocate.
― Chambers UK (2023)Michael is a good team player who is thorough and well prepared.
― Legal 500 (2023)Michael is incredibly meticulous in his preparation and one of the best advocates around. You want him on your side.
― Chambers UK (2022)He is extremely clever and takes a pragmatic approach. He has a great reputation with the prosecution agencies and the court.
― Chambers UK (2022)He is a great court advocate who charms juries and judges. He is also very technically skilled.
― Chambers UK (2022)He is extremely hard-working and is an outstanding advocate.
― Chambers UK (2022)He has amazing flair in court and outstanding knowledge.
― Chambers UK (2022)Superb. Responsive, a pleasure to deal with, and liked by clients, he’s an all-round excellent advocate.
― Chambers UK (2022)A well-respected barrister with notable expertise in prosecuting and defending high-value financial crime cases.
― Legal 500 (2022)Michael is first class. He is an obvious choice when dealing with high profile and complex fraud cases. He is exceptionally clever, and is very compelling both on his feet and in his written submissions.
― Legal 500 (2022)Eye for detail and always fully prepared.
― Chambers UK (2021)He has amazing flair in court and outstanding knowledge.
― Chambers UK (2021)Incredibly thorough in his preparation and leaves no stone unturned.
― Legal 500 (2021) Ranked: Criminal Fraud [Leading Silk]Michael is a serious heavy-hitter in criminal fraud. He combines a powerful intellect with a measured and effective advocacy style.
― Chambers UK (2020) Ranked: Financial Crime [Leading Silk]A well-respected barrister with notable expertise in prosecuting and defending high-value financial crime cases. He has experience in bribery, corruption and tax fraud matters.
Superb. Responsive, a pleasure to deal with, and liked by clients, he’s an all-round excellent advocate.
He has amazing flair in court and outstanding knowledge.
― Legal 500 (2020): Criminal Fraud [Leading Silk]His work ethic is tireless.
― Legal 500 (2019)His calm and measured advocacy style carries authority.
― Legal 500 (2019) Ranked: Business & Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations)Clever, organised, calm and a class act in the courtroom.
― Legal 500 (2017)He is excellent at organising detailed evidence and has a charming persona with the jury.
Business Crime & Fraud
Michael Goodwin KC’s practice includes the full range of Business Crime & Fraud and white-collar criminal cases. Michael is ranked as a Leading Barrister in Financial Crime by Chambers UK and by the Legal 500. He is described by the directories as being extremely clever and takes a pragmatic approach. He has a great reputation and he is a great court advocate who charms juries and judges. He is also very technically skilled and as being first class. He is an obvious choice when dealing with high profile and complex fraud cases. He is exceptionally clever, and is very compelling both on his feet and in his written submissions.
Michael provides strategic advice to individuals (including directors and company officers) and corporate clients, from an early stage of any investigation.
Michael defends and prosecutes the most serious and complex high-profile business and financial crime cases. He has been instructed in some of the largest serious fraud litigation to be investigated and brought before the courts. Michael prosecutes regularly for the Serious Fraud Office, and has been appointed to the SFO QC Panel (2020 to date). He was recently instructed by the SFO to prosecute two former senior managers of Serco Ltd. In 2019 he was instructed by the SFO in the fifth Deferred Prosecution Agreement, approved by Mr Justice William Davis on 4th July 2019: SFO v Serco Geografix Ltd.
Michael conducts and advises clients wishing to bring and defend private prosecutions. He advises companies on compliance issues and internal investigations.
Michael has particular expertise in tax related criminal proceedings and represents company directors and corporates before the Criminal Courts and Tax Tribunal.
Michael has extensive experience related to Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 proceedings. He conducts confiscation, restraint, forfeiture and civil recovery proceedings.
Featured cases
- R v A: Instructed to defend company director for alleged fraud charges brought by the SFO in respect of the collapse of the nationwide car leasing scheme Buy2Let Cars. [Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report]
- R V M: Instructed to prosecute company director who ran a high profile multi-million pound nationwide fraudulent Ponzi scheme known as the ‘Layezy Racing Syndicate.’ The purported gambling scheme collapsed in 2019 following receipts of over £44m. [Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report][Press Report]
- R v M: Instructed to represent company director in proceedings brought by the National Crime Agency.
- Re B: Instructed to advise a company director in a multi-million pound investigation into fraud, corruption and bribery.
- R v S: Instructed to defend company director in carbon credit fraud case.
- R v C: Instructed to prosecute company director in multi-handed money laundering conspiracy case.
- R v A: Instructed to defend a local Councillor & Cabinet Member of Wolverhampton Council in high profile 8 day appeal against conviction hearing. [Press Report] [Press Report]
- SFO – Instructed by the Serious Fraud Office in a complex fraud and money laundering case.
- SFO v B – Instructed to prosecute on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office to prosecute two former employees of Serco Ltd for allegations of fraud.
- Re D – Instructed to represent a corporation being investigated for multi-million pound tax fraud related to offshore tax avoidance planning.
- Re G – Instructed to represent a company director being investigated for multi-million pound tax fraud.
- R v A – Instructed to defend a partner of a top-flight accountancy firm charged in a professional capacity with a multi-million pound corporate tax fraud.
- Re B – Instructed to represent a company director being investigated by the SFO into multi-jurisdictional corruption and bribery associated with the trading of Unaoil, and securing international petrochemical contracts.
- Re C – Instructed to represent a corporation being investigated for multi-million pound tax fraud related to player transfers in the Premier League.
- R v X – Instructed to defend a company director in a multi-million pound local government bribery, corruption and money laundering case relating to fire regulation compliance within a London borough local council tower blocks.
- SFO v Serco Geografix Ltd – Instructed to represent the SFO in proceedings in which the fifth Deferred Prosecution Agreement was applied for and approved on 4th July 2019 at Southwark Crown Court by Mr Justice William Davis. [Press Report]
- Op Solitude – Instructed to defend a company director in a £35m conspiracy to launder monies for organised crime groups through a network of Money Service Bureaus.
- Op Bronze – Prosecuted 18 defendants for misconduct in public office, fraud and money laundering in three trials, arising from one of the largest local authority private prosecutions ever brought. [Press Report]
- R v V – Instructed to defend a company director in a large-scale international immigration fraud and multi-million pound money laundering conspiracy.
- R v E – Instructed to defend in a multi-million pound duty evasion case.
- R v M – Instructed to defend a NHS senior manager charged with fraud committed in the course of their employment.
- R v D – Instructed to defend an international immigration fraud conspiracy facilitating 70 asylum seekers being smuggled across UK borders.
- R v S – Instructed to defend a senior Metropolitan Police Officer charged with multi-million pound fraud.
- R v L – Instructed to prosecute a seven-month trial on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office for a £100m multi-handed banking syndicate fraud described at the time as the “biggest ever banking fraud of its kind”. [Press Report]
- R v I – Instructed to defend a £170m MTIC/VAT Fraud representing a company director. [Press Report]
- R v B – Instructed to defend a company director in a multi-million pound pharmaceutical fraud.
- R v Q – Instructed to defend a pharmacist in a multi-million pound regulatory fraud case arising from an international conspiracy to distribute and manufacture counterfeit life-saving medicines. The prosecution (brought by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) centred on the regulation and control of medicine licensing within the EU
- Op Singapour: Instructed to defend allegations of international conspiracies to defraud and launder monies.
- SFO v Balfour Beatty – Instructed by the SFO in the first civil recovery order being made relating to unlawful conduct arising from inaccurate accounting records. [Press Report]
- SFO v F – Instructed by the SFO in the prosecution of a global computer supplier company chairman for fraudulent trading.
Serious & Organised Crime
Michael Goodwin KC is ranked as a Leading King’s Counsel in crime. He is an expert in high profile homicide and serious crime cases.
Michael defends and prosecutes with particular expertise offences of murder, manslaughter, large scale drugs conspiracies, and gang related violence.
Applying his 28 years of experience within the criminal courts, Michael has been instructed in some of the largest and most complex serious crime cases.
Michael conducts cases before all criminal courts, including appeals before the Court of Appeal and Crown Court.
- Providing strategic advise
- Exercising tactical precision
- Employing a pragmatical approach
Michael is available to advise at an early stage of any investigation with a view to trying to prevent charges being brought against his clients.
Michael advises upon and conducts private prosecutions.
Featured cases
- R v O: Instructed to prosecute Brixton drill rapper Jyrelle O’Connor (aka ‘Loski’) for gang related firearm offences, in a case involving the Kennington-based criminal gang the Harlem Spartans. News stories here:[Press Report][Press Report] [Press Report]
- R v B: Instructed to defend in serious domestic violence abuse case. The prosecution had concerned a campaign of sustained physical violence, abuse, and persistent battering including a fractured jaw to the complainant.
- Op Discharge – Instructed to defend in an eight-handed importation of 3m contraband cigarettes case.
- Op Sorel l – Instructed to defend an international conspiracy to steal and export to the UAE high performance vehicles, by a professional organised crime gang using sophisticated cloning devices to replicate contactless keys at airport valet parking services.
- Op Lambda – Instructed to prosecute a £3m nationwide cannabis cultivation conspiracy involving 25 properties. [Press Report]
- Op Karnack – Instructed to defend in a 12-handed £65m international drugs importation and distribution conspiracy.
- R v G – Acted for the first defendant in a five-handed SOCA importation of 50kg cocaine case.
Murder & Manslaughter
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R v S : prosecuted 8 defendants for a high profile gang related triple shooting in south London on the weekend of the King’s Coronation. Following the stabbing of an associate in East Dulwich, the defendants carried out a “revenge” attack against individuals believed to be in the south London rival 22 gang. The three shootings took place on residential streets in Peckham during daylight hours. Stolen vehicles had been used and the group had been armed with weapons including a loaded sawn-off shot gun, machete and zombie knife.[Telegraph][Standard][London News Online][Southwark News]
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R v A: Prosecuted a multi-handed London based gang shooting, which included for attempted murder and firearms offences.
- R v C: Defended in a high profile East London murder case in which a manslaughter verdict resulted. News stories here: [Press Report] [Press Report][Press Report][Press Report]
- R v G: Instructed to defend in high profile domestic ‘crime of passion’ murder case, in which V had been stabbed whilst asleep 20 times. The defence had relied upon the abusive nature of the relationship and non-consensual sexual activity. [Press Report][Press Report][Press Report]
[Press Report] - R v T – Instructed to prosecute a manslaughter and arson case in which a high-rise local authority tower block of flats was set on fire on the 9th floor following a neighbour dispute. The victim, who was 8 months pregnant, had died whilst trying to escape. [Press Report]
Human Trafficking
- Op Mime – Instructed to prosecute as leading counsel in an international people smuggling case involving 35 asylum seekers (including families with children) smuggled from Calais, via Belgium and into Tilbury Docks, concealed as freight cargo. One of the immigrants died during the ferry crossing to Dover. [Press Report]
- Op Diviner – Instructed to defend a large-scale international immigration smuggling conspiracy facilitating 70 asylum seekers across UK borders.
Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary
Michael Goodwin KC is ranked as a Leading Barrister by Legal 500 in Business & Regulatory Crime (including Global Investigations). He has particular expertise representing clients in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings, and provides representation in concurrent criminal and non-criminal proceedings, if required.
Michael was instructed by the SFO in the fifth Deferred Prosecution Agreement, approved by Mr Justice William Davis on 4th July 2019 [Report].
Michael has recently been appointed by the President of the Council of the Inns of Court to sit as a Chairman on disciplinary tribunals and other panels including fitness to practice hearings conducted by the Bar Tribunal and Adjudication Service (BTAS).
Michael provides strategic advice and legal representation for professional clients facing investigation by regulators and law enforcement authorities. Michael represents clients before the General Medical Council (including its Fitness to Practise Panel), the General Dental Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Police Disciplinary Tribunal in complex cases of misconduct.
Michael provides cross-jurisdictional representation for company directors, individuals and companies, and advises and represents clients before the First Tier Tax Tribunal (Tax Chamber) in HMRC related litigation and tax disputes. He has considerable experience of multi-million pound VAT appeals involving missing trader intra-community fraud investigations. He also conducts HMRC and excise related litigation before the Tax Tribunal and criminal courts.
Michael advises companies on compliance issues, and internal investigations. These often relate to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and money laundering regulations.
Michael represents individual and corporate clients in Health and Safety prosecutions, including serious fatality at work cases.
Michael is a member of the Red Lion Chambers Fire Law team.
Michael represents interested parties at inquests and in public inquiries.
Education
- University of Leeds
- City University
- Inns of Court School of Law
Professional appointments
Current Appointments:
- SFO QC Panel (2020 to date)
- Chairman of BTAS (2020 to date)
- Deputy District Judge
- Advocacy Trainer, Inner Temple
- Ethics Trainer, Inner Temple
- Barrister Mentor, Inner Temple
- Head of Pupillage, Education & Training at Red Lion Chambers (2017 to date)
Previous Appointments:
- SFO Counsel (Panel A) (2013–2020)
- CPS Panel Advocate (Grade 4, highest grade) (2013–2020)
- CPS Specialist Fraud Panel (2013 –2020)
- CPS Serious Crime Panel (2013–2020)
- Former appointment: Attorney General B Panel
- CBA Social Mobility Committee Member (2017 to date)
- South Eastern Circuit Committee Member (2017–2020)
- Independent Reviewer for the Surrey Police Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund (2013–2016)
- Regional Coordinator for the National Citizenship Foundation Mock Trial Competition (2011–2020)
Memberships
- South Eastern Circuit
- CBA
- FLA
- PPA
- FSLA
- POCAL
- ARDL
- HSLA
Publications
- Criminal Finances Update, 2018
- ‘Legal profession Brexit Working Group paper on Criminal Law’, COMBAR, 2017
- Brexit & Money Laundering Regulation, 2017
- ‘Criminal Law – 5th Edition by Nicola Monaghan, reviewed by Micheal Goodwin QC’, Law Gazette, 2nd September 2019
- Michael discussed Crypto Fraud in a podcast with RPC’s Alice Kemp who hosts the Taxing Matters podcast. This is a fast moving and significant area of the law with increasing numbers of people and businesses falling victim to crypto fraud. Listen to podcast here
- ‘Disclosure Legal Developments & Practice’, RLC Serious Crime Group Webinar, January 2022
- ‘Exploring private prosecutions for business’, RLC Webinar, with panel members from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, December 2021, with panel members from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP
- ‘Defending A Fire Brigade Prosecution’, The Big Red Guide (Fire Industry Sector), co-authored with Sailesh Mehta
- ‘Red Lion Chambers celebrates the 20th anniversary of Pro Bono Week’, RLC Blog, November 2021
- ‘The authors examine HMRC and the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce recent ramping up of operations to identify and investigate any and all misuse of the government’s various coronavirus support schemes, particularly the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)’, The Accountant Online, co-authored
- ‘A leap forward in corporate liability: failure to prevent economic crime offence’, New Law Journal, co-authored with Anita Clifford (Red Lion Chambers) and Daniel Martin (partner at JMW)
- ‘What your business needs to know when it comes to crypto fraud’, Techround, co-authored with Tom Davies (Red Lion Chambers) alongside Simon Davison (AnotherDay) – they advise that conducting pre-transactional due diligence for crypto investments, in the same way you would for conventional investments, can make all the difference.