Sam Roake
Call: 2011
“This is an excellent set that has worked hard to secure a well-deserved position amongst the leading sets at the Criminal Bar.”
Chambers UK Bar, 2022
Personal profile
Sam Roake is typically instructed in large and complex investigations and inquiries into corporations and individuals.
In addition to his inquiry work, he has extensive Business Crime & Fraud experience, often in extremely large and complex cases involving multi-jurisdictional issues, and challenges to disclosure and legal professional privilege.
Sam is also well-versed in the design & implementation of data analysis strategies across large data sets in an investigations context.
Extremely user-friendly, Sam enjoys working collaboratively as part of investigative teams.
Fraud
Sam has often been instructed in large and complex multi-jurisdictional financial investigations, both for prosecution and defence. Of particular note is his extensive experience as part of the investigation team in a multibillion-dollar SFO bribery & corruption investigation, encompassing both criminal and civil litigation.
He has also been privately instructed as junior counsel for the defence in an investigation into an alleged international fraud/money laundering conspiracy, and has advised a private prosecution firm at the pre-trial stage in an alleged multi-million-pound conspiracy to defraud. He has been instructed by the SFO’s Proceeds of Crime unit (Operation Steamroller, a £70m boiler room fraud and the largest of its kind ever prosecuted in the UK).
Sam has worked in overseas jurisdictions and has experience of the Mutual Legal Assistance regime, both as a defender and prosecutor. In addition, he has received formal training in civil litigation & procedure.
Featured Cases
- SFO Bribery & Corruption investigation into former FTSE100 company (2015–2019).
- R v M and others (2016–2018) – Led junior in investigation into alleged international money laundering conspiracy.
- R v A and others (2015–2016) – Multi-million pound conspiracy to defraud investigation conducted by a private prosecutor. Instructed at the investigation stage and led the review team.
- Operation Steamroller (2015) – Instructed by SFO Proceeds of Crime Division at confiscation stage concerning the UK’s largest ever ‘boiler room’ fraud.
Inquests & Inquiries
Sam is part of the counsel team assisting Dame Linda Dobbs in considering whether issues relating to HBOS Reading were investigated and appropriately reported to authorities following Lloyds Banking Group’s acquisition of HBOS.
In 2019, Sam was also a member of the Aftermath Team in the Grenfell Public Inquiry.
Featured Cases
- Dame Linda Dobbs Review (ongoing) – Part of the team assisting Dame Linda Dobbs in considering whether issues relating to HBOS Reading were investigated and appropriately reported to authorities following Lloyds Banking Group’s acquisition of HBOS.
- Grenfell Inquiry (2019) – Member of the Aftermath team.
- SFO bribery & corruption investigation into former FTSE100 company (2015–2019)
- R v M and others (2016–2018) – Led junior in investigation into alleged international money laundering conspiracy.
- R v A and others (2015–2016) – Multi-million pound conspiracy to defraud investigation conducted by a private prosecutor. Instructed at the investigation stage and led the review team.
- Operation Steamroller (2015) – Instructed by SFO Proceeds of Crime Division at confiscation stage concerning the UK’s largest ever ‘boiler room’ fraud.
Public & Administrative Law
Sam has acted for private clients accused of driving offences (e.g. drink driving) and quasi-criminal matters (e.g. licensing offences).
Professional Discipline
Sam has been instructed by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a case presenter in the full range of hearings.
Education
- Bar Vocational Course, College of Law
- Graduate Diploma in Law, London Metropolitan University
- BA (Hons) Modern and Medieval Languages, University of Oxford
Awards
- Lord Justice Holker Award, Gray’s Inn
Memberships
- FLA
- Young Fraud Lawyers Association – Committee Member (2018-2019)
- Bar Council, Young Barristers’ Committee (2016–2018)
- Bar Council, Pro Bono Committee (2016–2018)
- South Eastern Circuit (former member of Access to Justice Working Group)
- CBA
- Young Legal Aid Lawyers
Languages
- French
- Italian