Tom Forster KC
Call: 1993 | Silk: 2018
Personal profile
Tom specialises in advising corporate clients, individuals, NGOs and public bodies in the fields of Business Crime & Fraud, Public & Administrative Law, Serious & Organised Crime, Homicide, and Regulatory & Professional Discipline.
He has a multi-jurisdictional practice, regularly appearing in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the Court of Appeal, the Crown Court, the High Court and a range of statutory Tribunals.
He defends contentious allegations alongside advising in related pre-contentious or non-contentious matters.
He is recognised for his legal dexterity, tactical acumen, versatility and commercial pragmatisim, making him a sought after advocate and adviser in high-profile cases.
He has a particular interest in acting for NGOs seeking to expose and challenge gross human rights abuses. A recent example is his work leading the counsel team for the World Uyghur Congress in the groundbreaking challenge to the NCA’s decision not to open a money laundering investigation into the trade of cotton in the UK from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China: World Uyghur Congress v NCA [2024] EWCA Civ 715
He also acts as a Special Advocate in some of the most high profile cases of recent years in the field of national security. In 2025 he was appointed as Advocate to the Court and the Special Advocate in the landmark super injunction proceedings: Ministry of Defence v Global Media and Entertainment and others [2025] EWHC 1806 (KB).
He is also highly experienced in defending homicide cases, particularly before the Central Criminal Court. He is the editor of the homicide chapter in Archbold: Criminal Pleading Evidence & Practice [Sweet and Maxwell)
Recommendations
― The TimesTimes "Lawyer of the Week" 24 July 2025
― Legal 500 (2025)Tom is a master strategist as well as courteous, charming, and very persuasive. Tactics and presentation win cases, and he excels in both. He is legally very astute and demonstrates impeccable judgment. His capacity for hard work is exceptional and his eye for detail is second to none. Tom is very classy and modest and has the most amazing brain. He is frighteningly intelligent.
― Chambers UK (2025)A top class, dynamic advocate
― Chambers UK (2025)Great lawyer, with fantastic advocacy skills and excellent advice
― Legal 500 (2025)Tom's advocacy is smooth and persuasive, and his knowledge of the law is incredibly impressive. He is an exceptional asset to Chambers.
― Legal 500 (2025)Tom is a master strategist as well as courteous, charming, and very persuasive. Tactics and presentation win cases, and he excels in both. He is legally very astute and demonstrates impeccable judgment. His capacity for hard work is exceptional and his eye for detail is second to none. Tom is very classy and modest and has the most amazing brain. He is frighteningly intelligent.
― Chambers UK (2025)He has an amazing brain on him and is superbly mentally dexterous. His knowledge of the law is second to none.
― Chambers UK (2025)Tom is a good tactician and practitioner.
― Chambers UK (2025)Tom is an intellectual powerhouse and always well-prepared and composed. He can identify a path through the evidence and is an extremely thoughtful and persuasive advocate.
― Chambers UK (2025)Tom Forster is a top-class, dynamic advocate.
― Chambers UK (2025)Tom is terrific. He's ingenious in his arguments and great at finding a way to get to the root of the problem.
― Chambers UK (2025)Tom is a great lawyer, with fantastic advocacy skills and excellent advice.
― Legal 500 (2024)Tom is an advocate of exceptional skill. He is able to cut through very complex and messy areas of dispute to strategically focus the court on key points. His client care skills are also exceptional.
― Chambers UK (2023)Extremely well prepared and a safe pair of hands. Very precise and very forensic in his approach, he’s thoughtful and measured before the tribunal.
― Chambers UK (2023)Tom is excellent.
― Chambers UK (2023)Tom is a careful thinker and a very engaging advocate.
― Legal 500 (2022)Tom is a diligent and very capable advocate. He remains calm under pressure and has a solid command of the law.
― Chambers UK (2022)Very good strategically and a great advocate.
― Chambers UK (2022)He has the ear of the court.
― Chambers UK (2022)He is very good with clients.
― Chambers UK (2022)His work ethic is impressive and he is
extremely well prepared.
― Chambers UK (2021)A really intelligent and diligent silk who gains the trust of judges with his thoroughness and commitment to a case.
― Chambers UK (2021)He is an excellent choice for the weightier matter, as he can lead a team and drive a case forward.
― Chambers UK (2021)Diligent, thorough and stylish.
― Chambers UK (2021)He is very thorough, really easy to get on with and gives sound advice.
― Chambers UK (2021)He is very good on strategy and has good judgement.
― Chambers UK (2021)Has a nice jury manner and judges like him – he is trusted and has the judges ear.
― Chambers UK (2020)A superb lawyer and a very good advocate. He has quite an acerbic sense of humour but there’s always a twinkle in his eye and juries like him.
― Chambers UK (2020)Extremely good with clients, very well prepared and someone whose legal knowledge is very impressive.
― Chambers UK (2020)Absolutely honed as an advocate and incredibly relaxed in his whole demeanour.
― Chambers UK (2020)A barrister who is lauded for going above and beyond the call of duty to secure great results in financial criminal cases. He acts for both the defence and prosecuting authorities, and has experience of defending insider dealing cases brought by the FCA and tax fraud matters brought by HMRC. Mr Forster is also adept at related confiscation proceedings. He is noted for his effective advocacy and his high levels of client-care.
― Chambers UK (2019)Tom is extremely bright, hard-working, reliable and great to work with. He is a very careful thinker who knows which way to go.
― Legal 500 (2021)A driven and committed advocate, who thrives in the pressure of big cases. He is extremely hard working and his case management is second to none.
― Legal 500 (2021)Incredibly easy-going, with a charming manner that belies a highly academic and tenacious mind.
― Legal 500 (2020)He has a first-rate brain and a quiet, authoritative manner. Academic yet practical, and extremely straightforward to deal with.
― Legal 500 (2019)A superb barrister, always responsive, creative and ready to go the extra mile.
― Legal 500 (2019)Clients respect his no-nonsense attitude and keen intellect, and his advice is second to none.
― Legal 500 (2019)He is extremely hardworking, unflappable, approachable.
Business Crime & Fraud
Tom specialises in advising and acting for corporates, individuals and agencies on all aspects of business crime including fraud, insider dealing and financial markets, bribery and corruption, money laundering and restraint and civil asset recovery.
Tom is also instructed in related civil, public law and regulatory work.
His clients have included corporates, individuals and domestic financial services institutions including banks, high net worth individuals, government agencies and specialist regulatory authorities such as the FCA and FRC.
He has many years’ experience defending in a wide range of contested criminal fraud cases, including investment frauds, revenue fraud, insider dealing and complex trading frauds.
He is highly sought after for urgent and practical advice on anti-money laundering (AML) matters arising mid corporate transaction or as part of ongoing litigation, as well as longer term advice for companies acting in high risk industries.
He also advises financial services institutions and banks upon their strategic compliance with AML requirements.
He regularly speaks and writes upon the impact of the new Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and the failure to prevent fraud offence.
He has a particular interest in acting for and advising NGOs in this space, most recently in the groundbreaking challenge by the World Uyghur Congress in its challenge to the operation of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 on international supply chains: World Uyghur Congress v NCA [2024] EWCA Civ 715
Reviews
He has an amazing brain on him and is superbly mentally dexterous. His knowledge of the law is second to none.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Tom is an intellectual powerhouse and always well-prepared and composed. He can identify a path through the evidence and is an extremely thoughtful and persuasive advocate.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Tom Forster is a top-class, dynamic advocate.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Tom is terrific. He’s ingenious in his arguments and great at finding a way to get to the root of the problem.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Tom is a great lawyer, with fantastic advocacy skills and excellent advice.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Bribery & Corruption
Tom has significant experience of cases involving bribery and corruption, particularly with an international dimension. His first notable instruction in this field was by the SFO as junior counsel in its investigation into BAE Systems which attracted acute media/public interest both nationally and internationally. This acted as a springboard to further instructions to defend in such cases including in DPAs. He also advises corporate clients upon self-reporting and corruption responsibilities.
Reviews
Tom is a master strategist as well as courteous, charming, and very persuasive. Tactics and presentation win cases, and he excels in both. He is legally very astute and demonstrates impeccable judgment. His capacity for hard work is exceptional and his eye for detail is second to none. Tom is very classy and modest and has the most amazing brain. He is frighteningly intelligent.
― Legal 500 (2025)
Regulatory & Professional Disciplinary
Before taking silk Tom was appointed to the A–G’s Regulatory List and was regularly instructed by both the Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive in the prosecution of the most serious environmental protection and health and safety offences. He has continued to undertake this complex work in silk for defendants.
He regularly appears at inquests in coroners’ courts, mainly for companies following fatalities in the workplace and defends cases brought by the EA and Food Standards Agency. He has defended civil enforcement measures in both fields.
He also acts for and advises individuals and public authorities, in particular UKAD, in the field of anti-doping in sport.
Tom possesses an enviable depth of experience before various professional disciplinary/fitness to practice tribunals and has appeared in and advised upon some of the most high profile cases before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, Bar Tribunals Adjudication Service and the Professional Conduct Committee of the Architects Registration Board.
Public & Administrative Law
Tom is noted for his adept handling of judicial review work in the criminal justice sphere. He acts for NGOs, most notably recently in the groundbreaking challenge by the World Uyghur Congress focusing upon the operation of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 on international supply chains (World Uyghur Congress v NCA [2024] EWCA Civ 715), public bodies (particularly the Parole Board) and individuals.
He is regularly instructed as the special advocate in high profile cases in the field of national security. This has often involved, in particular, control orders, terrorism prevention and investigation measures, national security deportations and exclusions, deprivations of citizenship, terrorist asset freezing orders, applications for deproscription before POAC and claims for damages in connection with alleged unlawful action by government departments/agencies.
Most recently he acted as the advocate to the court and then special advocate in the landmark super injunction proceedings: Ministry of Defence v Global Media and Entertainment and others [2025] EWHC 1806 (KB)
Murder & Manslaughter
Tom is highly experienced in defending in cases of murder, manslaughter and corporate manslaughter, particularly at the Central Criminal Court. He is the editor of the homicide chapter in Archbold: Criminal Pleading Evidence & Practice (Sweet and Maxwell)
Reviews
He has an amazing brain on him and is superbly mentally dexterous. His knowledge of the law is second to none.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Tom is an intellectual powerhouse and always well-prepared and composed. He can identify a path through the evidence and is an extremely thoughtful and persuasive advocate.
― Chambers UK (2025)
Professional Appointments
- Appointed Silk 2018
- SFO KC Panel including for POCA
- A-G Panel of KC Special Advocates (England and Wales)
- Recorder of the Crown Court
Memberships
- CBA
- ARDL
- ALBA
- South Eastern Circuit
- HSLA
Publications
- Archbold: Criminal Pleading Evidence & Practice [Sweet and Maxwell)