Paul Worth and Gerallt Owen, Eversheds

Paul Worth, Partner
Paul is a partner at Eversheds LLP and heads the firm's fraud and asset recovery team, which advises clients on all legal and financial issues arising from employee or third party fraud. He therefore regularly advises corporate and insurer clients on fraud and financial irregularity issues. He has considerable experience of making emergency court applications to secure evidence and preserve assets.

Paul is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and a regular speaker on fraud related issues. He also contributes to the Police Federation's economic crime training programme and is Deputy Chairman of the Midlands Fraud Forum.

The Chambers and Partners directory 2007 ranks Paul as the leading commercial litigator in the region, with "an extremely practical approach to complex disputes", and describes him as "expert, pragmatic, thorough and responsive."

Gerallt Owen, Partner
Gerallt is a partner in Eversheds’ litigation and dispute management practice and head of the fraud and financial crime team. He specialises in domestic and international investigations, fraud, corporate crime, disciplinary proceedings and regulation.

He has advised on high profile investigations and proceedings brought by the Serious Fraud Office, the DTI, HM Revenue & Customs, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Financial Services Authority. Gerallt also advises corporations and financial institutions in respect of regulatory compliance issues. He is an intervention agent for the Solicitors' Regulation Authority and is a member of the Disciplinary Panel of The Academy of Experts.

Gerallt was inaugural Chairman of the Young Fraud Lawyers Association and is a member of the ICAEW Tax Investigations working group, ARDL and the LCCSA.

Criminal prosecution, Civil Recovery or both?
When a business is hit by a fraud, how should it respond? Refer the matter to the police and allow them to prosecute the offenders? Or use the civil courts to recover the company's losses? Are there any circumstances when you can do both?

Paul Worth and Gez Owen will discuss the relationship between the civil and criminal processes, highlighting the pros and cons of each for businesses affected by fraud.

Their talk will also cover:

• Maximising the prospect of the police taking your case

• Maximising the prospect of a conviction.

• Private Investigators - the do's and don'ts

• Victim compensation through the criminal courts

• Private prosecutions

• The proposed Combined Financial Court