Asset Identification, Tracing & Recovery

Asset identification, tracing and recovery is a highly specialist and bespoke service offered by members of Pavocat Chambers.  Our barristers assist States, corporations, companies and high-net-worth individuals to recover – in whole or in part – assets stolen or taken from them.  Pavocat Chambers’ barristers understand that clients want the return of their assets, just as much as they want to deny those who took them the opportunity of benefitting from them.  For us, asset recovery is part of the process of restoring justice and helping the victims of crime.

Once engaged, our barristers seek on behalf of our clients to identify, find and recover globally (“the Recovery Service”) the proceeds of the corrupt and fraudulent practices from which they have suffered loss.  This Recovery Service is linked to other services provided by members of our Chambers – such as investigative and referral services – but each Recovery Service instruction turns on its own unique facts and will be subjected to its own bespoke Recovery Strategy and Action Plan.

Once a Pavocat Chambers’ barrister and the specialist team that he or she leads have identified and traced the specific stolen assets (in whatever form they may take), or have determined what that asset has become and the person or entity holding it, we will take all necessary steps to recover the assets.  In terms of recovery, members of Pavocat Chambers have extensive knowledge and experience of conducting national and international Civil Recovery Operations, as well as adopting Alternative Recovery Measures, such as a negotiated or mediated return of stolen assets.

As part of providing the Recovery Service, our barristers routinely consider the merits and value of providing advice and guidance on obtaining assistance from national law enforcement agencies (“the Referral Service”).  We have found that persuading relevant law enforcement agencies and bodies to act – i.e., to seize assets (pre-conviction), to confiscate assets (post-conviction) and/or to impose taxation on those who have benefited from the proceeds of their crimes – through a combination of marshalling the available evidence and advocacy – is a highly effective component of an overall Recovery Strategy.

How counsel from Pavocat Chambers approach the recovery of assets is set out below.