Lawyers / Professionals

 
Vivian Robinson QC       
Partner
11 Pilgrim Street
London EC4V 6RN, United Kingdom 
T: +44 (0)20 7632 1732
F: +44 (0)20 7632 1638
vrobinson@mcguirewoods.com
 

Mr. Robinson advises clients on the impact of the U.K. Bribery Act, as well as white collar crime matters involving global fraud or corruption, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

As former first General Counsel to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Mr. Robinson led the development of the SFO's enforcement policy under the U.K. Bribery Act. He also served as the SFO's primary liaison to the public and the business community, alerting them to the Bribery Act's requirements at conferences from London and New York to Brazil, Brussels, Switzerland and Germany.


Representative Matters
  • Representation of one of the main defendants in a high-file corporate fraud trial of considerable complexity and lasting nearly a year, Blue Arrow.
  • Representation of an American defendant for some three years prior to trial, Guinness.
  • Acted on behalf of a key defendant in a large-scale commercial leasing fraud trial, Blackspur Leasing.
  • Defence in fraud proceedings, stayed for abuse of process after several weeks of legal argument, SIB (Isle of Man).
  • Representation of a football manager alleged to have made illegal payments to players, Macari.
  • Representation of the Serious Fraud Office in a number of high-profile cases, including in the prosecution of the chairman and the chief financial officer of a public company on charges of conspiracy.
  • Instructed in a number of Hong Kong cases, including spending nearly six months representing at trial the main defendant on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Security and Futures Commission.
  • Involvement in a case for the General Medical Council concerning a prominent gynaecologist, Neale.
  • Advised the Financial Services Authority, Watts.
  • Representation of a former captain of the QE2 on charges relating to the Shipping Regulations, Portet.

Practices & Industries
Honors
  • Appointed as a Recorder of the Crown Court, 1986
  • Appointed Queen's Counsel, 1986

Previous Experience
  • General Counsel, Serious Fraud Office, April 2009-July 2011
  • Head of Chambers, Hollis Whiteman, 2004-2007

Speaking Engagements
  • "Global Anti-Corruption Trends: The Value of Ethics and Compliance," International Medical Device Industry Compliance Conference, May 9, 2012
  • The Bribery Act/FCPA Enforcement 2012 Briefing, Washington, D.C., November 10, 2011
  • Lectures on the English Legal System in Boston, Wilmington and Cleveland
  • "Bribery Act," SFO Webinar, July 2011
  • "Anti-Bribery and Corruption in the Global Economy," Industry and Parliament Trust Breakfast Meeting, London (Houses of Parliament), July 2011
  • "The SFO's Approach to Enforcing the Provisions of the Bribery Act," Sweet and Maxwell Bribery Act Conference, London, June 2011
  • "The New UK Bribery Act: Extraterritorial reach and Enforcement Priorities," 11th European Forum on Anti-Corruption, London, June 2011
  • "Anti-Corruption Session-UK Bribery Act-international Implications," International Oil and Gas Law Conference, London, June 2011
  • "Expanding Worldwide Corruption Standards: US, UK, OECD," Sandpiper Partner LLC Briefing, New York (Yale Club), June 2011
  • "The Bribery Act," Sandpiper Partners Leaders Council Meeting, New York (Harvard Club), June 2011
  • "Conducting Cross-Border Internal Investigations," Global Counsel Congress 2011, New York, June 2011
  • "Bribery Act: Understanding the Implications for Exporters," ABHI International Business Conference, London, June 2011
  • "The Bribery Act," Association of Chief Executives, London, June 2011
  • "The Bribery Act," Presentation at the Japanese Embassy, London, June 2011
  • "UK Bribery Act - Adequate Procedures Guidance," Global Compliance Webinar, May 2011
  • "Focus on European Enforcement: A Behind the Scenes Examination of How Bribery Cases are Prosecuted and Coordinated between the SFO and European Prosecutors' Offices," American Conference Institute, FCPA & Anti-Corruption for the Life Sciences Industry, New York (via telephone link from London), May 2011
  • "The Bribery Act," Presentation to the Council of the Law Society, London, May 2011
  • "Conducting Multi-Jurisdictional Investigations: Law Enforcement Techniques, International Agency Cooperation and their Obstacles," 25 National Conference on the FCPA, New York, April 2011
  • "Presentation on the Bribery Act," General Dynamics Law Department, Washington, April 2011
  • "UK Bribery Act and the Adequate Procedures Guidance" & "Practical Advice for Corporates on Ethical Standards and Prosecutors' Priorities," Corporate Compliance Exchange, London, April 2011
  • "After the UK Bribery Act - the Future of US/UK Anti- corruption Enforcement," Main Justice Webinar, March 2011
  • "The Potential Impact of the New UK Bribery Act, with Particular Emphasis on its Jurisdictional Reach and How the SFO Will Approach Enforcement of its Provisions'" IV Latin American Regional Conference of the International Prosecutors, Fortaleza Brazil, March 2011
  • "The New UK Bribery Act Compared with the United States FCPA," New York State Bar Association, European Regional Meeting, London, March 2011
  • "Serious Fraud Office Perception of the Act and its Intended Operation," ABPI Workshop on Bribery Act Implications for the Pharmaceutical Industry, London, March 2011
  • Interview for Dow Jones Video Conference, March 2011
  • "The Bribery Act 2010: What are 'Adequate Procedures?" Midlands Fraud Forum Masterclass, Birmingham, March 2011
  • "The Bribery Act 2010. The SFO's Approach to Enforcement," Ethics Point Webinar, March 2011
  • "Criminality, Legal Context and Corporate Integrity," ISMA 2010 Winter Meeting, London, January 2010
  • "The Impact of the UK Bribery Act on US Companies," Ethics Point Webinar, January 2011
  • "Prosecution under the UK Bribery Act 2010, the SFO Approach to Enforcement," The UK Bribery Act 2010 Seminar in British Embassy, Moscow, 2010
  • "The Strategy of the Serious Fraud Office on Enforcement," Institute of Money Laundering Prevention Officers, London, December 2010
  • Information Retention & eDiscovery Exchange, Munich, November 2010
  • "Conducting Multi-Jurisdictional Investigations: Law Enforcement Techniques, International Agency Cooperation and their Obstacles," 24th National Conference on the FCPA, Washington, November 2010
  • "The UK Bribery Act: Its Global Reach on US and other International Business," Foley and Lardner Seminar, Harvard Club, New York, October 2010
  • "Leadership, Culture and Ethics--for Integrity and Survival in Business," 28th International Symposium on Economic Crime, Cambridge, September 2010
  • "The Prosecutors' Approach to Enforcement Corporate," Compliance Exchange, Brussels, May 2010

Professional Affiliations
  • Former Vice-Chairman, Professional Standards Committee of the Bar Council
  • Inner Temple
    • Master of the Bench, 1991
    • Treasurer, 2009

Civic Affiliations
  • Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners
    • Admitted to the Court of the Company, 1989
    • Master, 2000-2001
  • Master of the Inner Temple Garden, 1998-2005
 

EDUCATION

Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, 1966

The Leys School, Cambridge, 1962

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, 1957

 
 

ADMITTED

Called to the Bar in 1967

 

PLACE OF BIRTH

Wakefield, United Kingdom