Alistair is regularly instructed by companies and individuals across a range of industries and is recognised in the 2024 edition of the Legal 500 for his “in-depth knowledge” of UK sanctions and export controls. He is listed as an expert by WorldECR, the leading publisher for sanctions and export controls.

He represents sanctioned parties in designation challenges. Together with Anna Bradshaw, he made one of the first successful revocation requests under the UK’s Russia sanctions regime, resulting in the client being removed from the UK sanctions list, without the need for a court challenge. He was also instructed with Anna Bradshaw in the successful challenge to an EU sanctions designation in Abdelkader Sabra v Council of the European Union (Case T-249/20). He has also co-ordinated sanctions challenges resulting in some of the first de-listings in other jurisdictions, such as Canada and Australia.

He has successfully resisted enforcement actions by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. He has also successfully acted for companies alleged to have breached trade sanctions, including in relation to unlawful seizures of goods and restoration requests.

Alistair’s financial crime practice spans contentious and non-contentious advice and representation and he is experienced in defending criminal and civil asset recovery proceedings. He publishes academically on economic crime topics and is quoted as an authority in trade publications.

Alistair’s areas of expertise include advising and representing clients affected by financial crime compliance including bank account closures, the exercise of data protection rights and related litigation.

Alistair is sought after for his sanctions training and co-authored the chapter ‘Representing Designated Persons: A UK Lawyer’s Perspective’ in The Guide to Sanctions, published by the Global Investigations Review (currently in its fourth edition). He also co-authored the 2020 Supplement to Blackstone’s chapter on extradition.

In his role at a previous top litigation firm Alistair worked on a number of cases which went to the Supreme Court. For six months, he was seconded to Parliament, where he acted as the legal advisor to the Shadow Attorney General. He achieved the highest mark in the year for commercial law and has a first-class degree from Cambridge University.