Judith Seddon
Partner, Dechert LLP
[email protected]
Judith Seddon is a pre-eminent white-collar lawyer, representing clients in matters relating to financial crime and in regulatory proceedings and criminal investigations and prosecutions. Ms Seddon advises individual and corporate clients in some of the most significant and complex investigations mounted by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, and by prosecuting authorities across the globe, acting as a trusted adviser in navigating the myriad of unexpected challenges involved in managing cross-border investigations. She has conducted numerous internal investigations for clients involving highly sensitive matters, advising on reporting to the regulators and authorities, and has successfully defended clients against threatened actions by the SFO, FCA, HM Revenue and Customs and other government agencies, including the Competition and Markets Authority.
Ms Seddon is consistently recognised as a top white-collar lawyer by legal publications. Ranked in Band 1 for both financial crime corporates and individuals in Chambers UK, clients describe her as a ‘fantastically good lawyer’, ‘a true subject matter expert’ who ‘thinks outside the box’ and as a ‘very dynamic lawyer [that] cuts to the chase and is very committed to her clients’. In 2018, Who’s Who Legal named her Business Crime Lawyer of the Year and she is consistently recognised as a Global Elite Thought Leader for business crime defence and investigations, most recently for 2022. Ms Seddon is also ranked in The Legal 500 UK’s Hall of Fame for white-collar crime (advice to individuals) and regulatory investigations and corporate crime.
Following a highly successful academic career, Ms Seddon established herself at a leading boutique criminal law firm in central London. She regularly appeared as a defence advocate in court and led the preparation of the defence in high-profile prosecutions and regulatory proceedings. She later moved to leading global law firms, where she was a leading figure in their London white-collar investigations and prosecutions practices.
Ms Seddon is a regular speaker, panel member and chair at conferences throughout the UK and internationally.
