Member Article

MSB launches new department in response to industry demand

Liverpool-based MSB Solicitors has appointed an expert with more than two decades of experience, to head up its new Private Prosecutions department.

MSB is the first law firm in the country to have access to a ground breaking ethical funding model that is designed specifically to help open up access to justice for businesses, shareholders and associated professionals who have become the victims of fraud.

The new service has been designed in response to the criticisms made against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police and Action Fraud for their failure to prosecute in these circumstances.

Despite an increase in the number of crimes which damage corporate brand identity, Government is reluctant to pursue such criminal acts. Fraud, offences in relation to brand protection, and cybercrime, have increased significantly, with reports suggesting that fraud now costs the UK economy as much as £190 billion a year. This has resulted in numerous private prosecutions being brought by businesses and individuals unable to access justice where the police and other criminal enforcement agencies have taken no action.

Regulatory specialist Jeremy Asher, who will lead the Private Prosecutions team, brings to MSB 21 years of experience in dealing with serious and high-profile cases, having formerly developed and led a top 100 national law firm’s fraud and business crime department, which was top-ranked by Legal500.

Jeremy’s expertise in bringing prosecutions has been honed by working on behalf of a number of local authorities and a central government department. In the past four years, his team successfully brought more than 500 prosecutions, including several that made the headlines nationally.

Jeremy Asher, head of Private Prosecutions at MSB, said:

“I’m exceptionally proud to be joining the MSB team to set up this new offer for the firm’s business clients. MSB is an enlightened and inspirational firm, with an admirable commitment to its clients’ needs and the needs of Liverpool City Region, taking action where needed.

“Among the many benefits of bringing a private prosecution are control, speed and the ability for clients to choose their team. The criminal law also gives victims access to hard-hitting measures, such as imprisonment and confiscation proceedings. We know that for many businesses, funding can be a challenge when it comes to private prosecutions, which is why we are proud to be able to make available this unique insurance backed product, allowing us, in the right circumstances for commercial victims of fraud, to provide clients with the service they need.”

Emma Carey, managing partner at MSB, added:

“At MSB, we are incredibly passionate about ensuring that we can build on and develop our offer as a city region. As a firm, we never stand still and recognise that the law must change in order to meet the needs of an ever-changing society. That’s why we have taken action to create this new offer and change our services, in response to the increasing demand that we are seeing.

“It is often assumed that private prosecutions are limited to London firms, but we feel strongly that we have a responsibility to do all we can to provide the services that are needed not just here in the Liverpool City Region, but across the country. By bringing experts like Jeremy into the team, we can help increase our national reach and provide our clients with a service that would not otherwise be available outside of the Capital.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by MSB Solicitors .