The White Collar Crime Centre was established in 2016, operating separately to the legal practice of Bright Line Law, to explore the developing engagement between criminal law and corporate misconduct. The Centre is principally interested in the role of criminal law in the regulation of wealth and prosperity and the development of corporate social responsibility by the use of criminal sanction. The Centre undertakes high-level research into corporate wrongdoing and financial crimes to develop policy and strategic responses which serve as a catalyst for contemporary debate. This work is strengthened by contributions from legal practitioners and academics, both independent and part of Bright Line Law.

As a rapidly developing area with significant consequences for individuals and industry, it is increasingly important to understand the nuances of financial crime. The Centre uses doctrinal, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to explore the complex laws in this area, delving into the most theoretically challenging aspects of money laundering, civil recovery, confiscation, fraud, tax evasion, corporate criminal responsibility, bribery and corruption. The Centre scrutinises public policy and case law developments and analyses their implications against legislative frameworks and the policy intentions of the state. This enables the Centre to provide a technically accurate, crystallising evaluation of the law on the most topical issues.

The Centre is based in London but its research focus is global. Irrespective of location, criminal law has traditionally focused on the prevention of harm. But a modern conception of criminal law points to its role as a promoter of trust and civility. Increasingly, criminal sanctions are used to shape society by filling the space vacated by the disengagement between moral values and the law. Applying this narrative to conduct which takes place in a corporate setting is challenging. Questioning policy and legislative proposals and contributing to the public debate on legal developments is vital because of the enhanced compliance and sanctions framework. The range of actors engaged by financial and corporate crime regulation is broad: it includes individuals, businesses, legal practitioners and financial services professionals.

Understanding the laws a person or corporate is bound by is essential for two reasons: it encourages compliance and it provides a more informed platform on which to debate new laws and regulations which might not fulfil our expectations as citizens.

Our clear, educational publications serve as tools for anyone engaging with financial and corporate crime. In practice, the Centre responds to consultation papers, writes briefings and publishes reports and other materials analysing and explaining crucial legal developments to serve as a source of information. The Centre does not provide these publications for any particular person and does not engage any clients in the commission of its work. In the spirit of corporate social responsibility, our output is designed to be freely available, accessible and clear.

For further discussion about The White Collar Crime Centre and to express interest in becoming involved please contact us here.