Rainer Hughes

Rizwan Ashiq

Barrister at Law

“Leading my case from the front, Rizwan is Calm, clever and results driven. He is a fierce Barrister who was not scared to fight my corner”

- Mr A, Client

Overview

Barrister (Practising at No. 5 Chambers) – Regulated by the Bar Standards Board

Rainer Hughes enjoy a close working relationship with Rizwan and have access to urgent professional advice and representation for clients at the earliest stages of criminal defence and civil litigation when it matters the most.

Rizwan Ashiq has earned a reputation as one of the country’s leading and most sought-after barristers. For over a decade, he has battled the state prosecuting authorities on behalf of the accused, winning acquittal after acquittal in numerous trials and appeals. He also has extensive trial experience in complex civil and corporate litigation, chancery, and civil fraud litigation in the High Court. 

Rizwan believes that there are no impossible or hopeless cases. He has a fearsome and unparalleled record of wins in seemingly hopeless cases. He believes that winning trials takes more than just knowing and reciting the law. It takes great tactics, great advocacy, great preparation, and absolute fearlessness in court. A winning strategy, and a winner’s mindset is of utmost important and as Sun Tzu said “Every battle is won before it is ever fought. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

Rizwan specialises particularly in cases where there is crossover between criminal, civil and regulatory liabilities and remedies/sanctions which have become such crucial element of business in the modern era. He possesses the unique agility, ability, and dexterity to advise and act in Commercial Court, Chancery Division proceedings and Crown Court jury trials as and when these cases require it. There is a significant gap in the offering of the commercial bar and the criminal bar at the point at which commercial litigation, criminal proceedings, regulation, and enforcement collide. Rizwan Ashiq uniquely fills that gap.

Rizwan Ashiq has dealt with virtually every type of criminal case from murder to money laundering, from theft to terrorism, from drug importations to drink drive, from speeding to sexual offences. He has extensive experience in fraud, tax, duty, and VAT evasion cases. He has acted in some of the largest and most complex national and international money laundering and fraud cases in recent times. He has unrivalled expertise in relation to restraint and management receivership orders, cash forfeiture, civil recovery, and confiscation orders. He is an expert in using abuse of process procedure and dismissal applications to stop or dismiss cases before they get to trial.

Rizwan acts and advises in complex financial, corporate, and commercial disputes and criminal/regulatory investigations. He has acted in complex national and international fraud and commercial disputes and investigations over the last few years, and he acts for companies, shareholders, senior executives, directors, and other individuals. He routinely advises high net worth individuals and companies’ resident and based overseas.

He has acted for clients based or with interests in the US, India, Africa, Middle East, and Europe on a range of civil, criminal, and commercial matters including the Bribery Act, directors’ duties, Proceeds of Crime Act, and tax evasion.

He specialises in individual and corporate criminal liability with expertise in financial crimes under the Fraud Act, Proceeds of Crime Act, conspiracies to defraud, breach of trust, bribery, money laundering, sanctions abuse, insider trading and other forms of market abuse and deception.

His practice spans the criminal, regulatory and subsequent civil actions that ensue from national and global investigations for example into money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, Libor, and Forex.

He is a specialist in the field of challenging and quashing search warrants. He has derailed and stopped several investigations of serious fraud and money laundering by challenging and quashing search warrants and obtaining injunctions against the investigatory authorities. It is important to design a road map that considers each twist and turn in the case that may be presented. The experience and intellectual brainpower of the client’s barrister often accounts for the outcome of litigation by crafting each strategic move on the battlefield along the way. Rizwan takes the fight for every client as if it were his own battle. Above all, his passion for excellence and responsive client service has earned him a reputation for winning extraordinary verdicts for his clients.

A sample of the precedent setting cases below demonstrate the breadth and the range of his practice and expertise.

  • Karbhari v Ahmed ([2013] EWHC 4042 (QB))
  • Eastenders, Hare Windsor & Ors v Crown Prosecution Service [2011] EWCA Crim 143
  • Cheema & Ors v Nottingham and Newark Magistrates’ Court & Anor [2013] EWHC 4022 (Admin)
  • Eastenders, Hare, Windsor v Bristol Crown Court & Anor [2011] EWHC 1899 (Admin)
  • Hare and Ors, R (On the Application Of) v The Crown Prosecution Service [2011] EWHC 842 (Admin)
  • Gojra & Anor, R v [2010] EWCA Crim 1939
  • Hare & Ors v HM Revenue and Customs [2014] EWCA Civ 1613
  • Cheema & Ors v Nottingham and Newark Magistrates Court & Anor [2013] EWHC 3790 (Admin)
  • Revenue & Customs v SED Essex Ltd [2013] EWHC 1583 (Ch)
  • Glenn & Co (Essex) Ltd & Ors v HM Commissioners for Revenue and Customs & Anor [2011] EWHC 2998 (Admin)
  • Lithuanian Beer Ltd v Revenue & Customs [2015] UKFTT 441 (TC)
  • Aabsolute Bond Ltd v Revenue & Customs [2012] UKFTT 603 (TC)
  • R v Parradine (Aaron) [2011] EWCA Crim 656
  • R v Avery (Richard Sean) [2007] EWCA Crim 1830

hobbies & Interests

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testimonials

Mr. A

Rizwan is a determined and focused Barrister. He was to the point and fought my case with absolute determination. Thank you for providing me with the results

Mr. S

My Barrister Rizwan was fabulous. He had prepared well and knew my case. Very professional and a pleasure to deal with

Mr. A S

Pleased with the service provided by Rizwan and the team and Rainer Hughes. They worked on my case quickly with such short notice and kept me updated throughout the weekend. I am impressed with the attention to detail and presentation of my case to the court. Rizwan gave good advice. He applied himself well and achieved an amazing result.