Rahman Ravelli highlights the practical limits to corporate liability

Law360 asked Rahman Ravelli for their thoughts on economic crime measures in the Crime and Policing Bill.

The Bill would further expand corporate criminal liability, strengthen investigations to take assets from fraudsters and limit the financial stakes for enforcers in litigation.

Its measures include expanding the range of crimes for which a corporate entity can be criminally liable if they are committed by senior managers. 

But the firm emphasised that while it is proposed to extend the law into all areas of crime, the plans had practical limits.

They explained: "It is hard to imagine a scenario where a company could be criminally liable if, for example, illegal drugs were found in the desk drawer of a 'senior manager' employee.’’

The Bill introduces new mechanisms for early resolution of confiscation proceedings and clarifies the requirements for making a restraint order before conviction, which Rahman Ravelli says could make it easier to freeze potential assets and retain their value during an investigation.

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Featured at: Law360