Hodge Jones & Allen Boosts Crime Team With Partner Duo

Hodge Jones & Allen has recently appointed John Hartley and Graeme Hydari as partners to its 31-strong criminal defence team.

John joins as head of financial crime from London firm Mackrell Turner Garrett, where he led the corporate crime and regulatory department, prior to this John worked with Malletts in Holborn.

Having been called to the Bar before qualifying as a solicitor, John has built up a strong corporate fraud practice having defended numerous Serious Fraud Office, HMRC, Financial Conduct Authority, Department of Business Innovation & Skills and Crown Prosecution Service cases. He also regularly advises clients subject to proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Among his most notable recent cases, John has successfully defended a client involved in a £100m ‘boiler-room’ fraud and succeeded in obtaining a judicial review of a search and seize warrant by the Serious Fraud Office targeted at the same client. He also acted in a £14m mortgage fraud case, which followed a BBC Panorama investigation into corruption regarding a block of flats in south east London, in which all defendants were acquitted following a 10-week trial.

Graeme Hydari has been promoted to partner having worked as a consultant with the firm for the past five years. A well-known court advocate, Graeme specialises in defending suspects charged with murder, grievous bodily harm, drug supplying, serious sexual offences, internet pornography, complex financial fraud and inner city gang-related offences. He has considerable experience of representing people with drug or alcohol addictions, mental health conditions, learning disabilities and special education needs.