Over the last year Howes Percival LLP has significantly increased the size of its Norwich based Commercial Litigation department to 72 staff with the appointment of two new associates and 13 assistant solicitors.

The department, the largest team under one roof in East Anglia and the only team in the UK to act for both the Department of Trade and Industry and HM Revenue and Customs, has expanded to deal with a surge in work as more organisations take the civil recovery route to tackle the rising level of corporate fraud.

Alison Kirby, who has substantial knowledge of Commercial Litigation and works with the head of the firm’s Corporate Fraud department, was promoted to Partner last year. The Litigation Team was also strengthened by the arrival of Associates Edward Frankland and Kevin Sullivan. Edward, has over 10 years of experience in Commercial Litigation dealing predominately with claims in the Chancery Division of the High Court. He has experience in acting for Government Departments in substantial and complex proceedings for the disqualification of unfit directors and the winding up of companies trading contrary to the public interest. Edward also practices as a general commercial litigator and has particular expertise in claims relating to trusts and estates. He was previously at Cobbetts LLP in Manchester.

Kevin Sullivan, is an experienced litigation solicitor specialising in contentious insolvency work. He has acted for numerous insolvency practitioners, companies and directors as well as debtors and their spouses/partners in relation to a wide variety of corporate and personal insolvency-related issues. He principally advises office-holders and professional clients in relation to contentious recovery actions. He joined Howes Percival LLP from Prettys Solicitors.

Richard Healey, who leads Howes Percival LLP’s Civil Intervention and Asset Recovery Team, commented, “Business fraud in the UK is at record levels and we expect the problem to worsen as the economy moves further into recession. According to a recent survey, business fraud increased by 14 per cent in 2008, leaving an already overstretched police resource unable to tackle the problem. In any recession, frauds are exposed because credit dries up, businesses fail and people see what has been happening. Also, there is a temptation for those that are feeling the pinch to commit frauds and a temptation to portray the affairs of companies in a better light than is the reality. This is reflected by the fact that in the last 12 months the number of matters being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office has increased by approximately one third. Given, however, the constraints on the public purse, the authorities are seeking to investigate frauds with ever decreasing resources. As a consequence, for many businesses civil recovery, rather than the bringing of criminal prosecutions, is a more realistic option to recover losses.”

The Civil Intervention and Asset Recovery team undertakes work on behalf of institutional and private clients in relation to cases involving civil claims for fraud. The team acts for creditors and victims of fraud, pursuing claims both in the UK and in other jurisdictions to recover monies from the beneficiaries of frauds, often using worldwide injunctive relief in order to prevent the dissipation of assets. The team is particularly skilled at taking proactive and decisive action quickly.