Gavin Irwin

Barrister, 2 Hare Court

Gavin Irwin is a specialist advocate in financial crime, business regulation and professional conduct. He has a wealth of experience across complementary disciplines. In addition to providing representation before courts and tribunals, Gavin regularly advises individuals and businesses on:

sensitive issues concerning financial and trade sanctions, export controls, fraud, money laundering, bribery and corruption
risk management, corporate investigations and civil penalty procedures
extradition and Interpol Red Notices
conduct and discipline issues involving professional and business regulatory authorities and at Coroner’s Inquests

At present, Gavin is:

representing a Nigerian Senator charged with offences under the Modern Slavery Act relating to exploitation for the purpose of organ harvesting
advising businesses and individuals on financial and trade sanctions and export controls
advising businesses operating within the ’17 sectors’ on national security issues
representing individuals charged with fraud, bribery and money laundering before the criminal courts
representing individuals whose assets are restrained and/or bank accounts frozen before the civil and criminal courts
representing medical professionals and regulators in conduct and discipline proceedings brought by the GMC, GDC, GPhC and NHSE
representing medical professionals and entities at Coroner’s Inquests

Sanctions, Export Licensing and Business Regulation

In 2022, Gavin has advised:

numerous individuals, manufacturing businesses and providers of professional services, both UK and non-UK based, in relation to the enhanced sanctions regime imposed on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine
UK and non-UK based entities on the application of the National Security and Investment Act in the context of mergers and acquisitions
professional services providers on anti-money laundering procedures and issues

In the recent past, Gavin has advised:

a UK based company for potential breaches of the export control regime relating to software for use in imaging and semi-conductor manufacturing
a non-UK national on Russia sanctions and the proceeds of sale of Russian corporate interests
a UK national on Russia sanctions and the ownership and management of property in Crimea
(and represented) a UK based company in criminal proceedings for breaches of the UN Chemical Weapons Convention
a non-UK national on sanctions and export control issues in the context of Iran, the JCPOA and the EU blocking statute
a UK based manufacturing company on export control issues arising from recent inclusions on the U.S. BIS ‘Entity List’
a UK based oil and gas services company on the application of financial sanctions to projects in West Kurdistan / Northern Syria
a UK based manufacturing company on export control issues arising from end-user concerns for dual-use goods in UAE and Pakistan
a UK based tech company in an investigation into the export of cryptographic software to Russia
a UK based company with a global presence in the oil and gas services industry in an investigation arising from the export of high-performance machine parts to Iran (and represented) an individual in criminal proceedings for exporting controlled metal powders to Iran via the Czech Republic