Neelam Sharma
Neelam is a leading junior in both general crime and fraud & financial crime, undertaking prosecution and defence work in equal measure.
She is instructed in a broad range of serious criminal matters, both as leading and junior counsel, including cases involving murder, firearms offences, drug importation, money laundering and other serious organised crime.
Her practice has developed a particular emphasis on complex fraud and financial crime. Drawing on her background in Economics, she is especially adept at handling cases involving financial markets, regulatory investigations and sophisticated commercial transactions. She is regularly instructed by both individuals and corporate clients in the financial services sector on regulatory matters and VAT tribunal proceedings.
Neelam has also established a strong reputation as a specialist defence advocate in serious sexual offence cases. She is recognised for her expertise in this field and for her sensitive yet robust handling of complex and challenging cases.
Specialist Areas
Cases
Criminal Defence
- R v Rastogi & others – Second junior in one of the largest multi million pound global frauds to be prosecuted in the UK. She was heavily involved in preparing the cross examination and drafting the legal arguments
- R v Rigden & others – Junior counsel in complicated ‘phoenix’ fraud.
- R v Fensham & others – Junior counsel in carousel fraud.
- R v Naeem & others – Instructed in her own capacity in £2million banking fraud.
- R v M – Instructed in her own capacity in a case of stranger rape/indecent assault on a disabled complainant.
- R v H – Instructed in her own capacity where the defendant was charged with nine counts of rape where the prosecution were given leave to call evidence of seven previous allegations of rape by a previous complainant.
- R v H; R v K; R v W – Instructed in her own capacity as defence advocate in historical rape allegations, ‘date’ rape and allegations involving child complainants.
Professional memberships
- Criminal Bar Association
- South Eastern Circuit
- Young Fraud Lawyers Association