Ruth joined the firm in 2002 as a qualified solicitor and has been a partner since 2010. She is Joint Head of Financial Crime and Regulatory Team
A large part of her work is within our Financial Crime Department, defending complex ‘white collar’ matters. She advises individuals and companies subject to regulatory proceedings, criminal investigation and prosecution. She has defended cases taken by prosecuting authorities such as the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the National Crime Agency (NCA) local authorities and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Ruth has acted for those facing allegations of all sorts of financial impropriety, including:
Boiler room scams and fraudulent trading including those involving carbon credits, land banking, diamonds and wine investments
Cheating the public revenue including income tax, VAT and excise duty fraud
Money laundering including allegations involving money exchange bureaux, companies and private bank accounts
Fraud on local authorities including through wrongful obtaining of housing or financial payments and fraud on charities
Manipulation of Euribor and Libor rates
Fraud allegedly conducted to fund terrorist activity
In addition, Ruth is experienced in dealing with the full range of criminal offences, specialising in the most serious and complex. This includes cases involving serious violence and homicide, sexual offences, drug importations, armed robbery and conspiracy matters. Much of her work is on large cases and she expertly manages teams including other solicitors, counsel and experts ensuring all focus is on successfully defending the case. Ruth has her Higher Rights and as a Higher Court Advocate she has acted for clients before the Crown Court on charges including possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
Ruth has huge experience in successfully intervening in the investigation stage of a case and preventing prosecution. She recognises that reputation management is often central to her client’s concern. Her ordered approach, attention to detail and approachable manner is appreciated by clients often overwhelmed by the nature and presentation of the case against them
Client comments
“Ruth was a light in the dark. Thank you so much for all the good advice she gave, all has settled well. Should we need a good solicitor again, yours will be our first choice.”
“I was lucky enough to have Hodge Jones & Allen represent me this year and received the most wonderful support and encouragement from my solicitor Ruth Harris. I would recommend this firm and Ruth to anyone who needs someone in their corner.”
“A trustworthy and ethical company to work with. My case was handled by Ruth Harris and she delivered excellent job. She was very attentive, and responsive as well as analytical and professional throughout the time.”
“I would like to thank you for all the commitment and interest you have shown from the very beginning of this case and the way you handled it with empathy and professionalism. I am very grateful for the outcome. It has been an extremely tough year for us and I am certainly very happy that you represented us. I would not think twice about recommending you.”
Notable Cases
R v A: Represented defendant, charged with seven others, in a large-scale trial on allegations of involvement in a boiler room fraud trading in carbon credits and diamonds.
R v J: Represented defendant accused, along with four others, of money laundering the proceeds of an excise duty fraud.
R v D: Defendant charged with money laundering in proceedings taken by HMRC. Said to have been dealing in the proceeds of supply of smuggled cigarettes and tobacco by an organised crime group.
R v M: Represented defendant in these multi-handed proceedings taken by the FCA, alleging the mis-selling of investments.
R v H: Client faced allegations that he was engaged in a long firm fraud. This was the largest fraud prosecuted by DBIS.
R v R: Case alleged conspiracy to defraud to fund terrorism – investigation was by the Met Police Anti-Terrorist Branch.
R v B: Conspiracy to Defraud and money laundering. Central allegation was that charities were set up and dishonestly operated.
R v P: Part of the team at HJA that represented senior trader for Barclays alleged to have manipulated Euribor.
L: defended suspect in allegations of laundering proceeds gained through breaching currency regulations in China.
M: suspect faced investigation by SFO concerning allegations he was involved in the manipulation of Yen Libor.
S: investigation involving sophisticated VAT fraud using fake companies as front for offending.
R v S: Murder. Client’s defence was one of diminished responsibility.
R v F: Attempted Murder by scaring the complainant so badly after assault with a knife (GBH) that he jumped out of the window of a tower-block. False imprisonment of witnesses and perverting course of justice in cleaning the premises to remove traces of offending.
R V Z: Multi-handed false imprisonment, GBH and kidnapping trial.
R v E: Advising client serving life for murder, convicted when other solicitors acted for him. Sought leave to appeal on grounds that poor representation makes conviction unsafe.
R v K: One of numerous defendants facing proceedings relating to allegation of running a cannabis factory and distributing the resulting product.
R v D: Multiple counts of armed robbery, investigated by the Flying Squad.
Ruth has appeared on the BBC including on the Victoria Derbyshire Show.
She has been quoted in a range of newspapers including The Times, and had articles printed in publications such as Solicitors Journal and the Justice Gap.
Membership & Appointments
The London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association
The Fraud Lawyers Association
Career
Hodge Jones and Allen, Partner – 2010
Higher Court Advocate – 2008
Hodge Jones and Allen, Associate – 2006
Hodge Jones and Allen, Solicitor – 2002
Admitted as Solicitor: 2000
Training Contract, Edward Fail Bradshaw and Waterson: 1998-2000
Education
College of Law, London, LPC; 1997-1998
University of Westminster, CPE; 1996-1997
University of Birmingham, (B Soc Sci) Sociology and Politics; 1993-1996
For years, the issue of recovery of Confiscation Orders has concentrated the mind of the legal community. Confiscation Orders are made following a defendant’s conviction for certain offences. The Order aims to ensure offenders are deprived of financial benefit gained through their offending. But released figures show that only a fraction of that ordered to be confiscated is actually recovered.
On 13th September 2018, amongst much fanfare, the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 received Royal Assent. In two months it will pass into law. Chris Bryant MP, who laid the Private Members Bill, said “all too often attackers get away with little more than a slap on the wrist”. News outlets trailed this new law as the answer. Headlines crowed that prison sentences for those that assault emergency workers would “double”. But is this law quite as dramatic as it seems?
On 22nd February the Sentencing Council published new sentencing guidelines for cases of domestic abuse. The courts will use these guidelines when determining sentences in cases for other offences that involve domestic abuse, such as harassment or assault.
