Michael O'Kane

Michael joined Peters & Peters in 2002. He became a partner in May 2004, and head of the Business Crime team in May 2009.

Michael was called to the Bar in 1992 and prior to joining Peters & Peters he was a senior specialist prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service Headquarters(CPS).At CPS HQ he was a key member of a small specialist unit responsible for the prosecution of serious and high profile fraud, terrorist and  special interest criminal matters, including the Stansted Airport Afghan hijacking and the prosecution of  Paul Burrell (Princess Diana’s butler). 

Since joining Peters & Peters Michael has dealt with a wide range of business crime  matters. He has particular expertise in criminal cartels, extradition, corruption, mutual legal assistance, and FSA investigations.

His practice and ability was recognised in The Lawyer’s Hot 100 2009 which  described him as “an influential practitioner in fraud and regulatory work, so much so that he is top of the referral lists of many City firms for independent advice for directors”. 

Michael regularly appears on television and radio to discuss his specialist areas and he is the author of the leading textbook on the UK Criminal Cartel Offence “The Law of Criminal Cartels-Practice and Procedure” (Oxford University Press 2009).

He was recently recognised as one of the UK’s most innovative lawyers in the 2011 FT Innovative Lawyer Awards

Most recent cases include:

• acting for a former Egyptian Minister and his wife, challenging their sanctions listing by the European Council of Ministers.
• acting for the Government and multiple entities/individuals currently subject to widespread sanctions, embargoes and travel bans in the EU and US.
• advising a company in a UN investigation into alleged sanctions breaches in Somalia.
• advising an immunity applicant company in an on-going OFT criminal cartel  investigation.
• advising an individual in respect of allegations of phone hacking.