I've heard that the police are investigating me =============================================== If you are facing a criminal investigation, expert legal advice from Vardags can transform your situation. As top criminal lawyers for high net worth and high income individuals, we can help you protect your liberty, your reputation, and your career. We often work closely with our Reputation & Privacy department, our Employment department, and our Family department to provide complete legal support in every aspect of life that might be affected by a criminal investigation. Our specialist criminal lawyers are available to advise and represent our clients—often entrepreneurs, professionals, sports stars, and celebrities—around the clock. We understand the impact on yourself, your family and your career that a criminal investigation can have, whether it be for fraud, sexual or drug crimes, or anything else. Good representation can prevent you from being arrested or charged, whilst having the very best criminal defence lawyer will be vital if your matter does proceed to trial. Our team will help you to minimise the impact criminal charges have on your life and your career. ### 24 Hour Emergency Legal Representation If you need a lawyer immediately because a person has been taken into custody or involved in an incident, Vardags can provide emergency legal cover at any time. "The criminal team at Vardags go the extra mile to ensure clients' needs are met." ![Legal 500](https://vardags.com/images/logo/legal-500.png) "Excellent criminal department and criminal lawyer... I would use this firm for ANY matter in future. Complete confidence in receiving the best care."Julie Carter (client) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -------------------------- On hearing that you may be the subject of a police investigation, it is natural to want to find out as much information as you can. There may be a temptation to speak directly with the police to clear your name or clear any misunderstanding you feel has arisen. We strongly advise however that you do not attempt to speak to either the police or anyone else you think might be involved in the investigation before seeking legal advice. Any communication with the police especially at the outset of an investigation should be approached in a delicate and sensitive way. We are able to judge how best to approach the police having had years of experience in engaging with investigating authorities. We will discuss with you the pros and cons of contacting the police in any given situation. We will pursue any enquiries in a tactful manner and where it is clear that investigations have commenced, we will do our best to ensure that where possible any action taken by the police is done with the minimum disruption to your personal and professional life. [FIND OUT MORE](https://vardags.com/faq/criminal-defence/uncertainty-during-police-investigation "How will I live with continual uncertainty during a police investigation?") Once an investigation commences, the police are obliged to pursue all lines of enquiry whether they point towards guilt or towards the innocence of the person under investigation. The nature of the investigation and the particular lines of enquiry pursued will of course depend on the type of matter being investigated. Investigating officers do enjoy far reaching powers to assist them in their investigation. However there are extensive checks and measures on these powers, which serve to safeguard the rights of the accused individual. At Vardags our legal experts will critically examine the conduct of investigating officers and will be quick to make robust representations against any conduct we consider unlawful either because it is outside the officers powers or because it becomes oppressive and disproportionate to the crime under investigation. [FIND OUT MORE](https://vardags.com/faq/criminal-defence/intrusive-police-investigation "How intrusive will a police investigation be?") [MORE FAQS](https://vardags.com/faq/criminal-defence) OUR Criminal Defence TEAM ------------------------- [### Lucy Winter](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/lucy-winter "Lucy Winter") [Criminal Defence Consultant](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/lucy-winter "Lucy Winter") [### Lucy Winter Criminal Defence Consultant](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/lucy-winter "Lucy Winter") [Meet the rest of the team](https://vardags.com/team/criminal-defence) Is Vardags Right For You? ------------------------- We offer a free consultation to qualifying individuals. Please call our confidential enquiry line on **020 7404 9390**. Lines are staffed 24 hours. When you contact us a member of our client relations team will take the full details of your situation, assess whether we can assist you, and if so, determine the best team for your case. Media Highlights ---------------- [Time Ayesha Vardag features in Time Magazine](http://time.com/5037316/britain-divorce-london-capital-ayesha-vardag/ "Ayesha Vardag features in Time Magazine") [BBC News David Lister discusses 'Brangelina' divorce on BBC News](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7279887504982302720 "David Lister discusses 'Brangelina' divorce on BBC News") [The Telegraph 'Homemaker' ex-wife of Laura Ashley boss earns mammoth divorce payout](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/06/homemaker-ex-wife-laura-ashley-boss-wins-third-200m-income-payout/ "'Homemaker' ex-wife of Laura Ashley boss earns mammoth divorce payout") [The Telegraph Caroline Korah discusses parental child abduction with The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/brexit-stopped-us-getting-our-abducted-children-back/ "Caroline Korah discusses parental child abduction with The Telegraph") [The Times Hidden assets and fluctuating fortunes - how crypto clouds divorce](https://www.thetimes.com/article/12c7dc62-6d9f-4c75-9314-b17a9d4fc98f?shareToken=3393e3e3e8101b72a28c6d95a1c641fe "Hidden assets and fluctuating fortunes - how crypto clouds divorce") OUR FULL RANGE OF SERVICES -------------------------- Vardags is one of the UK's leading divorce law firms. We specialise in complex, high net worth and international cases. The Legal 500 has said of Vardags: "The team is noted for its sheer intellect" [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/divorce "Divorce") Vardags is among the leading family law firms in the UK. Our solicitors specialise in complex cases for high net worth individuals, including international child relocation, child abduction, and prenuptial agreements. The Legal 500 has said that "clients feel in totally safe hands" with Vardags' Children & Family lawyers. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/children-and-family "Children & Family") Our reputation and privacy team, headed by top media lawyer Alex McCready, works in and out of the public eye on cases involving defamation, privacy and reputation management. We provide expert advice and representation across the full range of reputation and privacy related matters, including crisis management, emergency injunctions and actions against online and new media. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/reputation-privacy "Reputation & Privacy") Vardags is a leading UK law firm with expertise in complex disputes relating to a range of corporate law matters. Our team has a wealth of expertise to help clients with their legal needs. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/corporate "Corporate") Vardags is a successful and rapidly-growing law firm with an outstanding reputation for winning cases. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/criminal-defence "Criminal Defence") Vardags is a top law firm with a trailblazing fertility and surrogacy department. We have had success with some of the most groundbreaking cases of the last decade in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court, with rulings that have changed the law. Vardags remains at the cutting edge of fertility law, pushing for further improvement of the outdated legislation in place in Britain. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/fertility-surrogacy "Fertility & Surrogacy") Vardags' civil litigation team is renowned for its nous and its consistent ability to deliver results. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/commercial-civil-litigation "Commercial & Civil Litigation") Vardags' wills and trusts team has the specific expertise to cater to the wills and trusts needs of high-net-worth and high-profile individuals. Richard Todd QC, Leading Counsel for Yasmin Prest said of Vardags: "a note to acknowledge your firm's pivotal role in achieving such an outstanding result in the recent Supreme Court case of Petrodel v Prest". [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/wills-trusts "Wills, Trusts and Probate") Vardags is a leading family law firm with specialist expertise in assisting clients who are experiencing domestic abuse. We appreciate that those in abusive relationships may face difficulties contacting us. We can provide additional discretion, such as arranging alternative meeting places and talking via our WhatsApp service. [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/domestic-abuse "Domestic Abuse Lawyers") [Find out more](https://vardags.com/services/sje-and-shadow-experts "Single Joint Experts & Shadow Experts")