Lee Marler entered private practice from the World Bank Group in Washington DC, where he successfully led a large and dedicated multinational team of lawyers and investigators that possessed the international mandate to investigate and prosecute globally those individuals and commercial entities charged with engaging in corrupt or fraudulent practices in Bank financed projects. Lee’s considerable expertise in handling international corruption and fraud cases is drawn from his years of experience in advising and representing international governmental organizations, including the multilateral development banks, the United Nations and its specialised agencies. Since June 2010 he has worked for
Fulcrum Chambers LLP.
Lee accepts instructions on a wide variety of criminal law matters; yet the primary focus of his practice is the provision internationally of a full, swift and bespoke legal service to those companies and international organizations that are at risk of reputational damage as a consequence of having possibly engaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices, both in the public and private sectors. Lee seeks, through the conduct of thorough; evidentiary based internal investigations, to determine the client’s exposure to prosecution by state entities, such as the UK’s Serious Fraud Office or the USA’s Department of Justice FCPA unit. If the investigation uncovers matters of concern, Lee will, upon instructions, seek to settle the case with the minimum of consequences for the Client or, if settlement is not a realistic proposition, will further advise or appear on behalf of the Client. Lee is also adroit at providing corporate governance advice and practical, cost efficient solutions to companies and international organizations that remain exposed to the risks of corruption and fraud. Lee has, for example, drafted industry specific codes of conduct, devised whistleblowing and financial disclosure regimes, and designed full ethics and disciplinary processes and procedures, which meet and exceed exacting international compliance standards. Lee can and is willing to be engaged in various jurisdictions as a Compliance Monitor.
Lee has considerable experience of appearing before the Sanctions Boards of various multilateral development banks, such as the board established by the World Bank Group, and will travel internationally to represent individuals and commercial entities charged by such banks with having engaged in corrupt and fraudulent practices. Moreover, Lee has appeared before the various Administrative Tribunals of international governmental organizations and will act on behalf of either the organization or the international civil servants or consultants that work for it. Lee is always keen to represent individuals in their appeals against the imposition of disciplinary penalties before the Administrative Tribunals of the United Nations and its specialised agencies (e.g., the ILOAT and the World Bank AT).
In addition to what is mentioned above, Lee designs and delivers anti-corruption and fraud training at all levels to private companies, public and international organizations, and anti-corruption agencies worldwide. Lee has previously advised, with notable success, anti-corruption agencies in developing countries and collapsed states on how to improve the prospects of obtaining evidence and ultimately convictions on indictments containing charges of corruption and fraud against public officials and others. Lee also takes pleasure in advising governments in collapsed, newly formed and developing states on how to implement viable and sustainable systems of criminal justice, which, at their core, attack the problems caused by corrupt and fraudulent activity.
Lee held for a number of years a Queen’s Commission in the Army Legal Corps of the British Army and departed the service having acted at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Lee is therefore well versed in military and international humanitarian law, understands the military justice system and has prosecuted and defended at Courts-martial at home and abroad. Lee is always keen to represent personnel from all three services and will additionally act for defendants of all nationalities charged by the International Criminal Court and the ad hoc war crimes tribunals.
As well as holding a Bachelors degree in law (LLB(Hons)), Lee has two Masters Degrees (LLMs), one awarded by the University of London in international law and the second awarded cum laude by the University of Stellenbosch in the law of evidence. Lee is a member of the Criminal and International Bar Associations, and leads Chambers’ Fraud and Corruption Practice Group.
