Mike Rainford

Mike Rainford has specialised in serious crime, fraud and regulatory cases for over 35 years. He has dealt successfully with a number of high profile cases. His expertise is wide ranging and includes cases involving:-

• Company fraud
• Tax fraud
• Commercial fraud
• MTIC fraud
• Insider dealing
• Money laundering
• Restraint orders
• Confiscation orders

Mike’s regulatory experience encompasses the following areas:-

• Trading Standards
• Environmental Prosecutions
• Health and Safety Prosecutions
• Tax investigations
• Business innovation and skills investigations
• Insolvency Service investigations
• FCA investigations (re banks, accountants and IFAs)
• Cyber crime (including theft of intellectual property and hacking)
• Crypto currency (involving issues of money laundering)

Chambers and Partners 2016 said of Mike “that he regularly acts in major investigations led by leading enforcement agencies including HMRC, BIS, SFO and FCA. He specialises in a number of areas including tax fraud, commercial fraud and POCA related work”. Most recently Mike was listed as a recommended lawyer. Mike was described in the Legal 500 as "the go-to solicitor for the major fraud and crime clients in the north-west." 

• Acquittals in COVID-19 Testing Fraudulent Trading and Public Nuisance Trial - JMW Solicitors

Mike’s career is a wealth of outstanding results.

• R –v- Vance Miller (Manchester Crown Court) – UK’s largest ever Trading Standards prosecution. Case dismissed.
• R –v- London City Bond (Southwark Crown Court) – largest ever evasion of duty in the UK amounting to over £2 billion pounds. Case dismissed.
• R –v- L & P (Birmingham Crown Court) – pension fraud (first of its kind involving pension regulator). Case dismissed.
• R –v- M (Liverpool Crown Court) – 12 month multi million pound fraud case involving nursing home for wealthy residents. Not guilty verdict.
• R –v- JH (Birmingham Crown Court) – HMRC tax evasion of over £300 million pounds. Case dismissed. 

Mike can be seen discussing various legal matters on YouTube:

• Furlough Fraud: What to do if You're Investigated by HMRC?

Mike is a member of the Law Society’s national panel advising on money laundering issues, he gives advice to solicitors all over the country on a regular basis.

Mike has had high rights of audience in the crown courts since 2000. Mike is a member of the Private Prosecutors Association. ​​​​