Joanna Torode
Associate
Jo Torode is a U.K. qualified barrister and a member of the firm’s Litigation and Enforcement practice group. Jo’s practice covers the spectrum of business crime, commercial litigation and regulatory investigations with a particular focus on the conduct of high profile, cross-border matters.
Jo also has deep experience in advising on international business risk and corporate governance, including anti-bribery, fraud, sanctions, anti-money laundering and modern slavery. She is adept not only at designing and implementing policy but also at helping companies to effect behavioral change.
Jo regularly carries out internal investigations for financial institutions and corporate entities and advises on their potential criminal and regulatory exposure. She has an active pro bono practice and works closely with international NGOs on matters relating to international human rights and modern slavery. She also lectures in the area of financial crime and asset recovery on a national and international basis.
Jo was previously a barrister in independent practice, and has acted on some of the UK’s largest and most high profile investigations. She also has extensive experience of prosecuting and defending trials involving allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundering and corporate criminality having acted both for and against government agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency and HM Revenue and Customs.
Experience
- Assisting a multinational chemicals company create and implement a global compliance program.
- Conducting financial crime and anti-money laundering risk assessments for financial institutions.
- Advising investment firms on the design and implementation of anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing policies and procedures
- Advising firms on Modern Slavery Act and related obligations.
- Advising on money laundering and sanctions reporting obligations.
Notable transactions in which Joanna has been involved prior to joining the firm include:
- Acted for major multinational bank in relation to the global, criminal and regulatory investigations into allegations of manipulative and collusive conduct in FX markets.
- Acted for a corporate entity in relation to an investigation being conducted by the National Crime Agency in conjunction with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
- Independent Counsel in both Operation Weeting, the investigation into allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World, and Operation Elveden, the linked investigation into inappropriate payments to public officials.
- Advice to multiple clients (financial institutions, corporate entities and persons in the regulated sector) on the risk of incurring liability for money laundering offences under POCA and associated reporting obligations. Including in relation to M&A deals and the conduct of due diligence.
- Successfully represented a third party property company asserting an equitable interest in restrained assets.
- Acted for the defendant in a civil claim for the return of £35 million allegedly obtained by fraud in breach of trust, the basis of which was that funds handed over as part of a share sale agreement had been misappropriated by the defendant.
- Acted for the claimant in a civil claim for the recovery of funds misappropriated as part of a share sale agreement and secured default judgment.
- Acted for the former Finance Director of Tesco PLC in relation to both the internal investigation into accounting irregularities and that being conducted by the SFO.
- Junior Counsel for the lead defendant in a £50 million money laundering trial following an investigation into a number of linked money service bureaux.
- Acted in the bankruptcy of Nick (Beano) Levene a high profile former trader who was believed to owe investors at least £70 million.
- Acted for a former Finance Director of Luton Town Football Club in contested directors’ disqualification proceedings.
- Acted for an individual in an appeal against the immediate revocation of a professional licence following allegations of misconduct.
- Acted in relation to the legal challenges arising out of the investigations into the alleged misconduct of UK soldiers in Iraq.
Publications
- Quoted, “Cryptocurrency exchanges avoiding the US due to confusing regulation,” IFLR (March 26, 2018)
- Quoted, “Crypto regulation shouldn’t kill innovation but it is needed,” FinTech Global (March 23, 2018)
- Author, “Unexplained wealth orders—new stringent powers for enforcement,” LexisNexis (March 13, 2018)
- Co-author, “Self-Reporting to the Authorities and Other Disclosure Obligations: The UK Perspective” in “The Practitioners Guide to Global Investigations” Second Edition, 2018
- Quoted, “Unexplained wealth orders—new stringent powers for enforcement,” LexisNexis (March 12, 2018)
- Quoted, “Why RBS Might Be Spared Wave Of Litigation By Small Firms,” Law360 (March 6, 2018)
- Quoted, “Carney's crypto crackdown,” The Financial Times (March 6, 2018)
- Quoted, “Waking up and cracking down,” International Financial Law Review (March 5, 2018)
- Quoted, “Bank Of England Backs Tough Regulations For Virtual Currency,” PaymentsCompliance (March 5, 2018)
- Quoted, “Digital Currency Crackdown,” POLITICO Pro (March 2, 2018)
- Co-author, “U.S. Legislation requires enhancements to modern slavery compliance procedures to address North Korean labour risks,” Trade Security Journal (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “BoE calls time on lax regulation of cryptocurrencies,” The Financial Times (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “BoE governor mulls crypto regulation,” HFMCompliance (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “BoE eyes cryptocurrency regulation,” Investment Week (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “Cryptocurrency supporters react to Bank of England Governor Mark Carney's speech,” International Business Times (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “The Bank of England calls for more cryptocurrency regulation,” The Fintech Times (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “Expert insights on The Bank of England cryptocurrency regulation,” International Finance Magazine (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “Bank of England calls for cryptocurrency regulation,” Computer Business Review (March 2, 2018)
- Quoted, “UK Firms Filed Thousands of Incorrect Beneficial-Ownership Statements,” MoneyLaundering.com (February 28, 2018)
- Quoted, “Havens in hell: will EU tax evasion plans hit too hard?,” fDi magazine (February 15, 2018)
- Quoted, “Bored With Banking, This Former Citi Trader Went Full Crypto,” Bloomberg Markets (February 1, 2018)
- Quoted, “Switzerland and United States Greatest Enablers of Money Laundering: Report,” MoneyLaundering.com (January 30, 2018)
- Quoted, “The Weekly Wrap: January 26 edition,” Pensions Expert (January 26, 2018)
- Quoted, “EU cryptocurrency scrutiny paves way for ‘mainstream’ bitcoin funds,” Ignites Europe (January 25, 2018)
- Quoted, “UK financial crime: NECC to launch; SFO director to quit,” StrategicRISK (January 24, 2018)
- Quoted, “What To Watch For In UK Financial Litigation In 2018,” Law360 (January 3, 2018)
- Quoted, “Global frenzy for cryptos,” The Banker (January 1, 2018)
- Co-Authored, “Self-Reporting to the Authorities and Other Disclosure Obligations: The UK Perspective,” Global Investigations Review (December 2017)
- Quoted, “EU tax haven blacklist continues crackdown,” Strategic Risk (December 13, 2017)
- Quoted, “Exchange chief accuses derivatives lobby of ‘cheap shot’ over bitcoin futures,” Financial News (December 11, 2017)
- Quoted, “Bitcoin futures suggest breakneck rise in price to slow,” Reuters (December 10, 2017)
- Quoted, “Landmark Dishonesty Ruling Tips Scales Toward Prosecutors,” Law360 (November 7, 2017)
- Quoted, “Ivey’s Supreme Court Fight Triggers Major Change In UK Criminal Law,” Gambling Compliance (November 7, 2017)
- Editor, “Mitchell Taylor and Talbot on Confiscation and the Proceeds of Crime”
- Co-author, “Expanding the enforcement of financial sanctions post Brexit”, Lexis-Nexis (4 August 2017)
- Contributor – UK expert, “Exporting corruption, progress report 2015: assessing enforcement of the OECD Convention,” Transparency International (August 2015)
- Author, “Financial Crime and Corporate Criminal Liability: What Next?” (May 2015)
- Contributing author, “Directors Liability” and “Corporate Insolvency”, Corporate Criminal Liability, 3rd Edition, edited by Amanda Pinto QC and Martin Evans (2013)
Presentations
- Panelist, “The Consultant Mindset” (October 2016)
- Moderator, “Top Women in Law” The Female Fraud Forum (June 2015)
- Panelist, “Crisis Management: A holistic approach to handling a cartel” (March 2015)
- Presenter, “Criminalization of Money Laundering: The UK Perspective”, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Conference (Moldova) (September 2013)
- Presenter, “Admissibility of Evidence: Proving Money Laundering”, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Conference (Moldova) (October 2013)
- Presenter, “Seizure and Confiscation in the UK”, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Conference (Moldova) (October 2013)
- Presenter, “Money Laundering and The Proceeds of Crime”, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Conference on Strengthening National Inter-agency Cooperation for Preventing and Combating Money-Laundering, (Odessa) (September 2012)
Disclaimer
Ropes & Gray International LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in Delaware, United States of America and is a recognised body regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (with registered number 52100).Education
- Certificate in International Human Rights Law and Practice, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2010
- Bar Vocational Course, Outstanding, College of Law, 2006; Jules Thorn Scholar (Middle Temple)
- Certificate in Mediation Skills, Regent's University London, 2006
- CPE (Law), Distinction, University of Northumbria, 2005; Dickinson Dees Award for ‘The Most Outstanding Student’
- BA (Politics), 1st Class Honours, University of Newcastle