Mayer Brown counsel Chris Roberts tells Legal Cheek Careers about his work at the sharp end of investigations and fighting fraud
“No two days are the same,” reflects Chris Roberts, counsel in Mayer Brown’s litigation & regulatory enforcement team in London. His practice sits at the intersection of high-stakes disputes and compliance advisory, covering investigations and white-collar crime. It’s a niche he didn’t plan to find.
After studying law with French, he trained at a global firm in Leeds before moving to London and joining Mayer Brown more than a decade ago. An early opportunity to act for a client being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office proved decisive, sparking an enduring interest in economic crime. “That kind of area has become my focus,” he says. “We often act on investigations involving both the UK SFO and the US Department of Justice, but we also help clients stay on the right side of the law — advising on things like the UK’s ‘failure to prevent’ offences and helping them develop internal policies to prevent wrongdoing before it happens.”
For Roberts, variety is one of the job’s biggest draws. “You could be advising a company on an anti-money laundering concern, helping draft a conflict-of-interest policy, or responding to allegations raised by a whistleblower — and at the same time conducting an investigation into potential bribery,” he explains. “No two days are ever the same.” The balance between crisis response and preventative advice can shift overnight. When a major investigation lands, “it might take up 90 or even 100% of my time,” but when those cases quieten down, his focus turns to helping clients navigate new regulations and compliance frameworks. “That ratio can change in an instant,” he adds, “so you have to be flexible.”
Roberts’s work often blurs the boundaries between different types of disputes. Litigation runs through the courts, arbitration is a private but equally binding process, and investigations can precede both. “We might be asked to get to the bottom of a problem… reviewing documents, interviewing witnesses, and identifying what happened and what the legal implications are,” he explains. “Sometimes it leads to litigation, sometimes it ends with recommendations to fix internal controls or even self-reporting to regulators.” He also points out that mediation can play a valuable role, allowing parties to resolve matters confidentially with the help of a neutral facilitator. “Whatever the forum, you’ve got to master the facts and the law before deciding your next step,” he says. “Fundamentally, that’s what it all comes down to.”
Many of his cases carry a cross-border dimension, which adds layers of complexity. “Every jurisdiction has different rules about data protection and how data should be treated,” Roberts notes. “So if a UK court orders disclosure but the data sits in a country with strict privacy laws, complying with one obligation could breach another.” Finding a way through often demands collaboration between lawyers, tech experts and forensic specialists to ensure information is handled lawfully across borders. The legal landscape itself, he adds, is only growing more complicated. “Companies are facing an ever-expanding web of regulation, from EU sustainability directives to sector-specific requirements, and underpinning it all is data. It’s data, data, data: where it’s stored, how it’s managed, and which laws apply.” Accessing the right information can make or break a case, but it has to be done lawfully. “Managing that tension is a big part of what we do,” he tells us.
Reflecting on one memorable case, Roberts highlighted that what began as a forensic internal review, “quickly turned into a full-blown fraud saga,” when a client uncovered a multi-million-pound hole in its accounts. “We identified what we believed was a fraud perpetrated on the company when it had been placing foreign exchange trades.” The team suspected an elaborate conspiracy involving both an external broker and insiders. The employees were swiftly dismissed, and a High Court claim followed. “The case went on for three or four years and settled just a month before a five-week trial,” he says — a reminder that big disputes are often marathons rather than sprints!
The breakthrough came from an unlikely source. During disclosure, a trainee listening to over one hundred audio recordings stumbled on a conversation in which the fraudsters openly discussed the scheme. “I can still remember the late-night phone call,” Roberts laughs. “The trainee said, ‘I think you need to listen to this recording right now.’ We all got very excited!” The team moved fast, amending their pleadings and using the evidence to push for a swift resolution. “If that trainee hadn’t been on the ball, we might have missed it,” he reflects. “It shows how important teamwork is — everyone has a role to play.”
In another matter, the critical evidence was literally under lock and key. “We discovered a six-foot safe in an office, but no one knew the combination,” he recalls. “We had it drilled open, and inside was a trove of documents that mapped out a complex fraud across offshore jurisdictions.” Those papers became a vital roadmap, allowing the team to trace money flows that would otherwise have been invisible.
Behind the scenes, collaboration with experts is critical. “In large fraud disputes, you’ll almost always have forensic accountants involved,” Roberts explains. “They follow the money, reconstruct transactions, and can act as expert witnesses.” In the foreign exchange case, for instance, a forensic accountant showed that the rates on the disputed trades were artificially inflated compared with market norms — crucial evidence that the client had been defrauded. “You need professionals doing that kind of detailed financial analysis,” he says. “It’s very much a team effort.”
Asked what keeps him motivated after more than a decade at Mayer Brown, Roberts doesn’t hesitate. “Just the variety,” he says. “One day it’s a bribery allegation, the next a money laundering issue, then perhaps a commercial dispute or compliance project.” The sectors are just as diverse. “The defence industry, for example, has become incredibly important for compliance advice recently because of global events,” he adds. “That range of work keeps things fresh and intellectually challenging.”
He also credits the firm’s people. “You can get a sense of the work from research, but during the recruitment process you also get a feel for the people,” he says. “At Mayer Brown, that early impression stuck. Everyone’s genuinely nice.” That culture, he adds, makes a huge difference when the pressure is on. “There are times when a client’s asking, ‘Where’s £10 million gone?’ and you’re up against the clock, or you’re rushing to get an injunction and working through the night. Having colleagues you enjoy being around really matters.” Law, he believes, “is a team sport,” and camaraderie makes the long hours bearable.
Beyond disputes, Roberts’s compliance advisory work has recently centred on the UK’s new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence. “We’ve been helping companies prepare — first making sure they’re aware of the new law, then guiding them through a risk assessment,” he says. “There’s no point reinventing the wheel. Often it’s about reviewing what policies and procedures they already have and plugging the gaps.” A key step, he adds, is understanding how and where fraud might occur in a business’s operations. “You need to know what you’re dealing with before you can deal with it.” Some clients want a straightforward overview, while others are well-informed and just need targeted advice. Either way, “helping organisations stay compliant and one step ahead is a really satisfying part of the job.”
Reflecting on his own career, Roberts urges aspiring lawyers to stay open-minded. “Always be open to opportunities that come your way,” he advises. “You might start out convinced you’ll be a certain type of lawyer, but don’t say no to something new — you could find you love a completely different area.” He recalls colleagues who discovered unexpected passions simply by taking a chance. “Someone might think they’re destined for employment law and end up thriving in M&A, or vice versa,” he says.
He’s also a strong advocate for client secondments. “I’ve done a few in-house stints at major financial institutions, and they were invaluable,” he says. “You work much more closely with the business day to day, so you see how legal advice actually lands.” The experience, he explains, changes how you communicate when you return to private practice. “You understand what clients need and how to make your advice more user-friendly.” Secondments, he adds, are also great for building relationships and expanding your professional network.
When it comes to what he looks for in Mayer Brown trainees, intellectual curiosity tops the list. “I value people who can connect the dots between different areas of law,” he says. “If you’ve done a corporate seat and then move into litigation, think about how one informs the other. They’re not silos.” Business awareness is also key. “Understand the client’s commercial context and how your advice will actually be implemented,” he adds.
Roberts believes authenticity, enthusiasm and resilience are just as important as technical skill. “If you really know your colleagues, you work better together — genuine relationships make for stronger teams,” he says. The best trainees, he adds, don’t just wait to be told what to do. “Even if your first tasks aren’t glamorous, think about how they fit into the bigger picture… the case, the investigation, the deal.” Mistakes are inevitable, especially early on, but what matters is how you respond. “A lot of high-achieving people struggle with perfectionism,” he says. “But you’re here to learn. We’re all learning every day.”
Chris Roberts will be speaking at Legal Cheek’s virtual student event ‘Inside the world of complex commercial disputes — with Mayer Brown’ on Wednesday 29 October. Apply now.
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