Herbert Smith has bulked up its corporate crime practice with the hire of fraud specialist Graham More from the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

More joins Herbert Smith on Monday (3 August) as a consultant after eight years with the SFO, where he was an assistant director in charge of one of the four main operational divisions and a member of the management board and audit committee.

At the SFO More was involved in investigating and prosecuting on a wide range of issues including insider dealing, false accounting, fraudulent trading, conspiracy to defraud money laundering, theft and corruption.

The appointment marks a return to Herbert Smith for More as he was a partner in the firm's litigation and arbitration team, before leaving in 1999. During his time with the firm he was involved in a number of cases arising from the collapse of BCCI and the demise of Barings Bank.

More, who will work closely with head of corporate crime Peter Burrell, will focus on advising clients – both witnesses and suspects – facing corporate crime issues from prosecuting authorities. He will also speak to financial institutions on insider trading and market abuse, having worked on the first successful prosecution for insider trading while at the SFO.

Herbert Smith is currently advising Mabey & Johnson which is one of the first companies being prosecuted by the SFO for overseas corruption.

Burrell said: "Graham's practical experience of prosecuting cases will be invaluable to those of our clients who have to deal with prosecuting authorities whether as witnesses or as suspects. Our corporate crime team has been extremely busy dealing with a variety of cases ranging from overseas corruption to cartel offences."

He added: "We have noticed that the risk of criminal liability is growing and advising clients on programmes to minimise this risk are of increasing importance."

Herbert Smith on the Legal Week Wiki