Howard Sharp (KC Jersey)
2001| Silk (Jersey) 2010
Howard was Her Majesty’s Solicitor General for Jersey from 8th March 2010 until 1st July 2015. Since returning to private practice, Howard has built a diverse contentious advice and litigation based legal practice with a focus on commercial litigation, asset recovery, money laundering and fraud, international corruption investigations and related law including Sanctions and Judicial Review. Howard has acted for governments, financial services businesses, global businesses and high-net worth individuals.
Commercial Litigation and Civil Fraud
Howard has acted in high value contract dispute claims, shareholder disputes and trust litigation involving momentous decisions, allegations of sham trusts, applications to remove the trustees and applications to set aside Jersey Foundations on the basis of mistake re tax planning.
Howard is currently instructed in respect of a high value fraud dispute involving a shareholder dispute with a Jersey trust company. Howard is frequently instructed in respect of Civil Freezing and Norwich Pharamacal Orders.
Sanctions
Howard is regularly instructed to advise on UK and Jersey sanctions issues in respect to acquisitions as well as advising on sanctions issues within his civil fraud, arbitration or other ongoing investigations or court proceedings. Howard has recently been involved in the sales of Chelsea Football Club and Truphone. Howard is currently instructed in respect of an ongoing money laundering investigation in Jersey linked to sanctions breaches in respect of assets held in offshore and corporate structures alleged to be worth $7 billion.
Proceeds of Crime
Howard prosecuted Curtis Warren in Jersey and following conviction obtained a confiscation order in the sum of £198 million, reflecting the benefit obtained by Mr Warren from the worldwide drug trafficking of wholesale amounts of cocaine from South America into Europe.
Howard also led the successful prosecution of Windward Trading Limited in Jersey and resulting confiscation orders. Windward was used by Kenyan public officials to launder the proceeds of corrupt payments received from European companies seeking favourable treatment in tender processes in Kenya linked to the Energy Sector. Howard has also acted in the ongoing Jersey extradition request seeking the extradition of those same public officials, including a former Kenyan Energy Minister, in respect of related money laundering investigations.
Howard has represented trustees when the Jersey situated trust assets were the subject of a freezing order with a view to criminal confiscation in respect of criminal conduct – commercial scale wildlife offences that occurred in South Africa.
Judicial Review/Public Law
Howard has advised the Law Officers Department in both Jersey and Guernsey, the Jersey Financial Services Commission and the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority in respect of a wide range of judicial review/public law matters. Howard appeared as lead counsel in the Privy Council case of Volaw, now a leading authority on the law of privilege against self incrimination.
Criminal Law
Howard has great experience as a trial advocate. He has prosecuted murder, manslaughter and other serious criminal trials.