How we work
The whole process, before you commit to any of it.
Most people arriving here have already been let down once. So this page sets out exactly what happens, what it costs, and what we will not do — in advance, in plain language.
The sequence
From first call to resolution
01
Free initial assessment
A conversation with a lawyer, not a sales script. We establish what happened, what evidence exists, and whether there is a realistic route forward. If there is not, we say so and you owe us nothing.
Usually within one working day
02
Preserve and stabilise
Before anything else: secure the evidence, notify the institutions that need notifying, and stop the situation getting worse. Notice letters and preservation requests often go out the same day.
Hours, not weeks
03
Investigate
Reconstruct the payment or intrusion chain, identify counterparties and intermediaries, and establish which jurisdictions are in play. This is where our AI tooling does the heaviest lifting — and where a lawyer checks every conclusion it reaches.
Days to weeks, depending on complexity
04
Strategy and written proposal
You get a plain-language assessment: the routes available, what each is likely to achieve, what each will cost, and what we recommend. You decide what to authorise.
Before any chargeable work begins
05
Execute
Freezing and disclosure applications, complaints and regulator submissions, negotiation, or proceedings. One named lawyer stays responsible for your matter throughout.
Ongoing, with scheduled updates
Fees
How we charge, and why it varies.
There is no single right model for this work. What matters is that you know which one applies to you before anything is billable.
Fixed fee
Assessments, notification packages, subject access and erasure campaigns, takedown work.
One price agreed in writing before we start. If the scope changes, we tell you and re-quote rather than absorbing it into the bill.
Hourly
Investigations, litigation, regulator engagement — work whose length genuinely cannot be known in advance.
You get an estimate, a cap you have to approve before we exceed it, and itemised narratives rather than a single line saying 'professional services'.
Contingent or hybrid
Selected recovery matters, where the applicable rules permit it and the case supports it.
Part or all of our fee depends on recovery. We only propose this where we believe in the case — which also means it will not be available in every matter, and we will explain why.
Note: conditional and contingency fee arrangements are restricted or prohibited in some jurisdictions and for some case types. We will only offer an arrangement that is permitted where your matter is being run, and we will tell you which rules apply.
Our commitments
Five things you can hold us to.
These are not aspirations. If we break one of them, say so and we will make it right.
- 01
A named lawyer owns your matter. You are not passed around a queue.
- 02
You get an update on a schedule we agree, including when the update is that nothing has moved.
- 03
No chargeable work starts before you have a written estimate and have said yes.
- 04
If we think the cost outweighs the realistic outcome, we say so — even after you have already instructed us.
- 05
If we are not the right firm for your matter, we will tell you early and, where we can, point you to someone who is.
Questions
Everything else people ask
Can you guarantee you will get my money back?
No, and neither can anyone else. Any firm that promises recovery is telling you something they cannot know. What we can do is assess your case honestly, tell you what the realistic range of outcomes looks like, and act fast enough to preserve the options that still exist.
How quickly should I contact you?
Immediately. In fraud matters, funds are typically moved onward within days, and freezing options narrow sharply after that. In breach matters, statutory notification clocks usually start when you become aware of the incident, not when you finish investigating it.
What does it cost?
The first assessment is free and carries no obligation. After that we will give you a written fee proposal before any chargeable work starts. Depending on the matter we may offer fixed fees, hourly rates, or — where the case supports it and local rules permit — a conditional arrangement. You will never receive an invoice you were not warned about.
How exactly do you use AI?
For volume work: sorting transaction records, timelining chat logs, clustering wallet addresses, comparing document sets, and first-pass research. A qualified lawyer reviews every output and signs off on all advice and filings. AI does not make decisions about your case, and it does not replace anyone on the team.
Is my information kept confidential if I use AI tools?
Confidentiality obligations apply to your matter regardless of the tools involved. See our Technology & AI page for exactly which categories of data go where, and the controls we apply. If you would prefer we handle your matter without AI-assisted processing, tell us and we will.
Do I still need to report this to the police?
In most cases yes, and we will help you prepare a report investigators can actually use. A criminal report and a civil recovery claim run in parallel — one does not replace the other, and the criminal process rarely returns your money on its own.
I have already been scammed once. Someone is now offering to recover my funds.
Treat that approach as fraudulent until proven otherwise. Follow-on recovery scams are extremely common and specifically target people who have already lost money. Legitimate lawyers do not cold-contact victims, do not ask for upfront 'release fees', and can be verified against a public bar or regulator register. Verify us the same way.
Do you take cases outside your jurisdiction?
Online crime is almost always cross-border, so this comes up constantly. We act where we are admitted and work with vetted counsel elsewhere when a matter needs it. We will tell you at the outset which parts we can run ourselves.
Time is the variable you control.
In fraud matters funds move within days, and in breach matters notification clocks start the moment you become aware. Running a trace takes about two minutes and costs nothing.