Maia Cohen-Lask

Partner

"Maia Cohen-Lask is an intellectual powerhouse, utterly committed to her cases and brimming with energy, as a result of which she often has the best grip on the facts of any team member and plays a crucial role in litigation."

THE LEGAL 500 2022

Maia Cohen-Lask
BIOGRAPHY & EXPERTISE
Maia Cohen-Lask specialises in both financial and general crime. She is ranked as a Rising Star for ‘Fraud: White-Collar Crime (advice to individuals)’ in the Legal 500 UK, and Up and Coming for ‘Financial Crime: High Net Worth Individuals’ in Chambers and Partners HNW 2022.

The Legal 500 UK 2023 describes her as “a first class lawyer whose mind scours through cases” and “an intellectual giant with a great sense of humour which makes her a real pleasure to work with.” Maia was promoted to Partner in April 2023.

 

Areas of expertise

Maia is experienced in advising clients across cases spanning both white collar and general criminal investigations.

Maia has represented clients in some of the largest and most high-profile financial crime cases in recent years. This includes cases being investigated and prosecuted by the SFO, NCA, and FCA, as well as cross-border investigations where clients are being investigated in multiple jurisdictions. Maia also advises clients facing the imposition and enforcement of sanctions.

In general crime matters, Maia regularly represents individuals at every stage from their first interview at the police station through to trial. Her experience covers a wide variety of cases including sexual offences, assaults, blackmail, and drug offences. This includes experience of representing high-profile individuals in sensitive cases with significant media interest.

Maia also has experience of advising individuals in relation to extradition proceedings, INTERPOL, restraint, confiscation, cash forfeiture, and civil recovery.

WORK HIGHLIGHTS
  • Securing the acquittal in June 2019 of a former Barclays Chief Executive prosecuted by the SFO in a case relating to the bank’s 2008 capital raisings.

  • Advising suspects in several ongoing investigations by both the SFO and NCA arising from allegations of international bribery / corruption.

  • Advising clients investigated and interviewed under caution by the SFO in two separate investigations arising from alleged LIBOR manipulation. In both of these cases, the SFO decided not to charge.

  • Advising clients suspected of committing criminal breaches of the sanctions regime

  • Representing very high profile individuals suspected of a variety of criminal offences (including drugs offences and sexual offences).

  • Representing clients bringing Judicial Reviews of police search warrants.

  • Representing a company and its director in respect of a prosecution for corporate manslaughter.

  • Advising a suspect in a long-running and wide-ranging Metropolitan Police investigation into an alleged conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. The client was one of a small number of suspects not to face criminal charges.

Career

Maia completed her undergraduate degree at Oxford University, before going on to obtain a Distinction in her Graduate Diploma in Law, and an Outstanding in her Bar Professional Training Course. During her studies, Maia was awarded the Lord Brougham and Lord Denning scholarships by Lincoln’s Inn, as well as being named the runner up best overall student in her year on the Bar Professional Training Course.

Maia was called to the bar in 2012, prior to successfully undertaking pupillage, and subsequently practising as a tenant at a Band 1 ranked criminal set. Whilst at the bar, she both prosecuted and defended, appearing on behalf of her clients at every stage of proceedings.

Maia joined Corker Binning as an Associate in 2015, and became a Senior Associate in 2020.

Maia has spearheaded Corker Binning’s partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation, providing work experience to students who would not otherwise have access to such opportunities.

Maia is a member of Lincoln’s Inn, the Young Fraud Lawyers Association, and the Criminal Bar Association.

News & Insights
Testimonials
"Maia Cohen-Lask – a first class lawyer whose mind scours through cases like Vim. An intellectual giant with a great sense of humour which makes her a real pleasure to work with too. I trust every single word that comes out of her mouth, as well as I trust my own memory."

Legal 500 2023

"great, very enthusiastic and very good with clients; quite confident and outgoing, gets done what needs to be done."

Chambers HNW 2022

"Maia Cohen-Lask is an intellectual powerhouse, utterly committed to her cases and brimming with energy, as a result of which she often has the best grip on the facts of any team member and plays a crucial role in litigation."

THE LEGAL 500 2022

"Senior associate Maia Cohen-Lask is a rising star in the team."

THE LEGAL 500 2022

  • Securing the acquittal in June 2019 of a former Barclays Chief Executive prosecuted by the SFO in a case relating to the bank’s 2008 capital raisings.

  • Advising suspects in several ongoing investigations by both the SFO and NCA arising from allegations of international bribery / corruption.

  • Advising clients investigated and interviewed under caution by the SFO in two separate investigations arising from alleged LIBOR manipulation. In both of these cases, the SFO decided not to charge.

  • Advising clients suspected of committing criminal breaches of the sanctions regime

  • Representing very high profile individuals suspected of a variety of criminal offences (including drugs offences and sexual offences).

  • Representing clients bringing Judicial Reviews of police search warrants.

  • Representing a company and its director in respect of a prosecution for corporate manslaughter.

  • Advising a suspect in a long-running and wide-ranging Metropolitan Police investigation into an alleged conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. The client was one of a small number of suspects not to face criminal charges.