Nigel Sangster KC
  • A charismatic silk.

    Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime

  • Nigel is a first-class advocate who has juries eating out of the palm of his hand.

    Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime

  • Nigel has a good eye for detail and gets on well with judges.

    Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime

  • He is one of the most charming barristers you would ever wish to meet.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He is very smooth, efficient and elegant.

    Chambers UK 2024, Financial Crime

  • He is a top-class advocate and a go-to defence silk.

    Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime

  • He is meticulously prepared, thorough, and is outstanding in his client care.

    Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime

  • Nigel is an excellent lawyer who works superbly with professional and lay clients alike, and is well respected by opponents and other court users.

    Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime

  • Nigel is extremely thorough in his preparation and robust in his advocacy.

    Chambers UK 2023, Financial Crime

  • Nigel is efficient in managing high volumes of material and sifting out the core issues. He is hard-working and always on top of his case.

    Legal 500 2023, Fraud:Crime

  • He has a marvellous rapport with his clients.

    Chambers UK 2022

  • Nigel has a thorough grasp of the facts and issues in a case, and his preparation is excellent.

    Legal 500 2022, Fraud Crime

  • His down-to-earth manner helps him build good jury rapport.

    Legal 500 2022, Fraud Crime

  • Extremely thorough in preparation. 

    Chambers UK 2021

  • Robust in his advocacy.

    Chambers UK 2021

  • Juries really appreciate his manner and the rapport he is able to build with them.

    Legal 500 2021, Fraud

  • Nigel has a powerfully understated presence in court that contrasts brilliantly with those moments when he takes a witness apart or stands up to a judge.

    Legal 500 2021, Fraud

  • Nigel has a real ability to put a client at their ease and is a calmly reassuring force when dealing with vulnerable clients in particular. A first-rate leader in fraud cases.

    Legal 500 2021, Fraud

  • He has an impressively calm and assured court demeanour.

    Legal 500 2020

  • Very approachable and very straightforward, he has a really nice manner with the jury and he talks very plainly. He's very easy with clients, very calm and very confident.

    Chambers UK 2020

  • If it is a case that requires a lot of charm then he is definitely your man, as he always has an excellent rapport with the jury. I have known cases where he secured acquittals through charm alone.

    Chambers UK

  • Top quality silk. Calm and unflustered in conference and court. Nigel Sangster QC is recommended as highly skilled and professional.

    Legal 500

  • Approachability, reliability and tactical awareness make him a valued asset in serious fraud, money laundering and confiscation proceedings.

    Chambers UK

  • Solicitors praise his superb track record and impressive acquittal rate.

    Legal 500

  • He is vastly experienced and has natural court flair.

    Chambers UK

  • Maintains a high acquittal rate as a defender.

    Legal 500

  • Particularly good when considerable charm is required.

    Legal 500

  • The quality of his advice is superb and he is great at client relationships.

    Chambers UK

  • Extremely personable, very approachable, and a very good listener who observes a situation and then comes in with measured comments. He exudes confidence and takes control of the conference when he needs to.

    Chambers UK

  • His listening skills means he builds a strong rapport with clients.

    Legal 500

  • Extremely thorough in his preparation and robust in his advocacy.

    Chambers UK

  • He provides sound advice and has a very calming and relaxed manner in conference.

    Legal 500

  • He picks up on the detail and core of a case quickly.

    Legal 500

Called 1976

Silk 1998

Appointed Recorder 1996

Nigel Sangster KC

Barrister

Nigel Sangster is one of the most experienced KCs in the country, having practiced for 22 years as a Junior barrister and 26 years as a Silk.

An exclusive criminal defence fraud specialist, he is highly sought after in cases involving serious fraud. These include money laundering, tax and duty evasion, investment frauds, confiscation proceedings and a range of "white collar" crimes. He is regularly briefed to defend solicitors, accountants, financial advisors, company directors and other professionals. He is a former Leader of the North Eastern Circuit and has sat as a part time Judge in the Crown Court for the last 28 years.

He is a great advocate with an impressive courtroom presence.
Chambers UK

Recent Directory Quotes

  • "Nigel has a good eye for detail and gets on well with judges." Chambers UK 2025, Financial Crime
  • "Nigel is a first-class advocate who has juries eating out of the palm of his hand. A charismatic silk." Legal 500 2025, Fraud: Crime
  • "Nigel Sangster KC is an experienced defence silk who attracts praise for the calming influence he has on clients facing stressful criminal proceedings. He is known for his expertise in large financial crime cases, and regularly defends in tax and investment fraud matters." Chambers UK 2024, Crime
  • "Nigel is an excellent lawyer who works superbly with professional and lay clients alike, and is well respected by opponents and other court users. He is meticulously prepared, thorough, and is outstanding in his client care. He is a top-class advocate and a go-to defence silk." Legal 500 2024, Fraud: Crime
  • "Nigel is efficient in managing high volumes of material and sifting out the core issues. He is hard-working and always on top of his case" Legal 500 2023, Fraud: Crime
  • "He has a marvellous rapport with his clients." Chambers UK 2022
  • "Nigel has a thorough grasp of the facts and issues in a case, and his preparation is excellent. His down-to-earth manner helps him build good jury rapport." Legal 500 Fraud Crime 2022
  • ''Nigel has a powerfully understated presence in court that contrasts brilliantly with those moments when he takes a witness apart or stands up to a judge. Juries really appreciate his manner and the rapport he is able to build with them. He also has a real ability to put a client at their ease and is a calmly reassuring force when dealing with vulnerable clients in particular. A first-rate leader in fraud cases.'' Legal 500 2021
  • "Has a fine track record in sophisticated financial crime cases, including those involving allegations of film and MTIC fraud. Other areas of strength include cases involving money laundering and confiscation proceedings." Chambers UK
  • "Very approachable and very straightforward, he has a really nice manner with the jury and he talks very plainly. He's very easy with clients, very calm and very confident." Chambers UK 2020
  • "He has an impressively calm and assured court demeanour." Legal 500 2020
  • Ranked in Band 1 for Financial Crime on North Eastern Circuit. Chambers UK 2019   
  • "A consummate jury advocate who is respected by judges." "He is able to digest voluminous evidence and provide clear advice."  Chambers UK 2019
  • "If it is a case that requires a lot of charm then he is definitely your man, as he always has an excellent rapport with the jury. I have known cases where he secured acquittals through charm alone." Chambers UK 2018
  • "A good operator. He is a big beast in both general crime and financial crime, and he is good in both. A very confident advocate." Chambers UK 
  • "He is totally unflappable and presents as a calm individual, which impresses juries." Chambers UK
  • "Extremely thorough in his preparation and robust in his advocacy." Legal 500
  • "Particularly good with vulnerable defendants in fraud trials." Legal 500
  • "An experienced defence silk who attracts praise for the calming influence he has on clients facing stressful criminal proceedings. He regularly defends in tax and investment fraud cases." Chambers UK
  • "Extremely personable, very approachable, and a very good listener who observes a situation and then comes in with measured comments. He exudes confidence and takes control of the conference when he needs to." Legal 500

Associated Work

  • Leader of the North Eastern Circuit 2016 - 2019.
  • Appointed Bencher of the Middle Temple in 2008.
  • Joined 25 Bedford Row in January 2005.
  • Former Head of Chambers at St Paul's Chambers, Leeds for eleven years (1995 to 2006).
  • Member of the Bar Council (1992 to 2002 & 2012 onwards).
  • Appointed Recorder of the Crown Court in 1996.

Professional Memberships

  • Proceeds of Crime Lawyers Association (POCLA)
  • Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)
  • Financial Services Lawyers Association (FSLA) 
  • Criminal Bar Association