Confiscation and Asset Restraint Defence Solicitors
Facing confiscation or restraint proceedings can be financially devastating and personally overwhelming. Whether your assets have been frozen under a restraint order or you're at risk of having them permanently seized through a confiscation order, Holborn Adams acts fast to protect your freedom, finances, and future. Specialising in pre-charge engagement, we help to get cases dropped early. Contact us today for confidential advice.

Subject to a confiscation or restraint order? Our team will act immediately.
Holborn Adams is one of the UK’s leading private criminal defence firms. Our directors are recognised in Legal 500, and we are regularly instructed by clients facing financial crime allegations that involve significant asset exposure.
We understand the stress and disruption these proceedings cause. That’s why we act quickly - challenging disproportionate benefit figures, negotiating payment terms, and applying to release funds for living or legal expenses.
We operate on a fixed-fee basis and do not offer legal aid, allowing us to deliver tailored, discreet, and responsive support throughout your case.
Confiscation orders are issued following a criminal conviction and require you to repay the value of any alleged benefit from criminal activity. If payment isn’t made by the court deadline (usually 3–6 months), you may face:
- Up to 14 years in prison
- Interest on unpaid amounts
- Enforcement through asset seizure, including property and joint assets
Restraint orders are usually imposed before charges or conviction, freezing assets to prevent disposal. Breaching a restraint order may lead to contempt of court or further criminal charges.
Here are just some of the confiscation and asset restraint issues we can defend:
- Restraint or confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA)
- Confiscation after fraud, money laundering, or financial crime convictions
- Disputes over benefit amounts or “criminal lifestyle” assumptions
- Claims by spouses or partners over restrained/confiscated assets
- Allegations of hidden assets, including offshore holdings
- Breach of restraint orders or contempt proceedings
- Forced sale of property, bank account freezing, or asset seizure
- Appeals or negotiations over payment terms and interest
- International POCA enforcement and cross-border disputes
Nationwide Support
We take on clients across the UK
We have offices spread all across the UK (and even beyond!). We can represent you no matter where you are in the UK.
What we can offer
Extensive experience from successful cases.
Optional visits to your home to discuss case details.
Remote communications to save you travel time.
Ability to work to tight timescales to match the pace of the case.
Transparent pricing with fixed fees*

Our process
Our success-driven legal plan
We offer legal support from day one. Here is the process you’ll go through as a Holborn Adams client.
Enquiry call with a legal expert
Contact us for an initial conversation. We’ll review your case history, documentation, and any existing orders, and offer clear, practical guidance.
Case review and approval
We’ll assess the benefit and available amount figures, examine prosecution assumptions, and confirm a fixed-fee structure before starting work.
Strategy development
We develop a tailored defence to challenge excessive valuations, apply for certificate of inadequacy, or seek to vary or discharge orders.
Representation
We represent you throughout confiscation hearings, restraint applications, enforcement proceedings, and negotiations with the CPS or prosecuting authority.



Respected and trusted
As proud members of the UK’s largest legal sector governing bodies, we are a team you can put your full trust in. We adhere to strict industry regulations, so you can be confident your case is in safe hands.
Our legal services
How our confiscation and asset restraint solicitors can help you
Confiscation and asset restraint proceedings can put your finances, property, and reputation at immediate risk. Whether you’re facing restraint orders or confiscation hearings under POCA, we act decisively to protect your interests and minimise disruption.

Apply for varied bail conditions
If restraint orders limit your access to funds for legal fees, living expenses, or mortgage payments, we can apply to vary or discharge these conditions.

Create a defence strategy
We carefully examine the benefit calculations and challenge assumptions behind restraint and confiscation orders, including “criminal lifestyle” claims, to build a robust defence.

Reputation management
Asset seizures and public proceedings can seriously damage your reputation. We provide discreet crisis support and media handling to safeguard your personal and professional standing.

Attend interviews
Our solicitors represent you at restraint hearings, confiscation order proceedings, and enforcement actions - ensuring your rights and interests are fully protected.

Early resolution with police
If the benefit amount or asset valuations are overstated, we make strong legal arguments to have orders reduced or dropped before finalisation.

Persuade the CPS to drop charges
We can apply under section 23 of the Proceeds of Crime Act to vary or discharge confiscation orders if your financial circumstances change or if errors were made in the original proceedings.
Independent reviews
Explore our Trustpilot reviews to see what our customers have to say about their experiences with us!
Our Fees
Fixed fee defence
Our team will give you a free, no-obligation quote after your initial consultation. We offer a fixed fee service, free of any hidden extra costs. Our firm is exclusively privately-funded meaning we cannot accept any legal aid clients. Your fees secure you a top-tier team and top-tier treatment, covering
Dedicated, experienced legal team.
Ability to get your case dropped before charges.
Representation at interviews and court hearings.
Requests to vary bail conditions where required.
Negotiating with police or prosecutors
Referrals to various support services.

Frequently asked questions
Here are some answers to our most commonly asked questions - for tailored support with your case, please call us now for a free initial consultation.
You can make an enquiry call for free, but we cannot provide free legal advice. As a 100% privately funded firm, we offer defence services exclusively to paying clients. During your enquiry call, we’ll learn about your case, confirm whether we can help, and give you a rough estimate of costs. Your case details will then be shared with our team to develop an initial strategy and prepare a formal, no-obligation fixed-fee quote. If you choose to proceed, this fee will cover your full defence.
With legal authority, the police can monitor your communications without needing direct access to your phone. They may work with your network provider or internet service provider to intercept calls and messages, and monitor your browsing history and app usage.
Yes - we are proudly accredited by the two largest governing legal bodies in the UK, the Law Society and Legal 500. We are also regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
No - we are a 100% privately funded firm, meaning we charge a fixed fee for our services. We do not take on legal aid cases. We find that focusing on private cases only allows us to dedicate more time and resources to defending our clients to a much higher degree than firms who are stretched thin by intense legal aid caseloads.
Every case is different. After your initial consultation, we’ll determine which services are best for your defence, and calculate a fixed fee quote for you. The price depends on the complexity of the case, how long it will take, which team members are best for the case, and whether we need to instruct specialists. We do not charge by the hour - only a fixed fee for your whole defence.
We have a member of our legal team available to speak 24/7, 365 days a year. Whenever you need to speak to someone, you will be connected instantly. All calls are 100% confidential.
Yes, when you call us, your call is 100% confidential.
When you phone us, you’ll speak with a member of our legal team on a completely confidential basis. They will listen to your case and may ask additional questions to get as much detail as possible so the team can decide whether they are the best fit for you. We cannot give exact costs, a timeline, or suggestions on how to proceed in this initial call. After this, they will give your case details to the rest of the team and someone will be in touch with you with a no-obligation fixed fee quote for representation, and some ideas for next steps (such as pre-charge engagement, police interview representation, and similar). It is then up to you whether you’d like to accept the quote and proceed to formally instruct Holborn Adams.
Pre-charge engagement with the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) may be labelled as ‘voluntary,’ but for anyone under investigation, it is an essential and strategic tool for a robust defence. By engaging early, we aim to gain access to the evidence the police intend to rely on, allowing us to dismantle weak allegations, highlight crucial lines of inquiry that support your innocence, and build a powerful defence from the outset. Our primary goal is to have cases dropped and resolved before charges are ever brought, ensuring you never have to step foot in a courtroom. This proactive approach is vital in countering false allegations and addressing misunderstandings before they escalate. It also ensures full preparation, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to your defence. We act decisively, preparing compelling representations and a comprehensive defence bundle, which we present to the CPS at the earliest opportunity to secure a ‘No Further Action’ outcome.