Alliance for fraud and white-collar crime lawyers

Four City law firms are backing the formation of a special interest group for fraud and white-collar crime lawyers.The Young Fraud Lawyers Association (YFLA) is the brain child of Gerallt Owen of Titmuss Sainer Dechert, Linzi MacDonald of Kingsley Napley, Ian Smith from Irwin Mitchell and Sacha Harber-Kelly from TV Edwards.

All four firms are on the Legal Services Commission's serious fraud panel.The association aims to provide a national network for lawyers up to and including eight years qualified specialising in criminal, civil and regulatory fraud.YFLA educational secretary Ian Smith said the group aimed to attract young lawyers to provide a discussion forum and training.

He said the group would also allow younger lawyers to network and to make contacts with other specialists in a field where work was often referred on due to conflicts.For details, e-mail smithi@ irwinmitchell.co.uk

Sue Allen