Find the assets before choosing the remedy.

Early questions

• Money, property or other value has left your control and the destination is unclear.
• A defendant appears to have nothing, and that needs to be tested before substantial costs are incurred.
• Urgent freezing, proprietary or disclosure relief may be required once assets can be identified.

When another route may be better

If reachable value cannot be identified, or if the cost of enforcement is likely to exceed any recovery, the honest next step may be to stop, to pursue a narrower civil claim, or to wait for further information. Tracing is a means of deciding that, not a reason to spend indefinitely.

Remedies, not a pot of money

Freezing injunctions in the High Court are usually sought under the court’s equitable jurisdiction and CPR Part 25. Worldwide freezing orders, proprietary injunctions, disclosure orders and receivership are separate remedies with different tests. They do not create assets. Tracing in equity follows value; it is not a guarantee that a bank, a nominee or a wallet can be made to pay.

How a recovery strategy is formed

1. Early asset and enforceability assessment. We identify what value can be shown, where it sits, who appears to control it, and whether pursuing it is economically worthwhile.
2. Bank, company, property and digital-asset enquiries. Payment records, filings, land and company searches, and digital-asset records are used to build a picture that can later be exhibited.
3. Freezing and disclosure remedies. If the evidence will support it, we advise on freezing, proprietary and disclosure applications, including the usual cross-undertaking in damages.
4. Overseas assets and local counsel. Where assets or respondents sit outside England and Wales, we identify when foreign-law advice is required and instruct local counsel with your approval.
5. Enforcement economics. An asset that exists is not always an asset that can be frozen, charged or sold. We keep the likely recovery under review against the next stage of cost.

Principal risks

• A freezing order does not itself seize value. Assets can be offshore, encumbered, spent or held by someone who will contest the claim.
• A cross-undertaking in damages is usual. If the injunction was wrongly granted, you may have to pay.
• Banking or on-chain data can run out. Inference is not proof of control.

Fees

We agree the scope and charging basis before substantive work begins. Most matters are charged by reference to time; a fixed fee may be available for a clearly defined preliminary review. Full rates and terms are on the Pricing page.

Who is responsible

Each matter is supervised by a named solicitor. Specialist investigators and forensic professionals are introduced where their expertise is needed, with their role and status explained. Job titles on this site are not a reserved-activity authorisation. Confirm current authorised individuals on the Regulatory information page and the public SRA record.