World-renowned experts in financial fraud recovery
Meet the visionaries leading the fight against financial fraud
Senior Partner| Property
Ballaster serves as Senior Partner and is a specialist in secured lending for both lenders and borrowers within the Carter Vanguard Apex Legal commercial property team. His team supports lenders by ensuring robust protection for their loans — offering advice on the appropriate forms of security, establishing efficient reporting systems between lawyers and lenders, preparing documentation, conducting title examinations, raising relevant enquiries, and carrying out the necessary searches. Rufus also brings extensive experience in advising borrowers, helping them understand the risks involved in each transaction and negotiating the most favorable terms possible. When appropriate, and after carefully considering the professional rules on conflicts of interest, Rufus is able to act for both the lender and the borrower within the same transaction. His strong technical legal expertise and exceptional analytical skills make him an invaluable asset in both transactional matters and as Vanguard Apex Legal’s resident spreadsheet enthusiast.
Partner | Company/Commercial
Is a Partner in our Corporate & Commercial team. His corporate work focuses on the acquisition and sale of primarily owner-managed SMEs, along with providing related advice on contractual and banking documentation. In his employment practice, Andrew handles all aspects of both contentious and non-contentious matters for employers and employees alike. Additionally, his charity practice is centered on compliance and amalgamation issues, where he provides strategic guidance to ensure smooth and compliant operations..
Solicitor | Commercial Dispute Resolution | Litigation
In September 2025, Julian qualified as a Solicitor and joined the Litigation department. Before relocating to London to complete the PGDL and LPC at BPP Law School, he studied at the University of Cape Town, where he earned First Class Honours in Philosophy and received a Distinction in Studies in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Julian advises clients across a broad range of contentious matters, including contract, tort, and shareholder disputes, as well as insolvency proceedings and the enforcement of judgment debts. He also brings significant experience in secured lending, which he applies to assist lender clients with enforcement actions against defaulting borrowers. Beyond his professional work, Julian is an active powerlifting competitor, coaches at a rowing club in West London, and enjoys painting and exploring London’s museums and galleries in his free time.
Paralegal/Team Assistant | Civil Litigation
Emily is a dedicated paralegal and team assistant with a strong focus on litigation. Holding a first-class LLB in Law and planning to begin her SQE LLM soon, she has quickly distinguished herself since joining VAL in October 2022. Originally from Llanelli, Wales, where she gained experience as a legal secretary, Emily later moved to London to advance her career in civil litigation. She now provides support across a diverse range of litigation matters, including commercial and property disputes, international arbitration, and family law. Emily works closely with experienced litigators and assists in managing complex cases for our South African clients.
Consultant | Asset Recovery
João Bastos is a Portuguese lawyer within our asset recovery team, specialising in the tracing, reclaiming, and recovery of withheld or misallocated funds. With over a decade of experience in international financial disputes, he has developed a strong reputation for handling complex cross-border cases involving regulatory intervention, fraud-related losses, and frozen assets.
Born and raised in Porto, Portugal, João later advanced his legal training in the United Kingdom, allowing him to operate confidently across both European and British regulatory frameworks. This dual perspective enables him to bridge legal and cultural gaps when assisting clients affected by international financial misconduct.
His recent work includes the successful recovery of multiple six-figure sums for clients who were victims of cross-border investment fraud, as well as assisting individuals and corporate groups in reclaiming funds held under prolonged regulatory review. João has collaborated with financial institutions, compliance units, and foreign regulatory bodies to secure the lawful release of assets on behalf of clients across Europe and Latin America.
He has also been involved in cases where investors were misled into high-risk international schemes, supporting them through structured recovery procedures and claims against negligent intermediaries who failed to meet their due-diligence obligations.
At 35 years old, João is recognised for his analytical approach, calm communication style, and commitment to providing clear, transparent, and practical legal guidance. He takes pride in helping clients understand each step of the recovery process, ensuring they remain informed and supported throughout.
João continues to expand his international practice and is regularly consulted for expert commentary on matters involving financial tracing, asset recovery, and regulatory compliance.
Consultant | Financial Compliance & Asset Recovery
Eduardo García Juárez is a Mexican legal consultant specialising in financial compliance, international regulation, and the recovery of assets held under dispute or restrictive review. With more than 12 years of experience, he has advised clients across North America, Europe, and Latin America in complex cases involving frozen accounts, financial misconduct, compliance breaches, and cross-border fund tracing.
Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Eduardo built his early career in corporate finance before transitioning fully into the legal and regulatory sector. His strong analytical background, combined with advanced studies in financial law and compliance, gives him a unique dual perspective that benefits clients facing intricate international financial challenges.
Eduardo has led successful recovery actions in multi-jurisdictional cases where clients were unable to access funds due to regulatory holds, documentation discrepancies, or institutional mismanagement. He has also collaborated with investigative units, financial institutions, and compliance officers to secure lawful releases of funds and remediate high-risk financial irregularities.
His recent work includes supporting clients affected by digital-asset and investment-platform disputes, guiding them through structured verification, financial tracing, and coordinated recovery actions. Eduardo has also represented corporate groups in reviewing internal compliance processes, identifying regulatory vulnerabilities, and implementing corrective measures aligned with UK, EU, and LATAM financial standards.
Known for his pragmatic, structured, and client-focused approach, Eduardo is highly regarded for breaking down complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance. His calm communication style and dedication to protecting client assets make him a trusted advisor in high-pressure situations.
Eduardo continues to expand his international practice and is frequently consulted for expert insight on matters involving financial compliance, regulatory risk management, and global asset recovery strategies.
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