Josie Welland

JOSIE WELLAND focuses her practice on digital fraud, cybercrime, and technology-related investigations and disputes.

She advises global companies – including online platforms and financial institutions – on cyber-enabled crimes, frauds, and online harm. Her practice spans cross-border investigations, enforcement strategy, and crisis response, often involving co-ordination with law enforcement agencies, regulators, and in-house legal teams. Josie also supports clients in fraud, cyber and IP litigation, particularly in cases involving brand impersonation and online abuse. Her work helps clients mitigate losses, reduce fraud exposure, and, as well as demonstrating proactive action to regulators. Josie advises clients across a range of sectors from technology, media and telecommunications, energy, finance, and retail.

In addition to her cyber practice, Josie has significant experience in crisis management and defending clients in matters involving allegations of criminal misconduct, including money laundering, cybersecurity breaches, fraud, corruption, and bribery. She has represented individuals and corporates in investigations by agencies such as UK’s Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, and Financial Conduct Authority. Her experience extends to digital assets and the growing intersection between financial crime and technology.

She is recommended by Legal 500 UK 2025-2026 for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime. She is also recommended for Financial Services: Contentious. In the 2025 edition, sources stated , where it states that she is a “digital fraud specialist.” In the 2020 edition, clients comment that she is “a brilliant fraud practitioner.”

Outside of her work at Sidley, Josie is the chair of the Female Fraud Forum.

Examples of Josie’s work include advising:

• A global 100 technology company in the investigation and enforcement of hundreds of cybercrime actions.
• A global 100 technology company in numerous intellectual property actions, including copyright, trademark infringement and instrument of fraud cases.
• A global 100 company in an internal investigation concerning its supply chain and allegations of criminal misconduct.
• A financial institution on matters relating to the UK Bribery Act 2010.
• A global investment company on financial crime governance and compliance, including UK Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
• The CEO of an oil and gas company in accusations of bribery and corruption, investigated by the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office. The charges were dropped.
• The Heads of Sales of a seismic instrumentation company in accusations of bribery and corruption, investigated by the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office. Acquitted after trial.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Chair of the Female Fraud Forum
• Member of Women in White Collar Crime Defence Association, London Chapter (WWCDA)
• Member of the Fraud Lawyers Association